Clint Eastwood is down-on-his-luck alcoholic cop Ben Shockley, who is escorting prostitute Gus Mally (Eastwood’s then-girlfriend, Sondra Locke) from Las Vegas to a trial in Phoenix, Arizona, to testify against mobsters.
Meanwhile, Shockley gets framed for a crime by the corrupt cops on the mob’s payroll, so he must now transport Mally across the Southwest with legions of gun-toting policemen in hot pursuit.
Along the very long highway, and right up to the steps of the Justice Hall, mobsters and corrupt city officials and cops try to stop their armour-plated bus, but the shoot-outs prove less engaging than the mismatched couple’s smart-talking infighting.
It’s a badly-written piece, directed sloppily by Eastwood. It also presents one of the phoniest and most unbelievable finales ever dumped on the public.
Ben Shockley
Clint Eastwood
Gus Mally
Sondra Locke
Josephson
Pat Hingle
Blakelock
William Prince
Constable
Bill McKinney
Feyderspiel
Michael Cavanaugh
Waitress
Carole Cook
Jail matron
Mara Corday
Bookie
Doug McGrath
Desk sergeant
Jeff Morris
Director
Clint Eastwood