As with most things reaching such a milestone, it’s hard to believe that Clint Eastwood’s first cinematic outing as Inspector Harry Callahan will reach its 50th anniversary this month. “Dirty Harry” was released on 12/23/1971. I think that, as with “Die Hard,” this could qualify DH as a Christmas movie (haha)!

While I did not see it at theaters, my Dad let me watch it in late-night rerun form when I was arguably “too young” for such a movie. Alas, my fandom of the genre was born!

Keep it in mind for a 12/23/2021 rewatch…that is, if you feel lucky.

In a stroke of coincidence, I've got a 4 disc DVD collectors edition, and just watched the original Dirty Harry and Magum Force over Thanksgiving weekend. This set comes with various interviews with Clint Eastwood and various other cast members through the series as well as interviews with John Milius, and various commentaries. I watched a few of the extras but was falling asleep and skipped over the rest. I might just double back and watch a couple more.

The first three in the series are the best, and the original Dirty Harry is still my favorite, even though the character was better developed in the sequels. The opening title credits with the red background and the S&W in the foreground and opening scene scrolling over the plaque of San Francisco constables who died in the line of duty are my personal favorites.

Interestingly, even though Eastwood is from San Francisco and loved the Bay area and knew it well, he originally felt that many movies around that time had been filmed in the area and he thought the city may have been a little 'over exposed' so he scouted Seattle for the original...but in the end decided to stay with SF.

50 years of Dirty Harry and his .44 magnum.. that's an anniversary worth celebrating.

Yep, that’s a lot of gun for duty carry. As long as you hit, no need for ‘hi-cap’ magazines.

Kinda like the 45-70 in ‘Wind River’.

I agree that the first three films in the series are the best. “Magnum Force” has its own vibe, including some of the more “technical” things they showed like reloading revolvers, etc.

I can’t pass-up “Sudden Impact” and the fabled “Go ahead, make my day” scene in the diner, but I’m not a huge fan of most of the rest of the film. I admit, I think I’ve watched “The Dead Pool” only a couple of times (versus the first two films that I’ve seen a few zillion times haha…)

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
Yep, that’s a lot of gun for duty carry. As long as you hit, no need for ‘hi-cap’ magazines.

Kinda like the 45-70 in ‘Wind River’.

A 357 magnum is a good weapon, but I've seen 38's bounce off windshields. No good in a city like this.

He stated in the movie he carried .44 light specials.....

quote:

Originally posted by photohause:
He stated in the movie he carried .44 light specials.....

Yeah, he did say that.

BUT

The sound effects, recoil and all other indicators showed magnums in actual use.

Confusing to say the least, but tying a storyline together sometimes takes liberties.

quote:

Originally posted by photohause:
He stated in the movie he carried .44 light specials.....

When he said that in “Magnum Force” , he said as he David Soul, Robert Ulrich, Tim Matheson, and the other actor who I can’t recall his name at the moment, were shooting in the Police Department practice Gun range. The context was talking about how Harry has won the department shooting contests for several years running. I always took this line as that he used .44 light specials in the shooting contest for better control but stayed with.44 magnums for on duty in the mean streets of San Francisco. Maybe I’ve been mistaken all these years.

I will definitely try to celebrate by watching the original and as many of the other four as I can work over my time off around Christmas.

"The worlds most powerful handgun".

"I gots to know"

Scorpio to Harry at Mount Davidson (the cross scene): “My, that’s a big one.”

I'm sad that the Dirty Harry series never got a proper wrap-up. I really wanted Gran Torino to be a Dirty Harry movie. That would've been a great farewell to that character.

I'm amused that Frank Miller was so upset at the lameness of The Dead Pool that he wrote Sin City: That Yellow Bastard as a response to it. Hence, the character of Hartigan carried a .44 Magnum (played by Bruce Willis in the movie, right-handed for once!) and the girl being named "Nancy CALLAHAN."

My fav line in that one is, "You don't listen, do ya, asshole?"

Somebody had to do it…

“Do you feel lucky punk?” 3-minute video.
https://youtu.be/8Xjr2hnOHiM

I've seen that movie at least 20 times and watching it a few weeks ago there were at least 3 scenes I've never seen before:

When Harry is delivering the money in the park he runs into a gay guy who he assumes is Scorpio.

Scorpio is getting his $200 beating there is an extra 15 seconds of beatdown and calls the guy a black SOB.

Scorpio strikes a kid on the bus and goes on a bizarre verbal tirade.


Might have been a few other scenes that I can't remember.

^^ Love finding little gems even after many viewings like that.

Two that escaped me for a long time:

* When Harry is entering the diner near the beginning of the movie, a theatre marquis is visible advertising another Eastwood film of the era, “Play Misty for Me.”

* The actor playing Harry’s partner, Chico, is Reni Santoni, who later gained further fame as the side character “Poppie” on a couple of episodes of “Seinfeld.” As a fan of both DH and Seinfeld, I was stunned to have not made this connection until Mr. Santoni’s recent passing.

Never knew about the “Seinfeld” connection - that’s wild ! We need more Harry Callahan’s …

MDS

Since the discussion is ranging a little bit over the assorted DH sequels, I’m curious about something.

Have any of you fellow fans cringed at the notion that Harry’s fabled 29 was lost when the bomb went off in the car at the end of “Magnum Force?” And I think another one takes a swim during a beat-down during “Sudden Impact?”

I imagine some presumably Bay-Area dealer seeing our favorite copper approaching and saying to himself, “A-ha, I’m about to move another .44 today.”

Max Gail from Barney Miller is one of the punks who accosts Harry in the tunnel. Debralee Scott, Hotsy Totsy from Welcome Back Kotter, is Ann Mary Deacon the kidnapped girl.

quote:

Originally posted by TheFrontRange:

...
Have any of you fellow fans cringed at the notion that Harry’s fabled 29 was lost when the bomb went off in the car at the end of “Magnum Force?” And I think another one takes a swim during a beat-down during “Sudden Impact?”

Yup. I've caught and cringed at that in past re-watchings.. and, in addition to re-watching Dirty Harry last weekend, I also re-watched Magum Force. Although DH is my overall fav, there are several aspects and scenes in MF that set it apart. Particularly, the bunker police shooting range, the police ballistic forensic lab, and the police pistol combat competition scenes... GREAT STUFF! Also has some great magum close ups, the Swedish K (or S&W 76?), and the magum suppressor scenes.

So, in MF, on the DVD, after the traffic cop goes into the drink with his bike, the next scene shows Callahan has returned to his trashed car, and is bent over the driver door from the outside, rummaging around the seat. The . 44 mag was tossed in the back (along with the rounds emptied loose. His reloads were tossed on the street while driving.)

Although the scene is super short and doesn't focus or expressly show it, I think that as his hand is withdrawn and moves towards his body it has his gun in it and he reholsters it, unloaded. At least that's how I rationtionalize it, as I can't bear to think of his 29 blowing up.

There is a cut away, but while his hand presumably returns inside the car is when Hal Holbrook's character returns holding his magum on him, and Callahan's hand moves to activate the bomb's timer.

Been a while since I've re-watched Sudden Impact so I'll have to re-watch again and watch for that scene.

Edited to add: yeah, I went back and watched Sudden Impact and that 29 got kicked into the drink during Harry's beat down.. which is when he went back to his motel room to retrieve the Auto . 44 mag.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Modern Day Savage,