The Gauntlet (1977)
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, (more)
- Director(s):
- Clint Eastwood
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
Member Rating
My RatingSynopsis of The Gauntlet
Playing police stooge Ben Shockley, Clint Eastwood sends up his Dirty Harry-ness in this 1977 cop film-action movie-romantic comedy. Ben is assigned to escort tough Vegas hooker Gus Mally (Sondra Locke) to Phoenix for a Mob trial because, he thinks, he always "gets the job done." But corrupt commissioner Blakelock (William Prince) chose alcoholic Ben precisely because Ben does not get much done at all, and Blakelock has no intention of letting them get to Phoenix alive. Once Gus figures this out and makes Ben see the truth, Ben resolves to prove Blakelock wrong, even if it means surviving car bombs, a house shot to pieces, a helicopter-motorcycle chase, and finally driving an armored bus through a gauntlet formed by scores of shooting cops. Amidst the mayhem, Ben falls in love with the smart-mouthed, college-educated Gus, and she insists on riding out the gauntlet with her Ben. An obedient cop who is not as clever as his female charge, Ben Shockley is the opposite of Eastwood's ultra-capable loner Harry Callahan from the Dirty Harry series, allowing Eastwood to poke fun at his image even as Shockley eventually does get the job done. While the exaggerated action set pieces also parody the Eastwood cop hero's usual invincibility, their efficient, energetic staging still makes them effective; The Gauntlet was another popular success for Eastwood as director as well as star. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 111 mins
Complete Cast of The Gauntlet
- Clint Eastwood - Ben Shockley
- Pat Hingle - Josephson
- Bill McKinney - Constable
- Carole Cook - Waitress
- Robert Barnett - Doctor
- Samantha Doane - Biker
- Darwin Lamb - Police Captain
- John Quiroga - Taxi Driver
- Fritz Manes - Helicopter Marksman
- Dan Vadis - Biker
- John Rainer - Policeman
- Jeff Morris - Desk Sergeant
- Roy Jenson - Biker
- Mara Corday - Jail Matron
- Don Circle - Bus Clerk
- Sondra Locke - Gus Mally
- William Prince - Blakelock
- Michael Cavanaugh - Feyderspiel
- Carver Barnes - Bus Driver
- Teddy Bear - Lieutenant
- James W. Gavin - Helicopter Pilot
- Doug McGrath - Bookmaker
- Al Silvani - Policeman
- Ron Chapman - Veteran Cop
- Art Rimozius - Judge
- Joe Rainer - Rookie Cop
- Roger Lowe - Paramedic Driver
- Tom Friedkin - Helicopter Pilot
- Mildred J. Brion - Old Woman on Bus
- Director(s):
- Clint Eastwood
- Writer(s):
- Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack
- Producer(s):
- Robert Daley
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Violence, Not For Children)
- Looking for special editions of The Gauntlet?
- See All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
