Coogan's Bluff (DVD)

Coogan's Bluff is a very low budget film starring Clint Eastwood. Made in 1968 after his successful run of Spaghetti Westerns, Eastwood stars in two films in this year. Coogan's Bluff and Where Eagles Dare.

The Producer / Director Don Siegel (Dirty Harry, A Mule For Sister Sara, Escape From Alcatraz), used Herman Miller and co-writers Dean Riesner, Howard Rodmans script to bring to the screen through Universal Pictures - Coogan's ...
...(made just over 3 millions dollars), but the relationship between Siegel and Eastwood would be set for the next ten years where the character played by Eastwood, would be developed in to the well known and popular Inspector Harry Callahan (Dirty Harry).

The Story....
=========
Coogan is a Deputy Sheriff in Arizona who is a strong but silent lawman, who collides with his superiors regularly and is given the task of going ... more

Coogan's Bluff is a very low budget film starring Clint Eastwood. Made in 1968 after his successful run of Spaghetti Westerns, Eastwood stars in two films in this year. Coogan's Bluff and Where Eagles Dare.

The Producer / Director Don Siegel (Dirty Harry, A Mule For Sister Sara, Escape From Alcatraz), used Herman Miller and co-writers Dean Riesner, Howard Rodmans script to bring to the screen through Universal Pictures - Coogan's Bluff. The film itself was more or less a flop (made just over 3 millions dollars), but the relationship between Siegel and Eastwood would be set for the next ten years where the character played by Eastwood, would be developed in to the well known and popular Inspector Harry Callahan (Dirty Harry).

The Story....
=========
Coogan is a Deputy Sheriff in Arizona who is a strong but silent lawman, who collides with his superiors regularly and is given the task of going to New York City to extradite a wanted man (Ringerman) who is wanted for Murder in Arizona.
Coogan runs in to problems in New York where the 'red tape' causes him aggravation. Ringerman is in Hospital and the Police Chief, tells Coogan that he cannot touch Ringerman until he has extradition papers from the Court and the medical release form from the Hospital.
Coogan not happy with this tries to 'cut corners', by conning his way into the Hospital and having Ringerman released, which he does but Coogan gets ambushed and Ringerman is helped to escape.
The Police Chief is not happy and tries to send Coogan home and informs Coogans boss about the recent incident and Coogan is ordered home in disgrace.
Coogan running against orders then starts out on a crusade to find Ringerman himself.
There are a few notable scenes - the scene in the nightclub called The Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel, where he is trying to locate Ringermans girlfriend. The scene in the bar where Coogan is set upon by twelve men, and one of the last scenes, a chase using a motorbike in Cloisters Park.

My opinion
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The film is very low budget and does seem to drift quite a bit. It starts off with a manhunt of a wanted man (not Ringerman), and has several diversions throughout the film, which is off putting, and was off the point.
You can picture Dirty Harry under the Cowboy hat, pointed Cowboy boots and you can almost imagine the gun under his jacket, but it never really emerges.
I did not like the film and it smelt to me of a western crossed with a manhunt in the city, which obviously was designed that way to bring across Eastwoods' Spaghetti Western fans??
Although the price of the DVD is low (and probably very appropriate) the film is not really worth buying. The picture is low grade and grainy and no special features of any kind.
Having said that, all film stars have a flop at some point and it is usually at the start of their working careers (IE. Arnold Swarzeneggers Hercules in New York ), so although the film was poor the acting was still Eastwoods usual, which is very good.
I would try before you buy, and if you collect Eastwood films then it is one you probably would buy to finish off the collection.

Cast
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Clint Eastwood, Susan Clark, Don Stroud, Tisha Sterling, Betty Field & Lee J. Cobb

Disc Features
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None

Disc Specifications
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Region 2 & 4
Colour
Widescreen
93 minutes running time 

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