Tom Sharky is demoted to vice after a bust goes terribly wrong. He and his team stumble across a mob murder tied to prostitution and government.
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Title: Sharky's Machine (1981)
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Nominated for
1
Golden Globe.
See more awards »
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Burt Reynolds | ... | ||
| Vittorio Gassman | ... |
Victor
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| Brian Keith | ... |
Papa
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| Charles Durning | ... |
Friscoe
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| Earl Holliman | ... |
Hotchkins
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| Bernie Casey | ... |
Arch
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| Henry Silva | ... |
Billy Score
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| Richard Libertini | ... |
Nosh
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| Darryl Hickman | ... |
Smiley
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| Rachel Ward | ... | ||
| Joseph Mascolo | ... |
Joe Tipps
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| Carol Locatell | ... |
Mabel
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Hari Rhodes | ... |
Highball Mary
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| John Fiedler | ... |
Barrett
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James O'Connell | ... |
Twigs
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Edit
Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Tom Sharky is a narcotics cop in Atlanta who's demoted to vice after a botched bust. In the depths of this lowly division, while investigating a high-dollar prostitution ring, Sharky stumbles across a mob murder with government ties, and responds by assembling his downtrodden fellow investigators (Sharky's "machine") to find the leaders and bring them to justice before they kill off all his partners and witnesses, including Sharky himself. Written by Unknown
Taglines:
If you mess with a cop like Sharky, you better be very tough . . . or very beautiful. See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USARelease Date:
18 December 1981 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Brigada Anti-Crime See more »Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby StereoColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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See more »
Performed by Flora Purim
by Al Capps (as A. Capps), Bob Florence (as B. Florence), Dave Pell (as D. Pell) & Snuff Garrett (as S. Garrett)
See more »
Did You Know?
Goofs
A crew member holding a clapper board with a reflector behind him is visible in the car door window just as the Chins speed from the curb to run over Jo Jo. See more »Quotes
Sharky: You know Frisco, when we used to flush the toilet upstairs, we always wondered where it came to...See more »
Soundtracks
Dope BustPerformed by Flora Purim
by Al Capps (as A. Capps), Bob Florence (as B. Florence), Dave Pell (as D. Pell) & Snuff Garrett (as S. Garrett)
See more »
That's how Burt Reynolds describes this film, which happens to be his best ever. He plays Tom Sharky, a vice detective who's on the trail of an international mobster (Vittorio Gassman) and the man he's financing to be the next governor of Georgia (Earl Holliman). In the novel by William Diehl, the story is more complex because the guy's running for president. This is a very long movie that feels more like three hours instead of two. The filming in downtown Atlanta and the Peachtree Plaza hotel sets the mood just right for the story. Reynolds doesn't do much laughing in this one compared to his comedy films. He's very serious here, especially in the beginning of the movie because he gets demoted for a dope bust that goes wrong. At times though, the movie plays more like a voyeuristic drama than a crime film with Burt trying to get close to the mobster's woman. Only towards the end of the film does the violence get cranked up that leads to the bang bang climax. Just like the great jazz score in DIRTY HARRY by Lalo Schifrin, Sharky's Machine features an excellent urban jazz soundtrack with many guest stars including Chet Baker, Julie London, Flora Purim & Buddy De Franco, The Manhattan Transfer, Doc Severinson, Sarah Vaughan and Joe Williams. Al Capps handles the score with magic. This movie has become one of the best crime dramas ever. Check it out.
Score, 8 out of 10 Stars