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Dirty Harry (1971) Watch along

🕑 Added 2025-03-20 17:31:59 +0000 UTC

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Mayan Luevano

Dirty Harry is one of those characters that always stuck with me as a kid because of my father and his upbringing. My father grew up in a very dangerous neighborhood in LA and told me many stories about the constant crime and fear that were always prevalent during the 80s and early 90s.

JM63

The “blue vs. red” motif is cleverly expanded during the rooftop stakeout sequence. As the “Jesus Saves” neon sign rotates, Harry is alternately bathed in blue and red light. At this point, the two aspects are still equally balanced in his psyche. [Incidentally, I believe Ames was correct in pointing out the noir influence on this film. The term “noir” can indicate many things (and I’m not sure whether the word explains more than it confuses), but to me “noir” primarily refers to a visual style that uses light, shadow, and color (in neo-noirs) to portray **external manifestations** of internal conflicts and turmoil (which goes back to its roots in German Expressionism).] But this balance is disrupted during the stadium confrontation with Scorpio. The incredible helicopter pull-away shot shows how unhinged and detached Harry has become from any legal or ethical concerns as he uses any possible means to extract the information from Scorpio. The next morning reveals the blue sky of San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge. These shots are not only beautiful – they show Harry contemplating his place in the “blue world.” Visually, he has completely disappeared from the blue plane, leaving only his shadow. Later, as Harry trails Scorpio, we see the result. No more struggle – he is now unambiguously red. The film ends with a shot to match the end of the stadium scene (this time with a calmer zoom out instead of the violent helicopter pull-away).

JM63

The loose cannon, rogue cop has become such a cliché that an entire film satirizing the trope, The Naked Gun, was made in 1988. The subgenre extends at least back to 1932's The Beast of the City, and it includes a fairly well-known 50s crime film (which I will not name, to avoid spoiling the plot). But Dirty Harry still ranks as one of the best. ** SPOILER WARNING ** One of the outstanding aspects of Dirty Harry is how it uses color to reinforce its main theme. An early shot puts Harry in the center of the frame, where his red sweater clearly stands out against the bright blue sky. A bit later, Harry meets with his lieutenant, the chief of police, and the mayor. Both the mayor and the lieutenant are wearing blue ties, and the police chief is wearing his dress blue uniform. But a closer look at Harry reveals that his tie is a combination of blue *and* red. I don’t believe these wardrobe choices are accidental. Harry’s tie shows that the conflict between the blue (cool, level-headed adherence to the law) and the red (blind rage and “an eye for an eye” retribution) is literally at the center of his character.