MAGNUM FORCE: Acting 5: The Others

[Matt]

What do you think of the casting and performances of Mitchell Ryan as Charlie McCoy, Tim Matheson as Phil Sweet, Kip Niven as Red Astrachan , Robert Urich as Mike Grimes, and Albert Popwell, who makes his second appearance in a Dirty Harry film, this time as the pimp? Discuss any other performances that you particularly liked or disliked that have not yet been mentioned.

[Christopher]

I think it was Matt who mentioned the draino scene in the "Least Favorite scene" thread because of Popwell's incredible performance. He plays one nasty dude, and does so wonderfully. Whenever I think of movie pimps, he's usually who I think of (though you may wonder, "Why would anybody think of movie pimps?" But you get the point).

[Bronco_Billy]

Liked the Phil Sweet character , Tim Matheson really made an inpact , pity his career never got anywhere. Robert Urich and Kip Niven had little to do , and seemed like just filling. Albert Popwell again plays a nasty peice of work , and does it very well too. Mitch Ryan comes from the William Shatner school of acting , all exaggerated ham .

[Matt]

Mitch Ryan comes from the William Shatner school of acting , all exaggerated ham .

Can't say I disagree too much with that comment.

[bdc28]

And lest  we forget, to round out this merry band of do-badders, is David Soul.

I always thought having Robert Urich and David Soul on the same group was a piece of casting genius. Both represent different things within the group.

Robert Urich, even in his later years, had a boyish smile and charm that couldnt be ignored. BUT in this movie, it was almost horrifying. Here is this charming, good looking collegiate type, that with boyish ways...wouldnt think twice about putting a bullet in your face...CREEPY.

On the other end of the spectrum is David Soul. David Soul has always had a very quiet, confident, intelligent way about him, even when he played in STARSKY AND HUTCH, you could tell it was Hutch that was the thinker.
This added more of an eerie feeling to it.

See, with JUST Robert Urich there, you could write it off as "young energy, ignorant in the ways of doing things...over enthusiastic"....but with DAVID SOUL there, it added a new dimension.

That this  younger generation, are not the hippies of the past. Along with Urichs energy, and Souls methodical and intelligence...they sat down, methodically planned this out. And the only option for them, was to give the final judgement. That this was planned, intelligent...and broad thinking....gave it a feeling more scary, in my opinion than Scorpio could ever be.

With Scorpio, although he blended in society...he never was a PART of society. THESE are the guys you are supposed to call when you are in trouble. And with those smiles and charms,  you would trust them to your own demise.

Very interesting casting job.

[Matt]

Thanks to everyone for participating in this discussion. This topic is now closed, please post any additional thoughts in the Dirty Harry forum.

[The Schofield Kid]

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