MOVIE

Dirty Harry (1971)

Directed by Don Siegel1h 42mPublished Sep 16, 2025Episode length 3h 42m
Episode 296 - Dirty Harry
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Top cast

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Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Harry
Harry Guardino
Harry Guardino
Bressler
Reni Santoni
Reni Santoni
Chico
John Vernon
John Vernon
The Mayor
Andrew Robinson
Andrew Robinson
Killer
John Larch
John Larch
Chief
John Mitchum
John Mitchum
De Georgio
Mae Mercer
Mae Mercer
Mrs. Russell
L
Lyn Edgington
Norma
Ruth Kobart
Ruth Kobart
Bus Driver
Don Siegel
Don Siegel
Director
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Overview

When a madman dubbed 'Scorpio' terrorizes San Francisco, hard-nosed cop, Harry Callahan – famous for his take-no-prisoners approach to law enforcement – is tasked with hunting down the psychopath.

Show notes

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“Do you feel lucky, punk?” Join Ian, Megs & Liam for our 296th episode as we prowl the streets of San Francisco, badge in one hand and .44 Magnum in the other, for a look at Clint Eastwood’s career-defining role in Dirty Harry (1971). A killer on the loose, a cop who won’t play by the rules, and a city hanging in t

Read full show notes

“Do you feel lucky, punk?”

Join Ian, Megs & Liam for our 296th episode as we prowl the streets of San Francisco, badge in one hand and .44 Magnum in the other, for a look at Clint Eastwood’s career-defining role in Dirty Harry (1971). A killer on the loose, a cop who won’t play by the rules, and a city hanging in the balance—this episode asks all the right questions, even if Harry never bothers to. It’s cops, criminals, and constitutional crises in our 296th episode as we ask:

  • Yes, Dirty Harry is cool—but do women actually like this film?
  • What’s with all the nudity, and how much of it serves the story?
  • Why does Scorpio do anything he does—and why does his logic (or lack thereof) drive us mad?
  • How has Harry never learned what actually invalidates evidence or a confession? Law 101, Callahan!
  • Why does the mayor keep calling him like he’s on speed dial for bad PR?
  • How deaf is the kid doing the fishing? And how long would it take for him to notice what’s going on behind him?
  • Why is Scorpio so disparate in his understanding of the value of hostages—demanding one thing one moment, then undercutting himself the next?
  • Why doesn’t the SFPD sit Harry home when he’s framed on regional television?
  • What exactly does the ending mean—resignation, rebellion, or just Eastwood being Eastwood?
  • Which line from the film is one of the most misquoted in television history?
  • We share some thoughts on the Charlie Kirk shooting and the public’s reaction to it - are we losing our humanity?
  • And finally: when exactly does DNA evidence become a thing—and how would it have changed the whole movie?

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