This is the first of five "Dirty Harry" films in which Eastwood stars as a San Francisco police detective. By the time the last appeared (The Dead Pool, in 1988), Eastwood had aged and times had changed but Callahan's values and methods remained essentially the same. When initially released, Dirty Harry was immediately controversial as was Death Wish (1974). Audiences tended to be divided between those who were offended by what they considered to be excessive violence and those who (like Harry Callahan and Paul Kersey) had lost confidence in society's willingness and/or ability to respond effectively to violent crime. After seeing each of the two films for the first time, I vividly recall joining those around me in the theatre as they rose and cheered...and continue to applaud for several minutes. I asked myself, "What's going on here? What's this all about?" At least in the larger U.S. cities 30 years ago, residents had become totally fed up with traditional law enforcement initiatives. It was no longer safe to walk the streets at night. Even more dangerous to do so in public parks. Homes were robbed while people worked during the day. Many of the same homes were robbed again later after insurance coverage replaced the articles previously stolen. Racial animosities, drug abuse, and a widespread contempt for institutional authority all contributed to such problems.
Under Don Siegel's crisp direction, Eastwood and his associates in the cast bring R.M. Fink's screenplay to life (and yes, to death) as they focus on what is obviously an irreconcilable conflict between Callahan and his superiors who include the mayor of San Francisco. Callahan's motto seems to be "Whatever it takes." In some situations, it may take his 44 Magnum, "the most powerful handgun in the world." Callahan has not totally lost faith in his society nor in the importance of the legal system. However, he does feel betrayed. The mayor and even Lieutenant Bressler (Harry Guardino) just don't "get it." This is precisely the same point Jim Malone (Sean Connery) makes to Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) in The Untouchables 26 years later: When orthodox ("by the book") crime-fighting strategies and tactics don't succeed, use others even if they are not (at least technically) legal. Countless other films (such as Magnum Force, The French Connection, and L.A. Confidential) also make the same point.
It is important to remember when seeing this film again, as I did recently, that it portrays elements of an urban society few of us ever experience. Also, that it is a drama, not a documentary. Its primary purpose is to tell a story. The plot focuses on a serial killer named "Scorpio" (Andy Robinson) whom Callahan is determined to eliminate. Even when he eventually does so, questions remain. Don't criminals also have rights? What would happen if all or most other detectives followed Callahan's example? To what extent (if any) should private citizens also be actively involved in law enforcement? I agree with several critics who claim that, with Dirty Harry, Siegel and Eastwood created a new film genre. Its influence proved to be substantial. Each viewer must decide for herself or himself how much social relevance it has retained after 32 years but almost everyone would agree that it has lost little of its entertainment value.
I'm going to gush about this film and about the DVD. Don't try to stop me, I must gush! Sorry.....
In 1971 Clint Eastwood made a big move and switched genres from Westerns to make this unique cop story. And what a story! "Dirty Harry" soon became a household name along with all the famous lines that came from this first in the series. "Do you feel lucky? Well do ya Punk?" "This is a .44 magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world. It'll blow your head clean off."
I Love that stuff,(can't ya just hear Clint saying that), and the taunting look he gives the recievers off these lines.
Inspector Harry Callahan(Okay Dirty Harry buffs, what's his badge number?), a loner, widowed due to a drunk driver,has no qualms about sidestepping the law to apprehend a criminal.He's frustrated and fed up with murderers and rapists getting away because of some pesky problem like reading Miranda Rights! He does it his way. Audiences cheered this at the time, and he became an icon for cop movies yet to come.
Okay so in this first of the Dirty Harry series, Harry is after a demented sniper.Scorpio(Andrew Robinson), as he calls himself, shoots his victims from the roof tops in San Francisco, (Based on the real life Zodiac Killer that was loose at the time), and has kidnapped and buried alive a 14 year old girl.Harry must deliver his ransom demand to this psycho before he kills again or lets the girl die.Harry is forced to go by the book, but alas things go wrong in the legal department and Harry decides it time to play it his way.
Find out how he was bestowed the nickname "Dirty Harry", as he goes after this maniac with a vengance. There's lots of great action, stunts, and just plain great Clint.If you're a first time Harry viewer, I guarentee it won't be your last. If you already know you love this series you'll be thrilled with this DVD.
More gushing.......
This a a top notch transfer of this 1971 film. It's in widescreen letting you view all the action(especially the great shot of Harry standing on the bridge), in it's originally intended form(Also a standard version on the other side if you prefer). The picture quality and colors look great. I hardly noticed any signs of the age of this film. Remastered in the Dolby Digital 5.1, the action was all around, it sounded great.
Although all the special features are in the form of production notes, there's lots of terrific tid bits of information to be gained from the view.Okay..like what movie is on the marquee in the background as he shoots the bank robbers?
Badge#2211.......Play Misty For Me......Have Fun..Laurie
more Eastwood stuff;
The Gauntlet/True Crime
Music for the Movies of Clint Eastwood
Stars Fell on Henrietta [VHS](Eastwood produced, stars Robert Duvall)
Breezy Clint Eastwood Kay Lenz All Regions NTSC UNRATED(directed)
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"Dirty Harry" (1971), as an action film, is quite unique and definitely in the upper echelon of the genre. The reasons for its success, on a purely technical level, can be found in the direction, cinematography, and editing ( the latter maximizing the laser like focus of the plotline ).San Francisco, as many times as it has been used as a film site, is showcased spectacularly. Director Don Siegel's excellent work is a model of how to maximize the potential of location shooting.
Lalo Schifrin's haunting musical score fits the film like a glove.
With regard to acting, Clint Eastwood ( with typically effective subtlety ) gives just enough hints of Inspector Harry Callahan's interior life (a widower, wearily independent detective, sympathetic to the "common" man ) to allow the viewer to fill in the rest of the details. "Less is more", while a cliché, does accurately describe the minimalist style with which Eastwood brings substance to the character.
The main storyline is extremely focused ( no distracting subplots ), the action sequences displaying a practically unrivalled tension ( e.g., the dizzying cross-town rush with Callahan as "bag man" carrying ransom for a kidnapped teenager ). Andrew Robinson, as the killer "Scorpio" ( obviously modeled on the uncaught "Zodiac" murderer c. 1970 ) animates one of the most evil characters in film history. We know nothing of his name or background; he functions anonymously, a destroying plague killing randomly and effectively hidden in the midst of urban society. In a chilling and critically important scene ( an effective emblem of ironic "displacement" ) "Scorpio" wears a belt buckle modeled as a "peace sign" while smilingly looking over a playground full of the same kinds of children he has recently murdered.
Since it is so often brought up, it is proper to spend a few moments on certain "political" objections raised about the film. Many reviewers continue to parrot the notion that "Dirty Harry" is a "fascist" film ( this accusation was first implied by the late film critic Pauline Kael ). The film was stamped "Nixonian" in a jibe clearly designed to label it as siding with the "oppressors" ( "law and order" campaign themes ) against the ( typically unquestioned ) revolutionary purity of "the people". To this day various "anointed" critics tend to regurgitate this line as if it were actually true, revealing ( among other things ) an unfortunate tendency to reduce every element of human life to the realm of politics. To this reviewer, such attacks reflect an attitude stemming from an affliction once termed "radical chic", a condition common to a certain class of intellectuals. Valid criticism should be directly linked to the content of the movie ( citing specifics ), not relying on half-baked media generalizations. And as far as the term "fascist" goes, George Orwell long ago noted the essential meaningless to which this word had already been reduced through repeated misapplication ( in a fate that has since befallen many other words, "fascist" is now commonly used to batter into silence those who dissent from a given line of thought ). On the most basic level, Harry Callahan is concerned with the innocent victims of violent crime, who were ( and are ) often denied justice due to legal machinations ( "penumbras" ) applied by monomaniacal civil libertarians whose self-proclaimed concern for "rights" is often a canard betraying a fatefully flawed ( not bearing the light of reason ) allegiance to an unconstrained ideological "vision".
To conclude: "Dirty Harry" is a brilliant action film. If excitement is all one needs, the film delivers in spectacular fashion. If one wishes to "probe" further, it also works as a ( humble ) meditation on our "fallen" world and ( necessarily ) imperfect human justice.
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Dirty Harry is, plain and simple, an outstanding film that is far deeper than its reputation. Those who denounce Dirty Harry as a fascist are so far off the mark it is pathetic. Because of his un-PC dialogue it is assumed he is a bigot. Because he defends himself and others with a S&W Model 29 .44 Magnum he is written off as a psychotic. And so on. As his hispanic partner points out, he is called "Dirty Harry" because he gets the worst assignments. Only the most pitiful, mewling moral weakling would consider this film an advertisement for fascism. It is an indictment of the weakening and -far worse -bureaucritization of law enforcement, of its growing concern with appearance over protecting the public. And, of course, a great flick.The film makes plain that while he describes his vulgar world in vulgar terms, he is actually above it. We learn from the beginning of the film that his doctor, who he chats up with more warmth than his white bosses, is black. Remember, in 1971 it was still commonplace to just write off blacks as "monkeys" or worse. The idea of a black man being a doctor, period, was unusual... let alone a white man seeing him for medical care and considering him his equal.
It is cues like these that reveal the true heart of the picture. So many soft-handed worryworts miss the point of the film because they do not understand the CONTEXT. The film is full of signs that Dirty Harry is an egalitarian in a time (1971) where such a point of view was rarer than it is now. Dirty Harry says the word "Spic" and a certain class of people are all aflutter, even as he embraces (insomuch as he embraces ANYTHING) his hispanic partner and his black doctor, and is enraged by the murder of a black, and so on ad infinitum. Yet, of course, he is a racist and a fascist. Idiotic.
But enough of that. Dirty Harry is an outstanding combination of good acting, expert directing, action and suspense... as even most of its critics are forced to admit. See this movie.
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I'm not the kind of viewer that some people would identify as a fan of Dirty Harry (I'm a proud liberal who always votes Democratic and who owns no weapons) but I love this film without reservations. First, let's give it up for Don Siegel, one of the best US directors of the post-WW2 era. The man knew how to make a movie. And he did with first-rate craftsmanship that never calls too much attention to itself. This police thriller is as lean, mean, and no-nonsense as its flawed hero, played with the understated brilliance that only Clint Eastwood has mastered. Yes, he's a damn good actor and that's mainly because he doesn't ACT--rather, he behaves as this character, who is a fantasy figure, would behave. Siegel also gets solid acting across the board from his veteran cast, and with the help of Andy Robinson, who's as over the top as Clint is restrained, gives us one of the best, most vile villains committed to celluloid. There are interesting psychological dimensions to the film and I found myself wondering if Scorpio represents everything Harry represses and fears in himself, taken to a hideous extreme. Bruce Surtees found a one-of-a-kind look for Siegel's classic, with his inky San Francisco nightscapes making the hunt for Scorpio as strangely beautiful as it is unnerving. As to DH's politics, they are more complicated than most people assume. Dismissing this movie as reactionary, right-wing, or even as fascist as some have done, overlooks the nuances of Harry's conflicts with various institutions. The film makes the point that our institutions, especially law and government, often pay lip service to protecting the common people while ignoring their victimization and their victimizers. I see Harry as an embodiment of social and institutional breakdown who is overtaken by the idea that only extreme measures will work to make things right. And when you consider DH in context with the follow up Magnum Force, in which Harry takes on a band of renegade cops who truly are fascistic, the controversies over DH's agenda and messages become even more complex. P.S. the set is beautifully packaged with great extras at a reasonable price.Save 36% Off
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