Dirty Harry (1971)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Don Siegel

Writers:

Harry Julian Fink (screenplay) &
Rita M. Fink (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 joulukuu 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

You don't assign him to murder cases, You just turn him loose.

Plot:

A San Francisco cop with little regard for rules (but who always gets results) tries to track down a serial killer who snipes at random victims.

Plot Keywords:

Dirty Harry | Ransom | Sniper | Police | City

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Police Inspector Harry Callahan
Harry Guardino	...	Police Lt. Al Bressler
Reni Santoni	...	Police Inspector Chico Gonzalez
John Vernon	...	The Mayor
Andrew Robinson	...	Scorpio Killer (as Andy Robinson)
John Larch	...	The Chief
John Mitchum	...	Police Inspector Frank DiGiorgio
Mae Mercer	...	Mrs. Russell
Lyn Edgington	...	Norma
Ruth Kobart	...	Bus Driver
Woodrow Parfrey	...	Mr. Jaffe
Josef Sommer	...	Dist. Atty. William T. Rothko
William Paterson	...	Judge Bannerman
James Nolan	...	Liquor Store Owner
Maurice Argent	...	Sid Kleinman (as Maurice S. Argent)
Jo De Winter	...	Miss Willis
Craig Kelly	...	Police Sgt. Reineke (as Craig G. Kelly)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ann Bowen	...	Yelling Wife (uncredited)
George Burrafato	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Joy Carlin	...	Communications Secretary (uncredited)
Bill Couch	...	Suicide Jumper (uncredited)
Jana D'Amico	...	Third Nude (uncredited)
Tony Dario	...	Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Diane Darnell	...	Mayor's Secretary (uncredited)
Diana Davidson	...	Swimmer (uncredited)
Vince Deadrick Sr.	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)
Chuck Dorsett	...	TV Watcher (uncredited)
Al Dunlap	...	Man in Jaffe's Cafe (uncredited)
Larry Duran	...	(uncredited)
Denise Dyer	...	Bus Kid (uncredited)
Diane Dyer	...	Bus Kid (uncredited)
George Fargo	...	Homicide Detective (uncredited)
Joe Finnegan	...	Man in Truck (uncredited)
Leslie Fong	...	Man with Sam (uncredited)
Lois Foraker	...	Hot Mary (uncredited)
Max Gail	...	Tunnel Hoodlum (uncredited)
John Garber	...	Tunnel Hoodlum (uncredited)
Eddie Garrett	...	Policeman (uncredited)
James W. Gavin	...	Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)
David Gillum	...	Homosexual (uncredited)
Don Haggerty	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Scott Hale	...	Newsman (uncredited)
Jack Hanson	...	Bus Kid (uncredited)
Kate Harper	...	Underwear Chick (uncredited)
Bob Harris	...	Man in Truck (uncredited)
Diana Henrichsen	...	Hippie Chick (uncredited)
Marc Hertsens	...	Steve - Doctor (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	...	Flower Vendor (uncredited)
Raymond Johnson	...	Big Black Man (uncredited)
Derek Jue	...	Bus Kid (uncredited)
Stu Klitsner	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Richard Lawson	...	Homosexual (uncredited)
Sean Maley	...	Bus Kid (uncredited)
Laurie Mock	...	Third Nude (uncredited)
Charles Murphy	...	Man on Pay Phone (uncredited)
Mary Ann Neis	...	Miss Van Sachs (uncredited)
Ann Noland	...	Hippie Girl (uncredited)
Kathleen O'Malley	...	Lady in Jaffe's Cafe (uncredited)
Angela Paton	...	Homicide Detective (uncredited)
Victor Paul	...	Car Driver (uncredited)
John W. Peebles	...	Walkie-Talkie Cop (uncredited)
Albert Popwell	...	Bank Robber (uncredited)
Christopher Pray	...	Tunnel Hoodlum (uncredited)
Lolita Rios	...	Nude (uncredited)
Ernest Robinson	...	Robber (uncredited)
Frederic Ross	...	Hippie Guy (uncredited)
Richard Samuelson	...	Bus Kid (uncredited)
Debralee Scott	...	Ann Mary Deacon (uncredited)
Allen Seaman	...	Orderly (uncredited)
Don Siegel	...	Pedestrian Passing Harry's Car (uncredited)
Kristoffer Tabori	...	Hippie Guy (uncredited)
Pamela Tanimura	...	Bus Kid (uncredited)
John Tracy	...	Black Queen's Friend (uncredited)
Charles Washburn	...	Intern (uncredited)
Dean Webber	...	Newsman (uncredited)
Janet Wisely	...	First Nude (uncredited)
Stephen Zacks	...	Lake Kid (uncredited)

Directed by
Don Siegel

Writing credits
Harry Julian Fink		(story) uncredited &
Rita M. Fink		(story) uncredited
Harry Julian Fink		(screenplay) &
Rita M. Fink		(screenplay) (as R.M. Fink) and
Dean Riesner		(screenplay)
John Milius		(screenplay) uncredited

Produced by
Robert Daley	....	executive producer
Carl Pingitore	....	associate producer
Don Siegel	....	producer

Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin

Cinematography by
Bruce Surtees		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Carl Pingitore

Art Direction by
Dale Hennesy		(as Dale Hennessey)

Set Decoration by
Robert De Vestel		(as Robert DeVestel)

Makeup Department
Gordon Bau	....	makeup supervisor
Jean Burt Reilly	....	supervising hair stylist

Production Management
Jim Henderling	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Rubin	....	assistant director
Barry Stern	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
William Randall	....	sound
Sergio Reyes	....	additional sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Stunts
Alex Brown	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Couch	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Everett Creach	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dick Crockett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Harris	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Hudkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Julie Ann Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
William T. Lane	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Lerner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Troy Melton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Miles	....	stunts (uncredited)
Boyd 'Red' Morgan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Regina Parton	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ernest Robinson	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Sawaya	....	stunts (uncredited)
Walter Scott	....	stunts (uncredited)
Alex Sharp	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Fred Stromsoe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Richard Washington	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bernie Abramson	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Glenn Wright	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Mike Deasy	....	musician (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
George Fargo	....	assistant to producer
Scott Hale	....	dialogue supervisor
Clint Eastwood	....	director: suicide jumper sequence (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Malpaso Company, The
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1972) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1972) (Finland) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1976) (USA) (TV) (pan/scan)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1972) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Sandrews (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (2002) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (deluxe edition)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (1999) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Malpaso Company, The  copyright
• Panavision  filmed in
• Technicolor  the company
• Warner Bros. Pictures  copyright (as Warner Bros. Inc.)

Also Known As:

Dead Right (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

102 min | Portugal:99 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | UK:X (original rating) | Finland:K-16 (1972) (cut) (re-rating after appeal) | Netherlands:12 (TV rating) | Netherlands:16 | France:-12 | UK:15 (2008) | Ireland:15 (re-rating) (2008) | Ireland:18 | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) | Argentina:18 | Peru:18 | Norway:15 (DVD rating) | Brazil:14 | Australia:MA | Australia:R (original rating) | Finland:(Banned) (1972) | Italy:VM14 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:16 (cut) | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Bank of America Building - 555 California Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Malpaso Company, The

Trivia:

'Dirty Harry' is the slang term for a photographer (either shooting paparazzi and/or modeling shoots) with a single lens reflex (SLR) camera. The slang term for an SLR camera is a .44 Magnum.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Scorpio pays a man to beat him up, there is a moment when the man wishes to stop the beating. We see Scorpio's face, and he is severally disfigured. The man hits him a few more times and then the beating ends. When he arrives in hospital, Scorpio's entire face is in bandages. However, only a few weeks later, Scorpio is released from hospital with only a small plaster across the bridge of his nose. The severity of the injuries seen when he is getting beaten would not have dissipated in only a few weeks, indeed, they would almost certainly lead to permanent disfigurement, yet other than the plaster, Scorpio appears unblemished.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Harry Callahan: Jesus.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Eastwood & Co.: Making 'Unforgiven' (1992) (TV)

One of "The" films of the 1970s

Don Siegel's "Dirty Harry" was arguably the start of the serial killer/cop genre inherent in so many mainstream American movies released today. Setting the stage for countless rip-offs and sequels, "Dirty Harry" was one of the true first of its kind--not only in regards to its genre influence but also in terms of its content. (Full frontal nudity, heavy vigilante-style violence and strong language.) It is, in fact, one of the quintessential 1970s films--capturing the very essence of the typical gritty '70s film style we're all familiar with. If "Midnight Cowboy" began the trend, "Dirty Harry" extends it.

Clint Eastwood delivers one of his finest performances as the titular "Dirty" Harry Callahan. He's got just the right amount of cocky cynacism and inset sense of self-justice and importance to make the character realistic and likable, despite his flaws.

The plot almost seems routine now, but back in '71 it was controversial stuff: Harry is a tough cop trying to track down a mad serial killer in San Francisco, who is murdering victims in an effort to receive ransom money. When he kidnaps a young girl, Harry makes it his mission to disobey direct orders and take on the killer by himself.

It's easy to point at this now and say, "I've seen this already." In many cases film classics can only be graded well for nostalgic purposes, because their imitators have improved upon the original material.

Not here. The original really does still remain (one of) the best.

Siegel would later follow up "Dirty Harry" with another examination of criminals and cops, and would also team up again with Clint Eastwood. This is probably his best film, which is saying a lot. Its reputation precedes it, but in this case, the strength of the film itself really is deserving of its popularity. The final speech is awesome stuff.