Dirty Harry has really aged well. It doesn’t really feature anything that hasn’t been emulated in dozens of cop movies that you have already seen, but it is well-done. Clint Eastwood is still really cool in his brown suit and sunglasses, waiting on top of the bridge. What was funny for me was to hear his famous lines actually spoken by him. How many times have we heard someone quote “I know what you’re thinking…Do you feel lucky?” The only parts that gave me trouble was the lack of back-up in several scenes. Would you really lure the killer to a certain rooftop and then only have three cops there, two on another rooftop? However, to still come off as very current, it must have been way ahead of it’s time.

Frank Sinatra was originally cast to play Harry, but because of a prior wrist injury, he couldn’t hold up the Magnum.

John Wayne, Paul Newman, and Steve McQueen were all approached next, and they all turned down the role.

It turned out well for Clint Eastwood, because after The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, this is kind of his defining role, not to mention the quintessential 70’s movie. It’s very anti-establishment, and it really pushes the envelope with nudity and violence.

Classic!