Tightrope is a 1984 American neo-noir psychological mystery crime action thriller film directed and written by Richard Tuggle and produced by and starring Clint Eastwood.

As the family prepares to go to a Saints game, Block is summoned to a crime scene, forcing him to break his plans with his daughters.

The killer left no fingerprints, but waited in her apartment until midnight to kill her, even pausing to make himself coffee.

At the brothel where the woman worked, Block interviews a prostitute with whom she would perform group sex.

The murderer rapes his victims, and has been leaving behind forensic evidence, including a residue of glass fragments and barley.

While going through news clippings, Block comes across the name of a cop, Leander Rolfe, whom he arrested for raping two girls.

Realizing what is going on, Block races to Thibodeaux's home, and disturbs Rolfe's attempt to strangle her.

In the ensuing battle, they end up in the path of an oncoming train; Block moves out of the way in time, while Rolfe is run over and killed.

[5] Roger Ebert praised the film for taking chances by exploring the idea of a hard-nosed cop learning to respect a woman.

[6] Ebert's colleague Gene Siskel also praised the film during their on-air review of the film on At the Movies, crediting the performance of the villain, the relationship between Eastwood and Geneviève Bujold, and Eastwood doing "a terrific job risking his star charisma playing a louse" and also "taking us inside to see what it's really like to abuse women".

"[8] David Denby stated that as an actor Eastwood "gave his most complex and forceful performance to date.