Coogan's Bluff (1968)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Don Siegel

Writers:

Herman Miller (screenplay) &
Dean Riesner (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

2 October 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime

Tagline:

Before "Dirty Harry"... there was Coogan.

Plot:

Coogan, an Arizona cop, is sent to New York to collect a prisoner. Everyone in New York assumes Coogan is from Texas...

Plot Keywords:

New York | Escape | Police | Fish Out Of Water | Probation Officer

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 15	1:30 AM	AMC
Wed. July 15	10:15 AM	AMC

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Deputy Sheriff Walt Coogan
Lee J. Cobb	...	Det. Lt. McElroy, NYPD
Susan Clark	...	Julie Roth, Probation Officer
Tisha Sterling	...	Linny Raven, Ringerman's Girlfriend
Don Stroud	...	James Ringerman
Betty Field	...	Ellen Ringerman
Tom Tully	...	Sheriff McCrea, Piute County
Melodie Johnson	...	Millie, Coogan's Girlfriend
James Edwards	...	Sgt. Wallace, Stakeout Cop
Rudy Diaz	...	Running Bear
David Doyle	...	Pushie, Tavern Owner (as David F. Doyle)
Louis Zorich	...	Taxi Driver
Meg Myles	...	Big Red
Marjorie Bennett	...	Mrs. Fowler, Little Old Lady
Seymour Cassel	...	Joe, Young Hood
John Coe	...	Bellboy
Skip Battyn	...	Omega, Customer at Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel
Albert Popwell	...	Wonderful Digby, Customer at Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel
Conrad Bain	...	Madison Avenue Man
James Gavin	...	Ferguson
Albert Henderson	...	Desk Sergeant
James McCallion	...	Golden Hotel Room Clerk
Syl Lamont	...	Apartment Manager
Jess Osuna	...	Prison Hospital Guard
Jerry Summers	...	Good Eyes
Antonia Rey	...	Mrs. Amador
Marya Henriques	...	Go-Go Dancer at Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Brandon	...	Hippie Boy (uncredited)
Eve Brent	...	Hooker (uncredited)
Constance Davis	...	Mother (uncredited)
James Dukas	...	Prison Hospital Doctor (uncredited)
Larry Duran	...	Zig Zag (uncredited)
Andy Epper	...	Pool Player (uncredited)
George Fargo	...	Gay Boy at Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel (uncredited)
Scott Hale	...	Dr. Scott (uncredited)
Ted Jacques	...	Detective (uncredited)
James Joyce	...	Man at Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel (uncredited)
Diki Lerner	...	Gay Boy at Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel (uncredited)
James McEachin	...	Man (uncredited)
James Oliver	...	Hip Type (uncredited)
Kathleen O'Malley	...	Woman (uncredited)
Robert Osterloh	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Clifford A. Pellow	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Allen Pinson	...	Whippy (uncredited)
Doug Reid	...	Prison Hospital Guard (uncredited)
Diana Rose	...	Psychedelic Paint Girl (uncredited)
Al Ruban	...	Detective (uncredited)
Don Siegel	...	Elevator Passenger (uncredited)
Kristoffer Tabori	...	Elevator Passenger (uncredited)
Colleen Thornton	...	Hippie Twin (uncredited)
Morreen Thornton	...	Hippie Twin (uncredited)
Clark Warren	...	Plainclothesman (uncredited)

Directed by
Don Siegel		(as Donald Siegel)

Writing credits
Herman Miller		(screenplay) &
Dean Riesner		(screenplay) and
Howard Rodman		(screenplay)
Herman Miller		(story)

Produced by
Irving L. Leonard	....	associate producer (as Irving Leonard)
Richard E. Lyons	....	executive producer
Don Siegel	....	producer (as Donald Siegel)

Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin

Cinematography by
Bud Thackery		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Sam E. Waxman

Art Direction by
Alexander Golitzen
Robert MacKichan		(as Robert C. MacKichan)

Set Decoration by
John P. Austin		(as John Austin)
John McCarthy Jr.		(as John McCarthy)

Costume Design by
Helen Colvig

Makeup Department
Larry Germain	....	hair stylist
Bud Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Robert E. Larson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph C. Cavalier	....	assistant director (as Joe Cavalier)
Ted Swanson	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jack Bolger	....	sound
Lyle Cain	....	sound
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound

Stunts
Paul Baxley	....	stunt coordinator
Larry Duran	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dave Ekins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Andy Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
James W. Gavin	....	aerial stunts (uncredited)
Clyde Howdy	....	stunts (uncredited)
Loren Janes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Allen Pinson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bruce Surtees	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Steve Johnson	....	colorist

Music Department
Stanley Wilson	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Scott Hale	....	dialogue coach
Dominic Santarone	....	caterer (uncredited)
Ruth Santarone	....	caterer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Malpaso Company, The
• Universal Pictures (presents) (as Universal)

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1968) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1968) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1968) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1970) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Universal Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2002) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Cinematique  cosmetics
• Universal Title  titles

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Spain:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | West Germany:16 (re-rated) (DVD) | West Germany:18 (f) | USA:Approved (certificate #21735) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 (1993) | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (re-rating) (1968)

Filming Locations:

23rd Precinct Building, 23rd Precinct, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Malpaso Company, The

Trivia:

Was the inspiration for the TV series "McCloud" (1970) starring Dennis Weaver,

Goofs:

Continuity: in the last few minutes of the movie, Coogan and Ringerman go to the top of the Pan Am Building to take the helicopter shuttle to the airport. Coogan says goodbye to the NYPD Lieutenant and then you see Coogan and Ringerman riding in the helicopter with scenery going by outside the window. Next you see the helicopter on the building again and Susan Clark is running to say goodbye.

Quotes:

Julie: Let me consult my files. I only handle young single girls.
Coogan: Yeah... me too!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The O'Reilly Factor: (2008-09-09)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel

Perfect Action Movie

From the opening scenes to the end it's never boring, and often hilarious. Lee J. Cobb turns in a wonderfully wry performance, the young Susan Clark is hot as Julie the probation officer, and Tom Tully is perfect as the tough, no-nonsense Sheriff McCrea. Add to that the sights and sounds of the city in the late 1960's and the feel for the atmosphere of the times, and it's a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. I define the quality of a movie by how it makes me feel. And this one always makes me feel good. Watching Eastwood work as Deputy Sheriff Walt Coogan, with that cool Eastwood demeanor makes you realize just how hokey Dennis Weaver played the McCloud character in the TV series - while 'Coogan' inspired the series, the series certainly didn't outshine it. This one is a fun romp, and like all in the genre, not to be taken too seriously. Highly recommended.