Dirty Harry (1971)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Don Siegel

Writers:

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

Release Date:

23 December 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 | Sniper | Ransom | Police | City

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Insp. Harry Callahan
Harry Guardino	...	Lt. Al Bressler
Reni Santoni	...	Insp. Chico Gonzalez
John Vernon	...	The Mayor
Andrew Robinson	...	Scorpio Killer (as Andy Robinson)
John Larch	...	The Chief
John Mitchum	...	Insp. 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	...	Sgt. Reineke (as Craig G. Kelly)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ann Bowen	...	Sgt. Reineke (uncredited)
George Burrafato	...	Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Joy Carlin	...	Communications Secretary (uncredited)
Bill Couch	...	Suicide Jumper (uncredited)
Jana D'Amico	...	(uncredited)
Tony Dario	...	Police Sergeant (uncredited)
Diane Darnell	...	Mayor's Secretary (uncredited)
Diana Davidson	...	Swimmer (uncredited)
Vince Deadrick Sr.	...	Man (uncredited)
Chuck Dorsett	...	TV Watcher (uncredited)
Al Dunlap	...	(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	...	(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)
H.B. Haggerty	...	(uncredited)
Scott Hale	...	Newsman (uncredited)
Jack Hanson	...	Bus Kid (uncredited)
Kate Harper	...	(uncredited)
Bob Harris	...	Man in Truck (uncredited)
Diana Henrichsen	...	(uncredited)
Marc Hertsens	...	Steve - Doctor (uncredited)
Chuck Hicks	...	Flower Vendor (uncredited)
Raymond Johnson	...	(uncredited)
Derek Jue	...	Bus Kid (uncredited)
Stu Klitsner	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Richard Lawson	...	Homosexual (uncredited)
Sean Maley	...	Bus Kid (uncredited)
Laurie Mock	...	(uncredited)
Charles Murphy	...	Man on Pay Phone (uncredited)
Mary Ann Neis	...	Miss Van Sachs (uncredited)
Ann Noland	...	(uncredited)
Kathleen O'Malley	...	(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	...	(uncredited)
Ernest Robinson	...	Robber (uncredited)
Frederic Ross	...	(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 (uncredited)
Pamela Tanimura	...	Bus Kid (uncredited)
John Tracy	...	(uncredited)
Charles Washburn	...	Intern (uncredited)
Dean Webber	...	Newsman (uncredited)
Janet Wisely	...	(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) (original airing) (pan/scan)
• 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 Disc)
• 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) | 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:

This film makes references to the then recent criminal court trials of Escobedo v. Illinois and Miranda v. Arizona. Escobedo v Illinois was a 1964 case which ruled that any statements made by a suspect without the presence of legal counsel were inadmissible as evidence. Miranda v Arizona was a 1966 case which ruled that a suspect had to be informed of his rights prior to interrogation. If he was not informed of his rights, the subsequent interrogation was deemed null and void.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Harry crosses the street toward the downed bank robber, the shotgun is a few feet away from the robber's hand and well out of reach. A moment later after Harry delivers his famous lines, the shotgun is only a few inches away from the robber's hand, making it clear why the robber was tempted to go for the weapon.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Harry Callahan: Jesus.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)

No Nonsense, No Baloney

This was the first of the always-entertaining "Dirty Harry" cop series and it was a good one - maybe the best of the series.

One of Harry's famous lines was in this opener: "Do ya feel lucky, punk?" Speaking of punks, Andy Robinson, who played the villain, never got famous as Clint Eastwood ("Harry") certainly became but he was tremendous in this film. He didn't even have to utter a line: he just looked deranged! Great casting.

Looking back, the one thing I really appreciate about this film as opposed to the rest of them in this series was the absence of Harry's annoying superiors constantly on his case. He actually got support from his bosses in this movie.

The film as a big hit because people were already tired of all the liberal preaching of the 1960s in which we were supposed to feel sympathy for the criminal instead of the victim. This series was the side of the cops, not the crooks, which is probably why the sick film critics never liked Dirty Harry.

This is one solid crime story with no boring spots and no sappy sub-plots with romances, either. And it's always nice to enjoy the interesting San Francisco skyline.