The early seventies was a violent time in our culture. This is also reflected in the films of the time. The French Connection and Dirty Harry are two first rate examples of films that delineate the rise of crime in urban societies and the effects on general populace.
‘Dirty’ Harry Calahan was a character devised by Harry Julian Fink, R.M. Fink and Dean Riesner to represent a burned out cop in his mid fifties. Fed up with having the punks go free half an hour after booking, he would do what was necessary for the welfare of society and kill them in the act. This of course would also save the justice system some money.
Originally written for Frank Sinatra, the singer bowed out when he, after having just lost his father and finding the big gun too heavy to lift (he’d suffered a broken wrist some years before), opted to do some lightweight material. Offered to Robert Mitchum, John Wayne and Burt Lancaster, these stars all turned it down and the role went to younger actors like Marlon Brando and Paul Newman. Newman said no too but offered the advice: “Why don’t you ask Clint Eastwood?” Eastwood requested the location be changed from New York to San Francisco and Don Siegel being hired as the director and subsequently said yes.
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 kinda 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 one question: “Do I feel lucky?” Well do ya, punk?
Harry is assigned to investigate a murder case which turns up a ransom demand of one million dollars by a serial killer called Scorpio. Scorpio, a disturbed young man who intends to keep on killing if he isn’t given the money, says he has buried a girl at a location he only knows. The girl has a limited amount of breathable air left so they need to find her quickly or she will suffocate. However, after Harry gets the information from Scorpio by torturing him following a gruelling ordeal for the money drop, they find the girl dead in her grave. While the police brass are all over Harry because of his improper conduct in obtaining necessary information, the killer is released and he pays a punk to beat him up severely. Scorpio blames it on Harry, who is taken off the case. When Scorpio then kidnaps a school bus full of children, Harry does not hesitate to follow him and deal with him the only way possible.
Harry Calahan would have been a significantly different character had Sinatra still played him but the attitude and indifference (to bureaucracy and red tape) that Eastwood exhibits as Harry Calahan make him a unique character to cut thru red tape when necessary and do that which is right. This is why his character is so successful. In a time where police brutality seemed to be rampant and crime seemed to be on the rise, this is the kind of police officer people would rather see on the job. But the press was also very critical of what message this would bring to the world. That made Dirty Harry a highly controversial film when it opened in 1971.
The music was composed by Lalo Schifrin, who previously had done the theme and music for MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. Schifrin wrote in a style that would only later be described as acid jazz and included many popular instruments and orchestrations in his score. Schifrin would alternate later Dirty Harry films with fellow composer Jerry Fielding, who would emphasize the jazz roots of Eastwood more.
Made on a paltry 4 million dollar budget, the film made more than 30 million dollars in its domestic release and gave rise to 4 sequels (none of which however enjoy the same quality as this excellent film). Don Siegel made a great urban thriller and even now, with Clint Eastwood too old to even act anymore, there is talk of a new version of Dirty Harry.
It is doubtful if a reboot would do justice to what Harry was in the past but apparently there is talk of one to be made. I wonder what Clint Eastwood will think of that when it comes into production. Even though he has stated he is done with the character (when GRAN TORINO went into production, there were rumours that this would be Dirty Harry’s return to the cinema but this was quickly denied by studio officials), his approval would seem to cast a heavy vote in a new version.
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten