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Can anyone explain the themes of the 'Dirty Harryy' films?

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GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#1: Sep 30th 2017 at 5:49:12 AM

Can anyone explain the finer points and ideas that the films express thorughout the series? I watched Magnum Force, Sudden Death, The Enforcer and Dead Pool myself but I may need to rewatch them as well as the first film to understand the themes. Can anyone explain the conflict in the films? And what makes Callahan different from the people he fights against?

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#2: Sep 30th 2017 at 7:02:28 AM

You really need to watch the first movie, Dirty Harry (1971), to understand where Callahan is coming from. He's a Cowboy Cop who tries to work within the system, but when the system fails to punish the guilty, he becomes a loose cannon. He believes that it's a perversion of justice to focus on upholding the civil rights of criminals, while ignoring the civil rights of their victims.

Harry seems to treat his various adversaries as "outlaws" in the original sense of the word: In the Middle Ages, someone who was officially declared an outlaw was literally "outside the law" — meaning he could no longer claim any rights or protection under the law, and was thus fair game for anyone who might kill or capture him.

edited 30th Sep '17 10:32:42 AM by pwiegle

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CrimsonZephyr Would that it were so simple. from Massachusetts Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
Would that it were so simple.
#3: Sep 30th 2017 at 8:12:16 AM

"Cops rule, liberals drool."

"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die."
Demetrios Lucky Seven from Des Plaines, Illinois (unfortunately) Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
TamH70 Since: Nov, 2011 Relationship Status: Faithful to 2D
#5: Sep 30th 2017 at 6:34:21 PM

It should be noted that when Harry was given the chance to join the paramilitary death squad of ex-Special Forces soldiers turned motorcycle cops, the titular "Magnum Force" in that film, Harry not only said no, he killed every one of them, and their boss. Harry believes in the law, and administers it without fear or favour, to the detriment of his career.

pwiegle Cape Malleum Majorem from Nowhere Special Since: Sep, 2015 Relationship Status: Singularity
Cape Malleum Majorem
#6: Oct 1st 2017 at 4:43:07 AM

[up] Harry once said: "There's nothing wrong with shooting, as long as the right people get shot." The Magnum Force was shooting indiscriminately, mowing down innocent bystanders along with their intended targets. This was one reason why Harry despised them, along with their heavy-handedness. ("What's next? Soon you'll be executing people for letting their dog piss on the neighbor's lawn!")

Remember that these films were made in the 1970s, when urban decay, civil unrest, and skyrocketing crime rates were typical. Police were overworked and understaffed, and the courts were clogged up with cases. While liberals were adamant about protecting the rights of the accused, conservatives wanted to declare martial law and use the military to clean up the cities.

edited 1st Oct '17 4:50:57 AM by pwiegle

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jamespolk Since: Aug, 2012
#7: Oct 2nd 2017 at 11:01:32 AM

Pretty sure the themes of the Dirty Harry movies don't go farther than "Clint Eastwood kills bad guys."

GAP Formerly G.G. from Who Knows? Since: May, 2011 Relationship Status: In love with love
Formerly G.G.
#8: Oct 4th 2017 at 3:09:31 PM

I suppose you are right but when you consider that the Dirty harry movies do contain some level of satire, it makes me wonder if I had missed something and I just assumed that they were just cop films.

"Fan, a Mega Man character."
jamespolk Since: Aug, 2012
#9: Oct 4th 2017 at 4:52:43 PM

Oh, if you wanted to get technical, you could talk about conservative Nixon voters yearning for "law and order", especially if law and order consists of bad guys getting shot up. See also Joe, which got a lot of Misaimed Fandom.

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