Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • TV by Decade
        • TV – 1950s
        • TV – 1960s
        • TV – 1970s
        • TV – 1980s
        • TV – 1990s
      • Comedy
      • Drama
      • Kids TV
      • Variety
      • News & Sport
      • Advertisements
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • Music – 1950s
        • Music – 1960s
        • Music – 1970s
        • Music – 1980s
        • Music – 1990s
      • Artists – A to K
        • Artists – A
        • Artists – B
        • Artists – C
        • Artists – D
        • Artists – E
        • Artists – F
        • Artists – G
        • Artists – H
        • Artists – I
        • Artists – J
        • Artists – K
      • Artists – L to Z
        • Artists – L
        • Artists – M
        • Artists – N
        • Artists – O
        • Artists – P
        • Artists – Q
        • Artists – R
        • Artists – S
        • Artists – T
        • Artists – U
        • Artists – V
        • Artists – W
        • Artists – X
        • Artists – Y
        • Artists – Z
      • Artists – 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • Movies – 1950s
        • Movies – 1960s
        • Movies – 1970s
        • Movies – 1980s
        • Movies – 1990s
      • Movies – 0 to 9
      • Movies – A to K
        • Movies – A
        • Movies – B
        • Movies – C
        • Movies – D
        • Movies – E
        • Movies – F
        • Movies – G
        • Movies – H
        • Movies – I
        • Movies – J
        • Movies – K
      • Movies – L to Z
        • Movies – L
        • Movies – M
        • Movies – N
        • Movies – O
        • Movies – P
        • Movies – Q
        • Movies – R
        • Movies – S
        • Movies – T
        • Movies – U
        • Movies – V
        • Movies – W
        • Movies – X
        • Movies – Y
        • Movies – Z
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1970s
    Movies - 1970s Movies - D 3 Mins Read

    Dirty Harry (1971)

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    “I know what you’re thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I’ve kinda lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you’ve got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya punk?”

    Clint Eastwood starred as Inspector Harry Callahan, a San Francisco Homicide detective and all-round supercop who stops at nothing to bring in ‘Scorpio’ –  a psychopathic sharpshooter (Andrew Robinson) who strikes at random, killing innocent civilians with a high-powered telescopic rifle and demanding a huge ransom to prevent him from killing again, one person a day.

    The story was loosely based on the still-unsolved real-life case of the “Zodiac Killer” who had terrorised the city since the 1960s and continued to do so as filming on Dirty Harry started.

    Harry’s worst enemies are a city administration eager to play footsie with minority groups and a District Attorney who is constantly reminding him that the first 10 amendments to the American Constitution place certain restrictions on law officers in the pursuit of their duty.

    Callahan corners the killer but – after torturing him during the arrest – sees him set free because of legal niceties.

    The killer then goes on another rampage, seizing a school bus, and the gripping climax sees Callahan execute him without the benefit of judge or jury.

    His SFPD badge then follows the corpse of the deceased child slayer into the murky waters of the quarry lake, thrown in disgust at the job and the conditions under which he is supposed to perform it (in a deliberate nod towards High Noon).

    Eastwood is at his steely-eyed best, and whether or not you agree with the notions of vigilante justice put forth here, you have to admire the force with which they’re presented.

    Dirty Harry was originally set to star Frank Sinatra (the part was also offered to both John Wayne and Paul Newman), and yet it’s a role that laconic Spaghetti Western star Clint Eastwood was born to play.

    Director Don Siegel’s lightning-fast pace makes this first Harry Callahan film superior to sequels Magnum Force (1973), The Enforcer (1976), and Sudden Impact (1983). The film did big business at the box office, earning nearly $36 million off a $4 million budget.

    dirtyharryHarry Callahan
    Clint Eastwood
    Bressler

    Harry Guardino
    Chico Gonzalez

    Reni Santoni
    Mayor

    John Vernon
    Scorpio

    Andrew Robinson 
    Chief

    John Larch
    Frank DiGiorgio

    John Mitchum
    Mrs Russell

    Mae Mercer
    Norma

    Lyn Edgington
    Tothko

    Josef Sommer

    Director
    Don Siegel

    Related Posts

    • Conversation, The (1974)
      Conversation, The (1974)
      Francis Ford Coppola directed this 1974 film starring Gene Hackman as lonely, paranoid surveillance expert Harry Caul - a wire-tapper…
    • Two Mules For Sister Sara (1970)
      Two Mules For Sister Sara (1970)
      Clint Eastwood plays Hogan, a quizzical, slightly bemused cowboy in this immensely enjoyable Don Siegel caper, saving nun Sister Sara…
    • Silent Partner, The (1978)
      Silent Partner, The (1978)
      This Canadian remake of a Danish film called Think of a Number (Tænk på et tal) has timid bachelor bank…
    • Play Misty For Me (1971)
      Play Misty For Me (1971)
      California radio DJ Dave Garver (Clint Eastwood) is the most popular disc jockey on the Monterey Peninsular and hosts a…
    • What's Up Doc? (1972)
      What's Up Doc? (1972)
      In a hotel in San Francisco sit four identical tartan (or "plaid" for our American pals) overnight bags. One contains…
    • Supervixens (1975)
      Supervixens (1975)
      Cult sexploiter Russ Meyer cranked up his giddy formula of fast pacing, breathless editing and weird camera angles to overdrive…
    • Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (1974)
      Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (1974)
      Clint Eastwood is hardened bank robber John 'Thunderbolt' Doherty and Jeff Bridges is his sassy young apprentice, Lightfoot, in another…
    • Magnum Force (1973)
      Magnum Force (1973)
      This sequel to Dirty Harry (1971) found San Francisco cop Inspector Harry Callahan - there is no explanation for why he's got…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleDogs In Space (1986)
    Next Article Dogma (1999)

    Comments are closed.

    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    You May Also Like
    • Malcolm X (1992)
      Street hustler Malcolm Little converts to Islam while in prison, […]
    • Scobie Man, The
      1 9 7 2 (UK) 4 x 30 minute episodes Scobie (Maurice Roëves) was […]
    • Tin Machine
      Tin Machine had its beginnings when Sara Gabrels, a journalist […]
    • Lock Up Your Daughters! (1969)
      Three hot-blooded and sex-starved sailors (Jim Dale, Tom Bell […]
    • Forbidden Zone (1982)
      The Hercules family buy a Venice Beach (California) house that […]
    • Hunted (1952)
      Hunted portrayed the flight and pursuit across England of seaman […]
    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    OUR LATEST FACEBOOK POSTS

    edition.cnn.com/2023/01/30/entertainment/cindy-williams-dead/index.html

    More sad news 😢
    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    'Laverne & Shirley' star Cindy Williams dead at 75 | CNN

    edition.cnn.com

    Cindy Williams, the dynamic actress known best for playing the bubbly Shirley Feeney on the beloved sitcom "Laverne & Shirley," has died, according to a statement from her family, provided to CNN by a...
    2 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64442824 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Television frontman Tom Verlaine dies at 73

    www.bbc.co.uk

    His band rose to fame in the 1970s New York punk scene, scoring UK hits including Marquee Moon.
    4 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64418847 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Mr Blobby costume sells for more than £62,000 on eBay

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The character, made famous by BBC show Noel's House Party, had been in storage since the 1990s.
    5 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Put some beefiness into your mid-week menu with these recipe ideas published in a Birds Eye advertisement from the Radio Times on 30 September 1965.

    Put some "beefiness into your mid-week menu" with these recipe ideas published in a Birds Eye advertisement from the "Radio Times" on 30 September 1965. ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 3
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    They were awful. An overpowering savoury flavour that lingered in your mouth for hours. Heaven knows what unmentionable parts of a bull went into making them 😳

    More sad news 😪

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    US rock legend David Crosby dies aged 81

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Crosby, who co-founded both the Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash, had been ill for some time.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    This is what they promised us when I was a kid. What happened? 

All I have is 700 channels of rubbish on the TV in High Def, TikTok, Facebook and a phone I can take photographs with . . .

    This is what they promised us when I was a kid. What happened?

    All I have is 700 channels of rubbish on the TV in High Def, TikTok, Facebook and a phone I can take photographs with . . .
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 54
    • Shares: 22
    • Comments: 7

    Comment on Facebook

    I thought we would have moving pavements by now when I was a kid 😂

    Totally agree!!!

    The new Tesla, 4.6 next century.

    We got transvestite story hour instead

    We appear to be going backwards

    There's actually a very good David Graeber essay on this very topic: thebaffler.com/salvos/of-flying-cars-and-the-declining-rate-of-profit

    The Jetsons strike again.

    View more comments

    Renowned Australian singer Renee Geyer is dead at 69 following complications from hip surgery. Such a fabulous voice. RIP😢

https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-r/renee-geyer/

    Renowned Australian singer Renee Geyer is dead at 69 following complications from hip surgery. Such a fabulous voice. RIP😢

    nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-r/renee-geyer/
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    That is so sad to hear 😥 rest in peace 🙏 🕊 xx

    Gina Lollobrigida: Italian screen star dies at 95
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64292026

    Gina Lollobrigida: Italian screen star dies at 95
    www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64292026
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 4
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    😍😍😍😍

    Vale Jeff Beck. Dead at 78. 😢

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Jeff Beck: British guitar legend dies aged 78

    www.bbc.co.uk

    One of rock's most influential guitarists, he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 1
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Hi everyone. Were in the process of moving www.nostalgiacentral.com to new dedicated servers to better cope with the volumes of traffic. Please ignore any SSL security errors you may receive when visiting the site over the next 24 hours while the move completes.

    Hi everyone. We're in the process of moving www.nostalgiacentral.com to new dedicated servers to better cope with the volumes of traffic. Please ignore any SSL security errors you may receive when visiting the site over the next 24 hours while the move completes. ... See MoreSee Less

    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 5
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    Ironically, this post has jumped off the page at me. You'll probably get most traffic today because everyone will want to see what they might be missing!

    Martin Platt

    Load more
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Popular Tags
    1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1975 1976 Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games Britpop Canada Crime Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Power Pop Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Sport Surf music
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.