Dirty Harry

Clint Eastwood’s Harry Callahan brings his own brand of justice to San Francisco in “Dirty Harry”, in this reviewer’s opinion one of the defining crime films of all time.

Detective Harry Callahan (Eastwood) is placed up against the deranged Scorpio (Robinson), a killer who indiscriminately chooses victims to kill or torture. Referred to as “Dirty Harry”, Callahan is the one cop chosen to clean up messes in the San Francisco P.D., but his particular view on crime-fighting is about to be put to the test...

Eastwood is the outright star, and the best actor here. How any film-lover can watch this film and not conclude that Harry Callahan is one of the great movie characters would be beyond me. Clint Eastwood shows his diversity here as a disgusted, world-weary cop who feels the law constricts him in his quest for judgement, and having to take much of the film on his shoulders, Clint doesn’t disappoint. He mixes quips at other’s expense with outright fury, Callahan having no time for people who hesitate in the quest for right, and whilst that lands him in trouble, the performance has generated some of the most famous movie quotes. Harry is cool, and Clint was at his best here.

Andrew Robinson plays Scorpio, the twisted and psychopathic killer taking away innocent lives across San Fran, and the actor is disturbing as hell to watch. His bizarre voice, combined with the look of pure derangement, creeped me out throughout the film, and he is a match for Eastwood in the acting stakes here, despite his lower placing in the cast. Reni Santoni, playing Harry’s partner Chico, gives the film a little bit of buddy-cop dynamics, and his scenes with Eastwood are great; the younger cop learning from the more experienced, slightly unhinged one. The actors playing the police chief and mayor do well enough, but haven’t much time to make a difference.

It’s probably more important to note here that the women who are in the film are support; and as such, have very little to do. The short appearance to point out is the bus driver at the conclusion; a woman whose pure horror at the situation she’s been placed in is chilling to watch.

Seventies’ San Fran is captured on film here, and the urbane setting, combined with Don Siegel’s innovative direction and Lalo Schifrin’s jazzy score, help to give the film that feeling almost of ‘hipness’; it’s almost as if it’s tried to encapsulate the aura of the time. Siegel, who collaborated many times with Eastwood throughout his career, presents “Dirty Harry” as a mish-mash of plots; horror at Scorpio’s actions, action and revenge through Harry’s crusade, and a little humour sprinkled in for good measure. The film has clearly influenced so many others over the years, and the phone-booth dash, as well as the initial bank-robbery, are pretty much cinematic gold to watch. You’ll undoubtedly have heard quotes from this film, and is it any surprise? They’re fantastic; so iconic even to watch that you get the feeling Eastwood might have known it. “Do you feel lucky, punk?” in both incarnations here is probably one of the most memorable quotes from Hollywood, and with Clint delivering it, as well as other such classic conversations as the early mayoral meeting, the film stays in the memory.

Lalo Schifrin, best-known for the “Mission Impossible” theme, gives “Dirty Harry” a jazzed-up, funky soundtrack full of drums, cymbals and guitar that underlies the action. Visually speaking, the film is impressive for the time. There’s no use of blue-screen, so painfully evident in films from the time, and this, along with the real San Fran vistas and buildings, helps to make the film feel that much more real. One shot in particular is a feat of filmmaking; Harry and Scorpio are in a football stadium, and the camera zooms out, continuing until it’s clear Siegel has filmed from pretty high up – all this for one, continuous, amazing shot.

Overall, this film is one of the crime classics, and in creating a character as popular and amazing to watch as Harry Callahan, Clint Eastwood propels himself towards a status as one of the all-time greatest.

9/10