Arrrr, me hates ya!
Review: Tightrope (1984)
Arrr, I be catchin' up on old Clint Eastwood movies lately, and I finally be gettin' around to Tightrope. This one be written & directed by Richard Tuggle, who had been scriptin' Escape From Alcatraz, Eastwood's last collaboration with director Don Siegel. It be combinin' elements of '40s film noir and '80s horror movies, with some success.
This be one of the movies that be billin' Eastwood as "a cop on the edge" in the trailer, and yet it's bein' of his most daring movies. Clint be playin' Wes Block, a New Orleans cop who be a solo dad of two daughters, a land-lubber who be threatened by women (sexually and otherwise) and so be frequentin' kinky Bourbon Street lusty ladies and payin' to be handcuffin' 'em to the bed. It probably be his most vulnerable performance on film; he actually be usin' his real voice for once, instead of the patented Eastwood whisperin'.
Block be headin' a homicide unit that be investigatin' a serial killer who (he be not disclosin' to the other cops) be killin' the same lusty ladies Block be frequenting, and in the same order that he be visitin' 'em. (The movie's single biggest blunder be that it be showin' the face of the killer in the opening scene; the story be structured so that we should be suspecin' Block throughout, but the audience is bein' let off the hook-for-a-hand on that from the start, arrrr.)
Block be befriendin' a rape counsellor played by Geneviève Bujold, a woman who's bein' too strong for him to be attracted to but who he finds he can confide in. Bujold's typically strong performance be an anchor (arrrr) for the movie; she ain't leapin' into his arms, but she ain't be recoilin' from him in horror either, and her trust in him be helpin' to keep the audience identification with Block even when his behaviour is bein' rather questionable.
Cinematographer Bruce Surtees be known as "the prince of darkness" and this be one of his darkest movies. It be rare to see Block's face in full light, as he usually be shown half in deep shadow. This bes clearly symbolic of the dichotomy between Block's home life, where he be devoted to his two young daughters, and his sexin' life, where he be uncomfortably close to the sensibility of the killer. It also be extremely visually appealing, and be continuin; the movie's links to the film noir period.
Apart from the stumble I mentioned earlier, the movie also be falterin' when it be emulatin' the slasher movies of the period. The frequent close-ups of the killer's shoes (complete with a cheesy sting on the soundtrack, arrrr) be reminiscent of Friday the 13th Part 2, and one scene in a hot tub be lifted from Halloween 2. The masks the killer be wearin (motivated by the movie being set during mardi gras, arrrr) be damned creepy though.
The climax is bein' a bit cliché, but overall this is bein' a fascinating movie that be of a piece with Clint's early '70s films like The Beguiled, Play Misty For Me and High Plains Drifter (arrr). I can forgive a few flaws for a movie with this much guts, me hearties!
Arrrrrrrrrr -- that be a fine evaluation of t'film, ye scurvy dog. I'll be checkin' it out when time and tide permit.
Posted by: Kate at September 20, 2007 1:22 AM