Dirty Harry

Dirty Harry

Dirty Harry is a 1971 film about a San Francisco cop with little regard for rules, but who always gets results, tracking down a serial killer who snipes at random victims.

Year:
1971
58 Views
You don't assign him to murder cases - you just turn him loose.
Detective Harry Callahan. He doesn't break murder cases - he smashes them.
Dirty Harry and the homicidal maniac. Harry's the one with the badge.
Do you feel lucky, punk?
With his .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, Dirty Harry wipes out crime to hell.
Clint Eastwood is "Dirty Harry". And boy, does he get all the dirty jobs.
Marvelous!

Mayor:
All right, let's have it.

Insp. Harry Callahan:
Have what?

Mayor:
Your report. What have you been doing?

Insp. Harry Callahan:
Oh, well for the past three quarters of an hour, I have been sitting on my ass in your outer office, waiting on you.

Lt. Al Bressler:
Dammit all, Harry, that's the Mayor you're talking to! ...

Mayor:
Won't you sit down Inspector Callahan? ... There's a madman loose, I've asked you what's being done, fair enough?

Insp. Harry Callahan:
We've got a dozen men checking identification files, checking on all known extortionists, roof top prowlers, rifle nuts, peepers..

Lt. Al Bressler:
Mr. Mayor — we've arranged for rooftop surveillance and helicopter patrols especially around the Catholic churches and schools and in the black areas.

Insp. Harry Callahan:
Ballistics is checking on the slug. We're pretty sure it's a .30-06, seven lands and grooves, right-hand twist ...

Lt. Al Bressler:
Sir — we're running a computer check on everybody in the files whose birthday falls between October 23rd and November 21st.

Mayor:
Why?

Insp. Harry Callahan:
Natives of Scorpio.

Mayor:
Thank you Inspector. Have any of you mentioned this note to anyone? How about you? (looking at Callahan)

Insp. Harry Callahan:
Nobody.

Mayor:
Your wife, sweetheart, ... press?

Insp. Harry Callahan:
Nobody.

Mayor:
All right. Give the message to the Chronicle. We'll agree to pay, but we'll tell him we need time to get the money together.

Insp. Harry Callahan:
Wait a minute. Do I get this right? You're gonna play this creep's game?

Mayor:
It'll get us more breathing space.

Insp. Harry Callahan:
It also might get somebody killed. Why don't you let me meet with the son-of-a-b*tch?

Chief:
No, none of that. You'd end up with a real blood-bath.

Mayor:
I agree with the Chief. We'll do it this way, all right?

Lt. Al Bressler:
Thank you Mr. Mayor. Come on Callahan, let's go.

Mayor:
(calls out) Callahan.

Insp. Harry Callahan:
Sir?

Mayor:
I don't want any more trouble like you had last year in the Fillmore District. Understand? That's my policy.

Insp. Harry Callahan:
Yeah, well, when an adult male is chasing a female with intent to commit rape, I shoot the bastard; that's my policy.

Mayor:
Intent? How did you establish that?

Insp. Harry Callahan:
When a naked man is chasing a woman through an alley with a butcher knife and a hard-on, I figure he isn't out collecting for the Red Cross.

Mayor:
[after Callahan has left] I think he's got a point.

District Attorney:
I've just been looking over your arrest report. A very unusual piece of police work. Really amazing.

Callahan:
Yeah, well I had some luck.

District Attorney:
You're lucky I'm not indicting you for assault with intent to commit murder.

Callahan:
What?!

District Attorney:
Where the hell does it say you've got a right to kick down doors, torture suspects, deny medical attention and legal counsel. Where have you been? Does Escobedo ring a bell? Miranda? I mean, you must have heard of the Fourth Amendment. What I'm saying is, that man had rights.

Callahan:
Well, I'm all "broken up" about that man's rights.

District Attorney:
You should be. I've got news for you, Callahan. As soon as he's well enough to leave the hospital, he walks.

Callahan:
What are you talking about?

District Attorney:
He's free.

Callahan:
You mean you're letting him go?

District Attorney:
We have to, we can't try him.

Callahan:
And why is that?

District Attorney:
Because I'm not wasting a half a million dollars of the taxpayer's money on a trial we can't possibly win. The problem is, we don't have any evidence.

Callahan:
Evidence? What the hell do you call that? [He gestures toward Scorpio's weapon]

District Attorney:
I call it nothing, zero.

Callahan:
Are you trying to tell me that Ballistics can't match the bullet up to this rifle?

District Attorney:
It does not matter what Ballistics can do. This rifle might make a nice souvenir. But it's inadmissible as evidence.

Callahan:
And who says that?

District Attorney:
It's the law.

Callahan:
Well then, the law is crazy!

District Attorney:
This is Judge Bannerman of the appellate court. He also holds classes in Constitutional Law in Berkeley. I've asked him for an opinion — your Honor?

Judge Bannerman:
Well, in my opinion, the search of the suspect's quarters was illegal. Evidence obtained thereby, such as that hunting rifle, for instance, is inadmissible in court. You should have gotten a search warrant. I'm sorry, but it's that simple.

Callahan:
Search warrant!? There was a girl dying.

District Attorney:
She was in fact dead according to the medical report.

Callahan:
But I didn't know that.

Judge:
The court would have to recognize the police officer's legitimate concern for the girl's life, but there is no way they can possibly condone police torture. All evidence concerning the girl — the suspect's confession, all physical evidence — would have to be excluded.

Callahan:
(sighs) There must be something you can get him on.

Judge:
Without the evidence of the gun and the girl, (half chuckles) I couldn't convict him of spitting on the sidewalk. No, the suspect's rights were violated, under the Fourth and Fifth and probably the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments.

Callahan (incredulous and angry):
And Anne Mary Deacon, what about her rights? I mean, she's raped and left in a hole to die. Who speaks for her?

District Attorney:
The District Attorney's office, if you'll let us. I've got a wife and three kids. I don't want him on the streets any more than you do.

Callahan:
Well, he won't be out there long.

District Attorney:
What is that supposed to mean?

Callahan:
I mean sooner or later he's gonna stub his toe and then I'll be right there.

District Attorney:
This office won't stand for any harassment.

Callahan:
You know, you're crazy if you think you've heard the last of this guy. He's gonna kill again.

District Attorney:
How do you know?

Callahan:
'Cause he likes it.


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