Review of Sharky's Machine (1981) by Aj V — 12 Apr 2011
Apparently Burt decided to do his own version of a "Dirty Harry" film after Clint Eastwood did several silly Burt Reynolds-style movies (particularly the ones with Clive the Orangatang). So he found a William Diehl novel to adapt and directed this fairly gritty and brutal film in which Burt's trademark Smokey and the Bandit era humour is largely missing.
The film seems to borrow a crucial plot twist from Otto Perringer's 1940s noir classic Laura, but that might be the source novels fault and not Burts (I have not read it). The cast is good with Bernie Casey, Charles During, and Henry Silva playing Burt's fellow Atlanta vice cops and Henry Silva as a drug addicted assasin.
Rachel Ward, just before being cast in the miniseries The Thornbirds, plays a high cllass call-girl who becomes a target of a crimelord (Vittorio Gassman). Not bad, no Dirty Harry bot definately more watcheable than Stoker Ace (what isn't?).
A remake with Mark Wahlberg is being made for 2012.
This review of Sharky's Machine (1981) was written by Aj V on 12 Apr 2011.
Sharky's Machine has generally received mixed reviews.
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