Sudden Impact (1983)

A rape victim is exacting revenge on her agressors in a small town outside San Francisco. Dirty Harry, on suspension for angering his superiors (again), is assigned to the case.

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Harry Julian Fink (characters), Rita M. Fink (characters),

Stars:

Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clint Eastwood	...	Harry Callahan
Sondra Locke	...	Jennifer Spencer
Pat Hingle	...	Chief Jannings
Bradford Dillman	...	Captain Briggs
Paul Drake	...	Mick
Audrie Neenan	...	Ray Parkins (as Audrie J. Neenan)
Jack Thibeau	...	Kruger
Michael Currie	...	Lt. Donnelly
Albert Popwell	...	Horace King
Mark Keyloun	...	Officer Bennett
Kevyn Major Howard	...	Hawkins
Bette Ford	...	Leah
Nancy Parsons	...	Mrs. Kruger
Joe Bellan	...	Burly Detective
Wendell Wellman	...	Tyrone

Storyline

A vicious serial-killer is on the loose in San Francisco and the police trace a link to a small town further down the coast. When Harry Callahan upsets the press and the mayor in his usual style, he's shipped out of town to investigate while the heat is on. With the help of his new Magnum handgun Harry goes on the trail leaving behind the usual trail of dead criminals along the way.

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Plot Keywords:

criminal | rape victim | police | rape | revenge | 

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Taglines:

Dirty Harry is at it again.

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Genres:

Action | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 December 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Impacto fulminante

Filming Locations:

1000-1600 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$67,600,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Malpaso Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The only Dirty Harry film not primarily set in San Francisco.

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Goofs

When Harry "rips" a page from the teletype machine, it's clear that the page had already been separated.

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Quotes

Chief Lester Jannings: He couldn't live with it. The other vermin didn't care. But him, the guilt ate at his gut like an acid. He wanted you to come back. He would pray every night that you'd come back. Until one night he couldn't wait any longer. Took his car out and smashed it and his brains into a retaining wall. Now you're here, and he doesn't even know it. My fault. I should have let him be punished then, along with the other filth. But he was my only son. his mother died giving birth to him. He and I are all ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in 20 to 1: Memorable Movie Characters (2006)

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Soundtracks

"THIS SIDE OF FOREVER"
Performed by Roberta Flack
Music by Lalo Schifrin
Lyrics by DeWayne Blackwell (as Dewayne Blackwell)

User Reviews

A strange and surreal look at Dirty Harry

With Harry Callahan getting up in years, the inevitable `old man with a chip on his shoulder' story had to come into play eventually. Callahan, looking fragile sometimes and out of place, his demeanor still was unwavering. Thankfully, this film took some time off to develop a different type of story, one that might reinvent the Dirty Harry and the whole genre. While the film fell short in doing so, it was still an excellent addition to the series, even if it was getting a little out of place during a time of silly fashion trends and New Wave music.