The original "Dirty Harry" film is a masterpiece of filmmaking, a bleak, spare morality tale and social commentary on the flawed justice system that introduced the iconic San Francisco detective to the ranks of the best cops portrayed on film and essentially re-defined the trajectory of Clint Eastwood's career. Yeah, Eastwood had already nailed the anti-heroic Western loner in the 60s, BUT in the 70s thanks to the role of Dirty Harry, he was able to tweak his cool, macho persona just enough to create a new, invigorating character.
Harry Callahan may actually be similar on the surface to Eastwood's "Man With No Name" Western hero, but there are definite subtleties that make Harry a more relatable type of hero. For example, in the first film, we find out that Harry is a widower in a very brief, yet immensely well-played scene when he is being treated by a longtime doctor friend for his wounds obtained in the film's early legendary "Do you feel lucky?" shootout. Anyone in Harry's situation could relate to such loss, however long ago it happened. It's nice little scenes like this that make Harry "one of us", and not just some otherworldly tough guy. Then there's Harry's legendary speech to the Mayor on how he feels about criminals. I imagine that's how a LOT of people actually feel, but Harry is that rare breed that's got the stones to voice his opinion! Harry speaks for the majority. The ending to "Dirty Harry" is still one of the most powerful ever put to celluloid. It was the real Best Picture of 1971, anyway you slice it!
Interestingly, most people actually like virtually all of the sequels (except perhaps for "The Dead Pool"), but you can't win them all! Still, for 3 out of 4 sequels to be good, that's something. In actuality, I think the majority opinion is that each sequel declines in quality from the prior film. I disagree. While I still think "Dirty Harry" is the best of all (obviously), I don't think the immediate sequel "Magnum Force" is the best sequel. I believe that honor actually goes to this film THE ENFORCER (1976). "Magnum Force", while somewhat watchable, is a bit too cold and detached and, really, the least relatable of the group of films, next to "The Dead Pool". Definitely not my favorite. As a sequel, I feel as if "The Enforcer" comes closest of all of them of deftly relaying the message of the Dirty Harry films, while being able to tell a different, yet compelling, story.
"The Enforcer" starts out with a scene of a sexy hitchhiker (70s blonde bombshell Jocelyn Jones sporting the "Daisy Duke" look even before the term was coined!) goading two gullible and horny gas company employees to a private location, where lay in wait is Bobby Maxwell (played with bug-eyed intensity by DeVeren Bookwalter), a disgruntled Vietnam vet and leader of the People's Revolutionary Strike Force. Maxwell kills the 2 men so he can confiscate their van to infiltrate a secure warehouse to steal advanced weapons so they can wreak havoc in the city, all the while leading up to a grander plan that involves kidnapping the Mayor to make a bold statement.
During the warehouse melee, Harry's partner DiGiorgio (commendably played by John Mitchum) is killed trying to stop the terrorist gang, but not before he is able to fatally injure one of them. Maxwell takes no chances and finishes off the injured party in a disturbing moment. So Harry is assigned a new partner Officer Kate Moore (winningly played by a very young Tyne Daly in a breakthrough role), who is immediately promoted to detective after having just passed an oral screening exam, of which Harry was one of the testers. The exam scene was my favorite of the film! Harry, being somewhat of a misogynist, reluctantly partners with Moore and their uneasy alliance is fun to watch throughout, as Eastwood and Daly display appealing yin-yang chemistry.
During their investigation into the war on the city, Harry's superiors, in particular the vain, media-schmoozing Captain McKay (convincingly played by Bradford Dillman) try to compel him to harass an infamous local group of black militants, let by Mustapha (persuasively played by Albert Popwell, a stalwart supporting player in the "Dirty Harry" franchise). The scenes between Harry and Mustapha are very compelling, as the two men, while they have similar viewpoints on the MAN and the corrupt, ill-operated justice system, Harry hasn't completely given up on it, while Mustapha is a total rebel.
But as the film progresses and Harry sees that his superiors are targeting the wrong group, even after he and Moore have gathered some feasible circumstantial evidence, he gets himself suspended. Soon after, the real terrorists kidnap the Mayor and McKay re-instates Harry as Harry and Moore pursue the terrorists in a pulse-pounding climax at the infamous Alcatraz prison (shot on location). The ending scene to this sequel, for me, really resonates and I have it as easily the second best one in all the films. I'm sure you can guess which ending I rank as Number 1!
Eastwood easily fits into his iconic role here carries the show with cool, calm precision. And Daly, in a groundbreaking role, plays my favorite partner to Harry Callahan. This role probably set the stage for her to become the Lacey half of "Cagney and Lacey", for which she would go onto to win FOUR Lead Actress in a Drama Series Emmys! Directed by James Fargo, I find "The Enforcer" to be a very provocative and fluid film that never stalls and tells a compelling story. Easily the best sequel to "Dirty Harry" for me!
Harry Callahan may actually be similar on the surface to Eastwood's "Man With No Name" Western hero, but there are definite subtleties that make Harry a more relatable type of hero. For example, in the first film, we find out that Harry is a widower in a very brief, yet immensely well-played scene when he is being treated by a longtime doctor friend for his wounds obtained in the film's early legendary "Do you feel lucky?" shootout. Anyone in Harry's situation could relate to such loss, however long ago it happened. It's nice little scenes like this that make Harry "one of us", and not just some otherworldly tough guy. Then there's Harry's legendary speech to the Mayor on how he feels about criminals. I imagine that's how a LOT of people actually feel, but Harry is that rare breed that's got the stones to voice his opinion! Harry speaks for the majority. The ending to "Dirty Harry" is still one of the most powerful ever put to celluloid. It was the real Best Picture of 1971, anyway you slice it!
Interestingly, most people actually like virtually all of the sequels (except perhaps for "The Dead Pool"), but you can't win them all! Still, for 3 out of 4 sequels to be good, that's something. In actuality, I think the majority opinion is that each sequel declines in quality from the prior film. I disagree. While I still think "Dirty Harry" is the best of all (obviously), I don't think the immediate sequel "Magnum Force" is the best sequel. I believe that honor actually goes to this film THE ENFORCER (1976). "Magnum Force", while somewhat watchable, is a bit too cold and detached and, really, the least relatable of the group of films, next to "The Dead Pool". Definitely not my favorite. As a sequel, I feel as if "The Enforcer" comes closest of all of them of deftly relaying the message of the Dirty Harry films, while being able to tell a different, yet compelling, story.
"The Enforcer" starts out with a scene of a sexy hitchhiker (70s blonde bombshell Jocelyn Jones sporting the "Daisy Duke" look even before the term was coined!) goading two gullible and horny gas company employees to a private location, where lay in wait is Bobby Maxwell (played with bug-eyed intensity by DeVeren Bookwalter), a disgruntled Vietnam vet and leader of the People's Revolutionary Strike Force. Maxwell kills the 2 men so he can confiscate their van to infiltrate a secure warehouse to steal advanced weapons so they can wreak havoc in the city, all the while leading up to a grander plan that involves kidnapping the Mayor to make a bold statement.
During the warehouse melee, Harry's partner DiGiorgio (commendably played by John Mitchum) is killed trying to stop the terrorist gang, but not before he is able to fatally injure one of them. Maxwell takes no chances and finishes off the injured party in a disturbing moment. So Harry is assigned a new partner Officer Kate Moore (winningly played by a very young Tyne Daly in a breakthrough role), who is immediately promoted to detective after having just passed an oral screening exam, of which Harry was one of the testers. The exam scene was my favorite of the film! Harry, being somewhat of a misogynist, reluctantly partners with Moore and their uneasy alliance is fun to watch throughout, as Eastwood and Daly display appealing yin-yang chemistry.
During their investigation into the war on the city, Harry's superiors, in particular the vain, media-schmoozing Captain McKay (convincingly played by Bradford Dillman) try to compel him to harass an infamous local group of black militants, let by Mustapha (persuasively played by Albert Popwell, a stalwart supporting player in the "Dirty Harry" franchise). The scenes between Harry and Mustapha are very compelling, as the two men, while they have similar viewpoints on the MAN and the corrupt, ill-operated justice system, Harry hasn't completely given up on it, while Mustapha is a total rebel.
But as the film progresses and Harry sees that his superiors are targeting the wrong group, even after he and Moore have gathered some feasible circumstantial evidence, he gets himself suspended. Soon after, the real terrorists kidnap the Mayor and McKay re-instates Harry as Harry and Moore pursue the terrorists in a pulse-pounding climax at the infamous Alcatraz prison (shot on location). The ending scene to this sequel, for me, really resonates and I have it as easily the second best one in all the films. I'm sure you can guess which ending I rank as Number 1!
Eastwood easily fits into his iconic role here carries the show with cool, calm precision. And Daly, in a groundbreaking role, plays my favorite partner to Harry Callahan. This role probably set the stage for her to become the Lacey half of "Cagney and Lacey", for which she would go onto to win FOUR Lead Actress in a Drama Series Emmys! Directed by James Fargo, I find "The Enforcer" to be a very provocative and fluid film that never stalls and tells a compelling story. Easily the best sequel to "Dirty Harry" for me!