Clint Eastwood has always been very good about giving credit to Don Siegel for mentoring him. Coogan’s Bluff (1968) was their first film together. They made four more: Two Mules For Sister Sara (1970), The Beguiled (1971), Dirty Harry (1971) and Escape From Alcatraz (1979).
Obviously, Eastwood got some hands-on training along the way. Here he’s operating the camera during the fight in the pool hall.
That’s Don Stroud on the right. As always, he’s the bad guy.
It all ends with a great motorcycle chase, with Eastwood riding a Triumph Bonneville.
Getting an insert shot over Stroud’s shoulder.
I have a real soft spot for Coogan’s Bluff. There’s something about Siegel’s films from the 60s and into the 70s that I love.
The Hannibal 8 
It’s great that more and more of these fine 60’s 70,s Siegel
films are now appearing on Blu-Ray.
The German release of COOGAN’S BLUFF is great as was the
UK Arrow release of THE KILLERS.
FLAMING STAR looks great on Blu Ray,though it’s a shame that
Barbara Steele fell out with Siegel and was axed from the film.
All this and CHARLEY VARRICK to come.
Bring on MADIGAN I say!
It’s funny ‘cos I watched the Blu of ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ
only a couple of nights ago. Wow-wasn’t Patrick McGoohan
colder than cold in that one.
Thought I’d go off topic and drop in a word about
AMERICAN SNIPER which is smashing box office records.
All this stuff about the film being jingoistic right wing
propaganda is nonsense!
If anything it’s an anti war movie,David Denby of New Yorker
(Clint’s old nemesis) certainly thinks so.
In some ways it’s sort of a homage to Middle America a world
of hunting,rodeos,good ‘ol boys and The Good Book.
It’s a world where total strangers are addressed as “Sir”,
old fashioned decency and good manners.
I certainly think a large part of the film’s appeal is that it has
found an audience among the “silent majority”.
At the very least it puts Eastwood in the league of Sam Fuller
and Raoul Walsh as makers of great war movies.
Having said all that it’s certainly a very intense film and not an
easy watch.
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