'Enforcer'- Humor and Mayhem

The Enforcer is Clint Eastwood's third and arguably best "Dirty Harry" movie.  To be sure, Eastwood's Harry Callahan, veteran San Francisco Police Department homicide inspector, is just as tough and ornery as ever, but this time he's been presented with unprecedented humor.

Indeed, this humor results from the film's tonic, highly developed sense of the absurd that runs through its fast-paced mayhem.  The Enforcer finds it absurd that so many people- and so many pressure groups- still fail to comprehend how nasty the realities of police work can be.  It is equally absurd - but also funny- to see a group of elderly women in the back room of a massage parlor busily writing (ah, the personal touch) form letter replies for a mail order porno film business.  The ladies' final duty is to plant a heavily lipsticked kiss on each letter!

As always, Harry's maverick but not irresponsible ways have him in hot water with his bureaucratic superiors.  But in the crunch they've got to fall back on him for help in tracking down the murderous, elusive terrorist group, the People's Revolutionary Strike Force, which eventually snatches the mayor (John Crawford), no less.

Harry has outlived several partners, and his newest is a woman (Tyne Daly), which naturally does not sit well with the macho Callahan.  Not surprisingly, Miss Daly proves her mettle- and then some.

With any "Dirty Harry" movie- or any cop picture, for the matter- there's going to be violence, but in this instance it assumes neither gratuitous nor preposterous proportions.  Violence is presented as the ugly fact of life that it is; indeed, the film takes a very clear-eyed look at the way things really are.

Written by various hands, The Enforcer, which boasts an exceptionally fine Jerry Fielding jazz score, marks a terrific directorial debut for James Fargo, who has been Eastwood's first assistant on several films.  Eastwood never stints on quality, so San Francisco's photogenic locales are utilized to full advantage, and he is backed by a good cast that includes Harry Guardino as Harry's long-suffering lieutenant, Bradford Dillman as his unctuous, highly political captain and Albert Popwell as a shrewd black leader.  Eastwood himself is as authoritative as ever, and Miss Daly, in her first major part, is excellent, attractive yet credibly brisk and staunch as a policewoman should be.  -Kevin Thomas

Original text appeared in Los Angeles Times, Dec. 22, 1976