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Good idea, mediocre execution.

Watching Magnum Force reminds me of what made Dirty Harry so good - the stylish direction, unfussy script, Lalo Schifrin's percussion-heavy score and of course, Clint Eastwood.Although a few of the sequel's action scenes come across with great power, I always got the feeling that the makers of the film were just trying to outdo the violence in the first film, what with numerous bloody headshots, hookers thrown out of windows and gangsters getting smashed in the face by iron poles.The direction and editing also leave a lot to be desired. The sequence with the pimp and the prostitute and his comeuppance feels as though it has wandered in from another film entirely, whereas the finale lacks any sort of tension or a satisfying conclusion. As well as this, we are treated to pointless encounters between Harry and his mate's wife and Harry and his loose neighbour (seriously, are all women in this world hookers or easy lays?)Despite all these criticisms, the idea behind the film is intriguing, what with Harry having to go up against cops that stand for the very things he believes in. In fact, the film actually never really answers why Harry wouldn't join them!The film mostly succeeds in the exchanges between the rookie cops and Harry - especially their confrontation in the underground car park and at the shooting range. However, far too much of the film is spent lurching around from killing to killing, with no real sense of rhyme or rhythm.Unfortunately, Magnum Force sits at the bottom of the pile in the Dirty Harry series by quite a long way, what with it's disjointed story-telling, unnecessary violence and overall lack of intrigue.5/10.

Another Dirty Harry masterpiece

Magnum Force turns up the heat a little more than Dirty Harry. There is a little more gunplay and more of the sizzling 70's soundtrack that helped Dirty Harry be so groovy. Clint returns of course as Dirty Harry Callahan, this time after a small group of rogue cops. All the Dirty Harry movies are great and this is the 2nd best in the series, after Dirty Harry. The streets of San Francisco provides a beautiful backdrop, and Hal Halbrook does a great job of playing the continually annoyed chief. Bottom Line: Magnum Force meets the bar set by Dirty Harry and does a fabulous job of continuing the series.

"I think you've misjudged me"

Excellent DVD Transfer. This movie belongs on widescreen, it makes a tremendous difference from the formatted standard VHS version. Lalo Schifrin's soundtrack sounds much better on DVD. The featurette was great. The movie is the best of the sequels, with Sudden Impact running a close second. Not as gritty as the first but it stands on it's own merits and shows Harry in a different light. The late John Mitchum, Robert's brother, returns in this installment of the DH series. Albert Popwell also returns, this time as the pimp. Suzanne Somers makes a brief appearence (fresh off American Graffiti and pre Three's Company)
Standout performances by future TV stars David Soul and Robert Urich.

The best in the series!

"Tell you something. If the rest of you could shoot like them, I wouldn't care if the whole damn department was queer."We all know there is corruption in the police force and even Harry himself might be considered corrupt. Now here we see some real corruption and Harry is not liking it. Here we see a group of young police officers on a killing spree. Killing basically every criminal in town. Harry after quitting homicide in the first movie is brought back to investigate the murders and once he finds out who's behind it, it's his job to stop them.Ted Post does a great job replacing Don Siegel as director. I like how he combines a crime drama with action. In fact that's why I consider this to be the best movie in the series. It manages to combine action with crime drama and still have a realistic view of violence in modern society."Mans got to know his limitations!"***out of****stars

The best of the rest

It takes real guts to try a sequel to a great movie (maybe not, since it is tried so maddeningly often!). Sure is hard to come up with a movie as good as Dirty Harry. This one copmes close.

This film fleshes out Dirty Harry Callahan a bit, and while we were left with an image of him from the first movie as someone who ignores police procedure (as well as the Bill of Rights), he is by no means a vigilante, and does have some sense of right and wrong. Make no mistake about the fact, though, that he remains Harry, and has no compunctions when it comes to literally murdering the head bad guy -his boss- as the film concluded).

The plot line is pretty simple. Within the S.F.P.D., there is a sub-culture of police, led by Eastwood's boss Hal Holbrooke, with David Soul, Tim Mathewson and Robert Urich. These guys have decided that they will eliminate all the bad guys, down to a local pimp, since the law cannot get them (the first bad guy goes free because at trial, there is a "lack of admissible evidence" - what a concept!). Not knowing Harry as we now do, they assume that he and his .44 Mag will join them eagerly. Of course, they are wrong.

Shot again in San Francisco, making a brilliant backdrop for a well photographed film. Others have raved about the cameo of topless Suzanne Summers, and we also see a Dirty Harry series regular, Albert Popwell, who this time (second of four efforts) plays a misogynist pimp. Speaking of bit parts, S.S> surely takes a back seat when we see Harry with a lady, played splendidly by Adele Yoshioka.

As we have come to expect from Dirty Harry movies, there is a ton of violence - which will be somewhat off-putting for those with tender sensibilities. Harry's tag line here (remember, we must have a different one in each movie) is "A good man's got to know his limitations". Harry seems to have none here. This movie certainly illustrates none. It is almost as goods as the first, which is saying a great deal.

Great Movie But No Leading Actress

This picture was released on December 25 1973 starring Clint Eastwood as Inspector Harry Callahan, Hal Holbrook as Lt Neil Briggs and Mitch Ryan as Officer Charlie McCoy. Harry gets involved when people that are taken to jail and then release start to show up dead. While detective Dirty Harry Callahan is no great friend of civil liberties, he is dead set against wholesale murder as a solution to legal loopholes. Discovering that the same weapon has committed all the killings, Now Callahan has to find out who the owner of the gun is. This movie was the second of the Dirty Harry films, three additional Dirty Harry installments: The Enforcer (1976), Sudden Impact (1983) and The Dead Pool (1988). I thought this movie was great because of the on the edge of your sit suspense. There's plenty of action and drama involve in this movie also. Based on the action and the suspense itself I give this movie 8 weasel stars. The only thing this movie lacked was a leading woman and that's why it doesn't get a 10.

Eastwood, Holbrook save day in trashy follow-up

'Dirty Harry' was a two-pronged success for Clint Eastwood, as the 1971 thriller broke new ground in police films and earned over $28 million at the box office. With this good fortune, however, came backlash from writers such as Pauline Kael and Roger Ebert who judged the movie as 'fascist' and an endorsement of police brutality. The first Dirty Harry sequel, 1973's 'Magnum Force,' was a direct response to these claims and hoped to build on Harry's already-solid marketing power.'Magnum Force' opens at City Hall in San Francisco, where mobster Carmine Ricca (Richard Devon) has been acquitted of killing a union leader and his entire family. Ricca is free on a technicality and drawing protests from those already sick of loopholes in the American justice system. When returning home from the trial, Ricca and his legal team are pulled over by a sunglass-wearing motorcycle cop who shoots dead all four men.San Francisco's felons are dying in mysterious hits and the police have almost no clues. Inspector Harry Callahan (Eastwood), who has been transferred from the homicide division and worked recent months on stakeout, is ordered to investigate. The assignment comes unwillingly from Lieutenant Briggs (Hal Holbrook), a by-the-book administrator who is disgusted with Callahan's tactics. Callahan soon realizes that four motorcycle cops (David Soul, Tim Matheson, Kip Niven, and Robert Urich) are members of a sub-organization called Magnum Force that aims to wipe out crime in San Francisco, regardless of the cost to human life. Harry, who is seen as a prototype by Magnum Force, refuses to support it; he believes that any such group would endanger honest citizens rather than protect them.One can't expect 'Magnum Force' to rival its predecessor, but this follow-up is still a major disappointment. The writing, direction, and technical work of 'Magnum Force' simply don't compare to Don Siegel's original film. Magnum Force's screenplay (by John Milius and Michael Cimino) does not have the tight plotting or razor-sharp dialogue that makes 'Dirty Harry' special. The plot is littered with conveniences such as Callahan eating at an airport snack bar when a hijacking occurs and Harry not being able to start a motorbike, which allows David Soul to catch up with him and engage in a chase. Also featured are an unnecessary love interest (played by Adele Yoshioka) and one-dimensional characters who only exist to be tortured and knocked off (including Margaret Avery as a prostitute who swallows drain cleaner). 'Magnum Force' doesn't build on its premise, yet drifts on crude tangents and is much longer (124 minutes) than it needs to be.Don Siegel was replaced by Ted Post as director, whose experience is mainly in television. Post's direction is bland and without a clearly defined style; he frequently uses master shots rather than close-ups of actors and vehicles, which ruins the sinister, closed-in atmosphere that Magnum Force's death squad is supposed to generate. The action scenes are very basic in approach when their energy could have been heightened by some imaginative camera work. These sequences have a degree of excitement, but they rarely walk the levels of 'Dirty Harry,' whose action is quite limited. The cinematography by Frank Stanley is also a major jump down from that of Bruce Surtees in 'Dirty Harry.' 'Magnum Force' has a dreary appearance on lower-quality film stock; combined with the violence and trashy situations, 'Magnum Force' has an atmosphere similar to 'B' films by American International Pictures and Crown International. It's almost hard to believe that 'Magnum Force' was released by Warner Brothers and that Eastwood fills the starring role.Strong performances by Eastwood and Holbrook keep 'Magnum Force' from being a complete disaster. The two veterans play their roles intensely and make the film considerably more entertaining than its script allows for. Supporting roles with Soul, Matheson, Niven, and Urich are effectively played, although their lack of identity in the biker squad makes this whole greater than the sum of its parts. Actors from 'Dirty Harry' such as Albert Popwell and John Mitchum reappear; Felton Perry has a dull turn as Harry's ill-fated partner. Lalo Schifrin is back as composer, which gives the series a further degree of continuity. The brilliant theme song combines his sleek orchestration and wordless vocals. Interestingly, Schifrin's music during the film is mostly background color rather than holding a dominant place.Warner Brothers has released a snapper case version of its 'Magnum Force' DVD, improving the flimsy cardboard version previously sold. The DVD treats 'Magnum Force' with respect, but is weak on extras. 'Force' is presented in widescreen with Dolby 5.1 stereo enhancement; dubbing and subtitles are offered in five languages. Magnum Force's print is in fairly good condition, although grain is visible and colors look faded. Audio presentation is decent; while Schifrin's score comes across nicely, dialogue is sometimes muffled.DVD extras include a commentary track with screenwriter John Milius; 'A Moral Right,' WB's 24-minute program on the social implications of Dirty Harry; 'The Hero Cop,' a short program released during Magnum Force's production; and a gallery with all five trailers from the Dirty Harry series. As a person who doesn't especially like John Milius's work, I found his self-righteous commentary grating. To worsen matters, the new program is only a rehash of ideas from Warner's 'Dirty Harry' DVD; I would've rather seen a 'making of' program that examines 'Magnum Force' in depth. On the plus side, its trailer gallery is an excellent look at Dirty Harry's evolution from 1971 into the 1980s. Harry fans will certainly be entertained (as I was), but the film and DVD never live up to their potential.** ½ out of 4Roving Reviewer - www.geocities.com/paul_johnr

Eastwood's take on Harry my personal favorite.

Magnum Force was the first Dirty Harry movie I saw, so it remains my personal favorite. Although not quite reaching the artistic levels of Seigel's film, nonetheless the movie works as a vicious action thriller.

Dirty Harry Callahan, despite being on loan to stakeout, sticks his nose into the murder investigation of a local mafioso. What he uncovers is disturbing evidence pointing to an elite vigilante squad of assassins working inside the SFPD.

Eastwood and Seigel reportedly argued about Harry's character during the making of the first film. Director Seigel saw Harry as a burned out fascist bigot while star/producer Eastwood saw him as a loner hero in the Man With No Name mold. The throwing away of the badge was a particular bone of contention as Eastwood DID NOT want that to happen. That more Harry film's were produced is proof positive of that.

Magnum Force offers viewers a look at Dirty Harry as seen exclusively by Eastwood. The character is noble and heroic, not the least bit encumbered by the rage and disillusionment of Seigel's character. As with Dirty Harry, Magnum Force chose actual events (Brazilian Death Squads and San Francisco's own Vigilante Squad) as a basis for its somewhat far fetched story (Harry can single handedly foil an airline hijacking with no political or media fallout whatsoever?). The result is brisk and entertaining for both Eastwood and Rouge Cop movie fans. Recommended, especially in the widescreen format.

Every man must know his limitations!

One of the most interesting consequences of that underground corruption that devoured the combative spirit, the mission and the ethic of so many institutions, was the given answer for many filmmakers who bet and played hard with the great distance between the preventive action, the jailing process and the soft reaction of the high spheres that, in last instance imparted the last word: this long chain tended obviously to break in this last stage.
From movies of diverse latitudes, Investigation about a citizen under suspicion, A clockwise orange, Serpico, Death Wish, the problem was focused from two important angles: the cleaning of the corruption in the same level as Serpico, based in a real case, and the take of justice masked of personal revenge in the case of Death Wish.
Magnum Force somehow seems to ride between these two waters; the honesty and conviction of Harry Callahan and the absolute divorce of the reality of the high functionaries who only searched notoriety to reach highest positions; and in the other hand the raise of a secret repressive force based in its own codes: Immediate cleaning to avoid the impunity in major instances.

So Harry will face two opposite aspects of the same coin: eliminate one of them and trying to make the best he can in his job.
Maybe the only complaint you may have as I do, is the lack of a real punch answer; far beyond the anecdotic facts, going to the nucleus. This genre gave magnificent profits but just a few cult movies in this category and an immense of irrelevant sequels and related films.
To my mind this was the most relevant picture of the saga of Callahan; the rest of them were simply mirror reflects!

Mainstream 1970's Eastwood

We were viewing this film for the first time and the scene came up where Clint deals with an attempted air hijack. My brother made the comment "I don't think this film is meant to be taken seriously". He (my brother) compared both the plot and production values unfavorably with the more intense and grittier "Dirty Harry". That may be the case, but personally "Magnum Force" is one of my favorites in the Eastwood opus along with "Hang em High", also directed by the redoubtable, but much-maligned Ted Post. Like "Hang em High", "Magnum Force" has improved with age and one has to admit that Ted Post really wasn't such a bad director.Clint performs the usual Eastwood stuff in fine style, and one-liners like " A good man always knows his limitations" have become legendary. However, Hal Holbrook in his excellent performance as "Briggs" has what in my opinion is a line to die for; " You're about to become extinct !", he snarls at Eastwood, when he very briefly has the drop on him. You just KNOW that Briggs is soon going to get what's coming to him in a big way. Anybody could have told him that pulling a heater on Dirty Harry is one really dumb move. Callahan demonstrates that he is more than capable of driving a car and punching out his boss at the same time!A useful, but not memorable performance from David Soul, and good back-up from a competent support cast. In style and format, this film anticipates a lot of Eastwood's own work as a director, and he once even admitted that he learned a few things from working with Post. The "honest cop as outsider" character is a perennial favorite with audiences and Eastwood has made good mileage out of the Callahan role over the years. I liked the Lalo Shifrin score and the classic opening credit sequence; it lets you know in advance not to go looking for too many deep insights in what is to follow. Overall, a reasonable production in the crash autos/shoot assholes genre and like "Dirty Harry" and "Bullitt", its now a real West Coast period piece. Younger audiences really dig the seventies clothes, "old automobiles", and traditional car-chase sequences, especially the motorcycle showdown on the derelict carrier...... "Briggs was right; you guys lack experience".A movie not to be taken TOO seriously. R. B.

This one gives vigilantism a whole new meaning!

If you thought "Dirty Harry" was something, well you haven't seen anything like this. "Magnum Force" was high impact, high octane movie that will leave you on the edge of your seat. "Dirty" Harry Callahan(Clint Eastwood) is San Francisco's rogue policeman. However, he's seemed to have met his match, three times. A group of vigilante cops are killing off the scum, and somehow Callahan isn't too thrilled about it. First, a crime boss gets off, and is offed. Then the family of the crime family gets blitzed. Then the pimp who shoved drain cleaner down a prostitute's throat gets pumped. Then I liked the scene where Harry meets the new crew, at the target range, and shows how his .44 Magnum packs a punch. One of them had some trouble handling it because of the weight. His shooting tactics were hardcore. The cast of the rogues were great: David Soul(Before "Starsky& Hutch"), Robert Urich,1946-2002(Before "S.W.A.T", "VEGA$", and "Spenser For Hire") The action was not lost, and the climax was top notch. I enjoyed very well! 5 STARS!

Another pimp scene goof

When the cop is riding up behind the pimp on the GG Bridge, the pimp looks in the mirror at the cop. Notice that a tower is immediately to left of the motorcycle cop. The only way the tower could be on that side of the cop is if the scene was shot going the wrong way on the bridge. Also, when the camera switches back to the pimp, its reversed from what was shown in the rear view mirror. This isn't a "everything is backwards in a mirror" thing. One other thing, I've had a problem with the death of David Soul near the end. All he does is ride off an old aircraft carrier and lands in the bay and that kills him?? People dive from higher platforms with no problem...they should have found a better way to take him out. Why was Briggs investigating a Marin County murder?

The Ultimate 70's Cop Movie!

Face it, the original "Dirty Harry" was a better film, but this movie moves like no other! It has a gunfire and bodycount ratio that almost makes it an honorary Hong Kong Action Flick. Black-jacketed, renegade Motorcops are blowing away gangsters, while Harry Callahan is stuck on stake-out duty popping would be robbers with his mighty .44. Finally they meet in a clash to the death.Great action and direction, and a long list of stars to be (the Motorcops from Hell include David Soul, Robert Urich and Tim Matheson).And remember, "A good man has got to know his limitations."

Jon Monsarrat review: so-so, aging a little

Magnum Force is a straightforward shooter, just the thing for an action movie buff like me. There are a few clever lines and a few clever twists in how the physical stunts are set up, but nothing special given today's standards. Let's face it, a lot has blown up in action movies in the last 30 years.So while Magnum Force surprisingly holds up to its age regarding general violence and mayhem, it no longer shines. The plot isn't at all interesting and we've seen it all before. My advice: skip it.Who should see this film:-- action buffs only, and then only on a rainy day when you have nothing better to do, and then only if you catch it for free on TVI'll give Magnum Force a surprisingly high 5 out of 10.

Solid sequel

This is one of the better sequel's out there. Its got plenty of action, a good plot, and we see side's of Detective Harry Callahan that we did not see in the first film. There were a few particular action scenes that I thought were solid. The gun fight at Frank Palancio's hideout was very good, and the chase finale was solid and is one of the better car chases out there. Also, I thought the plot was well written. I liked the whole idea of vigilante cops taking on Dirty Harry, even though hes been considered a vigilante at times. Anyway, a solid sequel that will entertain action fans as well as fans of the first film. 4/5

Good Movie But No Leading Actress

This picture was released on December 25 1973 starring Clint Eastwood as Inspector Harry Callahan, Hal Holbrook as Lt Neil Briggs and Mitch Ryan as Officer Charlie McCoy. Harry gets involved when people that are taken to jail and then release start to show up dead. While detective Dirty Harry Callahan is no great friend of civil liberties, he is dead set against wholesale murder as a solution to legal loopholes. Discovering that the same weapon has committed all the killings, Now Callahan has to find out who the owner of the gun is. This movie was the second of the Dirty Harry films, three additional Dirty Harry installments: The Enforcer (1976), Sudden Impact (1983) and The Dead Pool (1988). I thought this movie was great because of the on the edge of your sit suspense. There's plenty of action and drama involve in this movie also. Based on the action and the suspense itself I give this movie 8 weasel stars. The only thing this movie lacked was a leading woman and that's why it doesn't get a 10.

Ho Hum

*yawn* Oh, excuse me, I forgot where I was for a moment. This movie is a favorite of many Clint Eastwood/Dirty Harry fans. After growing up watching mystery whodunnits, suspense thrillers, and unexpected twists in the plot, this was very disappointing. If you love Eastwood, more power to you. If you don't care either way about Eastwood, then don't feel guilty if you never view this one. I solved the mystery of "whodunnit" in the first 15 minutes or so, and spent the rest of the movie tabulating all the easy-to-spot "clues" that were written into the plot. If you haven't figured it out by the end of the movie yourself, check your pulse. You may be stone cold dead. Maybe this was good for its time. I didn't think so. Watch out for nudity. If you don't want to see it, don't watch this movie. I found the revealing shots gratuitous. Save yourself the boredom and find something else to watch. This one ain't worth the trouble.

"There is nothing wrong with shooting as long as the right people get shot!"

After watching Dirty Harry, I wasn't all too thrilled to push myself to see the sequels. But, seeing as how I love Eastwood's movies, I went for it and well, was actually wrong.This was quite a memorable sequel. There were a lot of good moments to remember, many good characters/acting, lots of good twists, and Clint Eastwood (of course).Clint Eastwood is perfect as Harry Callahan, enough said. Hal Holbrook held up well as the demeaning Lt. Briggs. Mitch Ryan was also very well picked for Officer Charlie McCoy, Harry's old friend. Felton Perry was enjoyable as Early, Harry's partner of this movie. David Soul, Tim Matheson, Kip Niven, and Robert Urich were fun to watch as the new recruits for the police force.Fans of Dirty Harry should give this one a try.9/10.

THE MOST UNDERRATED DIRY HARRY FILM

Funny Games was a difficult film to review. On one hand there are numerous outstanding elements to this horror/psychological thriller. On the other hand, the Director tries to be a bit too cute and threatens to drag the entire film down the drain. Funny Games is a shot-for-shot remake of the original Austrian film (also directed by Michael Haneke) that came out in 1997. Haneke remade the film in order to reach a broader U.S. audience who typically eschews foreign movies.

Naomi Watts and Tim Roth play Ann and George who, along with son George Jr., have come to stay at their lakefront vacation home. Their idyllic holiday soon turns to horror with the arrival of two young men who look like they just walked off the campus of some Ivy League school in their white, preppy golf attire. Under the pretense of wanting to borrow eggs for a neighbor, they break George's leg with a golf club and soon put the entire family through an excruciating series of mind games, and mental and physical abuse.

Paul (Michael Pitt) and Peter (Brady Corbet) are truly terrifying because they are the antithesis of what we normally think of when it comes to screen psychos. They appear innocent, almost angelic in their appearance, even down to their white golf gloves and their baby faces. Their unfailing politeness, even as they torment and threaten the family is unsettling to say the least.


One eerie debate takes place between the young men about whether Ann is physically fit or not. They force her to strip naked in front of her husband although they are respectful enough to cover the son's head so he cannot see. The thing about this scene is you legitimately feel that they really did make her strip to settle their debate, and not just for the cheap thrill of seeing her nude. They allow her to get dressed immediately after. When Ann asks why they just don't kill them, Paul courteously replies that there would be no entertainment in that.

Understand, Paul is not talking about his or Peter's entertainment; he's talking about the audience's entertainment. We are the voyeurs to this disturbing scene and the pair is aware of our presence. Funny Games breaks down that fourth wall of reality. Several times throughout the film Paul looks directly into the camera and speaks to the audience as if they were casual bystanders. At times they are seemingly looking for our approval and other times they are merely informing us of their thoughts. However, it's the infamous "rewind" scene that has caused the most stir with the film. This destroys the audience's usual expectations for a film of this type. Haneke was trying too hard to send the message that ours is a violent society and sometimes we can do nothing but just watch helplessly. The message could have been conveyed without the cheap parlor tricks.

Pitt's performance is engaging and frightening. This is a guy who most men could beat the snot out of and yet you'd never want to turn your back on him. His performance is even better than the one he gave in the equally disturbing 2001 film "Bully". Corbett is also outstanding as the overly sensitive, yet equally psychotic, Peter. Watts, Roth and even Devon Gearheart as George Jr. all adeptly display a sense of fear and helplessness.


This is not a torture porn film. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Most of the violence, certainly the worst of it, takes place off camera and we only hear it happen and listen the anguished cries. Haneke does tend to linger too long on certain scenes such as Ann struggling to get to her feet for about five minutes when her hands and feet are bound. Haneke has made a film that tries too much to be an Art House film rather than a horror film and falls just short of being brilliant.

Another Side Of Dirty Harry Revealed

Magnum Force is the second of the five Dirty Harry films. Originally a sequel to Clint Eastwood's 1971 classic was not planned, but overwhelming feedback (including reallife San Francisco graffiti pleading, "Dirty Harry, we need you) persuaded Warner Brothers and Malpaso to go ahead.

What becomes clear almost from the beginning is that this will not be a film with the exact same mentality of the first. Aside from the fact that the atmospheric photography and direction of the first have been replaced by more conventional (but still enticing) photography and direction (here by Ted Post), as well as a tougher textured score by Lalo Schifrin, Magnum Force also backs away from the unrestrainted anti-crime viewpoint of the first film, noting the shades of gray that inevitably appear in the battle against crime.

It is first shown in the film's opening, as businessman/mobster Carmine Ricca (a superb Richard Devon) is acquitted of a particularly vicious murder on a bogus technicality - a fact that brings out near-violent demonstrators. A traffic policeman pulls Ricca's limo over for crossing a double line, but as the driver disguestedly gets his license back, the cop unholsters his .357 and blasts the men within the vehicle.

Harry and his new partner, Earlington "Early" Smith - excellently played by Felton Perry, but I find his listed date of birth in 1955 hard to believe, as he would have only been 18 in the film's 1973-4 time period - drive by the sight as the new bane of Harry's life, Lt. Neil Briggs (Hal Holbrook playing the smarmy angle to the nth degree), leads the check of the crime scene. Briggs orders Harry back to the stakeout squad - which Harry pointedly notes Briggs was instrumental in making possible - but instead Harry's lunch date with an ex-homicide man at an airport lunchcounter becomes a great foiled hijacking scene.

Harry then meets another old friend, burned out cop Charlie McCoy (Mitchell Ryan), who has tried to kill himself and has left his wife Carol and their kids. Harry is deeply disturbed by his friend's turn in life, but he puts it aside enough to witness shooting practice by four rookie traffic cops, led by John Davis (David Soul in the role that may have been instrumental in getting the Starsky & Hutch role two years later). The recently departed Robert Urich is among the rookies, noting to Harry that being a cop on the streets won't pay off if one can't shoot well.

The traffic cop then blasts a houseful of a mobster's pool party, while Harry and Early pull off a brilliant store ambush of four gunmen who've targeted the place before. When a prostitute (Margaret Avery of the later "Harry O" series) is force-fed drain cleaner in a cab by her pimp (Albert Popwell), the traffic cop targets the pimp - given the genuinely revolting aspect of the scene it is hardly surprising.

But it is the final straw for the SFPD, as Briggs and Captain Avery reassign Harry and Early to homicide. Harry and Early's check of the pimp's obscenely expensive car feeds into Harry a suspicion about the killer's identity, and Harry objects when Briggs has him tail mobster Frank Palancio while Harry's close pal Frank DiGeorgio stakes out across from the penthouse of mobster Lou Guzman. The traffic cop then strikes, killing Guzman and his two 20-something boy-and-girltoys - but then he kills Charlie McCoy, and his true identity becomes known to the audience.

When Briggs orders a mass-arrest of mobsters beginning with Palancio, Harry asks that John Davis and another rookie traffic cop, Phil Sweet, be his backup. But everything goes wrong when Palancio gets word of the raid and a gunfight erupts - and Palancio's place is found to be clean.

Now the truth about the mob killings comes out in a bullet taken from McCoy's body, and Harry himself becomes the target of the killer - and also the least expected ally possible, and in the process we see that, while Harry may hate The System, he knows that it is still what seperates civilization from barbarians.