The movies have always been a time capsule. They have always been influenced by the social, economic & political foundations of its country of origin. The paradoxical concept of ‘timelessness’ has been attached to 2001: A Space Odyssey & To Kill a Mockingbird yet we know that Stanley Kubrick’s prediction of space travel was far too optimistic. We know that To Kill a Mockingbird’s views on race relations were fueled by the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. It’s not fair to proclaim a movie like 2001 or a Mockingbird as ‘timeless’; the term ‘original’ would be more appropriate. & Don Siegel’s Dirty Harry is a time capsule that encapsulates an original idea & examines it lightly so that any political connotations, cultural references or serious film criticism are in a way, not deserved.
Dirty Harry can be seen as an attack on right-wing politics or an entertaining cop procedural. The director, Don Siegel has constructed the film so mechanically & ‘faux pas’ intellectually that I’d agree with the latter but it’s a political narrative in the sense that it examines America’s political roots.
The 1970’s were a period of political turmoil. The Vietnam War, the Watergate Scandal, the Sexual Revolution & the crime underworld were always in the American public’s sub-consciousness. Siegel stages the context of America’s politics throughout Clint Eastwood’s performance as Harry Callahan, one so drained of cliché & remorse for sexual predators that its no wonder that Dirty Harry has entered the consciousness of America’s ‘pop culture’. The story is simple: a serial killer named Scorpio (Andy Robinson) is on a killing spree and attempts to blackmail the San Francisco mayor into paying $100,000. Harry is assigned to the case & with his ‘no bullshit’ stance on criminals, we witness a repeating series of events revolving around police brutality.
The stakes rise as Scorpio kidnaps a 14 year old girl & demands $200,000. Supposedly, she has oxygen until 3 p.m. in the morning. Harry & the squad receive the notice late at night. So Harry does what we expect him to do: be the bag man for Scorpio & do what he thinks is right even if his commanding officer says, “no tricks”. The following incidents involve a chase throughout San Francisco, a kidnapping on a bus & several scenes involving gunshots. Harry breaks no more than 4 Amendments throughout the charade. When we can anticipate what Harry will do, we can already guess what happens at the end.
The movie centers around Harry’s bad-ass attitude, his comments & his successful attempts at police brutality. The movie’s marketing point is Harry’s reaction to the case, his comedic conversations with his superiors & the serial killer’s moments near death. Siegel has sold the movie on this premise; whether that’s enough for the viewer is for their own discretion.
The star of the picture is obviously Clint Eastwood; the second is Don Siegel’s direction. Siegel’s use of soft focus, zooming, enhanced film grain & choppy editing presents his material in a documentary/exploitation style of storytelling. He presents his material so matter-of-fact; so contemporary. The loose narrative doesn’t allow the movie to delve into the depths of Harry’s issues nor does Siegel’s direction feel fresh or innovative. In a movie that offers several moments of police brutality, viewers may want more but when you have Harry Callahan shooting criminals & muggers with a .44 Magnum, it’s no wonder that Dirty Harry influenced 4 sequels.
Scorpio makes a great villain & creates much conflict between Harry because the comparisons are obvious; Scorpio represents the vile, the scum & out-of-control criminality of the American underworld while Harry represents the judge, jury & executioner of the American police force. Two polar opposites in conflict are like mixing matter & anti-matter; it makes a big explosion.
Dirty Harry is a movie filled with shoot-outs, shoot-outs & more shoot-outs. It glorifies police brutality like a Hong Kong ‘heroic bloodshed’ movie. When Harry shoots Scorpio or muggers or hits a suicidial jumper, you are attracted to the treatment of the violence when you know you shouldn’t be. Dirty Harry raises as many questions, evokes as many ideological concepts & presents them with as little insight as a Charles Bronson Death Wish movie. The film’s conclusion may insult your views, the movie may challenge your morals & provoke your thoughts but if one is to understand the purpose of Dirty Harry, it’s to be entertained by the idea & the explosions that come with it.