Clint Eastwood’s iconic action thrillerDirty Harryis coming to Max in November, giving new audiences the chance to experience Eastwood’s tough-talking inspector delivering one of the most quoted lines in cinema history.It is more than 50 years since “Dirty” Harry Callahan burst onto the screenand created a template for many other anti-hero characters across multiple genres, but it is always a treat for cinephiles to go back to one of the originals.
Eastwood’s portrayal of Callahan continued to build the Hollywood legend’s reputation as a guaranteed box office draw, and arrived at a time when the world of movies was evolving from the less graphic crime and action movies of the 1950s and 1960s to a decade that became known for pushing boundaries in terms of on-screen violence. As avigilante-level law enforcer, Eastwood’s Callahan certainly played a role in that movement, but alsochallenged ideas of what is morally acceptable when it comes to the law’s pursuit of justice.
However, Dirty Harry’s influence has stretched far beyond genre and become cemented in pop culture thanks to one particular line:“You’ve got to ask yourself one question: ‘Do I feel lucky?’ Well, do you, punk?”While the line has often been misquoted, it has still been featured, in some form, in hundreds of movies, TV shows, games, and even in day-to-day conversations. As a trend setter,Eastwood has time and again become a trailblazer, both in front and behind the camera, and Dirty Harry is probably one of his most significant.
The Legacy of Dirty Harry
In 1971,Dirty Harrytook inspiration from the real-life Zodiac Killer to pit Eastwood’s Callahan against a deadly psychopathic sniper, referred to as “Scorpio.” The story sees the San Francisco Police Department inspector going against his superiors in an attempt to stop the killer adding more victims to his tally, and using some brutal methods to ensure that he gets his man. By the end of the movie, it is clear that Harry Callahan is disillusioned with his role in the SFPD, andsets up his future movie appearances as a man skirting the borders of legality as he attempts to bring down bad guys.
Eastwood reprised his role in four other movies, back in the day when every film didn’t need to come with a character name and a colon. These wereMagnum Force, The Enforcer, Sudden Impact, andThe Dead Pool. The legacy of the character has been seen as the inspiration for many other crime-fighters who don’t always play by the rules of the law, such asDie Hard’s John McClane,Lethal Weapon’s Martin Riggs, andeven the lone vigilante approach Batman takes to fighting crime in Gotham City has often been attributed to Harry Callahan.
Here’s Where Every Dirty Harry Movie Ranks
Out of the 5 Dirty Harry movies made, the question remains which is considered the best. Here’s our ranking.
For Clint Eastwood,Dirty Harrybegan a new chapter for the actor, who had already earned his place in cinema history thanks to a host of acclaimed performances insome of the greatest Westerns of all time, and came at a time when he was also pursuing an interest in stepping behind the camera as well as performing in front of it. Needless to say, the actor has rarely put a foot wrong ever since, and a rewatch ofDirty Harryis always a great way to remind yourself of exactly why Eastwood’s influence in the world of cinema will continue to be felt long after he is gone.
Dirty Harry
