Harry Julian Fink Movies
The second Dirty Harry movie, Magnum Force concerns itself with a vigilante group that has targeted notorious scofflaws for extermination. When a prominent gang boss or drug-runner is set free by the airheaded liberal courts, a covert group of "avengers" is soon on hand to blow the miscreant to bits. While detective Dirty Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) is no great friend of civil liberties, he is dead set against wholesale murder as a solution to legal loopholes. Discovering that all the killings have been committed by the same weapon, Callahan reaches the conclusion that his on-the-edge partner, Charlie McCoy (Mitchell Ryan), is responsible. But the answer is less transparent than that, as Harry learns almost at the cost of his own life. Co-scripted by John Milius and Michael Cimino, Magnum Force was followed by three additional Dirty Harry installments: The Enforcer (1976), Sudden Impact (1983) and The Dead Pool (1988). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Hal Holbrook, (more)
John Wayne plays a lawman who has to deal with the problems of fatherhood in a big way in Cahill: United States Marshall. Wayne is J.D. Cahill, whose singular desire to track down law breakers strains his relationship with his two teenage sons --17-year-old Danny (Gary Grimes) and 12-year-old Billy Joe (Clay O'Brien). The film begins as Cahill is hot on the trail of a gang of outlaws. After the big showdown, he returns to town to discover that the local bank has been robbed. The sheriff and the deputy have been killed, and four bank robbers are imprisoned in the jail. He is stunned when he finds out that one of the robbers in jail is Cahill's son Danny. It seems that during Cahill's absence from home, his two sons have been enticed into a criminal life by nefarious outlaw Abe Fraser (George Kennedy). ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Gary Grimes, (more)
When his grandson (played by real-life son Ethan Wayne) is kidnapped by scurrilous baddie Richard Boone, Big Jake (John Wayne) sets out to deliver the $1 million ransom. On the off-chance that there'll be gunplay, Jake brings along his sons Patrick Wayne and Chris Mitchum. Maureen O'Hara plays Jake's estranged wife and Bruce Cabot provides comedy relief as a scraggly Indian Scout. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Wayne, Richard Boone, (more)
"You've got to ask yourself a question: 'do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?" Dirty Harry provoked a critical uproar in 1971 for its "fascist" message about the power of one, as it also elevated Clint Eastwood to superstar status through his most enduring screen persona. Harry Callahan (Eastwood, in a role meant for Frank Sinatra) is a sardonic, hard-working San Francisco cop who can't finish his lunch without having to foil a bank robbery with his 44 Magnum, "the most powerful handgun in the world." When hippie-esque psycho Scorpio (Andy Robinson) goes on a killing spree, Harry and new partner Chico (Reni Santoni) are assigned to hunt him down, but not before the Mayor (John Vernon) and Lt. Bressler (Harry Guardino) admonish Callahan about his heavy-handed tactics. Racing against a deadline to save a kidnap victim from suffocating to death and unbothered by the niceties of Miranda rights and search warrants, Callahan brings in Scorpio, only to see him released on technicalities. "The law's crazy," opines Harry in disgust, before taking it upon himself to ensure that Scorpio doesn't kill again. Directed in violent and efficient fashion by Don Siegel, with a propulsive score by Lalo Schifrin, Dirty Harry was the fourth Siegel-Eastwood collaboration after Coogan's Bluff (1968), Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970), and The Beguiled (1970). Critics at the time strongly objected to the heroic image of a cop's violations of a suspect's Miranda rights, forcing Siegel and Eastwood to deny that they were right-wing reactionaries. All the same, Dirty Harry proved to be highly popular and spawned four sequels: Magnum Force (1973), The Enforcer (1976), Sudden Impact (1983), and The Dead Pool (1988). ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino, (more)
A top-secret Soviet spy satellite -- using stolen Western technology -- malfunctions and then goes into a descent that lands it near an isolated Arctic research encampment called Ice Station Zebra, belonging to the British, which starts sending out distress signals before falling silent. The atomic submarine Tigerfish, commanded by Cmdr. James Ferraday (Rock Hudson), is dispatched with orders to get to Ice Station Zebra carrying three passengers, a Englishman going by the name of David Jones (Patrick McGoohan), a Soviet turncoat named Boris Vaslov (Ernest Borgnine), and an American Marine officer, Captain Anders (Jim Brown), who is supposed to command the Marine unit assigned to the mission. Jones is problem enough, as he is in command of the mission and he prefers to withhold as much information as it's possible to do from Ferraday, even at the risk of the Tigerfish's safety. Add to that the fact that Anders is suspicious of Vaslov, and Vaslov seems much too inquisitive and is telling even less of what he knows about the mission, and Ferraday has his hands full trying to get these men to the polar ice -- 600 miles of dangerous travel -- in just two days. When an attempt to break through the ice -- coupled with some timely sabotage -- kills one man and nearly destroys the boat, the men surrounding these contending parties start to understand just how high the stakes are for everyone. It turns out that the Soviets want what was aboard that satellite as much as the West does; indeed, both sides are frantic to get it, and, just as much, to keep the other side from getting it -- and they're prepared to take it by brute force. Once Ferraday and his men arrive at Zebra, they find a disaster and still more mystery, with most of the men dead and the object that Mr. Jones is supposed to secure nowhere in evidence, and he and his two fellow men of mystery suddenly showing their killing instincts quite freely. And with the storm clearing from the Soviet side first, their planes and their paratroops are closing in on Ferraday, and his relative handful of men. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, (more)
Sam Peckinpah's 1965 feature Major Dundee was recut and rescored for re-release theatrically in 2005, 40 years after its original release. The "Extended Version," as it is known officially, tells essentially the same story as the original but with clearer motivations for the characters (which often seemed vague or obscure in the 1965 edition) and much greater effectiveness. Major Amos Charles Dundee (Charlton Heston) is a West Point graduate who somehow -- it's not clear -- exceeded his orders while serving in the Battle of Gettysburg and, as punishment, has been taken out of combat and put in charge of a Union prison in New Mexico. He then gets word that marauding Apaches under Sierra Charriba (Michael Pate) have raided an American settlement, slaughtering the troops who were pursuing them and kidnapping three young boys, whom they've taken to their lair south of the Rio Grande (and if this sounds a lot like the plot of John Ford's Rio Grande, it's because they used the same story as inspiration). Dundee assumes responsibility for capturing or destroying the raiders and rescuing the captives, but because he has far too few men, he's forced to recruit prisoners, including his one-time friend, Confederate Captain Benjamin Tyreen (Richard Harris), and other "gentlemen of the South," to fill out his ranks. Tyreen and his men despise Dundee, but agree to serve on this mission in exchange for the chance for possible pardon of commutation of sentence (Tyreen and some of his men are facing the rope, for killing a guard in an escape attempt).
The mission takes them deep into Mexico, where they free the children but now find themselves being stalked by the very Apaches that they were hunting, as well as having to fight off the French troops stationed there. And as they quickly see, the French troops, though white and supposedly "civilized" like themselves, treat the native Mexicans in ways that make the Apaches look almost saintly. In the end, this ragtag group of soldiers, malcontents, deserters, traitors, and criminals finds a larger cause in their quest -- bigger even than their own survival -- as they discover something uniquely fine and honorable in being an American, and in American ideals. It takes the sacrifice and deaths of many to get to that point, but the movie -- in this version -- gets us there convincingly, if in decidedly grim and bittersweet fashion. Though based on fiction and shot under incredibly (indeed, legendarily) chaotic conditions, the movie ultimately proves to be a rousingly disturbing examination of what it means to be an American, and the meaning of American ideals. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
The mission takes them deep into Mexico, where they free the children but now find themselves being stalked by the very Apaches that they were hunting, as well as having to fight off the French troops stationed there. And as they quickly see, the French troops, though white and supposedly "civilized" like themselves, treat the native Mexicans in ways that make the Apaches look almost saintly. In the end, this ragtag group of soldiers, malcontents, deserters, traitors, and criminals finds a larger cause in their quest -- bigger even than their own survival -- as they discover something uniquely fine and honorable in being an American, and in American ideals. It takes the sacrifice and deaths of many to get to that point, but the movie -- in this version -- gets us there convincingly, if in decidedly grim and bittersweet fashion. Though based on fiction and shot under incredibly (indeed, legendarily) chaotic conditions, the movie ultimately proves to be a rousingly disturbing examination of what it means to be an American, and the meaning of American ideals. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlton Heston, Richard Harris, (more)
- 1963
Though irrefutably guilty of murder, Carl Soddenberg (Crahan Denton) escaped the hangman's noose when he was declared insane. Now "cured", Soddenberg is release from a mental institution in the custody of Dr. Weiser (Richard Shannon). Paladin (Richard Boone) is hired to escort patient and doctor to Soddenberg's home town, but the vengeful relatives of one of Carl's victims don't intend to let that happen. Originally filmed for the series' fifth season and scheduled to air on May 26, 1962, this episode was withheld from view until March 9, 1963. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1963
This is the story of two old men who have outlived their time and usefulness, but are determined not to go gentle into that good night. Harry Morgan is cast as elderly sheriff Ernie Backwater, who joins his friend Paladin in search of another senior citizen, condemned fugitive Will Tybee (Robert J. Wilke). In his lifelong search for the killer of his son, Tybee has murdered five innocent men--and he won't stop at murdering two more, no matter how futile the gesture. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Fulfilling his latest assignment, Paladin captures a cruel and crafty killer named John Tyree (Richard Jaeckel). But that is hardly the end of the story: Now Paladin and his prisoner must embark upon a long and thirsty trek through the desert in order to bring Tyree to trial. In search of water, the two men come across an isolated shack inhabited by a brother and sister (Elen Willard, Lester Maxwell)--which will soon be under siege by a band of marauders, with whom Tyree hopes to strike a diabolical deal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Eight years ago, Paladin (Richard Boone) was unable to keep his promise to assure a fair trial for John Bartlett (Ben Johnson). Now that Bartlett has been released from jail, Paladin tries to make up for his past transgressions by provided the man a safe passage to visit his family--but there are five hired killers determined to see that Bartlett never gets home. Featured in the cast as Bartlett's son Johnny is Peter Boone, the real-life son of series star Richard Boone. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Bound by a debt of honor dating back to the Civil War, Paladin (Richard Boone) offers his gun in service to ruthless land baron Costigan (Warren Stevens). A family of squatters led by a hothead named Clemenceau (Robert Stevenson) has settled on Costigan's land, and refuses to be moved--backing up their refusal with buckshot. Though legally Costigan is in the right, Paladin becomes disgusted by the land baron's violent methods, and by episode's end a change of heart seems to be on the menu. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
In the concluding episode of the series' only two-parter, future director Sydney Pollack guest stars as Joe Culp, a sadistic cattleman bent upon lynching murder suspect (and sheepherder) Joselito Kincaid (Robert Carricart) just for the fun of it. Hired to bring Kincaid to trial, Paladin (Richard Boone) isn't about to let Culp have his way, but he is overwhelmed by the cattleman's vicious buddies, Roy Smith (James Best) and the Slimser brothers. Pummelled into unconsciousness, Paladin awakens with vengeance in his heart, determined to get even with the villains for what is done to the hapless Kincaid. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
In the first episode of the series' only two-parter, Paladin (Richard Boone) arrives in a Texas border town with his prisoner, murder suspect Joselito Kincaid (Robert Carricart). Unfortunately, Kincaid is a sheepherder, and the men of the town trade in cattle. Thus Paladin's task becomes twofold: delivering Kincaid to trial, and keeping the man alive long enough to do so. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
Slated to be hanged for murder, Texas teenagers Bobby Olson (Andrew Prine) and James Horton (Jerry Summers) manage to escape. After an unexpected confrontation with Olson in the desert, Paladin (Richard Boone) offers to help Sheriff Backwater (Robert Gist) bring the two young fugitives in. What Paladin hadn't counted on is the fact that he will also have to protect Olson and Horton from the vengeance of their victim's brother, a notorious gunfighter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1961
In his second fifth-season Have Gun, Will Travel guest appearance, Charles Bronson is cast as vicious murderer Ben Jalisco. Escaping from custody, Jalisco vows to wreak vengeance against his treacherous wife Lucy (Coleen Gray)--and against Paladin (Richard Boone), the man who brought him in for trial. Much of this episode is filmed on location in Lone Pine, California. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
A young white woman has been abducted by the Sioux, and her father has come to Paladin to help effect her rescue. In this pursuit, Paladin is teamed with Lt. Bryson (George Kennedy), a taciturn Army scout who once lived among the Sioux--and has a lot of trouble shaking less-than-fond memories of the experience. With this episode, Lisa Lu joins the cast as perky Hotel Carleton bellhop Hey Girl, replacing Kam Tong (who had defected for a costarring stint on the short-lived adventure series The Garlund Touch) as Hey Boy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
Seeking revenge against those who lynched his Rebel father during the Civil War, young gun Jesse May Turnbow (Robert Blake) has cut a violent swath throughout the frontier, killing ten men in cold blood. Hired to bring Turnbow to justice, Paladin (Richard Boone) conducts a search which ends up in an isolated shack occupied by Southerner George Jundell (William Talman) and ex-slave Ansel James (Hari Rhodes). Though he befriends the two men, Paladin cannot shake the feeling that they know more about Turnbow's whereabouts than they're letting on--and in fact the outlaw may be hiding on their property this very moment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
In New Mexico, Paladin (Richard Boone) is hired by former Indian hunter John Dundee (Stephen Roberts) to help track down murderous half-Apache Tom Ordey. For Dundee, the mission is personal: his wife was killed by Indians, and he intends to exact a terrible vengeance upon the fugitive. Paladin begins to wonder if he's on the right side when he discovers that Dundee is holding Tom Ordey's wife (Anne Barton) hostage. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
A bitter feud in the New Mexico town of Santos has as its central figure a notorious Mexican gunman named Juan Carlos Morita (Christopher Dark). At first, Paladin (Richard Boone) is willing to help the townsfolk capture Morita, but he is quickly disgusted by their own acts of brutality. Ultimately, and after much unnecessary bloodshed, Morita strikes a deal with Paladin: He will hang up his guns if he is allowed to return to his home town and marry his sweetheart Maria (played by a young Suzanne Pleshette). Unfortunately, Maria has other plans--and Paladin finds himself up to his neck in another volatile situation! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Hired for what he thinks will be a straightforward manhunt assignment, Paladin (Richard Boone) finds himself caught in the middle of a deadly feud between two brothers, Tony and Walt DeVries (James Drury, Robert J. Wilke). Walt is bitter because Tony has married his girlfriend Elizabeth (Madlyn Rhue), and he has ostensibly threatened to murder the couple. The dilemma: Not only is Walt DeVries an old friend of Paladin, but Tony DeVries once saved Paladin's life. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Benjamin Coey (Mort Mills) insists that he is innocent of the murder of a man named Bryson, but the fact that he has molested Bryson's wife (Barbara Hayden) and killed two members of the posse sent to find him does not help his credibility. Nonetheless, Paladin (Richard Boone) agrees to protect Coey long enough to stand trial--placing himself in the line of fire from Mrs. Bryson's vengeful brothers. This is the first of several Have Gun--Will Travel episodes directed by Ida Lupino. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1959
The third-season opener for Have Gun, Will Travel finds Paladin (Richard Boone) among several sinister-looking patrons of a remote frontier inn. Accosted by the father of an outlaw who he helped condemn to death, Paladin is told that he himself will soon be killed by a paid assassin. But which of the inn's guest is the hired killer? Finally narrowing down the candidates to four men, Paladin must take care not to kill the wrong person--and of course, to avoid being gunned down before he is able to identify his real enemy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1958
Filmed for the first season of Have Gun--Will Travel, this episode ultimately served as the opener for Season Two (though some sources list its original air date as September 27, 1958). Hired to capture fugitive Jimmy Dawes (David Whorf) and bring him to trial in Kansas City, Paladin (Richard Boone) is forced to kill the boy in self-defense. Riding into Jimmy's home town of Promise, Paladin finds that everyone thinks he is a murderer, including Sheriff Truett (Joseph Calleia)--and that no one would mind too much if the gunslinger was himself killed by Jimmy's vengeful brothers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
