Sharky's Machine (1981)

Director:

Burt Reynolds

Writers:

William Diehl (novel)
Gerald Di Pego (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 December 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Nobody leans on Sharky's Machine. [Theatrical]

Plot:

Tom Sharky is a narcotics cop in Atlanta who's demoted to vice after a botched bust. In the depths of this lowly division...

Plot Keywords:

Prostitution | Vice | Murder | Violence | Law Enforcement

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	Sgt. Tom Sharky
Vittorio Gassman	...	Victor Scorelli
Brian Keith	...	Papa
Charles Durning	...	Lt. Friscoe
Earl Holliman	...	Donald Hotchkins
Bernie Casey	...	Arch
Henry Silva	...	Billy Score
Richard Libertini	...	Nosh
Darryl Hickman	...	Smiley
Rachel Ward	...	Dominoe
Joseph Mascolo	...	Joe Tipps
Carol Locatell	...	Mabel
Hari Rhodes	...	Highball Mary
John Fiedler	...	Barrett
James O'Connell	...	Twigs
Val Avery	...	Det. Ted Roper
Suzee Pai	...	Siakwan
Aarika Wells	...	Tiffany
Tony King	...	Kitten Holmes
Dan Inosanto	...	Chin No. 1
Weaver Levy	...	Chin No. 2
May Keller	...	May (as May Keller Pearce)
Sheryl Kilby	...	Lisa
James Lewis	...	Policeman No. 1
Scott Newell	...	Policeman No. 2
Glynn Rubin	...	Pregnant Woman
Bennie Moore	...	Bus Driver
Alveda King Beale	...	Bus Rider
Gayle Davis	...	Bus Rider
Atim Kweli	...	Bus Rider
Brenda Bynum	...	Aging Hooker
Gus Mann	...	Flasher
William Diehl	...	Percy
Elaine Falone	...	Hooker with Mabel
Wanda Strange	...	Hooker No. 1
Barbara Stokes	...	Hooker No. 2
John Greenwell	...	Rachel
John Arthur	...	Pusher
Terrayne Crawford	...	Woman
Mary Beth Busbee	...	Woman at Garden Party
J. Don Ferguson	...	Rally Emcee
Monica Pearson	...	Newscaster (as Monica Kaufman)
Dave Michaels	...	Newscaster
Wes Sarginson	...	Newscaster
Forrest Sawyer	...	Newscaster
Colonel Beach	...	Security Officer
Danny Nelson	...	Man with Mabel
Lamar Jackson	...	Boots
El Mongol	...	Mongol
Sue Cockrell	...	Victor's Girl
Lisa Hall	...	Victor's Girl
Pam Newman	...	Victor's Girl
April Reed	...	Victor's Girl
Susan Williamson	...	Victor's Girl
Diana Castle	...	Girl with Kitten (as Diana Szlosberg)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Duncan McNeill	...	Teen on bus (uncredited)
Bill Nunn	...	Kitten's Bouncer (uncredited)

Directed by
Burt Reynolds

Writing credits
William Diehl		(novel)
Gerald Di Pego		(screenplay)

Produced by
Hank Moonjean	....	producer
Edward Teets	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
William A. Fraker

Film Editing by
William D. Gordean		(as William Gordean)
Dennis Virkler

Casting by
Terry Liebling		(as Terry H. Liebling)

Production Design by
Walter Scott Herndon

Set Decoration by
Phil Abramson		(as Philip Abrahamson)

Costume Design by
Norman Salling

Makeup Department
Gabriel Borgo	....	hair stylist (as Gabe Borgo)
Ken Chase	....	makeup artist
Tom Ellingwood	....	makeup artist
Lynda Gurasich	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Edward Teets	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Moen	....	second assistant director
Benjamin Rosenberg	....	first assistant director (as Benjy Rosenberg)
Jim Van Wyck	....	second assistant director
Don Wilkerson	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Michael Dunn	....	property master (as Mike Dunn)
Craig Edgar	....	set designer
Joseph Karas	....	construction foreman
Gary F. Kieldrup	....	assistant property master (as Gary Kieldrup)
Ronald D. Kropf	....	painter foreman
Charles McKinlay	....	construction foreman
Michael Miller	....	assistant property master (as Michael 'Max' Miller)
Ernest Phillips	....	stand-by painter (as Ernie Phillips)
Richard Reseigne	....	construction coordinator (as Dick Reseigne)
Edmund Villa	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Milton C. Burrow	....	supervising sound editor
Jay Engel	....	adr editor
Walter A. Gest	....	sound re-recordist (as Walter Gest)
Joe Kenworthy	....	sound mixer
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Glen Lambert	....	boom operator (as Glenn Lambert)
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Nicholson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jack Solomon	....	sound mixer
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Phil Cory	....	special effects

Stunts
Jerry Barrett	....	stunts
Bobby Bass	....	stunt coordinator
David R. Ellis	....	stunts (as David Ellis)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunts
James Hooks Reynolds	....	stunts (as James Reynolds)
Dar Robinson	....	stunts
Bobby Sargent	....	stunts
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts (as Glenn Wilder)
Lars Lundgren	....	stunt rigger (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gerald H. Boatright	....	electrical best boy
Gary R. Dodd	....	key grip
John J. Ellingwood	....	second assistant camera
Nick McLean	....	camera operator
Doug Pentek	....	electrical gaffer
Keith Peterman	....	first assistant camera
Richard R. Robinson	....	still photographer (as Richard Robinson)
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Brian W. Roy	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gene Deardorff	....	costumer: men
Arlene Encell	....	wardrobe supervisor: women
Don Vargas	....	wardrobe supervisor: men

Editorial Department
Janice Parker	....	assistant editor
Charles Woolf	....	assistant editor
David Williams	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Al Capps	....	conductor
Al Capps	....	music arranger
Bob Florence	....	additional music arranger
Snuff Garrett	....	music supervisor
Grover B. Helsley	....	scoring mixer (as Grover Helsley)
Jim Henrikson	....	music editor
Dave Pell	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Donald R. Casella	....	transportation coordinator
Richard H. Greever	....	transportation co-captain
Bill Myers	....	transportation co-captain (as William H. Myers)

Other crew
Don Baccardy	....	dominoe's portrait by
Beverly Baker	....	assistant: Burt Reynolds
Blanche Bisbing	....	assistant production accountant
Roberta Brecher	....	security supervisor
Stanley Brossette	....	unit publicist
Tom Culla	....	assistant: Burt Reynolds
Anthony Ferro	....	choreographer
Vince Heileson	....	production accountant
Art 'Klondike' Jones	....	craft service
Jerry Ketcham	....	plannings consultant
Richard Liebegott	....	assistant to producer
Richard Liebegott	....	production coordinator
Princess O'Mahoney	....	administration assistant
Wallace Potts	....	administration assistant
Charlotte Shoaff	....	assistant: Terry H. Liebling
Louis Silvers	....	administration assistant
Joseph S. Straka III	....	security supervisor
Cynnie Troup	....	script supervisor
Dorothy Vitale	....	first aid
David Williams	....	administration assistant

Production Companies

• Deliverance Productions
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1981) (worldwide) (theatrical) (through)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1984) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• City of Atlanta  grateful acknowledgment
• Georgia Film Commission  grateful acknowledgment
• Las Vegas Caterers  catering
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• State of Georgia  grateful acknowledgement
• Warner Bros. Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) (1982) | Iceland:16 | Sweden:15 | New Zealand:R16 | South Korea:18 | France:-12 | West Germany:16 | Australia:R | Norway:16 (1982) | Norway:18 | UK:18 (cut) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Deliverance Productions

Trivia:

Stunt man Dar Robinson, doubling for Henry Silva at the end of the film, dropped 220 feet, setting a record for the highest wireless free fall jump from a building in a film. However, only a brief part of the start of the jump is included in the final film as the next shot clearly shows a dummy falling.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the end scene when Sharky is approaching the window.

Quotes:

Dominoe:This is all you know, isn't it? Pushing, hitting, and punching! Does it make you feel good or something?
Sharky:Sometimes, yes!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Le marginal (1983)

Soundtrack:

Somewhere, Someway (Love Theme)

What's he auditing for, a job at Benihana's?

***SPOIERS*** Atlanta crime auctioneer with Burt Reynolds,Sgt. Sharky, and his tough and well oiled "Sharky's Machine" Let. Frisco, Charles Durning, and officers Papa & Arch, Brian Keith & Berney Casey, breaking up the Atlanta crime Syndicate who's on the verge of putting "Their Man" in the Geroria Governor's State House.

Busted after messing up a major drug police sting operation, with the drug dealer and a number of innocent pedestrians shot and killed, Sgt. Sharky was transfered into vice. Busting hookers johns and perverts Sgt. Sharky finds a list of call girls in the wallet of a top Atlanta pimp and after bugging one of the call girls apartment it turns out that she's having Don Hotchkins, Earl Holliman, a candidate for governor as a regular costumer.

As Sharky starts to investigate this strange arraignment he finds out that the good family man, married with five children, Hotchkins is also on the payroll of Vittorio "Victor" Gassman the mob "Godfather" of Atlanta.The high-price call-girl Dominoe, Rachel Ward,who's involved with Hotchkins is tired of being a hooker and want's to leave Victor's stable of call-girls and live with Hotchkins as his live-in mistress after he gets elected governor of Georgia, which is already a forgone conclusion, but their's only one slight hitch; will Victor let go of her.

Tangling with the Gassman Syndicate the corrupt Atlanta police and city officials, as well as the local Chinese mob, Sgt. Sharky ends up losing most of his men, including two of his fingers, as he brings down the Gassman Mafia in a final shoot-out with the his Mobsters at the famous Atlanta Peachtree Plaza Hotel's.

Statueques and beautiful Rachel Ward as Dominoe is thought to have been murdered by Gassman's drugged-out hit-man Billy Score,Henry Silva,who blew her face off with a shot gun but in reality it turned out that he really killed Dominoe's call-girl room-mate Tiffany, Aarika Wells, with Dominoe away in the country.

Sharky, who was in love with Dominoe from afar, found out the truth about her being alive and to the surprise and shock of mob kingpin Victor Gassman is going to use her, by getting Dominoe to testify against him, to put Gassman and his mob away for good but the cunning and vicious Victor wasn't going to go willingly and let Sharky know it sooner then he thought.

Blood spattering shootout at the Peachtree Plaza Hotel in the films final sequence with Shark'y Machine having it out with the almost indestructible junkie hit-man Billy Score. Shooting it out on the hotel stairway both Billy Score and Sharky's machine member Arch come face to face with Billy's drug induced invincibility clashing with Arch's Zen reality alerting philosophy in what can best be said to be a battle of two cultures: West and East.