Tonight's Movie: Every Which Way But Loose (1978)

This year I've enjoyed a few films starring or directed by Clint Eastwood, including ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ (1979), BRONCO BILLY (1980), and revisiting SULLY (2016).

Since I enjoyed all of those titles I got to thinking I should check out more Eastwood films, and I started with EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE (1978).

I remember seeing the advertisements for this when I was a kid -- the orangutan was kind of hard to miss -- but I had never seen the movie before. It proved to be mildly amusing, though nothing special.

The movie is almost plotless. As it begins, we see Philo Beddoe (Eastwood) getting off work driving a truck, but little else is heard of his job after that point. Philo lives with an orangutan (!) named Clyde; his buddy Orville (Geoffrey Lewis) lives next door with his ornery mother (Ruth Gordon).

Philo becomes interested in Lynn (Sondra Locke), who sings at talent night at the Palomino Club, and when she leaves town abruptly, Philo and Orville -- and Clyde! -- hit the road to search for her. (Job, what job?!) Along the way they meet Echo (Beverly D'Angelo) working at a roadside produce stand, and Echo and Orville become an item.

That's pretty much the story right there. As the movie meandered on, it suddenly hit me that it was an updated version of a Beach Party movie; it had music, a goofy motorcycle gang, characters living free from responsibility, and not much plot. All it needed to complete the analogy was Vincent Price or Bob Cummings in the cast!

Price and Cummings are not in the movie, but there are a couple great old character faces who have screen time, George Chandler and Hank Worden.

I liked the movie's music, with Eddie Rabbitt singing the title song and appearances by Mel Tillis and Charlie Rich. I also enjoyed some of the great "vintage" shots of the San Fernando Valley, such as a look at a Bob's Big Boy under the opening credits.

There were some cute bits with Clyde but all in all the film is only mildly entertaining. I do hope to catch the sequel, ANY WHICH WAY YOU CAN (1980), in the near future. Although I wasn't impressed, it's fun getting to know the movies behind the posters after all these years.

EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE was directed by James Fargo from a script (such as it is) by Jeremy Joe Kronsberg. The movie was shot by Rexford Metz.

EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE is available on DVD as a single title or in the 4 Film Favorites: Clint Eastwood collection. It also had a release on VHS.