The Rogue Cop Formula

The Dirty Harry film series effectively set the template for the 'Rogue Cop' genre of movies, not just in its characterisation of the protagonist as a a tough, taciturn, rule breaking loner who adheres to his own code rather than the law, but also in the plot structure of such films.  While all of the Dirty Harry films have an overarching main plot, whether it be the hunting of a serial killer, vigilante cops or terrorists, all of them involve Clint Eastwood's Harry Callahan getting involved in various unrelated side incidents, designed to illuminate some aspect of his character and provide some additional action to keep the audience's attention.  These range from his dealing with a potential jumper in Dirty Harry or breaking up an armed siege in The Enforcer, to trying to stop a guy from self immolation in The Dead Pool.  The pattern is repeated in most of the 'Rogue Cop' style movies clearly inspired by Dirty Harry: even the Burt Reynolds vehicle Hustle, whose central cop character is a lot more laid back than Harry Callahan, features a similar structure, (indeed, at times it feels like the main plot is in danger of vanishing amongst these asides).  The trend isn't confined to US imitations, it is also shared by European movies of the genre - just look at the seventies Jean-Paul Belmondo 'Rogue Cop' movies Peur Sur le Ville and Le Marginal.   In both, Belmondo's tough, unconventional, cops spend considerable amounts of time pursuing cases other than the one providing the main plot.  

They do, however, manage to integrate some these asides into the main story better than some of their US equivalents.  In Peur Sur le Ville, for instance, Belmondo's insistence on chasing a suspect from his previous case allows the serial killer of the main plot to escape and kill again.  The whole digression in Le Marginal, which sees Belmondo kicking in doors at a Hippie/militant squat in search of a convict's daughter ties back to the main plot as it is the price he has to pay for getting some vital information from the convict.  I was put in mind of all this while watching a Wings Hauser film earlier today - Deadly Force (1983).  Rather disconcertingly casting Hauser as the hero (ex cop Stoney Cooper), the film is a clear attempt to kick start a low budget Dirty Harry style franchise, (it didn't).  While it tries to vary the formula slightly, (Cooper is an ex-cop fired from the LAPD for being, well, a 'Rogue Cop', rather than a serving officer and is portrayed as somewhat easier going than Harry Callahan, not mention that he has a sub-plot of trying to win back his ex-wife), from the outset it adheres to the Dirty Harry structure.  Called back from New York by a friend in LA whose grand daughter has fallen victim to a serial killer, even before Cooper can get to the airport he has his first diversion, being called on to deal with a guy threatening to blow up another associate's warehouse.  It carries on from there, with Hauser seemingly having to spend as much time in LA dealing with former associates, whether they be criminal or on the force, as he does with the serial killer case.  All the other ingredients are there: the shouty ex-boss, the hostile former colleagues, the killer hiding behind a mask of respectability.  About the only innovation is to have Hauser flash his bare arse part way through - thankfully, Eastwood never did that.