MysteryThrillerCrimeHorror

Tightrope

- A cop on the edge.

Wes Block is a detective who's put on the case of a serial killer whose victims are young and pretty women. The murders are getting personal when the killer chooses victims who are acquaintances of Block. Even his daughters are threatened.

Release Date : 1984-08-17

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Malpaso ProductionsWarner Bros. Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Tightrope

Cast

Character Name : Wes Block

Original Name : Clint Eastwood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beryl Thibodeaux

Original Name : Geneviève Bujold

Gender : Female

Character Name : Det. Molinari

Original Name : Dan Hedaya

Gender : Male

Character Name : Amanda Block

Original Name : Alison Eastwood

Gender : Female

Character Name : Penny Block

Original Name : Jenny Beck

Gender : Female

Character Name : Leander Rolfe

Original Name : Marco St. John

Gender : Male

Character Name : Becky Jacklin

Original Name : Rebecca Perle

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sarita

Original Name : Regina Richardson

Gender : Female

Character Name : Jamie Cory

Original Name : Randi Brooks

Gender : Female

Character Name : Melanie Silber

Original Name : Jamie Rose

Gender : Female

Character Name : Judy Harper

Original Name : Margaret Howell

Gender : Female

Character Name : Girl with Whip

Original Name : Rebecca Clemons

Gender : Female

Character Name : Dr. Yarlofsky

Original Name : Janet MacLachlan

Gender : Female

Character Name : Luther

Original Name : Graham Paul

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Chief

Original Name : Bill Holliday

Gender : Male

Character Name : Medical Examiner

Original Name : John Wilmot

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Holstein

Original Name : Margie O'Dair

Gender : Male

Character Name : Swap Meet Owner

Original Name : Joy N. Houck Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Blond Surfer

Original Name : Stuart Baker-Bergen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shorty

Original Name : Donald Barber

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lonesome Alice

Original Name : Robert Harvey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Coroner Dudley

Original Name : Ron Gural

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Surtees

Original Name : Layton Martens

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Fitzpatrick

Original Name : Richard Charles Boyle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse

Original Name : Becki Davis

Gender : Female

Character Name : Gay Boy

Original Name : Jonathan Sachar

Gender : Male

Character Name : Black Hooker

Original Name : Valerie Thibodeaux

Gender : Male

Character Name : Plainclothes Gus

Original Name : Lionel Ferbos

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sandoval

Original Name : Eliott Keener

Gender : Male

Character Name : Secretary

Original Name : Cary Wilmot Alden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Manes

Original Name : David Valdes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Carfagno

Original Name : James Borders

Gender : Male

Character Name : Valdes

Original Name : Fritz Manes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Quono

Original Name : Jonathan Shaw

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dixie President

Original Name : Don Lutenbacher

Gender : Male

Character Name : Conventioneer

Original Name : G. Wood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sam

Original Name : Kimberly Georgoulis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lucy Davis

Original Name : Glenda Byers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Piazza Cop

Original Name : John Schluter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Rannigan

Original Name : Nick Kreiger

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patrolman Restic

Original Name : Lloyd Nelson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patrolman Julio

Original Name : David Dahlgren

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patrolman Gallo

Original Name : Rod Masterson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patrolman Redfish

Original Name : Glenn Wright

Gender : Male

Character Name : Woman Reporter

Original Name : Angela Hill

Gender : Male

Character Name : T.V. News Technician

Original Name : Ted Saari

Gender : Male

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Tommy Gotti Coleman

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

The Doppleganger disease. Tightrope is directed by Richard Tuggle and Clint Eastwood, Tuggle writes the screenplay. It stars Eastwood, Genevieve Bujold, Dan Hedaya, Alison Eastwood and Rod Masterson. Music is by Lennie Niehaus and cinematography by Bruce Surtees. New Orleans and Detective Wes Block is plunged into a hunt for a rapist serial killer that brings out his own deviant peccadilloes. One of Eastwood’s best movies also happens to be one of his most under appreciated, the actor challenging himself to explore a darker characterisation than the iconographic ones he was most famed for. Wes Block is a damaged man, a divorced father of two girls, who he adores but they are uncomfortably at arms length due to his work. He’s afraid of affection, to be touched in a gentle manner by a member of the opposite sex, preferring to indulge in seamy sex by way of prostitutes who frequent the dark abodes of Orleans’ French Quarter. If you knew what’s ahead… Enter the doppelganger effect, as a mysterious serial killer is at large murdering the ladies of the night that Wes takes his pleasure with, the guilt factor hanging heavy on his haunted shoulders. As Wes tries to bring down the killer, he is battling to realign his mindset about the female sex, his daughters and also Beryl Thibodeaux (Bujold), the latter the rape counsellor who was once his sparring adversary, but is now a potential lover if Wes can put everything back on an even keel. Tuggle, Eastwood and Surtees bring plenty of film noir touches to their picture. Surtees’ photography is strong in colour but dark in shading, perfectly embodying the seamy side of The Big Easy. Between them, actor and director fill out this fascinating tale with classic noirish scenes. A Mardi Gras warehouse is eerie, as is a chase through a cemetery, then there’s clowns and balloons, things that are associated with childish fun but so often in noirville carry a sinister edge. The sleazy dives that Wes frequents are foreboding places of sin, more so when the killer is stalking his prey. While a railroad location is used to great effect as well. It has some problems, Hedaya is wasted and the Wes and Beryl relationship is telegraphed a mile away. While the formula of such movies inevitably means the culmination of tale is no surprise, but the journey is a dark and interesting one and Tightrope is a damn fine thriller. 8/10

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

***Dramatic, melancholic Eastwood detective flick set in New Orleans*** A divorced detective in New Orleans (Clint Eastwood) juggles raising two daughters, pursing a serial rapist/killer, cultivating a romantic relationship (Geneviève Bujold) and dealing with his own dark side, which he realizes is too close for comfort to the killer. “Tightrope” (1984) is another Eastwood detective flick, but it’s not as entertaining and compelling as his Dirty Harry films or “The Gauntlet” (1977). It’s darker, more dramatic and brooding, not to mention a tad sleazy. This may bring to mind the original “Dirty Harry” (1971), but the subdued tone is closer to “Blood Work” (2002). The title refers to a person walking the tightrope between his/her good side and bad side. The movie runs 1 hour, 54 minutes and was shot entirely in New Orleans. GRADE: C+/B-

r96sk

@r96sk

2022-01-31

How is this not super entertaining? 'Tightrope' should have all the ingredients to make the viewer be on the edge of their seat, and yet I really didn't care much for it. Clint Eastwood, who apparently took over unofficially as director from Richard Tuggle during filming, gives a solid performance and the bond with his character's children is cute. However, the story just didn't do anything for me. It's not particularly unnerving, despite a dark on paper story, and it's rather predictable - the villain... well, the villain I've already forgotten about and I only finished watching about an hour ago. Not terrible, but not good.