"THE GAUNTLET" WAS 1977'S SILENT ACTION/DRAMA MASTERPIECE!!!

In 1977, Clint Eastwood directed a stunner of a dramatic movie called "THE GAUNTLET" which he also starred in, which broke away from the "Dirty Harry" film genre that was quickly making him more famous. He brought with him several known back up actors, including the sexy Sandra Locke, who turned on the sultry and sexiness side of herself to set her brilliantly as a character who lived life on the streets as a well known Las Vegas prostitute. As with most films of this time, it's hard to believe that Eastwood and Locke were not the first actors chosen to play the lead parts in the film. This movie was not received well by then established and influential film critics of the time, but Eastwood fans listed The Gauntlet as one of his best directorial productions.

With well developed characters written by Michael Butler and Dennis Shryack, a weathered Eastwood plays the part of Police Detective Ben Shockley, a deadbeat and alcoholic Phoenix police detective who is assigned to extradite witness, Augustine "Gus" Mally [Locke] from Las Vegas, NV to Phoenix, AZ. Shockley has been told by his superior that Mally is a "nothing witness for a nothing trial" and Shockley's mindset is that this is an easy gig to get his superiors off his ass for the moment. Throughout her characters introduction, Mally hints that her part in the trail is bigger and darker than what Shockley may comprehend, eventually leading to the fact that the mob has infiltrated the highest circles of the Phoenix police force and Mally has a big bullseye set out on her life. The two have considerable and coincidental bad luck at every turn, and even after learning that there is a Las Vegas bet against him making it to Phoenix, Shockley is out to prove everyone wrong and actually deliver the witness on time and in front of all concerned trying to end her life.

After Shockley and Mally fall for one another in one night of passion, he makes a daring attempt to deliver the witness by hijacking a bus and drive him at the witness straight up to the courthouse during broad daylight. This bus is driven through a large barrage of heavily armed police officers, who openly fire at the large bus in an attempt to stop the bus from arriving on time, or at all. Keep in mind that a large part of this films budget covered the cost of thousands of small explosive "squibs" that were drilled into place on not only a bus, but a home that were demolished through apparent gun fire. This special effect was established long before computer graphics existed. But the lifelike effect made a tremendous impression on movie goers at the time and is still an impressive special effect to witness on screen today.

The budget on the film was $5.5 Million but made an impressive $35.4 million at the box office. I honestly like this film and have watched it several times over the course of the last few years. If you get a chance to watch it, you should. Is it worth renting, of course. I guarantee that you'll be entertained and that Sandra Locke will impress you with the noteworthy sleaziness of her playing a true prostitute to form.