Very appropriate given the times it was made, and today.

The Dirty Harry films, like the Death Wish series, were a response to the unending lawlessness under the guise of 'social change' that was happening in the country in the 1970's. San Francisco and the surrounding area, was dealing with arguably the most violent era of any modern metro area ever. Seeing what is happening today in this country, while not reaching 1970-levels, there's a lot of parallels happening.

Welcome back Harry

Voight from Chicago P.D. has nothing on Dirty Harry when "extracting" confessions from suspects.

Did any of the members here buy a Smith model 29 after this movie came out?

Yes, a few years later in ‘76. Paid the exorbitant amount of $400 for it, at least seemed like it at the time.

I remember back when the DH movies came out there was a run on the .44 mag S&W handguns. Prior pricing was around 250.00 or there abouts. My buddy said the LGS was selling them north of 600.00 and getting it. Wait time was about 6 months.

You have to laugh at the exchange between Harry and DiGiorgio after the latter hits the lights at the stadium and Harry brings Scorpio down in that clip egregore posted above.

DiGiorgio: Need any help, Harry?
Harry: Why don’t you go on out and get some air, Fatso?
DiGiorgio: You’re the boss.

There are some funny little verbal gems like this in the original. When Harry and Chico arrive at the jumper scene, you can hear one onlooker saying something like, “Oh, look, it’s Supercop” to which another one says, “He doesn’t look so super to me.”

How about another slice of nerdy fandom here?

Actor Craig Kelly portrayed Sgt. Reineke in “Dirty Harry” and retired Homicide man turned airport snack-shop counterman Bill McKenzie in “Magnum Force.”

I first saw “Dirty Harry” with three Army Nurses. When Harry kneecaps the villain in the stadium three were on their feet cheering. Yes I married one.

Happy anniversary Harry!

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
Very appropriate given the times it was made, and today.

The Dirty Harry films, like the Death Wish series, were a response to the unending lawlessness under the guise of 'social change' that was happening in the country in the 1970's. San Francisco and the surrounding area, was dealing with arguably the most violent era of any modern metro area ever. Seeing what is happening today in this country, while not reaching 1970-levels, there's a lot of parallels happening.

Welcome back Harry

The collectors edition I have of the first 4 Dirty Harry movies contains hours of commentary by Clint Eastwood, John Milius, Robert Urich, Reni Santoni, Sandra Locke, Hal Holbrook, and a slew of other actors, directors, critics, and others connected to the series.. and several made the same point that you do.

Leftist idelogy permeated San Francisco at the time Dirty Harry was being made, crime was rampant, the debate between a traditional focus on justice for victims through tough on crime punishment was giving way to a focus on the accused's rights through various legal decisions like Miranda, and Dirty Harry very much reflected the public outcry for justice.

One of the aspects to the first 4 Dirty Harry movies that I never picked up on, but that was pointed out in the collector edition interviews was that many of the directors were Leftists who sympathized with the Left's agenda, and while they had no problem making a commercially successful movie about violence, they hated that Harry 'tortured', harrased, and shot a Leftist criminal in the original (making him a "fascist"). So, with the commercial success of the original DH, Clint Eastwood was open to Harry being an equal opportunity butt kicker that would dispense justice to "fascists" as well...

... So, if you watch the first 4 movies, the bad guys alternate between Leftists, and those who lean Right.

-Original Dirty Harry- bad guy is supposed to be a Vietnam vet on the Left.

- Magnum Force- Bad guys are "fascist" vigilante cops.

- The Enforcer- Bad guys are Leftist revolutionary group gun runners who kidnap the Mayor.

-Sudden Impact- 'Bad guy' is a rape victim dispensing vigilante justice, after the justice system failed her.

Left, Right, Left, Right.