The Gauntlet (1977)

Sadly Over-hyped

Am I Missing Something?

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Yes, this is a movie that lacks brains, but in this film, there's an admirable quality about it. Again, in not much stretch of acting ability, Eastwood lowers the ranks of Mr Harry Callahan, playing a drunken loser of a cop, Ben Shockley, who becomes a pawn for murder, while transporting a female prisoner (Locke) who is first thought to be a guy, thanks to a name mix up, or could it be he was given the wrong message on grounds that Shockley may of not accepted the job if it was a guy, as this prisoner is a witness to a mob hit, involving crooked cops. But unlike Callahan, Shockley is a guy that obeys his fellow commanders. Trying to keeping Locke and himself, is a dangerous mission, where you have to wait until the end, for the blood to spill, in an overdone shootout in a bus, which in reality, you couldn't survive, Locke coming out of the big bullet holed bus, with hardly a scratch. This low brainer does have some cool moments, where on the surface,. this isn't a badly made actioner, that uses some good locations, and like Eastwood's Phillow Bello. he tackles another cluster of bikies, you do feel sorry for, Eastwood even mentioning his favorite ape's name, while pointing a gun at one of them. Take this, for what it's worth, an entertaining no brained actioner, with it's share of faults, we can dismiss, as we just want to great to get caught up in the stupidity of it all. William Prince is good as the bent cop, with great actor Robert Cavanaugh, as as his squirmy right hand man. Cavanaugh went onto playing the lead baddie again, with Clint, in the messy third Dirty Harry film, while also playing the baddie in the worst Chuck Norris flick, I won't mention. This too, would have to be the worst film, our lead actor/director, ever made.

In 1977's "The Gauntlet" Clint Eastwood directs and stars as Ben Shockley, an irresponsible detective in Phoenix, Arizona. He's assigned the job of going to Vegas and bringing back a hooker, Gus Mally (Sondra Locke), a supposedly "nothing witness for a nothing trial." If this is so, why are so many people determined to kill them? Shockley is a drunk who has no passion for his job and just goes through the motions. He's submissive to his superiors (saying "yes sir" after almost every conversation, even when hung up on), as well as gullible and trusting to a fault. In other words, he's opposite to Dirty Harry in almost every way. Instead he has to be built-up to the Dirty Harry mold and gets there by the last act."The Gauntlet" is quasi-believable like the Dirty Harry pictures, but only to a point; there's so much exaggerated violence it becomes amusing, e.g. the police shooting up a house until it literally collapses. There are also plot holes if you look too closely or too logically. For instance, when the Arizona squad goes to the Nevada border to intercept Shockley & Mally in the police car they just blow it to smithereens and depart without even checking to see if the intended targets were in the vehicle and if they're dead. Thankfully, the movie's so compelling and fun that you simply overlook plot holes and take amusement in the joyous preposterousness of it all.The pacing is great. While the first ten minutes is uneventful drama, introducing us to the characters and basic plot, the next fifteen minutes go into overdrive with one thrilling action scene after another. This keeps up for over an hour of the runtime before taking a breather in preparation for the final act. The riveting action sequences include wild car chases, assassination attempts, spending the night in the desert, an encounter with an outlaw bike gang, a fight on a moving freight train, a chase where their (stolen) motorcycle is pursued by a marksman in a helicopter. And then there's Shockley's final stubborn charge into Phoenix on a bus while hundreds of cops blow holes into the vehicle."The Gauntlet" is a movie that appeals to the teenager in us all. It's hip, raunchy, ultra-violent, cool, absurd and just so darn entertaining from beginning to end. You'll also see some depth that you wouldn't think would be there if you look closely. The two protagonists, for instance, are unlikable trash, but that doesn't mean they're irredeemable. Moreover, love conquers all.If you object to my high rating I'm grading it according to what it is, an outrageous cop thriller with pop-art violence. For what it is, it's a great movie.Locke incidentally starred in six Eastwood flicks in seven years from 1977-1983. While she never really tripped my trigger (not curvy enough) I liked her and she was good in every one of these films, particularly 1983's "Sudden Impact" (my second favorite of the Dirty Harry franchise).The film runs 109 minutes and was shot in Arizona and Las Vegas.GRADE: A

Clint Eastwood pays Ben Shockley, a tough, hard-drinking, washed up and not overly effective cop. Not much is expected of him, yet he's assigned to escort a "nothing" witness (feisty hooker "Gus" Mally, played by Eastwoods' gal pal of the era, Sondra Locke) to a "nothing" trial. However, he'll find that the truth is different from what he's been told, and that there are powerful people who will not want to see him accomplish his mission.The movie, which works as something of a predecessor to "Midnight Run", is well shot (by Rexford L. Metz) in Panavision, and adequately paced. It has just as many decent character moments as it does thrills. The action is deliberately made to be way over the top, with tons of bullets pumped into a house, a car, and, eventually, a bus. So, as an exercise in excess, "The Gauntlet" does do its job.Clint is fine as always. He still exhibits a trademark cool and his character displays an unexpected tenacity: he's going to prove that he's a better cop than people (including himself) might believe him to be. And Locke actually does just fine, in one of her better roles. You do like her more as the story plays out, and she and Clint work well together.The supporting cast is excellent, especially Pat Hingle as Shockley's old friend and colleague Josephson. "Deliverance" villain Bill McKinney has a memorable role as a constable forced to drive Ben and Gus to a rendezvous. Other familiar faces include William Prince as the police commissioner, Michael Cavanaugh as the assistant D.A., Mara Corday as a jail matron, Doug McGrath as a bookie, Jeff Morris as a desk sergeant, and Roy Jenson as one of the three vindictive bikers.The amount of firepower unleashed in this thing is truly mind-boggling. The final set piece is pretty damn intense, but there's a well executed helicopter / motorcycle chase preceding it that is exciting. It's true enough that "The Gauntlet" defies credibility at times, but those Clint fans just hoping for some good non-think entertainment should be satisfied with the amount of action doled out.Seven out of 10.

Gets this high rating from me because of the excellent casting, the motorbike scene with Sondra Locke on the back, and, well, for Sondra Locke. She and Clint made an unforgettable couple. No wonder they hitched up in real life. Okay, people following my reviews (both of them) will notice my fascination with Chase movies, DIRTY MARY CRAZY LARRY, OUTLAW BLUES) involving close encounters with the leading lady during the chase. This is one of them. It is also quite likely the most implausible chase movie of the lot. Armour-plate that bus all you want, Clint, what the hell about the tyres? The entire American Police Force and their dogs await that bus, a fusillade ensues, but nobody shoots out the tyres IMMEDIATELY like it would have gone in real life. It's the most ludicrous farcical action scene committed on film and remains glaringly inexcusable, but... but it works so beautifully!The idea of the two who are so at loggerheads way into the movie, is as appealing as the gruff violence against little Gus is unappealing. In a remake of this, the conflict would surely remain verbal, or maybe a little slap or two. But this movie features another favorite theme of mine, the protagonists who are at first in opposite camps, as in THE RAVINE (1969), but then find each other, passion ensuing. It is as it is said, The War Between Men and Women, there is so much fraternization...One of your reviewers, that 339 guy, spoke about a missing scene involving the sadistic law enforcement officer and Gus. He didn't mention details, but while watching DVDs years later after having seen a movie, like decades before, I often remember stuff that then doesn't materialize, and without consulting my DVD, I do remember that perhaps this concerned rape at gunpoint with the barrel of the revolver. If this is what he referred to, he is indeed correct. DVDs are pricey enough for them to carry alternative versions on the movie's menu, which could be ignored by the more squeamish among us.All in all, a most glorious film, despite it being as plausible as the wildest science-fiction.