Dirty Harry (1971) *****

If the Dollars pictures turned Clint Eastwood into a star then Dirty Harry turned him into a legend. The cop drama that spawned thousands of imitators (even John Wayne) set the standard for the Lethal Weapons, Bad Boys, and Rush Hours that followed. Set in San Francisco Inspector Harry Callahan has had it with the system and doesn't bullshit with anybody. As the trailers say, you don't assign him to cases, you turn him loose. Eastwood plays Harry as the modern day version of the Man with No Name, an avenger that has been transported 100 years later and given mutton chops and a .44 Magnum. There are actors that are born to play certain roles and this is one of them. Reni Santoni plays Harry's new partner Chico and does it in a way that doesn't make him look like a total rookie, gaining Harry's respect. Chico isn't afraid to throw some one liners Harry's way and this helps establish from respect from Insp. Callahan. One of the breakouts of the film is Andy Robinson as Scorpio. If Eastwood set the stage for the cop that has been around for the last 40 years then Robinson set the standard for the psychotic killer in the same time period. Robinson's performance is still creepy after all these years. Directed by Don Siegel, who shows a great affection and dedication to the work. The choice of using San Francisco again after Steve McQueen protected its citizens in Bullit was a gamble that paid off. Bullit showed the glamorous side of San Francisco, while Dirty Harry shows its seediness. Dirty harry is the first action hero. Everyone else is a copy cat.