Dirty Harry

[poliphilo]

The system is rotten with liberalism. What we need is a few more maverick, vigilante cops who'll go round stomping on people's wounded legs.

The flaw in the argument is that Inspector Harry Callaghan doesn't exist and never did. He's a misplaced Wyatt Earp- only not the real Wyatt Earp (who was a pretty dodgy character) but the Wyatt Earp of legend.  No actual human being was ever so selfless and  incorruptible- or so good with a handgun.

In real life Harry's way leads to Abu Ghraib.

What is it with America and superheroes? Why this recurring fantasy of the untouchable crime fighter?  

They say you can't make a great movie from a lousy script. Dirty Harry is proof you can. That shot where we whoosh away from the misty stadium is pure genius. 

Did you notice all the religious imagery- how the Jesus Saves sign gets shot up, how the cross in the park is just this great charmless lump of concrete? This is a godless world.  In Clint We Trust. 

Religion is for saps. The world can only be saved by men with guns. 

Neo-conservatism in a nutshell.

Betcha Dick Cheyney loves this movie.

Comments

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's interesting, isn't it? I think the politics of Dirty Harry are a bit messed up. I know Clint is a libertarian Republican and I believe Siegel was a man of the left (could be wrong) and I've got the feeling they didn't entirely realise when they were making it what a right-wing agenda it serves.

Basically it's an up-dated Western- of the kind Howard Hawks used to make.