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The Enforcer (1976/I)

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9 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
A competent action but a noticeable lack of depth and subtlety…, 2 abril 2005

Author: ironside (robertfrangie@hotmail.com) de Mexico

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Harry Callahan quickly establishes his action-not-words by driving his car through a liquor store window to free the owners, who are being held as hostages… Demoted to the personnel department, he scorns bureaucracy in general and in particular the Mayor's policy of attracting women into the force, but he is saddled with one, Kate Moore (Tyne Daly) as his by now obligatory 'minority' partner…

Insp. Callahan finds black militants are not his enemies but his allies: when 'Big' Ed Mustapha (Albert Popwell), the black leader, is arrested to boost the Mayor's prestige, Harry actually resigns this time and continues his pursuit of the revolutionaries as a loner… His female aide risks her own job to he1p him and eventually they chase a prime suspect through the seamy 'massage parlor' underworld of the city and kill a leading gang member, who has disguised, herself as a nun… And discovering that the Mayor is being held captive on Alcatraz Island, they make for an abandoned fortress for the final shootout…

The film is a step backwards in style and content from the previous two… Harry seems to have reverted to his first incarnation: 'What kind of a department are we running when we're more concerned with the rights of the criminals than of the people we're supposed to be protecting?' and displays unusual brutality in roughing up a man who feigns heart attacks instead of paying his restaurant bills…

Advertised as the 'dirtiest Harry of them all,' it is also the weakest… Without the experience of Siegel or Milius to help him, Eastwood took a gamble on James Fargo, his assistant director on some of his previous films and the result was competent action but a noticeable lack of depth and subtlety…

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7 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
As powerful as Clint Eastwood's .44 Magnum, 1 mayo 2006

Author: jmgalvan-1 de United States

This is the third installment of the Dirty Harry series, all starring the legendary four-times Academy Award-winning actor and director Clint Eastwood. Naturally, it's not as powerful and dramatic as the first of the series, because, once again naturally, sequels are difficult to make. Especially if you want them to live up to their proceeding movies.

"The Enforcer", like all five installments of the series, is a great action-crime film with it's own little individual plot and point. It's got plenty of decent action, Eastwood flaring away with his .44 Magnum revolver, punching bleeding holes through his challengers.

This movie has also got a pretty dramatic ending.

Overall, "The Enforcer" is another classic Clint Eastwood movie and definitely worth checking out and seeing a few times over.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
He's not so dirty these days..., 10 noviembre 2005

Author: S.C. Skafte de Nova Scotia, Canada

Billed as 'The Dirtiest Harry of them All', this film certainly fails to meet that requirement. After the extreme violence and frequent nudity of the first film was toned down for "Magnum Force", I assumed they would be really going back to the roots with "The Enforcer". Not so. The Dirty Harry franchise has moved from being a brutal and difficult cop series to little more than a TV cop show, albeit with brief nudity and a little swearing.

There are high points, however. Tyne Daly (Telefon, Christy) gives a typically great performance (if there's such a thing), and the picture is admittedly fun to watch. Interesting note: Dirty Harry tracks the bad guys to Alcatraz (filmed on location) where Eastwood would return in 1979 to film "Escape from Alcatraz" (also filmed on location).

6.4 out of 10

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7 out of 9 people found the following comment useful :-
The dirtiest Harry of them all, 4 abril 2003

Author: (chvylvr80@aol.com) de Northridge, California

This movie continues the tradition of Clint Eastwood making great movies. The Enforcer is not the best of the Dirty Harry films, but it isn't the worst of them either. (The Dead Pool is). Don't get me wrong, they are all great flicks and I enjoy all of them but there is a best to worst order to these movies. The Enforcer is filled with Harry's dry humor and tough talking dialogue. 1976 San Francisco is filmed beautifully and provides a great background as in all the Dirty Harrys. The music is suitably funky. A bit dated, but funky. Tyne Daly does a good job as Harry's spunky new partner. Tyne Daly wasn't bad lookin' in 1976 either. I'm sure Tyne misses those days. Bottom Line: Must have this movie to complete the Dirty Harry collection. It's a good tough-cop movie on it's own but I suggest getting all these films. Get the box set on DVD.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
OK, not quite "marvelous", 8 noviembre 1999

Author: Michael Dyckman de Forest Hills, New York, USA

Kindler, gentler Dirty Harry film which puts our bureaucracy-hating, crime-busting hero with a female partner played by Tyne Daly, who would later achieve fame on "Cagney & Lacey" and is currently seen on "Judging Amy." Thin plot, some classic Eastwood quotes, but the villains can't match Andy Robinson from "Dirty Harry" or David Soul from "Magnum Force." This might be the weakest Harry of the bunch.

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Harry with a new partner!, 21 octubre 2005

Author: sushihai de China

When SFPD Insp. Harry Callahan ends a liquor store holdup by doing things in his usual hard-boiled manner, his bleeding-heart boss, Capt. Briggs (Bradford Dillman) demotes Harry to the personnel division. But Harry doesn't remain there for long, as a group of terrorists rob an arms warehouse and begin a bloody extortion spree demanding $2 million from the City. Harry is paired with Insp. Kate Moore (Tyne Daly) to shut the terrorists down. Callahan is none too thrilled to be paired with Moore, but she more than proves herself when she and Harry pursue the terrorists to their hideout in the old prison of Alcatraz. The relationship between Harry and Kate is very touching!

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Another Good Dirty Harry, 13 agosto 2005

Author: gottogorunning de United States

This film was to be Dirty Harry's last outing in the seventies (do not worry though, he had two comebacks in the eighties). It is easy to compare this film, with the two previous Dirty Harry movies, because there some things have (still) not changed. First of all, Harry (obviously) kept his cheeky mouth, which again provides the viewer with the necessary laughs and his boss with the necessary headaches. This is not the only thing that has stayed the same though. Again some of the scenes could have been shorter, thus (theoretically) making The Enforcer a much tighter package. A perfect example of that is the scene in which Harry chases a bad guy to the rooftop of a building. Not only could this scene have been shorter, but it could also have been much more exciting had there been adequate use of music and cinematography. There is however one upside to this installment in the Dirty Harry series, which is, that it is far more stable than it's predecessors. It is not a decent or good film film, but it gets very close, mainly because of the good acting and the fact that the film remained interesting for the despite it's downsides. Best Dirty Harry film until then. If you want to know if it is the best in the series, check my comment for Sudden Impact

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Enjoyable on its own. Not quite a Harry movie, but a Clint movie, 6 noviembre 2001
Author: bamptonj de Melbourne

I think many fans have mixed feelings about THE ENFORCER. It represents both a departure from and an adherence to the familiar Harry tradition. However, despite any shortcomings, for the most part you've got to respect the 70s feel that the movie contains.

Fans of the first two installments will still delight in Harry's struggles with the bureaucracy within the Police Department and Bradford Dillman as the new chief is a valuable addition to the series. Once again, Clint has some killer dialogue, but while for the most part he is as stern as in his previous performances, some of his lines are offered just a little too sparingly and nonchalantly.

The villains – this time a group of misfits who kidnap the Mayor of San Francisco for a ransom of five million dollars – just aren't as menacing as the crooks the first two films. There's no mystique surrounding their identity and their performances are particularly flat and nondescript.

The script, however, begins very promisingly with Harry being assigned a female partner. The relationship that develops between the two - as Harry is forced to deal with his subconscious sexist attitudes – leads to some surprising comical moments, and this addition to the dynamic of the usual animosity between Harry and his partners comes across very well.

The soundtrack is overwhelmingly orchestral: giving THE ENFORCER a Hollywood music make-over instead of the usual gritty and upbeat Lalo Schrifin score which was used to full effect in the first two movies. The chase scene in which Harry ends up in the Church builds up some of that great 70s mood and serves to remind the viewer of a hitherto absence of the moody jazz that was so prevalent in the original.

The original Dirty Harry's success was not due to any specific formula, but rather as the result of a film full of subtleties. These subtleties included a perfect music score, a balanced tension between Harry and his partners, Harry's contempt for the red tape of police bureaucracy, and the sinister nature of the villain(s). Together, these dynamics made the original two movies stronger than the sum of their parts: The Enforcer does not quite have this magic.

It is a pity that this movie is not as polished as the previous two movies, for the next Harry outing would see an older, greyer, and wrinklier Clint, and the series would get periodically worse. You'll also miss Clint in his mainstay tweed jackets!

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Keeps "Dirty Harry" Alive and Well, 7 julio 2002

Author: jhclues de Salem, Oregon

In this third chapter from the Book of Dirty Harry Callahan, there's plenty of action as Harry breaks in a new partner and goes after a ruthless bunch, some self-proclaimed revolutionaries who are nothing more than common criminals, in `The Enforcer,' directed by James Fargo, and starring Clint Eastwood and Tyne Daly. And beyond the action, it's a film that manages to make a valid statement about bureaucratic nonsense, as well as the lack of common sense employed by those ensconced in the budding agenda of `political correctness,' who put an emphasis on image over purpose and results. Mostly, though, it gives the audience a chance to share vicariously in the triumph of good over evil, as Harry once again metes out justice in his own inimitable way.

After taking charge and cleaning up a hostage situation in a way that only `Dirty Harry' can, Harry (Eastwood) is assigned to a desk job in personnel. But when his partner, Frank DiGiorgio (John Mitchum) goes down on the job during the robbery of a munitions warehouse, Harry is back on the street, but with a new partner, Kate Moore (Daly), one of the first female inspectors in the country. And Harry puts her through her paces as they attempt to track down this particularly volatile gang, who seemingly put little value on human life as they cut their swath through the city of San Francisco and pursue their own `for the people' agenda, which in reality means they want to get their hands on as much cash as possible, and plan to hold the city hostage to do it. But they had better think again; because when they took down Frank, they inadvertently provoked the ire of Inspector Callahan himself, who does not take kindly to their sort to begin with.

James Fargo is in the director's chair for this one, and he comports himself well, recapturing all of the attitudes and elements that made the first two `Dirty Harry' films so successful. Fargo sets a good pace and keeps the story on at least an equal footing with the action, which keeps this one involving. Giving Harry a female partner puts some added interest into the mix as well, in light of the fact that this film was made in an era in which women were just beginning to emerge in such positions, on the screen or otherwise. `Cagney and Lacey,' for instance, was still some five or six years away, and Kathleen Turner's `V.I. Warshawski' wouldn't make an appearance until 1991. Initially, the film takes something of a patronizing attitude toward her, but Harry treats her as an equal from the beginning, and in the end, Inspector Moore emerges as a strong character, gender aside. Most importantly, that is not the focus of the filmmakers here, and the fact that Moore is a woman is little more in the overall scheme of things than a footnote in cinematic history; Moore is just another character in the `Dirty Harry' saga, and she's a good one (especially when compared to Harry's partner, Al Quan-- played by Evan C. Kim-- in `The Dead Pool'). And credit Fargo with insuring that it all blends together naturally within the context of the story, as well as the fact that he keeps the relationship between Callahan and Moore on task, and allows it to develop quite credibly. All in all, it's a good, collaborative effort from all concerned.

What really gives this one that ring of authenticity, however, is that Clint Eastwood is in top form, and even in his third outing as Harry seems more immersed in the character than ever. And, in the final analysis, story aside, it's the `Dirty Harry' character that makes these films so popular and successful. Creating a cinematic icon is no easy task, and that's precisely what Eastwood has done with Harry; and it's gratifying to see that he is willing to give that 110% at this stage of the game, in order to maintain the credibility of the character and the films, as well. A lesser actor would have taken this kind of success to the bank by now, while possibly allowing the character to slip into caricature rather than being concerned with keeping it real and convincing. It demonstrates what a pro Eastwood is, and why he commands the kind of respect afforded him within the industry.

Taking on the role of Kate Moore had to be a challenge for Tyne Daly, and happily, she succeeds quite well with it. She makes her character convincing by allowing her to develop in a `real time' manner; she doesn't just jump in there, full blown and ready to take on hardened criminals. Initially, she displays some intimidation in Harry's presence, which gives their relationship some realism from the beginning. After all, Harry IS an intimidating guy; add to that the fact that this is a new job for Moore, which in reality would create a level of discomfort for anyone, anywhere. And Daly has tapped into all of that with her portrayal of Moore, making her a very believable character, and one of the most memorable from among the five `Dirty Harry' films.

The supporting cast includes Harry Guardino (Lt. Bressler), Bradford Dillman (Capt. McKay), DeVeren Bookwalter (Bobby Maxwell), John Crawford (The Mayor), Samantha Doane (Wanda) and Albert Popwell as `Big' Ed Mustapha (look for Popwell in the original `Dirty Harry' as the Bank Robber; in `Magnum Force' as pimp J.J. Wilson; and again in `Sudden Impact' as one of Harry's partners, Horace). A well made and entertaining film, `The Enforcer' keeps the `Dirty Harry' series alive, well and on solid ground; in retrospect, it seems a shame now that Eastwood waited seven years to make the next installment, `Sudden Impact,' as with the dreadful `The Dead Pool' in 1988, it all ended with barely a whimper. The first four, however, more than make up for it-- and that's the magic of the movies. 8/10.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Didn't do much for me., 31 agosto 2007

Author: Paul Andrews (poolandrews@hotmail.com) de UK

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

The Enforcer is set in San Francisco & starts as a terrorist organisation that calls themselves the People's Revolutionary Strike Force break into an arms warehouse & steal a load of rock launchers & various other weapons, homicide cop Frank DiGiorgio (John Mitchum) catches them in the act but is shot by the gang. DiGiorgio dies in hospital the next day & his partner 'Dirty' Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) is annoyed, very annoyed & together with his trusty Magnum sets out to bring the People's Revolutionary Strike Force down single handedly if necessary. Things get complicated though when he gets a new rookie female partner Inspector Kate Moore (Tyne Daly) & the People's Revolutionary Strike Force decide to kidnap the mayor (John Crawford) & hold him to ransom...

Directed by James Fargo this was the third entry in the popular Dirty Harry series of action flicks to star Clint Eastwood as the title character & I must admit The Enforcer didn't do a great deal for me. The fairly routine script by Stirling Silliphant & Dean Riesner which was apparently originally called 'Moving Target' takes itself pretty seriously & just isn't that good I'm afraid, it's well short on action & set-pieces, the story is dull & turns out to be nothing more than a simple kidnapping & as a whole it never got me going. The bad guy's are also underused here, they barely feature at all & after the first few minutes they completely disappear until near the end, the main bad guy Bobby Maxwell has to be one of the weakest on screen baddies ever, he doesn't get any decent lines, he doesn't get much of an opportunity to be evil & he puts up virtually no resistance at the end as Harry blows him away. The one aspect of the film I did like was Harry's partner, I did think The Enforcer was going to turn into a mismatched cop buddy buddy type flick as he is paired up with a woman but it doesn't quite work out that way & while there's mutual respect by the end it never falls into the established clichés. In a way The Enforcer could be described as the very first mismatched partner action flick but it doesn't follow the same path many other's would take after 48 Hrs. (1982) which is more suited to the accolade.

Director Fargo does alright but the film is pretty bland, a bit lifeless & the action scenes are low key to say the least. There's no car chases, very few shot outs, one fight & little in the way of anything spectacular or particularly memorable including a rushed ending. The Enforcer has a somewhat sedate pace & I just found myself losing interest at various points, the whole film just feels lacklustre & like no-one had any enthusiasm apart from Tyne Daly who is pretty good in this a full 6 years before her stint as New York cop Lacey in Cagney & Lacey (1982 - 1988).

Technically the film is alright, there's nothing here that stands out as being particularly good or bad although I really hated some of the 70's style jazz music that played in the background especially during the scene when Harry chases the black dude. Actually shot in San Francisco & on Alcatraz this definitely has a somewhat gritty 70's feel to it. The acting is OK but nothing special.

The Enforcer is an average 70's cop thriller, it doesn't really have enough action for modern audiences tastes & the story itself isn't anything to shout about either. It's OK but nothing special. The Enforcer was the third Dirty Harry film coming after Dirty Harry (1971) & Magnum Force (1973) & was itself followed by two sequels Sudden Impact (1983) & The Dead Pool (1989).

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