A tremendously controversial film, both decried as an apologia for fascism and hailed as the solution to a decade of rising crime, DIRTY HARRY propelled Clint Eastwood's career into the stratosphere while adding another archetype to join his Man with No Name in film iconography. Clint stars as Harry Callahan, a truculent San Francisco police detective well known for his vicious take-no-prisoners attitude toward criminals. With the city of San Francisco being terrorized by the psychotic killer known only as Scorpio (Andrew Robinson), Harry is assigned by the mayor (John Vernon) and Lt. Bressler (Harry Guardino) to try to stop him, pairing him with reluctantly accepted new partner Chico (Reni Santoni). Scorpio kidnaps a 14-year-old girl and buries her alive, demanding a $200,000 ransom for her return. Harry is to bring him the money--alone. What follows is one of the most exciting ransom deliveries in film history. The prototype for most of the action films through the rest of the century, DIRTY HARRY rises far above most of them due mostly to an excellent script and Eastwood's gripping acting. That said, the main character's contemptuous attitude toward the Miranda law seems far more damning now that it did in the early 1970s.

Clint Eastwood stars in one of his most popular roles, as Harry Callahan, a determined cop hunting down the psychotic Scorpio. But just when he thinks the case is closed, the chase begins again. This violent and controversial hit paved the way for several sequels and a slew of urban cop movies.

Theatrical release: December 23, 1971.

Shooting location: San Francisco, Mill Valley, and Larkspur, CA.

Clint Eastwood replaced Frank Sinatra, who had other commitments.

Don Siegel commented, "DIRTY HARRY is a wall-to-wall carpet of violence."

Andrew Robinson, who plays the killer, was an avowed pacifist at the time of the film's production; he was so unaccustomed to firearms that an instructor had to be hired to teach him how to shoot.

Excerpt: "I know what you're thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kind of lost track myself. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself a question. 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?--Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) to Scorpio (Andrew Robinson)

DVD Features:

2-Disc Set
Audio:
(unspecified) - English
Select Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentaries - Richard Schickel - Filmmaker/Eastwood Historian
Featurettes - 1. "The Long Shadow of Dirty Harry"
2. "Dirty Harry: The Original"
3. "Dirty Harry's Way"
4. "Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso" (1993)
Interviews - Including Clint Eastwood, Andy Robinson - Stars
Trailers - Trailer Gallery

Clint Eastwood: American actor/director, THE GOOD, THE BAD.../UNFORGIVEN
Harry Guardino: American Character Actor
Reni Santoni: American Film/TV Actor
John Vernon: Canadian Supporting Actor
John Larch: American Supporting Actor
Andrew Robinson: 
John Mitchum: American Character Actor

Don Siegel: American Director/Editor

Don Siegel: American Director/Editor

Harry Julian Fink: 
Rita M. Fink: Screenwriter

Lalo Schifrin: American Composer, THE BEGUILED (1971)

Robert DeVestel: Set Decorator

Carl Pingitore: Editor/Producer

"[I]mpactful for how it cold-cocked the movies' good-guy cop persona."
"Andrew Robinson gives an indelible performance..."
"Tautly directed by Don Siegel, it's a terrific, politically polarizing thriller."