Harry Callahan (cinema)

Presentation

Number n°2211 of the police force of San Francisco, the inspector Harry Callahan is a violent, cold and cynical civil servant, with the expeditious methods.

It carries out its own war within the American legal system which it considers imperfect and ineffective. This reciprocal contempt towards its hierarchy, and more generally the established order, is more than conflict. Regularly, one threatens it to suspend it and to even return it. Callahan explains it to Jennifer Spencer, whereas they make knowledge:

- Jennifer Spencer: I attended your exploits the other day, I deduced from it that you êtiez a cop or the public enemy number 1. has

- Harry Callahan: I have well the impression to be both for some… has

- Jennifer Spencer: Ah yes? For which? has

- Harry Callahan: For all the puppets full of soup which order us and us engueulent and which spends 8 hours per day the bottom screwed on their chair. has

Its expeditious methods

Harry Callahan is detached from the other police officers by its brutal and fast methods. It is often for him a cause of troubles with its hierarchy but he does not hesitate to hold head to them, sure of his choices. Thus, when the mayor of San Francisco points out his errors in 1972 to him at the time of the business of the district of Fillmore recalls him vigoureuseument, its named preceding partner Deitzick is at the hospital. As for that of front, Fanduchi , it was killed.

Initially justified to follow Callahan, Gonzales will be finally solved to hang up again to become professor. It makes this decision whereas it has just been wounded by bullets at the time of the first attempt from arrest of Scorpion, where it saved the life of Harry Callahan.

Frank De Georgio , a friend of Callahan, becomes its partner then during a time. But a new fellow-member Afro-American is assigned to him. Sometimes described like racist, Harry Callahan will make team one brief moment with the inspector Early Smith until his death in the explosion of its trapped letter-box.

De Georgio then becomes again its partner until Bobby Maxwell kills it at the time of a burgling.

In spite of its image of Misogynist, Callahan makes also team with Kate Moore . It makes its meeting whereas it is affected with the personnel department of. It is by réintrégrant the service of the homicides that this woman is associated to him, for reasons of image near the general public. Néanmois, the inspector will end up respecting it just like its work. Moore is made kill by the " Deterrent force of Peuple" while wanting to deliver the mayor, one of his very good friends. Unfortunately, he is assassinated in the apartment of Harry with San Paulo, which is assigned to him following the threats weighing on the life of Callahan. Al Quan finishes wounded.

Its confrontations

See also: List of the enemies of the inspector Harry

Its private life

There are very few revelations on the private life of Callahan. Nevertheless, it is learned that it was previously married but that unfortunately, his wife was killed by a drunk driver. But it does not start a relation because this one is the widow of Charlie McCoy, one of his/her ex-colleagues. Indeed, with a police officer who presents to him a weapon found on the spot of the slaughter, which it that she would make it possible to accuse Jennifer Spencer, it knows pertinently holds this speech:

- Police: Inspector, one found one .38 on him. H

- Harry Callahan: Ballistics will say to you that it is the weapon which was useful for all the murders. H

- Police: Then, it is finished? H

- Harry Callahan: Yes, it is finished. H

At this time, Callahan looks at Jennifer Spencer fixedly. The direction of its last words is thus multiple. They are addressed:

with the police officer, assure him that all the business is solved,
in Jennifer Spencer, to announce to him that it does not have any more reason to continue its slaughters, nor to be afraid of legal reprisals,
in Jennifer Spencer, to indicate to him that their relation is impossible

Its weapon

its Magnum .44

The weapon fetish of Callahan is a Révolver Smith & Wesson model 29 of gauge .44 Magnum , which it uses in all films except for the Return of the inspector Harry . Prominence, even the setting in the high-speed motorboat, of this revolver in films immediately popularized it.

It should be noted that Harry Callahan describes its magnum.

Contrary to the generally accepted idea, it is not a question of a AMT Automag, but actually of a weapon especially built for film.

Interpretation

Several had a presentiment of actors

Clint Eastwood is the actor who lends his features to Harry Callahan. However, at the beginning, it is Paul Newman which must interpret this character in first film of the series. But the rights are then repurchased by Frank Sinatra, via her company Bristol Productions.

Whereas the film prepares and that a poster " Teaser " is even published, Frank Sinatra must give up after a hospitalization. Thanks to Malpaso Company, Clint Eastwood acquires the project and decides to hold the role in front of the cameras. This true police inspector of San Francisco is at the time known general public by the business of which it is occupied, that of the Tueur of the Zodiac. Indeed, since 1969, this serial killer, which is to him at the base of the character of Scorpion, threatens San Francisco.

In film of David Fincher reporting the business, Zodiac (2007), a wink is made when while leaving a meeting of the Inspector Harry with the cinema, Dave Toschi (interpreted by Mark Ruffalo) answers Robert Graysmith (interpreted by Jake Gyllenhaal): .

Catalog of films

1971 : the Inspector Harry ( Dirty Harry ) of Gift Siegel
1973: Magnum Forces Ted Post
1976: the inspector never gives up ( The Enforcer ) of James Fargo
1983: the Return of the inspector Harry ( Sudden Impact ) of Clint Eastwood
1988: the Harry Inspector is the last target ( The Dead Pool ) of Buddy Van Horn

Impact of the character

As of his beginnings in the Inspector Harry , Harry Callahan becomes the Modèle of a new kind of police officer of cinema: the summary dispenser of justice often near to the limit, and pushing back the professional borders and morals to apply its own vision of justice.

Harry Callahan was elected besides the 17th larger Héros of cinema in the list " 100 Years… 100 Heroes and Méchants" American Film Institute ( AFI ).

Regarded as an icon of the cinema, its nickname " Dirty Harry" entered the Vocabulaire like meaning in Argot " instable" , " without Deontology " or to appoint the corrupted police officers .

In homage to Clint Eastwood and its character of Harry Callahan, several countries published stamps with its effigy. One can quote for example:

the Republic of Mali, in 1994
the Republic of Chad, in 1996
the Republic of Niger, in 1999

Polemic

At the time of his exit to the the United States, in 1971, the Inspector Harry is very discussed. In particular, a polemic is born following the chronicle from the famous American critic Pauline Kael from the New Yorker.

Regarding Harry Callahan as a character macho, violent one, and even racist, she sees in film one niaise against the liberal values attacks exceptionally (). For it, the kind of action films always had a potential Fasciste and it shows through in this film. ()

She does not appreciate the character of Scorpio which, at no time, can cause sympathy or pity. Its too caricatural side is for it a vision of right-hand side defending the expeditious and avenger methods of the hero vis-a-vis the impotence of the police force ().

Parodies

McConigal , character of the cartoon Simpson , is a parody of Harry Callahan. McConigal lends only little interest to the rescue of the others, refuses the orders of its own boss and speaks like Harry Callahan.

One of the most famous counterparts of Callahan in the Inspector does Harry is parodied in the films Y have a cop to save the queen? and fatal Alarm .

Mickey Spoon , character of the cartoon Spoon & White , is a large fan of Clint Eastwood. It thus takes again regularly expressions of Harry Callahan.

the March 13rd 1985, the US president Ronald Reagan, in a speech where he threatened to pose his veto against a law of increase in the taxes, known as: .

In Borat, cultural lessons on glorious America with the profit nation Kazakhstan : the hero pronounces, by parodying the remarks of Harry Callahan, the following words:.

Magnum Sauerkraut, of the Null ones, is a parody showing the Harry inspector making team with one limps of preserve.

Callahan, Calahan or Callaghan?

In the inspector Harry , the name of Harry is Callahan. On the other hand, for Magnum Forces , all the promotion campaign, like in the final credits, the name of the inspector is written Calahan.

One also notes that in the French version of the inspector never gives up , doubling transforms the name of Callahan into Callaghan.

Counterparts

They is six times that it drew or they is five only?

One of the points which makes the fame of this character is the force of its counterparts. In particular, it is known for one of the quoted Monolog S more (or parodied) of the history of the cinema.

If this counterpart appeared twice in the American trailer at the time of the exit of film, it is actually all the scene which is mythical. One sees there Harry Callahan face to face with hold-up men in a cafeteria where it with the practice to take its coffee:

- What you insane, species of asshole? K

- The every day since ten years, my Loretta friend serves a large black coffee to me without sugar. Today, it served a black coffee well to me, but it was awfully sweetened… It was nauseating! Then naturally, I come to complain… This says my pretty, pose your artillery. K

- He, what? K

- Because we will not let to you leave like that. K

- Who it is " nous" ? Jerk. K

- Smith… Wesson… and me! K

A shooting follows then. Not remaining any more but one hold-up man still in life, Callahan does not approach him whereas this one holds a woman as an hostage. At this point in time he says:

This counterpart worship suggests various interpretations. Its direction can mean, amongst other things:

that the threat of the burglar does not frighten Harry Callahan,
that the action of the burglar would be exactly the excuse for which need Harry Callahan has to counteract,
that whatever the evil which the burglar could make with the waitress, it would be nothing in comparison the evil which Harry Callahan would make him,
that Harry Callahan is a kind of sadist who adores revenge/response.

Counterparts in original version

Counterpart 1 In the Return of the inspector Harry :
- Spencer :
- Callahan :
- Spencer :
- Callahan :

Counterpart 2 In the inspector Harry , this dialog takes place between the mayor and callahan about the district of Fillmore, the last year:
- Harry Callahan :
- the mayor:
- Harry Callahan :

Counterpart 3 In the Return of the inspector Harry , this sentence is pronounced by lieutenant Donnelly:
.

Counterpart 4 In the Return of the inspector Harry :
.

Counterpart 5 In the Return of the inspector Harry :
.

Counterpart 6 In the Inspector Harry :
- De Georgio :
- Gonzales :
- De Georgio :
- Callahan :

Counterpart 7 In the Inspector Harry :
.

Counterpart 8 In the Return of the inspector Harry , final dialog of film between a police officer and Harry Callahan, which looks at Jennifer Spencer:
- Police :
- Callahan :
- Police :
- Callahan :

Counterpart 9 In the Inspector Harry :

Counterpart 10 In the Return of the inspector Harry :

Counterpart 11 In the Return of the inspector Harry :
- Hold-up man :
- Callahan :
- Hold-up man :
- Callahan :
- Hold-up man :
- Callahan :

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

Harry Callahan on the official site of Clint Eastwood
secrecies of Dirty Harry on the French site of Clint Eastwood

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