Dirty Harry

R

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1h 43m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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List

89%

54 Reviews

Tomatometer

90%

50,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Cop Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) attempts to track down a psychopathic rooftop killer before a kidnapped girl dies. When he is found Harry abuses the murderer's civil rights putting him back on the streets. Once he is released he hijacks a school bus and Harry must go after him again. The only way to stop this vicious killer is in cold blood.

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Critics Consensus

As tough and taciturn as its no-nonsense hero, Dirty Harry delivers a deceptively layered message without sacrificing an ounce of its solid action impact.

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William

Outstanding Clint Eastwood movie. Jump started his movie career in America!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/30/21

Full Review

Audience Member

Extremely slow paced and minimum dialogue. Not good. I expected more.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

04/24/24

Full Review

Alec C

This cop takes every dirty thing that comes along, and has no problem dishing it out as well! Harry Callahan is on the trail of the deranged Scorpio, a sadistic murderer who has the town of LA playing to his whims, and must go above the law in order to ensure that justice is served. You should feel lucky to watch this movie one time in your life, because Clint Eastwood is packing heat and action in equal measure!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/17/24

Full Review

Matthew D

Ultra cool style with brutal action! Director Don Siegel's action thriller Dirty Harry (1971) is the pinnacle of 1970's gritty crime films. Siegel takes advantage of perilous scenarios and haunting shadows to make the city seem terrifyingly dangerous. Siegel's direction is peerless and swift with outstanding shootouts and fun encounters. He is critiquing Dirty Harry's vicious police brutality, while simultaneously upholding that an experienced officer needs to do things sharp and shrewdly to solve certain cases. Siegel knows how to get a riveting performance out of Clint Eastwood and puts bombastic jazz underneath all of Harry's career exploits. Writers Harry Julian Fink, Rita M. Fink, and Dean Riesner craft a tale of a mad sniper on rooftops terrorizing the city for a ransom and his own sadistic pleasure. Dirty Harry has interesting questions about the ethics of appeasing criminals seeking money or how far do you go to make an arrest. I like that Dirty Harry is a tough and cunning cop that does anything to get to the villain. He goes over the top in violence, but since Dirty Harry is a movie, it is all the more exciting to see Clint Eastwood fire off rounds. Clint Eastwood is amazing and riveting as the ultra cool and ruthless Inspector Harry Callahan. Clint looks handsome, fearless, mean, and skeptical of everyone. Eastwood brings Dirty Harry to life with a dry wit for hilarious jokes and a fierce scowl as he glares at everyone else. Harry Guardino is great as the no nonsense Lieutenant Al Bressler. Reni Santoni is likable as the amiable new partner for Dirty Harry named Chico Gonzalez. John Vernon is excellent as the Mayor of San Francisco. Andy Robinson is unhinged as the trigger happy sniper creep Scorpio. Editor Carl Pingitore keeps Dirty Harry's pacing fast with slick cuts that trim all the fat. It's crime to crime and lets Dirty Harry feel competent and cunning, like he's solving crimes quickly. Cinematographer Bruce Surtees uses super stunning close-up shots of Clint Eastwood that are as beautiful as the far wide shots of the city's skyline. The crafty perspectives and angles are constantly engaging with steady camera panning and tilts. Dirty Harry is so perfectly shot with some mesmerizing shots. Every shot of Clint pointing his long barrel handgun is iconic. Art director Dale Hennesy uses dirty city streets and heavy shadows to build up a gritty visual atmosphere. Set decorator Robert De Vestel puts all manner of props around from guns to evidence for realism. The huge stunt team flip cars, fire guns, and wreck the city in vicious fights and violence encounters. Composer Lalo Schifrin's upbeat jazz film score is moody and dazzling. He sets a dark, yet playful tone for Dirty Harry. The hyper jazz drumming is wicked and enthralling alongside the eerie synths, choir, and horns. Sound designers William Randall, Dan Wallin, and Sergio Reyes craft a regular city soundscape. The police sirens, car horns honking, people chatting in the background, car tires scraping, to buses honking. Makeup artist Gordon Bau gives everyone raw appearances and Clint Eastwood a clean cut manly look. Hairstyling from Jean Burt Reilly gives Eastwood the coolest flowing 70's big hair. In all, Dirty Harry is awesome and remains a fun watch with its hard boiled characters, ruthless police brutality, and killer action. Clint Eastwood is fantastic and captivating for all of Dirty Harry's 102 minute run-time.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/29/23

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Les N

I've watched this many, many times and still the best. Best music, best stars, best movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/17/23

Full Review

Steven P

When the movie can out it was it was during the Nixon era. Lots of jibber jabber about the criminals had more right than victims etc. it was out of touch then and now in the era of George Floyd and other victims of police abuse it is embarrassing to the point it looks like a comic parody of itself.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

10/28/23

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Don Siegel

Director

Clint Eastwood

Harry Callahan

Harry Guardino

Bressler

Reni Santoni

Chico

John Larch

Police Chief

Andrew Robinson

Scorpio Killer

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Dirty Harry: Trailer 1

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Edward Porter

Times (UK)

Its star’s growling charisma demands to be enjoyed.

Aug 22, 2022

Full Review

Derek Malcolm

Guardian

Siegel shouldn't have had to shout so much to make himself heard, nor should Eastwood, otherwise excellent, be quite so determined to maintain a star's steely dignity. But a lot still manages to get through about violence and the loner's path.

May 31, 2022

Full Review

Alexander Walker

London Evening Standard

Dirty Harry is a film meant to wring the already well wrung and mangled conscience of the liberal. Which it succeeds in doing with engrossing efficiency.

May 31, 2022

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

In real life he would be up on charges, and justifiably so. In the movies he’s just the kind of cowboy these mean streets call for.

Aug 19, 2023

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Madeleine Harmsworth

Sunday Mirror (UK)

Excellent thriller of the tough cop variety.

May 31, 2022

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Director Don Siegel's classic sci-fi flick Invasion of the Body Snatchers was alternately read as both right-wing (anti-Commie) and left-wing (anti-McCarthyism), and he found his controversial police thriller experiencing the same sort of dichotomy.

Rated: 3.5/4

Dec 16, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

Cop Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) attempts to track down a psychopathic rooftop killer before a kidnapped girl dies. When he is found Harry abuses the murderer's civil rights putting him back on the streets. Once he is released he hijacks a school bus and Harry must go after him again. The only way to stop this vicious killer is in cold blood.

Director: Don Siegel
Producer: Robert Daley
Screenwriter: Harry Julian Fink, Harry Julian Fink, Rita M. Fink, Rita M. Fink, Dean Riesner
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Warner Brothers, Malpaso Company
Rating: R
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 1, 1971, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2008
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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