Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Dirty Harry

  • 1971
  • R
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
177K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,466
333
Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry (1971)
Theatrical Trailer from Warner Bros. Pictures
Play trailer2:53
3 Videos
99+ Photos
Cop DramaPolice ProceduralSerial KillerActionCrimeThriller

When a man calling himself "the Scorpio Killer" menaces San Francisco, tough-as-nails Police Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned to track down the crazed psychopath.When a man calling himself "the Scorpio Killer" menaces San Francisco, tough-as-nails Police Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned to track down the crazed psychopath.When a man calling himself "the Scorpio Killer" menaces San Francisco, tough-as-nails Police Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan is assigned to track down the crazed psychopath.

  • Directors
    • Don Siegel
    • Clint Eastwood
  • Writers
    • Harry Julian Fink
    • Rita M. Fink
    • Dean Riesner
  • Stars
    • Clint Eastwood
    • Andrew Robinson
    • Harry Guardino
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    177K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    2,466
    333
    • Directors
      • Don Siegel
      • Clint Eastwood
    • Writers
      • Harry Julian Fink
      • Rita M. Fink
      • Dean Riesner
    • Stars
      • Clint Eastwood
      • Andrew Robinson
      • Harry Guardino
    • 458User reviews
    • 146Critic reviews
    • 87Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos3

    Dirty Harry
    Trailer 2:53
    Dirty Harry
    Did 'Home Alone' Inspire 'Rambo: Last Blood'?
    Clip 1:43
    Did 'Home Alone' Inspire 'Rambo: Last Blood'?
    Did 'Home Alone' Inspire 'Rambo: Last Blood'?
    Clip 1:43
    Did 'Home Alone' Inspire 'Rambo: Last Blood'?
    Christopher Meloni Knows How to Spot a Good Cop
    Video 2:34
    Christopher Meloni Knows How to Spot a Good Cop

    Photos225

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 218
    View Poster

    Top cast81

    Edit
    Clint Eastwood
    Clint Eastwood
    • Harry
    Andrew Robinson
    Andrew Robinson
    • Killer
    • (as Andy Robinson)
    Harry Guardino
    Harry Guardino
    • Bressler
    Reni Santoni
    Reni Santoni
    • Chico
    John Vernon
    John Vernon
    • The Mayor
    John Larch
    John Larch
    • Chief
    John Mitchum
    John Mitchum
    • De Georgio
    Mae Mercer
    Mae Mercer
    • Mrs. Russell
    Lyn Edgington
    Lyn Edgington
    • Norma
    Ruth Kobart
    Ruth Kobart
    • Bus Driver
    Woodrow Parfrey
    Woodrow Parfrey
    • Mr. Jaffe
    Josef Sommer
    Josef Sommer
    • Rothko
    William Paterson
    William Paterson
    • Bannerman
    James Nolan
    James Nolan
    • Liquor Proprietor
    Maurice Argent
    Maurice Argent
    • Sid Kleinman
    • (as Maurice S. Argent)
    Jo de Winter
    Jo de Winter
    • Miss Willis
    • (as Jo De Winter)
    Craig Kelly
    • Sgt. Reineke
    • (as Craig G. Kelly)
    Ann Bowen
    • Yelling Wife
    • (uncredited)
    • Directors
      • Don Siegel
      • Clint Eastwood
    • Writers
      • Harry Julian Fink
      • Rita M. Fink
      • Dean Riesner
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews458

    7.7177.3K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    10ivo-cobra8

    Dirty Harry is Clint Eastwood's masterpiece!

    This film has it all, amazing soundtrack, amazing cinematography in the amazing San Francisco area, terrific cast of actors who played believable in their roles. This movie is what it is, a perfect 10, because it takes the vision of one of the most imaginative directors on Earth, and realizes them almost perfectly with all the tools that fit the task -- actors, stunts, story, cinematography. It is one of my personal favorite action movies of all time.

    Dirty Harry (1971) is Clint Eastwood's masterpiece and one of his best movies including the best memorable character! The movie that started it all! It is the best action thriller film from Clint Eastwood and director Don Siegel! Clint at his asskicking best! It is my favorite best film from Clint Eastwood and the first best one in the series. Even tough he did not directed this film he gave us one if his best performances ever! I love all Dirty Harry movies but this one is a classic and the best in the series. It has action suspense from end till beginning. A movie that will make anyone's day, if you feel lucky punk. I have seen the first one 20 times and will argue that it's the best with no question, but it is somewhat a matter of opinion :)

    "I know what your thinking. Did he fire six shots or just five? We'll Do I feel lucky? We'll do ya punk?" Harry Callahan's best quotes. This is one classic Clint Eastwood film. He funnels traits of himself into "Dirty" Harry: no nonsense, dry humor, some charm and a good logical mind. Andrew Robinson had trouble getting work for a while after this movie because he did such a great job as Scorpio. Getting typecast as a psychopath kind of limits your casting options. Andrew Robinson also played in my favorite action Stallone flick Cobra (1986) and horror flick Hellraiser (1987). He did a great performance ever as a psychotic killer Scorpio. Reni Santoni was also cast in this movie as Harry's partner Homicide Inspector Chico Gonzalez. He also started 15 years later in my action flick Cobra (1986) alongside Andrew Robinson! I can say both of the actors did a fine job playing in bot cop flicks. First one is the best.

    But, a little bit of background is due. Academy Award-winner Clint Eastwood ("Unforgiven," "Million Dollar Baby") stars as "Dirty Harry" Callahan in this riveting action film that spawned several blockbuster sequels. In this original, Detective Harry Callahan is determined to bring in psychotic killer Robinson, even if he's determined to break some of the rules. Brilliantly filmed for maximum impact. Recently selected by the prestigious American Film Institute as one of the 400 greatest American films of all time and added "Dirty Harry" as part of the 50 Greatest Heroes of all time.

    Dirty Harry is a 1971 American action thriller film produced and directed by Don Siegel, the first in the Dirty Harry series.

    The basic plot is about catching a serial killer who was based on a Zodiac Killer. This is one of best movies ever. The story is good, acting is brilliant and effects and action scenes are epic. Watch this movie now!!!! Great films stick inside your head,and this one is a brain limpet! The cinematography and evocation of the San Francisco setting are hauntingly memorable,the dialogue taut and sparse and Schifrin's score is still super cool.Don Siegel and Clint must have studied the European stylists because I read Dirty Harry as the finest amalgam of US Noir and 60's new wave. I find echos of Antonioni and Melville in the tight,clean mis en scene and impeccable action sequences honed by Siegel's long Hollywood pedigree. superb. This movie is 10 out of 10.
    ma-cortes

    Harry Callahan's first entry in which is sent to chase vicious series murderer killing and kidnapping children

    Effective first installment in ¨Dirty Harry¨ series and followed by various sequels still gripping and stirring . The film starts with a prologue : ¨In tribute to San Francisco Police officers who gave their lives in the line of duty¨ . Iconoclast Harry Callahan(Eastwood) attempts to detain vicious killers who are robbing a bank , he takes on criminals determined to bring them to justice, even if he has to break some rules . This time has a young partner who is assigned when his ordinary pal is wounded . The rock-hard inspector is accompanied by a Mexican cop (Reni Santoni) and they track down a nasty series killer (Andrew Robinson) .The psychotic murderer is detained but is freed on legal technicalities and Harry takes the law into his own hands. Harry wielding a revolver Magnum 44 ( in fact, as is titled the second entry, Magnum force) returns his unorthodox means ; facing off ominous murderous that is threatening the city of San Francisco. Harry in troubles as habitual with his chiefs (Harry Guardino , John Larch) and the District Prosecutor (Josef Sommer) because his methods lead abuse the criminal's civil rights and a pile of death in clod blood along his wake. Harry pursues the revenge-obsessed murderer and encounters he has more problems with him than he expected. Rule-breaking Callahan strides grimly throughout San Francisco in pursuit the murderous , including an exciting final on a school bus . Whatever your reservations about Harry's expeditious methods we know he'll always vanquish , shooting in cold blood with his pistol .

    Formula thriller plenty of action , crisply edition , tension, suspenseful and lots of violence . Clint Eastwood's good performance as two-fisted Harry Callahan , the tall and taciturn inspector who utilizing his Magnum 44 pistol kills baddies and , as always , he says some original phrases . Well written by Harry and Rita Fink ; it packs intrigue , violence, action-filled and is a really effective film . It turns out to be interesting and plenty of vivid action , suspense and thrills. Good secondary cast gives effective performance as John Larch , Harry Guardino , Josef Sommer as the prosecutor and John Vernon as the Mayor. Good use of locations filmed in Panavision and Technicolor , by cameraman Bruce Surtees , son of prestigious photographer Robert Surtees , reflecting splendidly the streets of San Francisco , ordinary scenario of the series . Adequate and atmospheric musical score by usual Lalo Schifrin , including a classic jazzy leitmotif . Taut and expert direction by Don Siegel who formerly directed him in ¨Coogan's bluff¨ and subsequently in ¨Escape from Alcatraz¨ and well financed by the usual, Robert Daley as executive producer from Malpaso Company . Followed by ¨Magnum Force¨ by Ted Post with Robert Urich and David Soul , ¨The enforcer¨ 1976, by James Fargo with Tyne Daly, Harry Guardino, ¨Sudden impact¨1983, Eastwood with Sandra Locke , Pat Ingle and ¨Dead pool¨ 1988, by Buddy Van Horn with Liam Neeson and Jim Carrey . This formula thriller will appeal to Harry Callahan series enthusiasts , because of the tension, unstopped action , exciting edition , chills abound in this original entry . Well worth seeing for Clint Eastwood fans and it's a cool companion for the action genre followers . An entertaining and amusing film , mounted for its maximum impact and with several scenes that'll have you on the edge of your seat
    ian-433

    Something wild about Harry

    Don Siegel's highly polished .44 magnum-opus, with Clint Eastwood as the daddy (or should that be mutha?) of all maverick cops. Given an A-picture budget by Warners, Siegel delivered a tremendously taut thriller, as provocatively amoral as anything he had done in his 20-year career of expert B-pics like The Killers.

    Dirty Harry also gave Eastwood a definitive Hollywood identity after leaving spaghetti westerns behind. It may lack the humour of Siegel and Eastwood's first collaboration, Coogan's Bluff, but it packs a much more uneasy political punch.

    Inspector Harry Callaghan is the taciturn, laconic spokesman of Nixon's Silent Majority, elevated to iconic status. His dialogue with criminals is delivered behind the barrel of a devastatingly phallic Magnum hand-gun. "Feel lucky, punk?" he taunts one wounded miscreant in a famous line he repeats at the end of the film.

    There's just enough moral ambiguity about Harry in this film to escape it being an endorsement of vigilantism – but if it poses resonating questions about how a liberal society can be held hostage by those outside the law, it also contrives a worryingly two-dimensional picture of psycho-killer Scorpio (Andy Robinson) - and of Harry, himself – with which to frame those questions.

    Made by the veteran director in the same year as Hollywood-new wave young gun William Friedkin shot The French Connection, it's just as coolly authoritative and exciting. Siegel uses Bruce Surtees' always serviceable photography of San Francisco locations with flair (years before, he had shot the low-budget but excellent The Line-Up there). The swooping helicopter shot out of the baseball stadium, as if to rush the audience away (either as witnesses or as voyeurs) as Eastwood presses his foot on Scorpio's wounded leg, shows Siegel's smooth mastery of the medium.

    Siegel made the insouciant Charley Varrick with Walter Matthau next, after which his career went into slow decline.
    9richardchatten

    "Welcome to Homicide"

    Another film inextricably linked to a star cast as a last-minute replacement; it's impossible now to imagine how it would have turned out had Sinatra not dropped out and Harry Callaghan will forever more be Clint Eastwood.

    As it stands San Francisco looks an urban hell with suitably nightmarish music by Lalo Schifrin and grimacing gargoyle Scorpio seems completely at home (evidently he killed for feral pleasure rather than merely attention like his inspiration Zodiac).

    As for Harry himself his cynicism was aptly demonstrated by the famous speech that bookended it: evidently he knew precisely how many shots he'd fired, the first he was purely feigning ignorance for fun, the second time he was in deadly earnest about to commit judicial murder.
    8GiraffeDoor

    I feel awkward about liking this movie. But it's still an inimitable classic.

    For me this is that movie that you love when you're young but as you get older you see the dark side to it.

    I mean...it's not exactly Masha and the Bear at first glance but you know what I mean.

    As an action movie, this is just timeless. It has a gentle, yet uncompromising tone that immediately puts you in the mindset that you are in an unforgiving, violent world. It's clearly going for the X rating. It's not about elegance, it's just about being honest.

    There's something folkloric in this tale of hunter and hunted where it's hard to tell who is the more brutal. That was indeed ment to be the gimmick: "two killers on the loose, one carries a badge".

    It's a vivid movie about sadism and unapologetic brutality. Where there is only kill or let others get killed. Harry is a delicious character and Eastwood's cool portrayal, always seeming to be one jolt away from going nuts is captivating.

    But in recent years I've had new feelings. Harry seems to personify that kind of cop who hates the 4th amendment, who sees themselves as the only barrier between the innocent and monsters and is devoted to protecting without a thought for who will protect the public from him. It's that counter-counter-cultural thinking where one wants more power to law enforcement not less. I know the title suggests that these are Harry's negative traits but when watching, these are why we fall in love with him as a character. It's kind of a double bluff. Especially when Harry's violation of protocol is seemingly respresented as necessary.

    Scorpio is amazing. He is played with maniacal relish that complements the stoney Harry like how the Joker does for batman. But I would say he's scarier. We don't get the comic fantasy as a barrier.

    I might be overthinking this movie but it is a fascinating rumination on grey morality and how it's not always easy to tell who to root for. Even when you think you've realised that the official heroes aren't always good.

    It's a difficult movie to internalize and ultimately, that's why it's brilliant.

    There's never been a movie quite like it.

    Best Emmys Moments

    Best Emmys Moments
    Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

    More like this

    Magnum Force
    7.2
    Magnum Force
    The Enforcer
    6.7
    The Enforcer
    Sudden Impact
    6.6
    Sudden Impact
    The Dead Pool
    6.3
    The Dead Pool
    The Outlaw Josey Wales
    7.8
    The Outlaw Josey Wales
    Pale Rider
    7.3
    Pale Rider
    A Fistful of Dollars
    7.9
    A Fistful of Dollars
    Escape from Alcatraz
    7.5
    Escape from Alcatraz
    In the Line of Fire
    7.2
    In the Line of Fire
    Heartbreak Ridge
    6.8
    Heartbreak Ridge
    Play Misty for Me
    6.9
    Play Misty for Me
    High Plains Drifter
    7.4
    High Plains Drifter

    Related interests

    Ethan Hawke and Denzel Washington in Training Day (2001)
    Cop Drama
    Ice-T, Mariska Hargitay, Danny Pino, and Kelli Giddish in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)
    Police Procedural
    Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman in Se7en (1995)
    Serial Killer
    Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      After Clint Eastwood and Don Siegel came on-board the project, they hired Dean Riesner to work on the script. In his first re-write, the bank robbery scene ends with Harry not pointing the gun at the robber, but placing it against his own temple. He pulls the trigger, laughs, and then walks away. Eastwood and Siegel both felt this was too extreme, even for Harry Callahan.
    • Goofs
      Some considerable time after the first shooting, the police have arrived and Callaghan has climbed up to the roof from where the shooting took place. Yet when he looks down to the rooftop swimming pool, the blood in the pool is still only in one small area, instead of having been dispersed in the water.
    • Quotes

      Harry Callahan: Uh uh. 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 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 gotta ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?

    • Crazy credits
      During the opening credits, the word "Dirty" in the title is in red as opposed to the rest of the credits' yellow.
    • Alternate versions
      As with all of the "Dirty Harry"-films this one also had some cuts for violent content in the initial Swedish release. Among trimmed scenes were Scorpio pulling Harry's knife out of his leg, and the scene where Scorpio pays a man to beat him up, which was cut by almost 40 seconds.
    • Connections
      Edited into Tough Guise: Violence, Media & the Crisis in Masculinity (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Row, Row, Row Your Boat
      (uncredited)

      Written by Traditional

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ27

    • How long is Dirty Harry?Powered by Alexa
    • How many Dirty Harry movies are there?
    • What real locations were used in the making of the film?
    • I've heard Harry only fires five shots in the bank robbery scene. Is this accurate?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 23, 1971 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Facebook
      • Official Site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Harry el sucio
    • Filming locations
      • Holiday Inn Select Downtown Hotel - 750 Kearny Street, San Francisco, California, USA(pool murder opening scene, now Hilton San Francisco Financial District)
    • Production company
      • The Malpaso Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $4,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $35,988,495
    • Gross worldwide
      • $35,990,223
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 42m(102 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.