Weekend Buff

Dirty Harry (1971)

Dirty Harry (1971)

2211 was his badge number, Inspector 71 was his radio handle, and dispatching perps to eternity was his mission.  Perhaps the most well-known cop in cinematic history was San Francisco Police Inspector Harold “Dirty Harry” Callahan.  His oft misquoted line "You've Gotta' Ask Yourself A Question. 'Do I Feel Lucky?' Well, Do Ya...PUNK?" is one of the most iconic in American film.

The Dirty Harry character is featured in five films, but we like the original Dirty Harry (1971) the best.  When Dirty Harry hit the screens, American cities were on the decline.  Crime was spiking throughout the country and Americans were looking to the police to get a handle on things.  Homicides in California had risen a remarkable 405% in the 10 years prior to 1971.  A few years later Death Wish (1974) would signify a country turning towards vigilantism as cities continued to deteriorate and the police seemed powerless to stop it.  But in 1971, Dirty Harry was a rough around the edges symbol of hope in the fight against disorder. 

Harry Callahan, played of course by Clint Eastwood, is a throwback even for 1971 policing.  Rude, angry, and offensive, he spits in the eye of the liberal San Francisco mindset.  He uses racial epithets and language that would make a sailor blush.  He infuriates bosses and politicians, but he still gets the big cases, the “dirty” jobs, (a magilla in NYPD parlance) hence the moniker .  Dirty Harry is “in case of emergency break glass” personified. 

In the film, a serial murderer is stalking the citizens of San Francisco.  The “Scorpio Killer” is picking off random victims with a sniper rifle.  He is loosely based on the Zodiac Killer who haunted the San Francisco around the time the movie was made.  Many believe the Harry Callahan character was based on SFPD Inspector Dave Toschi, who investigated the Zodiac.

Dirty Harry hunts, and is hunted, by the Scorpio killer.  A deadly game of cat and mouse with lives at stake.  It makes for some great action and high drama.  Dark and disorientating cinematography capture the story well.  A dark alley with a killer is not a place you want to be, and the film relays that sense.

The opening credits have a nice tribute to San Francisco’s finest.  The camera panned the SFPD fallen officer’s memorial as the credits rolled.  We thought it was a great tribute and a nice touch by director Don Siegal. SFPD lost 4 officers in the line of duty in 1970.  1971 would see another 3 make the supreme sacrifice.  A stark reminder that the police were a target in those days. 

Dirty Harry runs a quick hour and forty minutes.  It packs some great lines and intersperses some levity into the deadly seriousness of the manhunt (Callahan talks a suicidal man off a ledge by infuriating him enough that attacking Callahan was a stronger pull than death).  You can catch Dirty Harry for free with the AMC app or pay the usual $4 through most streaming services. 

Take a reality break from real policework.  Pretend that Internal Affairs, shooting investigations, Civilian Complaint Review Boards, grand juries, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, use of force regulations, and anti-police politicians don’t exist and enjoy an American classic.  

Thanks for reading The Ops Desk. Enjoy the movie!