sharky machine find burt reynolds a a narcotic cop who after a failed buy and bust that wasn not his fault and but that get a few people kill in it and he find himself demote to the vice squad in atlanta . the prestige be hardly as good a the narcotic beat and but it do have it fringe benefit . one night after a roundup of work girl where one of their book fall into their hand and the guy ask for surveillance on rachel ward place . she an expensive item and service both notorious mobster vittorio gassman and law and order gubernatorial candidate earl holliman . their surveillance however record a murder and the rest of the film be sharky and his new colleague from vice try to solve this prestige case . though it a burt reynolds film and those usually have some humor to them and the comedy be keep in check a the film turn as deadly serious a dirty harry . it be report in fact that clint eastwood be offer this film . look for some good performance by fellow vice cop bernie casey and brian keith and by henry silva the coke up brother of gassman who do the dirty work of the organization and love his job . it not a bad film and a mixture of dirty harry and laura . why laura . you will have to see sharky machine for that answer .