Coogan's Bluff (1968)

Coogan's Bluff (1968), produced and directed by Don Siegel.

An Arizona Deputy Sheriff goes to NYC to fetch a prisoner. He encounters one pretty probation officer but otherwise nothing but chiselers, degenerates, hippies, drug addicts, prostitutes, psychos and unhelpful policemen. Bulldozing through the system to get his man, he gets conked on the head and loses him. Now everyone is mad at him. Got to get the fugitive back fast, which requires many fist fights and much broken furniture.

It's kind of fun, but kind of half-baked, sort of a trial run for Dirty Harry (1971). Every decadent, citified person and thing is a foil for Clint Eastwood, just reflecting off that stoic and understated demeanor. All the women melt for him. The only person to hold his own is Lee J. Cobb as a tough police detective who turns out to be right in the end.

Good use of city locations and an exciting motorcycle chase through a park, but the interiors are cheap and studio-looking.

As is traditional in 1960s movies, the hippie freakout venue (the "Pigeon-Toed Orange Peel") is just excruciating to watch.

Lalo Schifrin score. Brief nudity. The title is a place name in NYC; it doesn't make any sense otherwise because Sheriff Coogan isn't bluffing.