Dirty Harry - Dead Right

I am often intrigued by certain popular things – popular music, popular performers, popular movies. What intrigues me is what the masses see in any of these popular things that makes them popular. Whether it is popular or not is irrelevant to me. Do I like it? If so, what makes it good (or popular) to me? In the case of the film Dirty Harry, there are many elements that I find fascinating about it. Over the years, Dirty Harry has received much press and attention, most for it, some against. I have read so many reviews of the film from its original release to mentions in biographies and re-releases on various forms of home video that I could probably sit down here and write you a review without having even seen the film. To me, all reviews of Dirty Harry essentially read the same: maverick vigilante cop with big gun in San Francisco goes after serial killer and ultimately wins the day by blowing him away and every one else he deems to be a criminal. End summary and review. The reviews I’ve read invariable seem to focus on the fact that it is Clint Eastwood in this film, not a character named Harry Callahan, and that every decision, move, and syllable that is uttered does not come from a script but rather from Eastwood himself and the director, Don Siegel. They also tend to focus on such iconic scenes as the bank robbery with Harry reciting his memorable “Do you feel lucky” speech, or his pursuit of the killer Scorpio into Kezar Stadium and shooting him across the football field. I have to wonder if any actor besides Clint Eastwood had played this part, or if four other Dirty Harry sequels had not been made, would the reviews all be so much alike, which is to say, repetitive and condescending?

I decided to take a step back and do a full review of this film. The actual movie itself is well known, so a lengthy synopsis should be unnecessary. What I want to focus on is what I see and hear when I watch Dirty Harry. This film has a whole lot more going for it than Clint Eastwood and big guns.

Perhaps it would be best to take a huge step back and discuss where this film came from. I suspect many people think it simply sprang from the minds of Eastwood and Siegel over a few beers and some peanuts, or they simply don’t care. The history of how Dirty Harry came about as the film we know it today is rather fascinating in and of itself. I could find no better source of its history than here: http://www.the-dirtiest.com/dirty.htm.


The part of Harry Callahan will be played by … Frank Sinatra

The origin of Dirty Harry is this: a husband and wife writing team, Harry and Rita Fink, had created a story entitled Dead Right. It was about an older homicide detective named Harry Callahan who had seen one too many dead bodies in his career and was assigned to a case involving a sniper in New York City. Reportedly, the Finks had John Wayne in mind, especially since they had already written another movie for him called Big Jake. But Wayne was allegedly put off by the amount of violence in the script and passed on it. Other sources say he was considered for the part of Callahan but passed over due to his age http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Harry. Whatever the reason, the studio who had purchased the script, Universal, sold it to Warner Brothers and they began looking elsewhere for its star. Eastwood was reportedly interested early on, but somehow did not get attached to the project.

The next star to be connected with Dirty Harry was ole’ blue eyes himself, Mr. Frank Sinatra. As you can see from the ad published in Box Office magazine in 1970, a photo from Frank in The Naked Runner was used to advertise that he would be starring in a new film (now retitled Dirty Harry), directed by Irvin Kershner (who a decade later would go on to direct The Empire Strikes Back). Due to a wrist injury, Sinatra backed out of the project.

The script was sent to Paul Newman, but the politically-liberal actor was not into it, so he suggested … Clint Eastwood. Warner Bros. was apparently not yet convinced that Eastwood would be the best choice, so they shopped the script to Steve McQueen. McQueen passed on the project, largely because he felt he would be revisiting old territory he had already tread with Bullitt and did not want to be typecast as an action-movie cop.

Candidates for the villain, Scorpio, started with film legendary Audie Murphy, but ended there when Murphy died unexpectedly. Supposedly James Caan was another actor considered for the part. It eventually went to Andrew Robinson. It is probably hard today to imagine anyone else in the part of a psychopathic killer than Andy Robinson, but at the time it was a leap. Siegel reportedly cast him because he wanted the look of someone you’d least suspect: an angel, a choirboy.

Clint Eastwood – Lucky?

Besides being passed around by different studios, directors, and actors, the script for Dead Right/Dirty Harry had undergone several revisions since the Finks had originally written it. Eastwood’s first requests/demands were to hire a decent scriptwriter (Dean Reisner) to mesh the various scripts into a cohesive story and to hire Don Siegel as director. Siegel and Eastwood had already made three films together (four if you count Play Misty For Me where Siegel had a small part), and their first one, Coogan’s Bluff, was about a cop chasing a bad guy through New York. Both men were very familiar with San Francisco (see my blog entry way down below on The Line-Up), Eastwood’s hometown, so they chose to move the location of the story to the city by the bay. Also, this proved to be an even better tie-in to the story’s antagonist, as Scorpio was heavily based on the Zodiac Killer, a serial killer who had terrorized the bay area for years in the late 60’s and early 70’s.

Dirty Harry – It’s the Story, You Morons

Once Eastwood and Co. had all of their pieces in place, they were ready to shoot their script. The story had been brought back more to the Finks’ original concept, which was about a weathered, tired homicide detective who had seen more than his share of violent crime, hated the system, and wanted to quit but couldn’t. The story in Clint Eastwood’s mind was essentially this: what are the rights of victims of violent crime in America today? I will next discuss the movie in terms of these two themes interspersed with bits of synopsis.

Before I go on, I think the film’s dedication is worth mentioning. Occasionally a film does go out of its way to dedicate itself to those who have put their lives on the line for others. But in the case of Dirty Harry, this dedication is almost dismissed or ignored. I often wonder why, as the film-makers obviously had a heart-felt need to express the dedication and exasperation that most law enforcement officers have in keeping the public safe and to say “thanks”. Kudos to Siegel, Eastwood, and the rest for doing this, especially in an era when police officers (particularly California policemen) were not highly regarded.

The audience’s first introduction to Harry Callahan is on the rooftops of San Francisco as he is about to be assigned his next case: a sniper serial killer who holds the city hostage for ransom money. The scene shifts to the mayor’s office. Here we see early on what Harry (and others like him) have to deal with on a daily basis from his superiors in the police department and politicos like the mayor. He already appears weary having to show up for a meeting, which he probably knows how it will all turn out. But Callahan is a servant of his masters as much as anyone.

Next we have the much written-about bank robbery scene in which Harry establishes his credentials to the audience as a ‘less-talk-more-action’ type of cop. My only comment about this scene is this: notice how Harry acts and reacts. At first, he doesn’t want to get involved. Harry is tired and wants to eat his hot dog without interruptions. Circumstances dictate otherwise, but notice his behavior. Many reviewers have assigned the gleeful smile on his face as Harry enjoying himself, even being sadistic, after displaying an empty pistol to the perp. I take it a different way. Here we see further evidence that Harry has seen one too many crime scenes. He needs a vacation … in a big way. He needs to be taken off the force - not just because he may become overly violent, but for his own sanity. This job is not something Harry enjoys. He does it because he feels he is perhaps the only one left who understands what might be called for in extreme situations, and maybe he’ll save a few innocent bystanders by being there.

We move to the SFPD headquarters and the partnering of Callahan with Chico Gonzalez (Reni Santoni). The exchange lets us know that: a) partners with Harry don’t last, and b) Callahan not only prefers to work alone, he thinks it’s safer for his partners, too. Why? Because Harry takes very risky chances, and he knows that he does. He is not as much homicidal as he is suicidal. Harry has virtually nothing left to really live for, as we will learn more later in the film.

What follows from there is a series of scenes of Harry relentlessly pursuing the capture (or killing) of Scorpio. One of the tag-lines from movie posters of Dirty Harry at that time deserve mentioning here: “You don’t assign him to murder cases. You just turn him loose.” At various points we see how Harry reacts (mildly) to a child whose face is shot off, and risking his neck to save a suicide jumper, once again displaying disregard for his own safety. He displays contempt for his nick-name, Dirty Harry: “Now you know why they call me Dirty Harry - every dirty job that comes along.” Harry knows what people call him, and why, but he can’t deny it. He is very self-aware

During the pursuit of Scorpio, Harry is beaten, Gonzalez is shot, and Scorpio manages to elude capture, at least for a while. In an exchange in his lieutenant’s office, Harry, for the second time in the film, offers his badge. The lieutenant refuses. Here we see a true humanity in Harry Callahan that I think is missing from all of the four sequels. Harry is not out to be a cowboy in modern day San Francisco. He does not love violence. He does not wish to continue being the maverick cop that he is. He hates his job. This is a crucial element to Dirty Harry and what I think is missing from the later films (and why I think there should not have been any later films).

Harry is all-consumed with this case and ultimately he finally gets his man … but at the cost of personal injury, critically wounding his partner, and the death of the kidnapped girl he was trying to save. The law rebukes Callahan for his brutality and lack of proper procedure which will end up in having to wave court proceedings and putting Scorpio back on the streets. Here we see more of what drives Harry Callahan and what Eastwood thought this film should be about:

“And Anne Mary Deacon – who speaks for her?”

“The law,” replies the D.A., “if you let us.”

But the law is impotent in such matters. As Eastwood is often quoted as saying (and I am paraphrasing somewhat here), this was a time when laws and movies were all about the rights of the accused. Nobody was saying anything about the rights of the victims. I, myself, also add here, the victims’ families. I have personally heard and seen what murders can do to the loved ones who remain behind, and it is indeed beyond tragic. Even, and especially, when the murderer is known and the case is cut-and-dry. Healing for the family must be suspended until the murderer is tried and convicted. Otherwise, the risk of any kind of ammunition to the defense attorneys is too great and could result in a hung-jury, mistrial, or worse.

Moving on, Harry goes to see Chico Gonzalez who is recovering in the hospital. Chico’s wife is present and listens as the two men converse about his future on the police force. Chico decides maybe he should consider teaching after all. To some surprise, Harry does not grimace or rebuke him for making this decision. Rather, as he leaves the hospital with Gonzalez’s wife, he supports his former partner’s choice.

To me, this scene is so crucial to the story of Dirty Harry. During his exchange with Chico’s wife, we learn Harry lost his wife about a year prior due to a drunk driver. Apparently no children, no family, Harry Callahan is alone. He has no ties to his world, only his job.

When she asks:

”Why do you stay in it?”

Harry answers, “I don't know. I really don't.”

THAT is the essence of this story that Harry and Rita Fink were trying to convey. We now know why Harry is still a cop … because he has nothing left. And how sad and tragic is that? Not only to be married to your job, or that your job is your life, but that job and life are being a homicide detective in a major metropolitan city year-after-year? Had Sinatra (or Wayne) ultimately made it to the screen as Harry Callahan, we might have seen the added element of the age of the character playing into his weariness. But Eastwood’s portrayal is more than enough to show us that Harry Callahan has been on a few murder cases too many and needs to get away. But, of course, if he did, who would be left to do what needs to be done? That is the trap in which Harry finds himself.

Of course, we all know Harry finally gets fed up with the politicos and the bureaucracy and goes after Scorpio on his own, to the eventual death of the killer at the receiving end of .44 magnum bullet.

What happens at the end of the film is also crucial, in my mind, and something which generated much debate right up to the time they shot the scene. The script for Dirty Harry apparently called for Harry to throw his badge away after having dealt with Scorpio. Eastwood was not sure that was the right thing to do, so initially they were going to leave that part out. But while filming, the actor came back to Don Siegel and said it was the right thing to do. Now Siegel had a dilemma. Because they had originally decided not to shoot the badge-throwing scene, only one badge was created by the props department. If something went wrong on the take, there was no back-up badge, and that would cause delays in finishing the movie until other badges could be made, something neither Siegel nor Eastwood were ever fond of doing. But, they decided to go ahead and try it. And wouldn’t you know, Eastwood nailed the throw in one take. I, too, think the scene needed to be included (and again, I’m disappointed they chose to make further movies featuring Dirty Harry). This final scene is the true period to the film, something that needed to happen. We, the people, need Harry, but he needs to call it a day. Not only cathartic for Harry Callahan, it is necessary to be true to the character and the story. This is not a big ‘F-you’ to the police or the establishment (although it may be a small one). If Harry doesn’t quit now, he never will escape the demons that plague him. He will never heal. But with the letting go of that symbol of his job, he has a chance to put it all behind him. That’s partly why police officers need that dedication at the beginning of the film.

Well, there you have it. I hope this has been a little different and eye-opening for you. The next time you come across Dirty Harry on TV, try to take your popcorn and bathroom breaks during the real unnecessary scenes, like the bank robbery or chasing down Scorpio into Kezar Stadium. Look at the movie for what it truly is: the study of a man who had lost his way in life and become what he thought he needed to be in order to keep going and survive. Thanks for stopping by.