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Dirty Harry (1971)
There are very few film icons that are as recognizable to American audiences than Clint Eastwood in the role he made famous, Harry Callahan also known as Dirty Harry. In 1971 film history was changed forever by the role. It was a total change at the time for a post Vietnam America when people starting thinking as if they whole world was going to hell. The signs of the times were changing and Harry Callahan was a large enough proof that this was happening. Also, the movie is loosely based on the real zodiac killer that was terrorizing San Francisco around the same time. Sure names, dates, locations, and people were changed but the framework was still there.
"Dirty Harry" is the story about police lieutenant Harry Callahan with the San Francisco Police Department. At this particular time the city of San Francisco is being alarmed by an armed madman known only as Scorpio. Scorpio sends demanding ransom letters to the police and is a sniper that hits his victims from a distance. Once this occurs the city decides that it's only choice is to put Dirty Harry on the case. With his new partner Inspector Chico Gonzalez he track down the man freaking out the entire city, but not with dishing out justice by the book, rather he dishes it out his own way.
Obviously anyone who hasn't been under a rock since 1971 understands just how great Eastwood is in this movie. He was a new and revolutionary tough guy that audiences around the world would connect with. His no bullshit attitude was one that many US citizens shared at the time and has become the blueprint on what the typical "good guy" would be in many films after this one. It would also launch Eastwood from being a big star from his days in westerns, to a film star of a new magnitude.
Director and writer Don Seigel did a great job here with some really stylish camera work and shots added into the film. Not only that but there are some awesome chase scenes in the movie that are wonderfully shot too. There is a strong contrast between day and night in this movie and there's actually a very cool difference in the movie when the changes occur which I really like. I also dug the fact that they weren't afraid to work some laughs in the movie as well.
One thing that I don't think "Dirty Harry" gets enough credit for however is being the blueprint for a ton of exploitation and Grind house films. Surely the film played on 42nd Street in it's day, but it's hardly talked about today. The films unflinching, politically incorrect dialog, and violent nature make it a shoe in for audiences of that type.
Overall I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this one if you've never seen it before. If you missed out somehow or the DVD is missing from your collection now is the time to pick it up. Warner Bros just released the two disc special edition with tons of special features. You have a commentary by Eastwood biographer Richard Schickel, "Dirty Harry's Way" and "Dirty Harry: The Original" featurettes, an interview gallery with where cast and crew reminisce about their experiences working on the film, and a trailer gallery of "Dirty Harry" films and that's just the first disc! Disc two includes a All new featurette called "The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry" as well as "Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso", a featurette about the actor/Film makers career.
Rating - ***1/2
-Ed Demko
