Year of Eastwood #26

Magnum Force (1973)

Starring: Eastwood
Directed by Ted Post

Clint hit pay dirt with Dirty Harry. The film was a phenomenon that made Clint the biggest star in the world and Clint finally had the ultimate prize of any actor … a catchphrase he could take to the bank. “Do you feel lucky, punk” was being used at every office meeting, dinner table, and wife swap around the country, so naturally a sequel was inevitable. And two years later, Clint gave the public what they wanted … Insp. Harry Callahan was back with Magnum Force.

Before today's sequel fatique, a sequel usually meant a bump up in budget, better effects, and a fine-tuned machine running on all cylinders. A few sequels come to mind that might in fact be better than their predecessors … Godfather 2, Empire Strikes Back, and Aliens. Of course, when there’s money to be made the result is a gluttony of sequels to every successful film that comes along - even when the sequel is just a retread of the original. My personal favorite is Weekend at Bernie’s 2. The guys are still trying to party it up with a rapidly decomposing corpse. For the love of God, put the poor man in the ground already.

But Magnum Force ups the ante on Dirty Harry’s success. The film poses an interesting question ... what is the result if everyone started copying Harry’s antics of taking the law into their own hands? Clint has his hands full with a group of vigilante cops inspired by Harry’s success and plan on executing every criminal they see fit. While Harry goes around shooting hi-jackers and robbers - the vigilante cops kill mobsters, hippies, and pimps. How is what they’re handing down any different then Harry’s methods? Apparently, Harry brings down the bad guys in the line of fire while the cops just track down people in their motorcycles and shoot them in the head.

In the original film, Dirty Harry was a singularly-driven man focused on his pursuit of justice. Magnum Force attempts to show the more human side of Harry. Clint hangs out with some friends, enjoys some beers, and even gets it on with Sunny from downstairs. Life is looking pretty good for Harry, but once again not so much for his partners … this one gets blown up from a bomb in his mailbox.

Look for a cameo from a pre-Three's Company Suzanne Somers. She's skinny-dipping at some hippy party ... then she gets shot. Guess those vigilantes were doing a pre-emptive strike against the Thigh Master.

Watching Magnum Force today, 25 years later, it’s easy to see the effect this gritty crime drama had on other forms of entertainment. TV dramas like Baretta featured the rogue crime fighter chasing down killers week after week. Even 70’s porn embraced the Dirty Harry storyline - loner private dicks fighting crime in between banging hot chicks. (Not that I would have any idea what 70’s porn is all about - but Dirk Diggler’s claim to fame was his series of Brock Landers, Private Eye films.)

In fact, the opening credits of Magnum Force has a certain 70’s porn feel to it. A long steady shot of Harry’s impressive tool - his .44 Magnum - while the wakka chikka wakka soundtrack plays in the background. And wait for it, wait for it. Finally, the money shot as the gun turns slowly to the camera and unloads it’s chamber right at the camera.