Many names pass from mere reality into common use even though their source may be long gone. The same is true (possibly more so) in film: The Bride of Frankenstein, King Kong, Darth Vader etc. All characters that have had such a striking effect on their audiences that they've managed to make the leap into icon (even if the original films have long since disappeared, especially in the case of the first two in the list). The same is true of Dirty Harry. Most people know the name and for many years I knew the name but hadn't the faintest idea about the film itself. Yes I knew that it was Clint Eastwood and that he was a tough cop but what else? Erm, don't know sir.

Before this we had 'friendly' cops, comedy cops, film noir cops, and even 'unconventional' cops, but Harry takes all of them, lines them up and puts a bullet straight through their heads. The film is intense, hard, in-yer-face, and unquestionable violent. It never attempts to soften things, hide things, or tone things down, and indeed it's perfectly in the style of it's lead character: Callahan is a tough guy who throws caution to the wind and won't let the law get in the way of him nailing the bad guy. This is part of his charm though. He can do what we can't, he tell the D.A. to blow it out his ass while he goes after his foe. This is what makes Harry work as he plays out our fantasies for us. We all want to tell our bosses to swivel on it and shove their rule book, and Harry does this.

So far though I've rambled (as always) about impact, style, and not paid any attention to the film as a product. The story is good. It's different in it's view of cops and the underbelly of America. Yes Coogan had done the low life angle before it but Harry goes the whole hog and gives us the seedy America that we all know so well these days. Pimps, druggies, dealers, hookers - they're all here and they all feel right in Harry's world. They enhance the decency of the man who has grown weary of the depravity around him and is doing everything he can to make things better. We appreciate his resentment and non-conformance all that much more. Why should he play by the rules when the bad guys don't?

Clint Eastwood is THE man and his Harry Callahan is one of the roles that transformed him from cowboy into superstar. Eastwood looks fabulous and although his hair is a law unto itself, he snarls, grunts, and powers his way through a film that defined him. Eastwood gets the tough guy routine down pat and his insubordinate comments are just a joy to behold. The odd joke here and there is wonderful relief and Eastwood handles himself mightily. The fact that his lines of dialogue are so quotable is down not to the script itself but the way in which he spits them out.

Harry Guardino does a decent job as Harry's over stressed boss, and while Reni Santoni puts in a solid performance as Chico Gonzalez, it's John Vernon who stands out. Vernon's mayor is excellent and provides one of the best scenes in the film (which I'm just itching to quote but won't) (yet).

So the liberals will hate it, but what of the sane? Sadly the no brain element of society will find it wonderful, but for all the wrong reasons. It has the guns, the swearing, the violence, and the initial image of being a film that panders to male fantasy (without Kim Cattrall wearing not very much but such is life) but it has so much more that will fly straight past them. This is where Dirty Harry will have greater appeal. Ok so it's NOT a masterpiece of the cinema (and anyone who proclaims it as such is an idiot) but it's a great piece of entertainment, and that's something that's lacking in so many films (especially these days).