The Enforcer (1976/I)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

James Fargo

Writers:

Harry Julian Fink (characters) and
Rita M. Fink (characters) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 December 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

The "dirtiest" Harry of them all!

Plot:

Dirty Harry must foil a terrorist organization made up of disgruntled Vietnam veterans. But this time, he's teamed with a rookie female partner that he's not too excited to be working with.

Plot Keywords:

Terrorist | Police | Alcatraz | Hostage | Rocket Launcher

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Insp. 'Dirty' Harry Callahan
Tyne Daly	...	Insp. Kate Moore
Harry Guardino	...	Lt. Al Bressler
Bradford Dillman	...	Capt. McKay
John Mitchum	...	Insp. Frank DiGiorgio
DeVeren Bookwalter	...	Bobby Maxwell
John Crawford	...	The Mayor
Samantha Doane	...	Wanda
Robert F. Hoy	...	Buchinski (as Robert Hoy)
Jocelyn Jones	...	Miki
M.G. Kelly	...	Father John
Nick Pellegrino	...	Martin
Albert Popwell	...	'Big' Ed Mustapha
Rudy Ramos	...	Mendez
Bill Ackridge	...	Andy
Bill Jelliffe	...	Johnny
Joe Bellan	...	Freddie the Fainter
Tim O'Neill	...	Police Sergeant
Jan Stratton	...	Mrs. Grey
Will MacMillan	...	Lt. Dobbs
Jerry Walter	...	Krause
Steve Eoff	...	Bustanoby
Tim Burrus	...	Henry Lee
Michael Cavanaugh	...	Lalo
Dick Durock	...	Karl
Ronald Manning	...	Tex
Adele Proom	...	Irene DiGeorgio
Glenn Leigh Marshall	...	Army Sergeant
Robert Behling	...	Autopsy Surgeon
Terence McGovern	...	Disc Jockey (as Terry McGovern)
Stan Richie	...	Bridge Operator
John Roselius	...	Jimmy, the Mayor's Assistant
Brian Fong	...	Scoutmaster
Art Rimdzius	...	Porno Director
Chuck Hicks	...	Huey
Anne Macey	...	Madam (as Ann Macy)
Gloria Prince	...	Massage Girl
Kenneth Boyd	...	Abdul
Bernard Glin	...	Koblo
Fritz Manes	...	Detective #1
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roger Ferreira	...	Extra
Barbara Beebe	...	Porno Actress (uncredited)
George Cheung	...	Mendez Henchman (uncredited)
Michael L. Davis	...	Police Sergeant at Bombing (uncredited)
Joe Spano	...	Mitch, Robber (uncredited)

Directed by
James Fargo

Writing credits
Harry Julian Fink		(characters) and
Rita M. Fink		(characters) (as R.M. Fink)
Gail Morgan Hickman		(story) &
S.W. Schurr		(story)
Stirling Silliphant		(screenplay) and
Dean Riesner		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Daley	....	producer

Original Music by
Jerry Fielding

Cinematography by
Charles W. Short		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Joel Cox
Ferris Webster

Casting by
Mary Goldberg

Art Direction by
Allen E. Smith

Set Decoration by
Ira Bates

Costume Design by
Glenn Wright

Makeup Department
Joe McKinney	....	makeup supervisor
Lorraine Roberson	....	hair stylist

Production Management
John G. Wilson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph C. Cavalier	....	assistant director (as Joe Cavalier)
Joe Florence	....	second assistant director
Billy Ray Smith	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Edward Aiona	....	property master (as Eddie Aiona)
Gerald MacDonald	....	construction coordinator (as Jerry MacDonald)

Sound Department
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bert Hallberg	....	sound
Keith Stafford	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Joseph A. Unsinn	....	special effects (as Joe Unsinn)

Stunts
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt coordinator (as Wayne Van Horn)
Tony Cecere	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Cheung	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Durock	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert F. Hoy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Jelliffe	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Orrison	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Kenneth Adams	....	key grip (as Ken Adams)
Richard Barth	....	camera assistant (as Dick Barth)
Doug Cook	....	second grip (as Douglas Cook)
Ralph Gerling	....	camera operator
John McPherson	....	gaffer
Frank Redmond	....	camera assistant
Ellsworth Reed	....	best boy
Marcia Reed	....	still photographer
Timothy E. Wade	....	camera assistant (as Tim Wade)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Glenn Wright	....	costume supervisor

Music Department
Donald Harris	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer
Art Pepper	....	musician: alto saxophone solo (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Tim Hill	....	transportation captain
Art Rimdzius	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Diana Brent	....	secretary to producer (as Dianna Brent)
Judie Garrison	....	secretary to producer
Catalina Lawrence	....	script supervisor
Fritz Manes	....	assistant to producer
Don Mink	....	auditor
Elly Mitchell	....	production secretary
James Moffett	....	first aid

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Malpaso Company, The

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1982) (USA) (TV)
• Sandrews (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (deluxe edition)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1977) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1977) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1977) (West Germany) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Deluxe  color by
• Michaelson's  catering
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  filmed in
• Technicolor  prints by

Also Known As:

Moving Target (USA) (original script title)
Dirty Harry III - Der Unerbittliche (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
L'inspecteur ne renonce jamais (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Cielo di piombo ispettore Callaghan (Italy) [it]
Den hårda jakten (Finland: Swedish title) [sv]
Dirty Harry renser ud (Denmark) [da]
Enforcer - hårding (Sweden) [sv]
Hårdingen (Sweden) [sv]
Harry - O Implacável (Portugal) [pt]
Harry l'executor (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Harry, el ejecutor (Spain) [es]
Murskaaja (Finland) [fi]
O epitheoritis Callahan xanaktypa (Greece) [el]
Sem Medo da Morte (Brazil) [pt]

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M (TV rating) | Spain:18 | Iceland:16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Finland:K-18 (1977) (cut) | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | USA:R (certificate #24716) | France:Unrated | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2008) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating) | Canada:18A | Australia:R | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 (cut) | UK:18 | South Korea:18 | Norway:16 (1977) (cut) | Norway:15 (DVD rating) | New Zealand:PG (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

23rd & Capp Streets, Mission District, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The film was originally and unimaginatively called "Dirty Harry III", before officially being titled as "The Enforcer".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Harry confronts the priest in his church (shortly before Harry's partner shoots the alleged "nun"), Harry pushes the priest forcefully backwards into the confessional. When the priest hits the 'tiled' rear wall, you can see it shake, revealing it to be a cardboard prop.

Quotes:

[about Kate Moore]
Harry Callahan: She wants to play lumberjack, she's going to have to learn to handle her end of the log.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Harry Callahan/Clint Eastwood: Something Special in Films (1976)

What can Dirty Harry not take on?

For me the sequels to "Dirty Harry" never came close topping the original, but I thoroughly enjoyed and think highly of them anyway. Each one seemed to add its own distinguishable touch to the typical formula. The third film (and probably the cheapest, as it looks like it) of the series 'The Enforcer' seemed to have that swinging and carefree vibe of the times, with the biting reality and stark realisations (heavily implemented in the first two) taking a backseat for forceful (if crass) humour. However the violence is still gritty, mean, explosive and openly displayed. Director James Fargo ('Forced Vengeance', 'Every Which Way But Loose', 'Caravans' and 'A Game for Vultures') has appeared in some of Eastwood's early films as assistant director, and here he paces it well-enough and let's the foundation play out more like an expansive low-key action fling filled with the constant buddy routines (as Harry is paired up with a young green-horn female detective fidgety played by Tyne Daly. Who does bring an authentic and potent side to her role) that are credibly developed, long-winded build-ups finishing off with brute force and the quick-witted response. Harry also has got a catch-phrase… just 'marvellous'.

Eastwood laconically pulls it off with dominant ease and certain authority of truly delving into this character (as now there's more to that monomaniacal search for one's own justice), as his hands out punishment (against a bunch of terrorists who call themselves 'The People's Revolutionary') and has time to let fly what he really thinks. Copping the cynical barbs are amusing support performances by Harry Guardino, John Crawford and Bradford Dillman. The bad guys here aren't overly memorable, but the DeVeren Bookwalter bestows a steely glance and has a quietly dangerous psychotic air to him. Showing up again, but in another different character is the wonderful Albert Popwell.

I never tire of the San Francisco locations (where most of the films are shot), and the camera superbly details the on-screen action and striking background features. What I like about the ending of these earlier 'Dirty Harry' films, was how they weren't afraid to end on such an powerful note involving something represented visually to express the mindset, as the camera slowly zooms out and the harrowing score cues in. On the point about the music. I would say I was a little put off by the racy and bouncy jazz score arrangement of composer Jerry Fielding (who by-the-way has done some magnificent scores for films of Sam Peckinpah, Michael Winner and Clint Eastwood) just didn't have the stinging, sombre and self-reflecting quality of Lalo Schifrin's efforts. That's not to say it was bad or felt out of place, because it didn't with the feel that this one opted for. But a darker or more subtle take could've done it wonders since Fielding has chalked up some jarringly bold pieces in other films.

The script has some political context (home-grown terrorism, political correctness and equal-gender opportunity), but always stays true to the story than trying to undermine or overdo it. While it should be predictable, it does keep one step ahead and offers a surprise or two.

An up-to-par sequel.