Coogan's Bluff (1968)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Melvin W

  
  Coogan: All right now, I don't like violence, Mr. Wonderful whatever your name is. You better drop that blade, or you won't believe what happens next, even while it's happening.  "Before "Dirty Harry"... there was Coogan." A pre-Dirty Harry team up… More
  Coogan: All right now, I don't like violence, Mr. Wonderful whatever your name is. You better drop that blade, or you won't believe what happens next, even while it's happening.  "Before "Dirty Harry"... there was Coogan." A pre-Dirty Harry team up of Don Siegel and Clint Eastwood is pretty much what you would expect. It is Clint Eastwood playing his Harry Callahan character even before that character existed. The movie is nothing special, but if you like Eastwood, and you like Siegel; you can't really go wrong with Coogan's Bluff.  I liked it for Siegel's cool ariel chase sequences and Eastwood's one-liners. Eastwood's character is a man of few words, fewer rules and many women. An Arizona deputy comes to New York in order to take a prison back with him. When he gets there he is told that the prisoner is in a hospital, tripping on LSD and that he will just have to wait. But he doesn't play by the rules, so he hatches a scheme to get him out and go to Arizona, but the culprit gets away and the rest of the movie I am sure you can guess.  The film is definitely fun. It has the standard cop plot, with some awesome camera work. It has its problems, like a horrible depiction of the hippy scene with some of the most cliche stoner behavior I have ever seen. But other than I few plot missteps it is still a good first collaboration between Siegel and Eastwood. It isn't as good as Dirty Harry or near the brilliance of Escape from Alcatraz, but entertaining all the same.

• Conner R

  
  It's an hour and a half of pure man, starring Clint Eastwood. Coogan hunts men like game, sleeps with their women, kills people via poolball and chokes out anyone who gives him a dirty look. It's more violent and less honorable than Dirty Harry, but that's why it works… More
  It's an hour and a half of pure man, starring Clint Eastwood. Coogan hunts men like game, sleeps with their women, kills people via poolball and chokes out anyone who gives him a dirty look. It's more violent and less honorable than Dirty Harry, but that's why it works so well. Don Siegel does a great job at bringing together this very exploitative cop movie, yet still making it seem like art rather than trash. Part of that lies in the great camerawork, score and structure. You're never left bored or unimpressed with this very original and very cool Neo-Western.

• Anthony L

  
  Dirty Harry's older brother was successful and is still highly regarded, I'm just not too sure why though. It's dated quite badly and has very few redeeming features, I'm not too sure what all the fuss is about!? Dirty Harry is 100 times better, Coogan's Bluff… More
  Dirty Harry's older brother was successful and is still highly regarded, I'm just not too sure why though. It's dated quite badly and has very few redeeming features, I'm not too sure what all the fuss is about!? Dirty Harry is 100 times better, Coogan's Bluff seems like a trial run where mistakes were made and lessons were learnt. Don't got out of your way, stick to Dirty Harry is all I can recommended here, sure it's a nice slice of late 60's life but I don't think it's a very accurate one. Anyone else thing that the 'Drug Den' looked like an old Batman set?

• Chris G

  
  Coogan's Bluff is a somewhat acceptable fish out of water story starring Clint Eastwood and direct by Don Siegel. The general idea of the film is Coogan (Eastwood) is an Arizona deputy sheriff who is sent to New York City to bring back a fugitive named Riggerman (Don Stroud).… More
  Coogan's Bluff is a somewhat acceptable fish out of water story starring Clint Eastwood and direct by Don Siegel. The general idea of the film is Coogan (Eastwood) is an Arizona deputy sheriff who is sent to New York City to bring back a fugitive named Riggerman (Don Stroud). While in the city he butts heads with the local Leutenant (Lee J. Cobb) while encountering the various cultures throughout 1968 New York. Coogan's Bluff is an average story with average acting and a disappointing effort from Siegel. The story is filled with so many inconsistencies that it boggles the mind, particularly the relationship Coogan has with a probation officer (Susan Clark). She appears the women's lib type, then falls for Coogan's chauvinist ways, then holds a bold front when Coogan beds with another lady, and finally waves and blows kisses like an adoring groupie when he leaves. Silly girl in a character that is a sexist depiction of a city female. Coogan's Bluff is an OK action flick filled with fights and smart ass comments. It's not a deep, thought provoking film, but is suitable for rainy Sunday afternoon viewing.

• Daniel J D

  
  This could've pretty easily been the prequel to Dirty Harry. Enough said.

• xGary X

  
  Brilliant stranger in a strange land cop movie in which Clint's parochial sherrif comes to the big city to claim a prisoner, just to lose him again through his own arrogance. The resulting hunt to recapture him takes the stetson clad redneck stumbling through a culture clash of… More
  Brilliant stranger in a strange land cop movie in which Clint's parochial sherrif comes to the big city to claim a prisoner, just to lose him again through his own arrogance. The resulting hunt to recapture him takes the stetson clad redneck stumbling through a culture clash of 60s cool and violence. Classic Eastwood.

• Dean M

  
  Eastwood's character is still loner, tough and stubborn guy in this modern urban western.

• Danny R

  
  A historically retrospective crime drama with a terrific late 60's ambiance, and a young, buffed Clint Eastwood who delivers a solid performance as a tough, no-nonsense, womanizing Arizona deputy sheriff named Walt Coogan, who is sent to New York City to extradite James… More
  A historically retrospective crime drama with a terrific late 60's ambiance, and a young, buffed Clint Eastwood who delivers a solid performance as a tough, no-nonsense, womanizing Arizona deputy sheriff named Walt Coogan, who is sent to New York City to extradite James Ringerman, a sleazy hood wanted for murder, he is played superbly by Don Stroud who registers strongly in the role, the minute Coogan lands in New York City he begins to have trouble, first with incompetent police and their some-called departmental procedures, it seems that he will have to wait for Ringerman for however long it takes because he is recovering from a bad acid trip at Bellevue Hospital, but Coogan is not about to that, he cons a orderly into releasing Ringerman into his custody, on the way back to Arizona, Ringemanr's dangerous hippie girlfriend, well played by Tisha Sterling and a sadistic accomplice, nicely played by the late David Doyle help him escape from Coogan's custody, by knocking him out and leaving him unconscious, now Coogan's must hit the mean streets of New York City to fine Ringman, he is a fish out of water who runs into all manner of low-lifes and freaks along the way including a pair of dope-smoking hippies at a psychedelic hippie nightclub, in a highly amusing scene that gives a look at the cultural style of the late 60's. One of Coogan's favorite tactics to get information is to seduce young women, and Clint is a true ladykiller in that department, real smooth. There are fine supporting performances from Susan Clark, and veteran actors Lee J. Cobb and Betty Ford, this is the first collaboration between Eastword and his mentor and close friend Don Siegel three years before their legendary pairing on the classic cop-thriller "Dirty Harry." This quirky, quick-witted film is entertaining and very enjoyable. Highly Recommended. Note: "Coogan's Bluff" later evolved into the hit television series "McCloud," that starred the late Dennis Weaver.

• Jonny C

  
  Before there was Dirty Harry there was Coogan. Eastwood plays an arrogant Arizona Deputy Sheriff sent to New York to retrieve a prisoner. When his patience runs out he cuts of few corners to get him released, only to lose him soon after. Too proud to return home empty handed, Coogan… More
  Before there was Dirty Harry there was Coogan. Eastwood plays an arrogant Arizona Deputy Sheriff sent to New York to retrieve a prisoner. When his patience runs out he cuts of few corners to get him released, only to lose him soon after. Too proud to return home empty handed, Coogan sets out into the big city to recapture his prisoner. Eastwood's first collaboration with director Don Siegal may be a little rough around the edges, but it's got a great central performance from Clint, and an amazing motorcycle chase at the end.

• Barry L

  
  Brilliant and very 70's violent.

Read all 10 featured audience ratings