Action

Crime

Comedy

City Heat

Deliverance Productions

Warner Bros. Pictures

Malpaso Productions

United States of America

English

Clint Eastwood

Burt Reynolds

Jane Alexander

Madeline Kahn

Rip Torn

Irene Cara

Richard Roundtree

Tony Lo Bianco

William Sanderson

Nicholas Worth

Robert Davi

Jude Farese

John Hancock

Jack Thibeau

Gerald S. O'Loughlin

Bruce M. Fischer

Jack Nance

Art LaFleur

Tab Thacker

Charles Parks

Richard Benjamin

Lennie Niehaus

Jacqueline Cambas

Fritz Manes

Blake Edwards

Edward C. Carfagno

Joseph Stinson

Allan Graf

George Gaines

Norman Salling

Nick McLean

Buddy Van Horn

Shocking what Prohibition causes some people to drink these days.

The weight of expectation for City Heat was massive, two iconic Hollywood actors together in a buddy buddy cop movie, one with nods and homages to film noir and old school gangster movies, it wasn't unreasonable to expect a movie to sit with the best on Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynold's then CV's circa 1984. Unfortunately it's no masterpiece or close to being in the upper echelon's of each actor's respective works. But that doesn't make it a bad film.

A change of director saw Blake Edwards replaced by Richard Benjamin after Eastwood and Edwards, ahem, couldn't see eye to eye, so that immediately put the film on the back foot in many critic's eyes. Ironically Benjamin does OK - working from Edwards' script (there's a whole bunch of back stories and tittle-tattle assigned to this film if you care to search for it). Lots of fun here, though, as Clint and Burt, one a cop, the other an ex-cop turned PI, reluctantly team up to cut a swathe through the gangsters ruling the roost in prohibition era Kansas City.

Eastwood does his straight backed machismo act, throwing awesome punches along the way, while Reynolds is wonderfully cheerful as a tough guy who all things considered, would rather not get hurt! The script is full of zingers, delivered with customary sardonic self parody by the stars, while the roll call of supporting actors is not to be sniffed at. Period detail is high end, with Nick McLean's photography carrying the requisite neo-noir impact, while the music tracking is pleasingly nostalgic.

It's over the top of course and needlessly convoluted as per its yearning to be noirish, yet if you can cut back your expectation levels? And you can simply enjoy the sight of Eastwood and Reynolds having fun romping in this period? Then you just might enjoy this more than you dared to believe. 7/10

Clint Eastwood carries it, but <em>'City Heat'</em> as a whole is just about good.

Burt Reynolds makes for a solid partner for Eastwood, though his character isn't as strong as the latter's - who is played by the film's standout, no doubt. There's not any star performers behind those two, though Richard Roundtree and Rip Torn are alright. One positive, though, is the 1930s set design, which I really liked.

Not the most memorable flick, you could say it ought to be due to the double act up top, but I still found it to be a satisfactory watch.

City Heat (1984) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

City Heat - Trailer

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City Heat

Cast & Crew

Videos

Cast

Clint Eastwood

Burt Reynolds

Jane Alexander

Madeline Kahn

Rip Torn

Irene Cara

Richard Roundtree

Tony Lo Bianco

William Sanderson

Nicholas Worth

Box office

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