The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 79

ILos angrlrtf Cimta Dec. zi. 19 Pt IV 1 5 MOVIE REVIEW Our "Affaire" 'The Gauntlet' Lives Up to Its Title BY KEVIN THOMAS Tlmi Staff Wrlttr is even better the second time around. ifeiJ rij Iff i iii lit 1 THEATRES 1 1 I III II Simon'! vfIXrmw nighty 'Ht 1 GOODBYE 1 -J 'fat GIRL UffistlteXA tSA A-M I SPECIAL 10VER II semi- XT JFv DAY I ever-increasing, nightmarishly mythological proportions. Miss Locke, who was in Eastwood's "The Outlaw Josey Wales," has not received such a rich opportunity since her Academy Award-nominated debut In "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter." Once and for all she buries the ethereal waif image established by that film; here, she's a tough woman who's been just as bored and adrift as Eastwood, The relationship that develops between these two loners is most appealing.

Care also has been taken with the supporting characters. Pat Hingle is Eastwood's likable, naive former partner, and Bill McKinney, who appeared with Eastwood in "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot," has his best screen role to date as a revoltingly dirty-minded Vegas deputy. Carole Cook has a funny scene as a crusty Vegas waitress, and Doug Mc-Grath, one of Canada's top stars, can be seen briefly as a Vegas bookie. Others prominent are Michael Cavanaugh, Mara Corday, Jeff Morris, Samantha Doane, Roy Jenson and Dan Vadis. Visually superb, "The Gauntlet" benefits strongly from Jerry Fielding's moody, imaginative jazz score.

"The Gauntlet" (MPAA-rated: R) is essentially a genre film and therefore is typically strong in language and violence in which Eastwood stands most of the conventions on end. Throughout the film there is the feeling that both as actor and director, Eastwood has a need to break through, so much so that the film itself bursts open in its final credibility-destroying seconds. As always, it will be exciting to see what Clint Eastwood, with five directing credits now behind him, will attempt next. Until it overreaches in its final minutes, Clint East-wood's "The Gauntlet" (citywide) succeeds in making the fantastic credible, Indeed, the getting there is so outrageous and witty that those who admire Eastwood's laconic style behind the camera as well as in front of it are likely to overlook that flawed finale. At any rate, there's plenty going on at all times to please action fans.

Eastwood is a rootless, seedy Phoenix cop with an over-fondness for Jack Daniels. He has been ordered by icy, uptight police commissioner William Prince to go to Las Vegas to extradite a "nothing witness for a nothing trial." She turns out to be terrified hooker Sondra Locke, who fights Eastwood tooth and nail, fearing for her life. "Fifty to one we don't make it," she says to a puzzled, impatient Eastwood, "Ask any bookie." Only moments later, however, they narrowly escape death in the explosion of Eastwood's rented car, From then on "The Gauntlet" lives up to its title with a vengeance, Eventually Eastwood learns that it's the mob who's after Miss Locke, who can identify a key figure. Somebody, however, seems to be setting up Eastwood as well. "Somebody's betting I can't do my job," says Eastwoodand his transformation from a loser into Dirty Harry superman has begun, "The Gauntlet" is a highly personal film, a work reflective of contemporary paranoia, expressing anger and disillusionment with the Establishment as represented by a curnipl, unthinking police force given to wretched excess.

Writers Michael Butler and Dennis Shryack have created some very vivid, very real people to play against the film's Bonoiuan 1900 ittawood OOMOMM NOW won onwyf niimirfiinr 1 ft THE MAN LOVED X3ffiV WHO WOMEN FOR SHOWTIMES SEE DIRECTORY BELOW (Un Elephant (i Trompe Enorme'menii FOX HOLLYWOOD EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT Starts UA CINEMA CENTER i TONIGHT 8:30 P.M. iii esos holivwood Westwood 475-9441 I08H9 Wrlhwunh 1 block South of Wllihlre Today TOWNE ft COUNTRY Enclno 981-9811 TOWH Muhn Westwood Theatre EVERVOAV I OO 3 tt 00 10 It NO PAIIII ACCIPIIO IOA 1HII UOAOIMIIir a Mann's FINE ARTS Los Angeles 652-1330 6:00 8:00 10:00 fteavy tfawojFifte fli? arc (saeinniy oDDay eveon Gnawe cemiti a SmiJie2l2" WESTWOOD VILLAGp HOLLYWOOD BLVD. NATIONAL ami Eastwood CHINESE 70MMStefephonlc Sound WHS LMtcook TW OAWmiTJII mi IWywoog STAI WARSIPG) (245-3 0S JnZm 4S4.11l' Sorry, No Pam SESiGE HOLLYWOOD 476-0676 B7MHlvwd Sorry, No Pastes 483-M71 BRUIN wooooiyicmipoj VOGUE WMtvmd 6675 Koltyrwod lOVHIPO TrhSS Sorry, No Passes 482-6621 Passes WESTWOOD Walt Olsney Production FOX S. Burnsi Denver 483-2184 Sneak Provlfw 8:30 WESTWOOD man who iov BP TO8ffl LOS ANGELES WJSTWOOD EL m-lXSr 2:00 4 7:30 only W1-1W1 i1 FAIRFAX Wa" Production (BEVERLY HILLS ARiD iT today SANTA MONICA 663-083 lor private screening FINE ARTS LorenM Mastrolannl WILSHIRE O.BurnsJ Oenver A SPKIAl DAY ISMWUMrt "OH GOOf'IPG 652-1330 384-8388 Sorry, No Pastes ui CUIDC LIDO BOMY MfRfiLO(PG) 13MWUMr HCHOtSIPG) BO? Plot 3M-6386 8S2-8M7 NOtMAN IS THAT TOO (PC) 10:36 (SAN FERNANDO VATTeT) WESTCHESTER LA REINA ScMdal Engagement LOYOLA Charles Bronsonlee Remlck 14828 "til dOH INCOUHfUSlPO) 8810 Snurveds 788-8311 670-0348 No Passes Or Croup Tickets frtePko, STUDIO eWVtnl SATufOAY MGHT FfVFA(ft) PALOS VERDES 788-4441 Sorry, No Passes tAi I DDnnK FOXTWIN iooioKt ABanc-oHSMacUln. SJ-Sour Jgfff'M (IsTfctt THE TWNMO POMTIPGJ 377-5403 FrwPtrtlm pQXTWIN SPY WHO LOVfO ME(PG) FALLBROOK C.B,ornLrVentlck SIM.

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n. nTfiuiHF John Travolta CINEMALAND tlak 37Tie0O SATURDAY MGHT FEVER(R) 14 14 Harbor Blvd. (fO 1:30 FrsaParklng Free Parking No Passes OXNARD-VENTURA CINEMALAND 805485-2707 SO.CoaSl B.ReynoldsK.Krlstoflerson Free Parking Sorry No Passes 34iOBtiaiol ccdi lliane innaair.ine 714548-2711 ESPLANADE Free PtrUng Sorry, No Passes MANN G0008AR(R) -r 805485-2707 SO. CoaSt John Travolta Fret Parking 3410 Brlelol SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER(R) ESPLANADE pahther strikes "HfflfS MANN Sorry. No Passes 805485-2707 RETURN PINK PANTHER IPG) SO.

Coast Special Engagement Free Parting 685 Sun(low 70 MM Dolby Sound fV 1,. 714549-3352 ClOSI ENCOUNTERSIPGI FOX JSfJSSSi FreeParkkig .6030 mmUWtHi No Passes Or Group Tickets Free Parking Passes Fox BREAK HABRA 3 Vmtura Clint Eastwood 805844-7778 THE GAUNTIET(R) RREA PLAZA Walt Disney Production FretPkg. JralWliw tflf PETE'S DRAGON! C. 75WY RAKFRSFIFI I Sorry, No Passes BREA PLAZA Walt Olsney Production FOX B.RaynoldsK.Krlstoflerson Oro FwImn Hiry PiK'S DRAGONIOI 20O1HSI SEMI-TOUGHIR) 714529-5339 Parking Sorry. No Passes CREST D.I.

iSSSKS iookihg for mr. 3401 Paclwco Rd. "OH GOW" PG HH1! G0006ARIRI shorGi fee CREST I HEROEsiPG) BREA PLAZA 6.S'il MOIptchKofld OTHER SIDE Or, Flmp Hwy M0UH7AIHIPGI tShoAIOusk Show lime 7:00 PM FretParklng 20- IQ.Jop mm A JERRY WEINTRAUB PRODUCTION GEORGE BURNS JOHN DENVER "OH, GOD!" TERI GARR DONALD PLEASENCE Based on the Novel by AVERY CORMAN Screenplay by LARRY GELBART Directed by CARL REINER Produced by JERRY WEINTRAUB a UK PG PARNTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED SK From Warner A Warner Communications Company tout MATIMM MAT NOT SUffAStE TOR CHHMEM HOLLYWOOD Fox 463-2184 DAILY 12:30 2 30 4:30 6:30 6:30 6 10:30 PM W. LOS ANGELES Picwood 842-5723 DAILY 12 30 3:46 7:30 FRI-SAT 10:46 PM ANAHEIM Cinemaland 714635-7601 DAII." 1:30 3:15 5:00 6:45 6:30 6 10:15 PM ARCADIA Santa Anita Cinema 445-6200 DAILY 1:15 3:15 5:15 7:15 9:15 PM BREA Brea Plaza 714529-5339 DAILY 1:00 2:50 440 6 30 6:20 6 10:10 PM CERRIT0S Alondra 924-5531 DAILY 1:15 3:30 (TLS-6 001 6:30 6 10:45 PM COVINACovina Drive-In 331-5233 CON'T FROM 6:45 PM FOUNTAIN VALLEY Fountain Valley Drive-In 714962-2481 CON'T FROM 6:45 PM GLENDALE Glenda'e 241-4177 DAILY 2:00 4:00 6 00 6:00 6 10:00 PM HAWTHORNE Hawthorne 6 644-8669 DAILY 1:00 3:15 (TLS-5 301 7:45 9:55 PM R0SEMEAD Rosemead 573-9480 DAILY 1:30 (TLS-615) 6:30 6 10:30 PM SANTA MONICA Wilshire 394-6386 DAILY 12:30 2:30 4:30 6:30 6:30 1 10:30 PM SEAL BEACH Rossmoor 430-0419 DAILY 12:30 2:30 4:30 6:30 6:30 1 10:30 PM 1000 OAKS Conejo Twin 805495-6760 DAILY 2:00 4:00 6:00 6:00 10:00 PM TORRANCE Old Towne 371-1600 DAILY 12:35 2:30 4:25 6:20 6:15 1 10:10 PM WHITTIER Whittier 692-0077 DAILY I 00 4:45 6 6:15 PM LA HABRA Fashion Square 691-0633 DAILY 1:00 3:16 ITLS-615) 6:30 6 10:30 PM LOS ANGELES Wiltern 387-6147 CON'T FROM 1:00 PM MARINA DEL REY UA Cinemas 822-2980 DAILY 12:40 2:35 4:30 6:30 6:30 1 10:25 PM NORTH HOLLYWOOD UA Movies 6 766-4317 DAILY 2:00 4:00 6:00 6:00 1 10:00 PM N0RTHRIDGE Fashion Center Cinema 993-01 1 1 DAILY 1:45 3 45 5:45 7:45 6 9:45 PM ORANGE UA City Cinema 714634-3911 DAILY 12:35 2 25 4:20 6:15 6:10 A 10:05 PM TARZANA Movies 996-1300 WED-THURS-FAI 7 00 9 00 1 11 00 PM SAT-SUNM0N 2 00 4 00 6 00 6 00 6 10 00 PM TEMPLE CITY Temple 286-3179 DAILY 3 20 7 00 6 10 40 PM MISSION VIEJ0 Cinema Viejo 714830-6990 DAILY 2 00 4 00 6 00 8 00 6 10 00 PM ORANGE Stadium Dnve-in 714639-8770 CON FROM 6 45 PM PANORAMA CITY Americana Cinema 893-6441 DAILY 17 40 2 30 4 20 6 10 8 00 A 9 SO PM COSTA MESA Bristol Cinemas 714540-7444 DAILY 2 15 4 20 6 30 8 30 4 10 30 PM DOWNEY Showcase Cinema 862-1121 DAILY 1 00 3 00 5 00 7 00 6 9 00 PM LAGUNA BEACH South Coast 714494-1514 M0N-FRI 6 30 6 30 6 10 30 PM SATSUN 2 30 4 30 6 30 8 30 A 10 30 PM WEST C0VINA Wescove Cinema 338-5574 0AILY 12 30 2 30 4:30 6 30 6 30 6 10 30 PM W. LOS ANGELES Palms 837-7171 TUES-FRI 7.00 6V 9 00 PM SAT-SUMMON CON FROM 1 00 PM WESTMINSTER Cinema West 714892-4493 DAILY 2 00 4 00 6 00 6 00 6 10 00 PM.