Coogan's Bluff (1968)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Don Siegel

Writers:

Herman Miller (screenplay) &
Dean Riesner (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

2 October 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime

Tagline:

Before "Dirty Harry"... there was Coogan.

Plot:

Coogan, an Arizona cop, is sent to New York to collect a prisoner. Everyone in New York assumes Coogan is from Texas...

Plot Keywords:

New York | Escape | Police | Fish Out Of Water | Probation Officer

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 15	1:30 AM	AMC
Wed. July 15	10:15 AM	AMC

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Deputy Sheriff Walt Coogan
Lee J. Cobb	...	Det. Lt. McElroy, NYPD
Susan Clark	...	Julie Roth, Probation Officer
Tisha Sterling	...	Linny Raven, Ringerman's Girlfriend
Don Stroud	...	James Ringerman
Betty Field	...	Ellen Ringerman
Tom Tully	...	Sheriff McCrea, Piute County
Melodie Johnson	...	Millie, Coogan's Girlfriend
James Edwards	...	Sgt. Wallace, Stakeout Cop
Rudy Diaz	...	Running Bear
David Doyle	...	Pushie, Tavern Owner (as David F. Doyle)
Louis Zorich	...	Taxi Driver
Meg Myles	...	Big Red
Marjorie Bennett	...	Mrs. Fowler, Little Old Lady
Seymour Cassel	...	Joe, Young Hood

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Spain:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | West Germany:16 (re-rated) (DVD) | West Germany:18 (f) | USA:Approved (certificate #21735) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 (1993) | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (re-rating) (1968)

Filming Locations:

23rd Precinct Building, 23rd Precinct, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Malpaso Company, The

Trivia:

Was the inspiration for the TV series "McCloud" (1970) starring Dennis Weaver,

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Lampposts: The movie is set in New York yet shows side street lighting usually found in San Francisco. By 1967, half of New York had replaced street lighting with new aluminum poles, and those that had not been replaced would have seen the more common 'bishops crook' masts or 'long arm' poles.

Quotes:

Mrs. Ellen Ringerman: [angry] Who do you think you are? Stupid-looking Texan coming in here with your fancy cowboy get-up, fancy boots, fancy hat... do you know what you are?
Coogan: Fancy!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Eastwood & Co.: Making 'Unforgiven' (1992) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Everybody

Perfect Action Movie

From the opening scenes to the end it's never boring, and often hilarious. Lee J. Cobb turns in a wonderfully wry performance, the young Susan Clark is hot as Julie the probation officer, and Tom Tully is perfect as the tough, no-nonsense Sheriff McCrea. Add to that the sights and sounds of the city in the late 1960's and the feel for the atmosphere of the times, and it's a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. I define the quality of a movie by how it makes me feel. And this one always makes me feel good. Watching Eastwood work as Deputy Sheriff Walt Coogan, with that cool Eastwood demeanor makes you realize just how hokey Dennis Weaver played the McCloud character in the TV series - while 'Coogan' inspired the series, the series certainly didn't outshine it. This one is a fun romp, and like all in the genre, not to be taken too seriously. Highly recommended.