Harry Callahan (character)

Harry Callahan (character)

Inspector Harold Francis "Harry" Callahan, better known as "Dirty Harry", is a fictional San Francisco police detective in the Dirty Harry film series, encompassing Dirty Harry (1971), Magnum Force (1973), The Enforcer (1976), Sudden Impact (1983), and The Dead Pool (1988). Callahan is portrayed by Clint Eastwood in each movie.

From his debut, Callahan became the template for a new kind of movie cop: someone who does not hesitate to cross professional and ethical boundaries in pursuit of his own vision of justice, especially when the law is poorly served by an inept bureaucracy. The "Dirty Harry" archetype does not shy away from killing; all of the Dirty Harry films feature Callahan killing criminals. His rationale for such conduct is that it is done with the greater good in mind: protecting the innocent and victims of crime. Callahan's methods are rarely endorsed by his superiors, who on various occasions have demoted, suspended or transferred him to other departments.

Read more about Harry Callahan (character):  Biography, Weapons, Partners, Cultural Recognition, Additional Notes, In Popular Culture

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