Strike Force

This failed pilot for a possible TV cop show plays like a watered down made-for-TV version of "The French Connection." Your standard motley assortment of mismatched law enforcers -- wiseguy narcotics detective from the New York neighborhood Cliff Gorman, stuffy by-the-book FBI agent Donald Blakely, and an eager beaver rookie surveillance expert played by a very young and then unknown Richard Gere -- join together to thwart a nefarious Big Apple heroin drug ring (late, great longtime favorite sleazeball character actor Joe Spinell pops up as one of the despicable no-count dope dealers). The story is every bit as trite and predictable as the above synopsis suggests, but fortunately the brisk direction by Barry ("Wild in the Streets," "Across 110th Street") Shear, several thrilling action scenes, solid acting from a good cast (Gorman in particular is quite lively and engaging while Gere acquits himself nicely in one of his first-ever thespic gigs), and a pleasingly short'n'snappy 74 minute running time make this item a perfectly enjoyable, if altogether unremarkable diversion.