Right wing backlash against the hippie era, or reasoned social comment?
Perhaps neither. Eastwood arrives as Dirty Harry with a bang after the likes of the spaghetti westerns and 'Coogan's Bluff'. The San Francisco of the late 1960’s and early 70’s was known for its liberal attitudes and Eastwood’s character has often been seen as a counterblast to this.
Noticeably, the main villain of the piece (who incidentally had a hard time finding work after this film having been typecast as a psycho) wears an anti nuclear protest belt buckle. However, that symbol itself is distorted and the character himself seems to attack groups which would have been seen as favoured under a more liberal social outlook e.g. blacks, homosexuals.
There is the obvious point that he does make false accusations of police brutality and there is the scene in which Harry Callahan decries the use of the then recent Miranda act. These should be seen in context, it is a staple of films with the police as central characters that they deride things that are seen as hampering their tasks (in this case Miranda) and that they are subject to unfair adverse criticism. So these things are not an attack on liberal values in themselves. Moreover, Eastwood’s films always make a point (at least in the Dirty Harry series) of having a ‘minority’ sidekick.
Callahan does find the system too restrictive in the exercise of police powers and too liberal in the application of rights to actual and suspected criminals. To that end he decides to take on the criminal in his own way, deciding that he must act outside the confines of that which actually makes him an upholder of the law. You could say it is an exposition of the contradiction between the enforcement of laws meant (allegedly) for the maintenance of civilised society and the actuality of action necessary to maintain that society which may violate the constraints of the aforementioned laws.
Also, there are plenty of memorable lines in the film and Clint does play an outstanding roe as the lone rider.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1964 - Action/Adventure - Director: Cyril Endfield - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring:Stanley Baker, Jack Hawkins, Ulla Jacobsson, James Booth, Michael Caine, Nigel Green
Production Year: 1989 - Action/Adventure - Director: Rowdy Herrington - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Patrick Swayze, Ben Gazzara, Sam Elliott, Kelly Lynch
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
Production Year: 1977 - Action/Adventure - Director: Clint Eastwood - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring:Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill McKinney
Interesting analysis of the film's historical & social context. I would suggest that Harry is just a representation of the 'ideal' that many American males aspire to - working outside rules and restrictions and solving problems with violence. I agree that this results from a cultural anxiety about the liberal movement that developed in the 60s. Isn't Dirty Harry the role model for George Bush? ;-) Ama.
GrUnGe_GaL 13.04.2001 19:31
no! I thought you were saying it in a tone as 'I think you are dumb.'!!!!! don't worry about, let bygones be bygones
GrUnGe_GaL 13.04.2001 19:26
Okay kisten, like I have done before, it is hard to determine what tone of voice something is meant to be said over the computer. And I am sorry if I took the 'joke' as something serious, but I interpreted you as being arrogant, due to you trying to sling in the 'long words' just coz you can't argue your case. But I am really sorry that if thisd is blown out of proportion. But what I am pissed off about is that you CAN'T take constructive critisim can you!?!??!?! developmentally may be a word, but YOUR PHRASE DOESN'T MAKE SENSE?!?!?!!??! That is all i am trying to bloody say! I am so sorry if were deeply offended with a lighthearted criticism, I was only making a comment. *jesus*
"Dirty" Harry Callahan was one of the first screen characters to embody contemporary fears ... more
about crime--and the uncompromising response to it that much of the audience would liked to have seen. Clint Eastwood's laconic rogue cop became an instant scree...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: good role for Eastwood & direction from Don Seigal, thought provoking, good action Disadvantages: violence slightly stylised, poor picture/sound quality, feels dated
![The Dirty Harry Collection [DVD] [1971]](http://images.ciao.com/ide/images/icons/no_pic_generic_S1.gif "The Dirty Harry Collection [DVD] [1971]"){kind=icon}
![Dirty Harry [Box Set]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/103221851.jpg "Dirty Harry [Box Set]")
Apr 13th, 2001
very helpful by (100%):
