SHARKEY'S MACHINE

US, 1981, 116 minutes, Colour.
Burt Reynolds, Vittorio Gassman, Brian Keith, Earl Holliman, Rachel Ward, Charles Durning, Henry Silva, Bernie Casey, Richard Libertini.
Directed by Burt Reynolds.

Sharkey's Machine is one of many tough action thrillers with police settings in a corrupt United States. It is very much a film of the early '80s. It is also a Burt Reynolds vehicle - he is both star and director.

As star, Burt Reynolds has an impact with a blend of charm and toughness. As a director, he has an eye for action as well as for sentiment. It is a good performance and a good film for him.

There is an excellent supporting cast led by Vittorio Gassman as an international gangster with a psychotic Henry Silva as his brother. Rachel Ward is very attractive as the call-girl at the centre of the action. The machine - the police group - includes Charles Durning, Brian Keith and an enjoyable performance from Richard Libertini.

The film is set in Atlanta, Georgia and shows police and political corruption. The screenplay also has echoes of Alfred Hitchcock: the film starts as a kind of Rear Window as Burt photographs and records Rachel Ward's behaviour. When it seems that she has been killed and Burt realises how much in love with her he was, the film turns into a kind of Vertigo.

This is a very good example of police dramas of the '80s.

1. An entertaining and interesting police drama? The background of the '70s and '80s - police heroism? Police corruption? Case studies? The life of the police: the effect on their work? The pressure on their own lives? Expectations of society? The encounters with evil and violence? The comparisons with other films of its kind?

2. The film as a Burt Reynolds vehicle: star and his style, persona, charm? Romantic lead? Macho tempered by a regard for women? His skill as a director: action, pace, romance. sentiment?

3. The importance of the Atlanta background: the cityscapes at beginning and end, the helicopter shots, the streets, the tall buildings, the hotels? The police within the city of Georgia? Dealing with wealthy families, politicians? The drug culture? international crime? Political corruption? The range of society in Atlanta, Georgia? The police informers? Colour photography, atmosphere? Stunts and effects? The visual violence? The musical score and its range? Credits. atmosphere, final song (and the voice of Sarah Vaughan)?

4. The introduction to the film after the introduction to the city: Sharkey walking, looking seedy, the drug connection, the pusher, the location and its squalor, the police car, the violence, the chase, the ordinary city streets, the ordinary bus, the police and shooting, the shooting in the bus, death? The death of the drug pusher? Whites and blacks? The interchange and patter? The repercussions for Sharkey? The commendation by his boss? The transition to the Vice Squad? Violence, action, mood? Establishing characters and issues?

5. Burt Reynolds' interpretation of Sharkey? Skilful policeman? The effect of the demotion? Going to the bowels of the police offices? The sewers? The men, the jobs, the squalor, clearing his desk, the speeches and the toughness? The pimps, prostitutes? Being taken out on the round, the political speeches, arresting Mabel - and the irony of the black book, the names and the phone numbers?

6. The case study: the police investigation, permissions, phone-tappings? The work of the squad as a machine? The introduction to Victor and his international connections? The introduction to Carlo as a killer - his taking the drugs, his going to the expensive house, the murders? The effect on him in killing people? The connections with Hotchkiss and his campaign, the relationship with Domino? His being on tape? The implications for corruption in the city, crime control, the background of white slavers, political power, Smiley and the police connections and corruption? The possibility of cover-ups?

7. The theme of surveillance: developments in technology, techniques, tapes, photographs, film? The time taken? Experts like Nosh and their contribution? The ironic comic touch with Frisco and his listening in, the equivalent of a peeping-tom? The effect on Sharkey of the constant vigil in watching Domino? The audience sharing his experience? His wanting more? His having photos of her in his home? What Sharkey and the audience discover: Domino’s lifestyle, the relationship with Hotchkiss, her dancing lessons and her wanting to be a dancer, her friendship with Tiffany? The parallels between Domino and Sharkey? The shower, turning out the light, singing the song together? The importance of this sharing and the persuasiveness of Sharkey falling in love with her? Victor and his arrival, menacing tones, his smooth promises, the night with Domino? The build-up to his ordering Carlo to kill her? The sudden impact of her going to the door, the gun-blast? The effect on the audience and Sharkey in thinking she was dead?

8. Rachel Ward's portrait of Domino? Her set-up, her story, glamour, wealth? Reality and unreality? Attractiveness to men? The trained call-girl? The relationship with Hotchkiss and his getting a house for her? Her wanting to change, be a dancer? Her hopes for herself? Their being cut off in her death?

9. The importance of the voyeur theme? The psychological implications? For the man watching the call-girl? Participating in her profession? The importance for the feminine in Sharkey: the blend of the prostitute and the princess? Sharing her experience, the photos, the sounds? The smoking? The song? Psychological communication? Love and jealousy? The importance of her being killed and the effect on Sharkey's psyche? The shock and the reality? Her coming in casually and Sharkey having to confront it? His rescuing the princess and setting her up at home? Embarrassment at the photos? His reaction to her, questioning her, anger at the reality of her profession, the slur about the thousand dollars? The violence and his attack? The contrast with the morning, the peace, the school and the children at play, the story of his home, carving the rose and his embarrassment? Sexual fulfilment and the unification of different aspects of his psyche? Willing then to defy Victor, to suffer? His becoming more real? Domino’s becoming more real?

10. The portrait of Sharkey's machine and the variety of personnel: - Frisco as the boss, having worked so many years, the rules, the upstairs officials - especially the one killed in the hit-run? The machine tantalising him? - Poppa: his many wounds, toughness, eating habits and discussion about fast foods, interrogation of the hookers, sharing in Sharkey's surveillance, willing to help, cruising with him, Ralph and the transvestites? Reaction to Domino? Enjoying the good friendship of the group? His death in the final confrontation? Arch: his work, background, enjoying his work, his stories about Zen and disappearing? The contact with the informer, his threatening him, the death? The confrontation with Carlo and his dying? - Nosh: type, family, swearing, skills, loyalty to Sharkey, his death? - The various groups with their forensic skills and the examination of Domino’s room? The baseball meeting and the tantalising of Frisco?

11. Victor as the embodiment of evil? His background, the white slave trade and his training of the little girls, of Domino, the relationship with her, his power, sexuality, willing to kill Domino? His hold over Donald Hotchkiss - the car-ride and his inviting Donald to leave - and his not leaving? The confrontation with Sharkey and discovering Domino was alive? The clash with his brother - their seeming reconciliation and his death?

12. Carlo as the embodiment of evil? The assassination, taking drugs, the killing of the official at the opening, of Domino, of the informer? Nosh? The hit-run? The relationship with his brother and shooting him? The final confrontation - his being able to disappear, the confrontation with Sharkey and his believing he wouldn't die? His falling from the high building?

13. The dramatic impact of Domino’s seeming death? Of her being alive?

14. The lyrical touches of the film: Domino’s dancing, the peace in Sharkey's house, her decisions?

15. Hotchkiss and his role as Governor, the campaigns, sexual liaison, family background, reaction to Domino’s death and his grief, the car-ride with Victor and his not getting out, his winning the victory, his speech, the theme of his accountability to the people and the irony of his collapse and Sharkey, his arrest and the collage of television comments?

16. The violence of the chases, confrontations, death? The background of police styles and audience expectation? With the Hitchcock suspense and psychological touch?