In Marin County, two gas company men are lured by a scantily-clad woman (Jocelyn Jones) to a remote spot in Mill Valley and killed by Bobby Maxwell (DeVeren Bookwalter). Maxwell's gang, the People's Revolutionary Strike Force (PRSF), plans to use the gas men's uniforms and van as part of an ambitious series of crimes that will make them rich.
Inspector Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) and his partner Frank DiGiorgio (John Mitchum), after dealing with a chronic fainter, arrive at a liquor store where robbers have taken hostages. The robbers demand a car with a police radio; the inspector provides one by driving his squad car into the store and shooting the robbers.
His superior Captain McKay (Bradford Dillman) reprimands Callahan for "excessive use of force", injuring the hostages, and causing $14,379 of damage to the store, and temporarily transfers him out of the Homicide unit. While assigned to Personnel, Callahan participates in the interview process for promotions, and learns that affirmative action means that three of the new inspectors will be female, including Kate Moore (Tyne Daly), despite her very limited field experience...
Directed by James Fargo
Produced by Robert Daley
Screenplay by Stirling Silliphant
Dean Riesner
Story by Gail Morgan Hickman
S.W. Schurr
Based on characters created by Harry Julian Fink
R.M. Fink
Starring
Clint Eastwood
Harry Guardino
Bradford Dillman
Tyne Daly
DeVeren Bookwalter
Music by Jerry Fielding
Cinematography Charles W. Short
Edited by Joel Cox
Ferris Webster