DIRTY HARRY SERIES
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — The Dead Pool
martinwilliamrandall — 11 years ago(November 19, 2014 07:26 AM)
DIRTY HARRY SERIES
****** - CLASSIC
***** - BRILLIANT
**** - ENTERTAINING
*** - WATCHABLE
** - POOR
AWFUL - *
DIRTY HARRY - ******
A serial killer calling himself "Scorpio" (Andy Robinson) murders a girl in a San Francisco swimming pool, using a high-powered rifle from a nearby rooftop. SFPD Inspector Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) finds a ransom message demanding the city pay him $100,000. Scorpio also promises that for each day that the city refuses his demand, he will commit a murder, and his next victim will be "a Catholic priest or a beep The chief of police and the Mayor (John Vernon) assign the inspector to the case, though the Mayor is reluctant because of an incident involving the shooting by Callahan of a naked man with a butcher knife chasing a woman the previous year in the city's Fillmore District.While in a local diner, Callahan observes a bank robbery in progress and kills two of the robbers; he wounds a third, challenging the man lying near a loaded shotgun:I know what youre thinking: 'Did he fire six shots or only five?' Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, Ive kinda lost track myself. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, youve got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk?After the robber surrenders, he tells Callahan that he must know if the gun was still loaded. Callahan pulls the trigger with the weapon pointed directly at the robber, and laughs as it is revealed to be empty. In the confrontation with the robbers, he catches some shotgun pellets in his leg, so he is later treated by a police doctor who mentions that he is from Callahan's home district, Potrero Hill.Assigned a rookie partner, Chico Gonzalez (Reni Santoni), Callahan complains that he needs someone experienced because his partners keep getting injured or worse. When Scorpio kills a young black boy from another rooftop, the police believe the killer will next pursue a Catholic priest. Callahan and Gonzalez wait for Scorpio near a Catholic church where a roof-top to roof-top shootout ensues, with Callahan attempting to snipe Scorpio with a .458 Winchester Magnum rifle. Scorpio escapes, killing a police officer disguised as a priest.Scorpio kidnaps, rapes, and buries alive a teenage girl, then demands twice his previous ransom before the girl's air runs out. The mayor decides to pay, and tells Callahan to deliver the money with no tricks, but the inspector wears a wire, brings a knife, and has his partner follow him. As Scorpio sends Callahan to various payphones throughout the city to make sure he is alone, the chase ends at Mount Davidson. Scorpio brutally beats Callahan and tells him he's going to kill him and let the girl die anyway; Gonzalez comes to his partner's rescue but is wounded. Callahan stabs Scorpio in the leg, but the killer escapes without the money. Gonzalez survives his wound, but decides to resign from the force at the urging of his wife.The doctor who treated Scorpio phones the police and tells Callahan and his new partner, Frank DiGiorgio (John Mitchum), that he has seen Scorpio in Kezar Stadium. Running out of time, the officers break into the stadium and Callahan shoots Scorpio in his wounded leg. When Scorpio refuses to reveal the location of the girl and demands a lawyer, Callahan tortures the killer by standing on the wounded leg. Scorpio confesses, but the police are too late to save the girl.Because Callahan searched Scorpio's home without a warrant and improperly seized his rifle, both pieces of evidence are inadmissible, and the District Attorney has no choice but to let Scorpio go. Outraged, Callahan warns that Scorpio will kill again because of the excitement that killing gives him. Callahan proceeds to follow Scorpio on his own time. To thwart Callahan, Scorpio pays to have himself beaten by a thug, then claims the inspector is responsible. Despite Callahan's protests, he is ordered to stop following Scorpio.After stealing a gun from a liquor store owner, Scorpio kidnaps a school bus load of children and demands another ransom and a plane to leave the country. The Mayor again insists on paying but when offered to deliver the ransom again, Callahan angrily refuses. Callahan, fed up with the way the city is handling the situation with Scorpio, instead pursues Scorpio without authorization, jumping onto the top of the bus from a railroad trestle. The bus crashes into a dirt embankment and Scorpio flees into a nearby rock quarry, where he has a running gun battle with Callahan. Scorpio keeps running until he spots a young boy (Andy Robinson's stepson Steve Zachs in real life) sitting near a pond, and grabs him as a hostage.The inspector feigns surrender, but fires, wounding Scorpio in his left shoulder. The boy runs away and Callahan stands over Scorpio, gun drawn. The inspector reprises his "Do you feel lucky, punk?" speech. Scorpio lunges for his gun, Callahan kills him instantly.