Rent Sharky's Machine (1981)
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- Burt Reynolds stars in and directs this atmospheric, neo-noir, action thriller about Tom Sharky, an Atlanta cop whose unorthodox tactics on a narcotics case gets him demoted to vice squad. With his new team of colourful cops, Sharky begins investigating a high-end prostitution ring, but what starts as a routine vice case soon uncovers a web of political corruption, organised crime, and murder. Based on the 1978 novel by William Diehl, 'Sharky's Machine' effortlessly blends crime drama, romance and action, building to a memorable climax featuring one of the highest free-fall stunts ever in a movie, performed by veteran stuntman Dar Robinson.
- Actors:
- Burt Reynolds, Rachel Ward, Vittorio Gassman, Brian Keith, Charles Durning, Earl Holliman, Bernie Casey, Henry Silva, Richard Libertini, Darryl Hickman, Joseph Mascolo, Carol Locatell, Hari Rhodes, John Fiedler, James O'Connell, Val Avery, Suzee Pai, Aarika Wells, Tony King, Dan Inosanto
- Directors:
- Burt Reynolds
- Producers:
- Hank Moonjean, Edward Teets
- Writers:
- William Diehl, Gerald Di Pego
- Aka:
- Sharkey's Machine
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Drama, Thrillers
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 07/12/2026
- Run Time:
- 122 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- New - Let's Get Di Pego, interview with screenwriter Gerald Di Pego
- New - The Reluctant Stuntman, interview with actor / stuntman Dan Inosanto
- New - Get on the Bus, interview with actor Robert Duncan McNeill
- New - My Hero, Burt Reynolds, interview with filmmaker Adam Rifkin
- New - 2K scan of the theatrical trailer
- Teaser trailer
- TV Spot
- Behind-the-Scenes stills gallery
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 07/12/2026
- Run Time:
- 122 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English Hard of Hearing
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.39:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- New - Let's Get Di Pego, interview with screenwriter Gerald Di Pego
- New - The Reluctant Stuntman, interview with actor / stuntman Dan Inosanto
- New - Get on the Bus, interview with actor Robert Duncan McNeill
- New - My Hero, Burt Reynolds, interview with filmmaker Adam Rifkin
- New - 2K scan of the theatrical trailer
- Teaser trailer
- TV Spot
- Behind-the-Scenes stills gallery
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Reviews (1) of Sharky's Machine
Good Solid Cop Thriller - Sharky's Machine review by GI
Basically Burt Reynolds' Dirty Harry movie in which he plays a tough, no-nonsense Atlanta narcotics detective who gets busted after an arrest goes wrong and sent to the lowly Vice Squad where he starts an investigation into top class prostitutes run by a fearsome mob boss. It's actually a very entertaining and occasionally quite a nuanced film with some gritty action set pieces including the opening chase shoot out scene and a realistic torture scene. Showing a softer side Reynolds cop also falls hopelessly in love with the woman he has under surveillance played deliciously by husky voiced Rachel Ward. Actually the romance aspects of the story work very well and while there are disappointments in one or two of the story's concluding routes especially the end of the big bad guy which is anti climactic to say the least, overall this is a cop thriller worthy of rediscovery. The cast are prestigious members of the American film world including Brian Keith, Charles Durning, Earl Holliman, John Fiedler and Vittorio Gassman, and all are on tremendous form aided by Bernie Casey. There's humour and well directed, by Reynolds, action sequences. A film to check out if you've never seen it.