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
