The Gauntlet (1977)

A Phoenix cop (Clint Eastwood) is assigned to travel to Las Vegas and extradite a hooker (Sondra Locke) for a trial. It's described as "a nothing witness for a nothing trial". But after several attempts on their lives, he realizes that this is not a "nothing" case and some vital information was withheld from him. Will they make it back to Phoenix alive? Directed by Clint Eastwood, this potboiler is so contrived and convoluted that by the time of the preposterous shoot 'em up finale, I'd given up on it. It's poorly structured so it's the action pieces that grab your attention. A helicopter chase in the desert is well done but a sequence with Eastwood's cop and a slew of bikers makes no sense at all except to pad out the movie. The only worthwhile performance comes from Locke but the film treats her so brutally that it's almost exploitative. I can enjoy mindless entertainment but this borders on stupidity. With Pat Hingle, William Prince, Carole Cook and Mara Corday.