It seems that while Harry Callahan is a rather vicious and violent character, we need to take a look at the Christological implications and the intentions of those involved in the making of this movie. Also we need to take into account the context that Prof. Lewis placed around the making of this movie.
The two instances that come to mind in the intentional Christlike display are the "Jesus Saves" sign and the "coming to the cross" scene in the park. It seems pretty obvious that these two inclusions, along with several others, were not accidents. We may not like the idea of a Christ figure being portrayed as being violent or hostile but it's apparent that this violent character is to remind us of Christ. This is most certainly a savior to the public that has been handed several Supreme court decisions that seemed to favor the criminals in society.
I would argue that the makers of this movie do not necessarily see Jesus as a violent, agent of wrath, but they saw Harry as a savior that needed to be necessarily violent and hostile toward the judical system because the public had felt that the justice system had turned their back on them. Harry was a savior in the time and place that audience was in.
I would say that the Christology in this movie is middle not because Harry's individual actions were Christlike in nature, but that Harry's overall demeanor and characterization were salvific towards the public in that time and place.
Mike Boothby
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Dirty Harry – Social and Christological Commentary
I have it on good authority that commentaries are like wine – they get better with age. That is why I have delayed in posting my comments regarding this week’s movie until today.
Dirty Harry as Social Commentary:
To begin with, I think we can all agree that every film, even the ones we don’t like, are a reflection of or a commentary on the society that the film depicts. This raises the question, “What is Don Siegel (Director) saying or reflecting about American culture in 1971 with his seminal cop film, Dirty Harry, starring Clint Eastwood as Inspector Harry Callahan?”
I would argue that Siegel is depicting the general reaction of the American populace to the recent changes in the American legal system where people perceived that “rights” of criminals were becoming more important than the “rights” of their victims.
In its 1964 ruling in the Escobedo v Illinois case (1960 conviction for accessory to murder), the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that a suspect had the right “to an attorney during police interrogation.”
In its 1966 ruling in the Miranda v Arizona case (1963 conviction for kidnapping, rape, and armed robbery), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that “criminal suspects must be informed of their right against self-incrimination and their right to consult with an attorney prior to questioning by police.”
We see this social commentary played out in the movie in several scenes. It is alluded to in the first scene between Inspector Callahan and the Mayor when the Mayor says, “I don’t want anymore troubled like you had last year in the Filmore District. Do you understand? That’s my policy” and Callahan responds that “When an adult male is chasing a woman with the intent to commit rape I shoot the bastard that’s my policy.” And then Callahan goes on to describe how he established “intent” in that situation.
The clearest exposition of this social commentary occurs in the Kazar Stadium scene between Inspector Callahan and the sociopathic serial killer, Scorpio (Andrew Robinson). After chasing Scorpio down, Callahan shoots him in the leg, even though he is not fleeing and has his hands up. Then Callahan begins to torture Scorpio to find out where the girl is and he is screaming, “I want a lawyer. I have a right to a lawyer. I have rights.” We see the societal point of view when Callahan is the District Attorney’s Office arguing with the DA and the Judge/Law Professor when he was told that Scorpio would “walk” because his rights were violated, Callahan responds with something like, “What about the rights of ?? (the girl that was kidnapped)? Who is worried about her rights?” And when Scorpio hijacks the school bus, kidnaps the children and holds them for ransom, Callahan takes matters into his own hands when the powers that be are going to given into Scorpio’s demands.
And this film kicks off a series of vigilante films that reflect a similar societal view that it is okay to take matters into your own hands when the justice system does not do its job. I would argue that this is the underlying principle behind such films like: Magnum Force (1973), Death Wish (1974), Taxi Driver (1976), Mad Max (1979), and Star Chamber (1983) to mention just a few.
Dirty Harry as Christological Commentary:
To begin with, I would argue that Siegel purposefully portrays Inspector Harry Callahan as a Christ Figure in a way that depicts him as an Agent of Divine Wrath/Judgment. And Siegel portrays Scorpio as a Devil/Satan figure who is the object of Divine Wrath/Judgment. While I will provide the support for this statement below, I think it is fairly clear from the short list of vigilante films above that Siegel could have communicated the same social commentary without making any Christologic connections at all, yet he did.
While the film does not explicitly meet the criteria that Prof. Lewis provided to determine whether or not a film was a Christ film, it does meet several of the criteria in indirectly on three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
I would argue that the primary level of evidence for the Christologic nature of this film in several ways. First, Scorpio promises that he will kill a “Catholic priest or a nigger” if they don’t pay him $100,000. Then, he attempts to kill the gay African American in front a church. Then there is the direct interaction between Callahan and Scorpio in front of St. Peter and St. Paul’s Catholic Church where Harry is under the “Jesus Saves” neon sign and Scorpio is trying to kill Callahan. Then there is the incident at the foot of the cross in Mount Davidson park where Scorpio is beating the tar out of Harry by kicking him in the side (i.e., “killing” him) and then Callahan passes out (i.e., “dies”) and then wakes up (i.e., is “resurrected”). And then, Harry overcomes Scorpio by stabbing him in the leg.
I would argue that the secondary level of evidence for the Christologic nature of this film is the “miraculous” nature of stopping the bank robbery single handedly even though he is outmanned and outgunned. The Christologic nature of this film is also evidenced when Harry saves the jumper from death.
I would argue that the tertiary level of evidence for the Christologic nature of this film is two-fold. First, there is the use of “Jesus” in the film at the very beginning when Harry sees the note from Scorpio and when Scorpio sees Harry on the railroad trestle at the beginning of the final sequence. Given the context of these utterances, I would argue that they are curses violating the 2nd Commandment, but I could also see how they could be interpreted as a double-entendre as a referent to Callahan as a Christ figure. Second, I would argue that Callahan’s nickname of “Dirty Harry” as defined by Callahan and Chico is the Siegel’s commentary of Christ’s work on the cross. In the scene with the jumper, Callahan tells Chico, “Now you know why they call me Dirty Harry, I do every dirty job that comes along.” In the scene when Harry goes to deliver the ransom money by himself, Chico says, “Now I know why they call him "Dirty" Harry- he gets the shit end of the stick every time.”
It is fairly clear that Siegel intentionally portrays Inspector Callahan as a Christ figure in Dirty Harry, but it is a different Christ figure than is previously portrayed in film because the culture has change. In Ben Hur (1959), Christ is portrayed as the teacher of peace reflecting the post-WWII state of mind in America. In Jesus Christ Superstar (Broadway musical – late 60s, film 1973), Christ is portrayed as obedient pawn in God’s plan reflecting the cultural view of “the man”. And Dirty Harry is a reflection of Siegel’s view of the cultural shift that has taken place in America as the pendulum shifts to the other side of the spectrum.
While it wouldn’t be evident to a non-Christian, I would argue that Siegel builds Dirty Harry around the protoevangelium in Gen. 3:15, Christ’s work on the cross and His ascension. I present for your consideration Gen. 3:15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” and the scene at the foot of the cross in Mount Davidson park where Scorpio “kills” Harry and Harry severely wounds Scorpio. And further, consider when Harry throws his badge into the pond after killing Scorpio as the Christ figure’s “ascension” into heaven when his work is complete. While Christ overcame sin, death and the devil with His death on the cross and the Father accepts His atoning sacrifice by raising Him from the dead, Christ’s ascension (Eph. 1:20-23) marks the point when Satan is cast out of heaven forever (Rev. 12:7-12).
Let me know what you think.
Louis Boldt
Dirty Harry as Social Commentary:
To begin with, I think we can all agree that every film, even the ones we don’t like, are a reflection of or a commentary on the society that the film depicts. This raises the question, “What is Don Siegel (Director) saying or reflecting about American culture in 1971 with his seminal cop film, Dirty Harry, starring Clint Eastwood as Inspector Harry Callahan?”
I would argue that Siegel is depicting the general reaction of the American populace to the recent changes in the American legal system where people perceived that “rights” of criminals were becoming more important than the “rights” of their victims.
In its 1964 ruling in the Escobedo v Illinois case (1960 conviction for accessory to murder), the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that a suspect had the right “to an attorney during police interrogation.”
In its 1966 ruling in the Miranda v Arizona case (1963 conviction for kidnapping, rape, and armed robbery), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that “criminal suspects must be informed of their right against self-incrimination and their right to consult with an attorney prior to questioning by police.”
We see this social commentary played out in the movie in several scenes. It is alluded to in the first scene between Inspector Callahan and the Mayor when the Mayor says, “I don’t want anymore troubled like you had last year in the Filmore District. Do you understand? That’s my policy” and Callahan responds that “When an adult male is chasing a woman with the intent to commit rape I shoot the bastard that’s my policy.” And then Callahan goes on to describe how he established “intent” in that situation.
The clearest exposition of this social commentary occurs in the Kazar Stadium scene between Inspector Callahan and the sociopathic serial killer, Scorpio (Andrew Robinson). After chasing Scorpio down, Callahan shoots him in the leg, even though he is not fleeing and has his hands up. Then Callahan begins to torture Scorpio to find out where the girl is and he is screaming, “I want a lawyer. I have a right to a lawyer. I have rights.” We see the societal point of view when Callahan is the District Attorney’s Office arguing with the DA and the Judge/Law Professor when he was told that Scorpio would “walk” because his rights were violated, Callahan responds with something like, “What about the rights of ?? (the girl that was kidnapped)? Who is worried about her rights?” And when Scorpio hijacks the school bus, kidnaps the children and holds them for ransom, Callahan takes matters into his own hands when the powers that be are going to given into Scorpio’s demands.
And this film kicks off a series of vigilante films that reflect a similar societal view that it is okay to take matters into your own hands when the justice system does not do its job. I would argue that this is the underlying principle behind such films like: Magnum Force (1973), Death Wish (1974), Taxi Driver (1976), Mad Max (1979), and Star Chamber (1983) to mention just a few.
Dirty Harry as Christological Commentary:
To begin with, I would argue that Siegel purposefully portrays Inspector Harry Callahan as a Christ Figure in a way that depicts him as an Agent of Divine Wrath/Judgment. And Siegel portrays Scorpio as a Devil/Satan figure who is the object of Divine Wrath/Judgment. While I will provide the support for this statement below, I think it is fairly clear from the short list of vigilante films above that Siegel could have communicated the same social commentary without making any Christologic connections at all, yet he did.
While the film does not explicitly meet the criteria that Prof. Lewis provided to determine whether or not a film was a Christ film, it does meet several of the criteria in indirectly on three levels: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
I would argue that the primary level of evidence for the Christologic nature of this film in several ways. First, Scorpio promises that he will kill a “Catholic priest or a nigger” if they don’t pay him $100,000. Then, he attempts to kill the gay African American in front a church. Then there is the direct interaction between Callahan and Scorpio in front of St. Peter and St. Paul’s Catholic Church where Harry is under the “Jesus Saves” neon sign and Scorpio is trying to kill Callahan. Then there is the incident at the foot of the cross in Mount Davidson park where Scorpio is beating the tar out of Harry by kicking him in the side (i.e., “killing” him) and then Callahan passes out (i.e., “dies”) and then wakes up (i.e., is “resurrected”). And then, Harry overcomes Scorpio by stabbing him in the leg.
I would argue that the secondary level of evidence for the Christologic nature of this film is the “miraculous” nature of stopping the bank robbery single handedly even though he is outmanned and outgunned. The Christologic nature of this film is also evidenced when Harry saves the jumper from death.
I would argue that the tertiary level of evidence for the Christologic nature of this film is two-fold. First, there is the use of “Jesus” in the film at the very beginning when Harry sees the note from Scorpio and when Scorpio sees Harry on the railroad trestle at the beginning of the final sequence. Given the context of these utterances, I would argue that they are curses violating the 2nd Commandment, but I could also see how they could be interpreted as a double-entendre as a referent to Callahan as a Christ figure. Second, I would argue that Callahan’s nickname of “Dirty Harry” as defined by Callahan and Chico is the Siegel’s commentary of Christ’s work on the cross. In the scene with the jumper, Callahan tells Chico, “Now you know why they call me Dirty Harry, I do every dirty job that comes along.” In the scene when Harry goes to deliver the ransom money by himself, Chico says, “Now I know why they call him "Dirty" Harry- he gets the shit end of the stick every time.”
It is fairly clear that Siegel intentionally portrays Inspector Callahan as a Christ figure in Dirty Harry, but it is a different Christ figure than is previously portrayed in film because the culture has change. In Ben Hur (1959), Christ is portrayed as the teacher of peace reflecting the post-WWII state of mind in America. In Jesus Christ Superstar (Broadway musical – late 60s, film 1973), Christ is portrayed as obedient pawn in God’s plan reflecting the cultural view of “the man”. And Dirty Harry is a reflection of Siegel’s view of the cultural shift that has taken place in America as the pendulum shifts to the other side of the spectrum.
While it wouldn’t be evident to a non-Christian, I would argue that Siegel builds Dirty Harry around the protoevangelium in Gen. 3:15, Christ’s work on the cross and His ascension. I present for your consideration Gen. 3:15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” and the scene at the foot of the cross in Mount Davidson park where Scorpio “kills” Harry and Harry severely wounds Scorpio. And further, consider when Harry throws his badge into the pond after killing Scorpio as the Christ figure’s “ascension” into heaven when his work is complete. While Christ overcame sin, death and the devil with His death on the cross and the Father accepts His atoning sacrifice by raising Him from the dead, Christ’s ascension (Eph. 1:20-23) marks the point when Satan is cast out of heaven forever (Rev. 12:7-12).
Let me know what you think.
Louis Boldt
Dirty Jesus
I have to disagree with the 'Big Cat', Jeremy Davis. I really like this film. I thought the screenplay was well thought out and the actors did well in portraying their roles. Although I have to admit that everytime I saw Scorpio I laughed because the guy just straight up looked like a goober. Anyways, there were in fact a few elements that portrayed Christ in this film. I would call it middle Christology for sure, as it doesn't specifically render Christ on the cross, yet doesn't make a mockery of Him either.
Harry was 'Dirty Harry' because he was the guy who did all the dirty jobs. He was the clean up man who took care of the business no one else wanted to do...nor could they do. He saved that man from jumping off the roof for instance. He's an inspector for crying out loud, that's not even his job. Yet somehow that's where he finds himself. I think that's a great image for us to think about when relating the film to Christ. 'Dirty Jesus' did what no one else wanted to do, nor could they do. Taking on the evils of the world in an unorthodox way, and issuing in salvation for those who call upon His name.
The image of Harry at the foot of the cross is crucial. I thought it was ironic to see Harry carrying the "ransom" to the base of the cross. Definitely a connection there to Christ. As Harry was beat up for the ransom money, my mind went straight to the beatings that Christ endured for us, and eventually His death on the cross. We can mention that Harry had his symbolic death/resurrection episode as Scorpio left him beaten and bruised. In that event, Harry comes back from "death" and delivers a fatal blow to the personhood of Scorpio. Eventually, the final defeat would be recognized at the end of the movie.
As agent of Divine Wrath, Harry does in fact illustrate a nice picture for us of some of the attributes we see in Christ. Obviously there are undertones we can't lump in with the divine nature of Jesus, but they sure did make for a good film.
James Baumgartner
Harry was 'Dirty Harry' because he was the guy who did all the dirty jobs. He was the clean up man who took care of the business no one else wanted to do...nor could they do. He saved that man from jumping off the roof for instance. He's an inspector for crying out loud, that's not even his job. Yet somehow that's where he finds himself. I think that's a great image for us to think about when relating the film to Christ. 'Dirty Jesus' did what no one else wanted to do, nor could they do. Taking on the evils of the world in an unorthodox way, and issuing in salvation for those who call upon His name.
The image of Harry at the foot of the cross is crucial. I thought it was ironic to see Harry carrying the "ransom" to the base of the cross. Definitely a connection there to Christ. As Harry was beat up for the ransom money, my mind went straight to the beatings that Christ endured for us, and eventually His death on the cross. We can mention that Harry had his symbolic death/resurrection episode as Scorpio left him beaten and bruised. In that event, Harry comes back from "death" and delivers a fatal blow to the personhood of Scorpio. Eventually, the final defeat would be recognized at the end of the movie.
As agent of Divine Wrath, Harry does in fact illustrate a nice picture for us of some of the attributes we see in Christ. Obviously there are undertones we can't lump in with the divine nature of Jesus, but they sure did make for a good film.
James Baumgartner
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Dirty Harry - All American Jesus
Ok, to begin with, hats off to Matthew and Kevin. Nice analysis. I was especially impressed with Matthew's light/darkness motif. I'm not especially aware of image symbolism in movies and as obvious as it is in hindsight, I didn't pick that up. Thanks! With respect, though, I disagree with your last statement on throwing away the badge as not honoring the police doing their job inside the laws. That is where I pick up with my own thoughts.
To me, it helps me to view Harry through the lense of America and American Christianity rather than our typical Lutheran lens. In America, we are rebels, independent thinkers, scrappy, tough, do what needs to be done regardless of what others think of us, and God is always on our side. Harry fits this mold perfectly to my mind. He is of Irish descent (at least if Callahan is any indication), and works within the system until the system 1) doesn't work anymore, or 2) is actually working against us. Think of the Boston Tea Party. Think of Jefferson: the tree of liberty must be watered by the blood of martyrs from time to time. Think of MLK, Jr. Think of whistle blowers, whether in corporations or government or the military. For all of these, there came a time when the "right thing to do" was to take matters into their own hands, regardless of the personal price they would pay. Thus Harry throwing the badge away is 1) accepting the consequence he knew was coming, and 2) possibly drawing attention to the situation and "shine light on it to eliminate the darkness."
As an American Jesus hero, he is cocky and clever (knows how many rounds are left and taunts bad guy with the fact that he knows and the enemy doesn't), he is clever and confident enough to use any advantage (rifle, .44 Mag, switchblade), and just a regular Joe - he's one of us, except a super hero.
As American Christianity Jesus, I think looking at the movements of the film in terms of dispensationalism helps. First, he is the OT sword-bearing God. Then he is the sacrificial Lamb of God. Then he is the eschaton God, coming to finish the job. Scorpio, by comparison, is first the powerful OT Satan who strikes and strikes trying to take down the people of God (America), then is the triumphant Satan at the cross (only to be stabbed - slowed down, grievously wounded - and realize that he has not won after all), then is the tribulation Satan where he knows his time is up but he continutes to up the stakes (whole bus this time), then is finally defeated and thrown into the lake of - well, gunk, not fire. But if this is a cess pool, it goes well with the imagery of hell as connected with a refuse area outside the gates of Jerusalem. Further, American Christianity is big into America as the new people of God and that we can't be stopped because we are just and God is with us (hence manifest destiny). As this Jesus, then, he is our savior who breaks down every barrier (kicks in doors, shoots despite obstacles like crowds and hostages, can climb fences and chase down the bad guy even with broken ribs). He is the Jesus we as sinners all want - able to do what we cannot, able to defeat the bad guy (as long as it's not us) and able to let us go on with our lives uninterrupted. He is also the hero we want because he is so close to being us that maybe we could be like that, too. (Think Sunday School version of David and Goliath - the message is that you just need to be brave and stand up to evil and God will give you the victory).
I did wonder if there might be a bit of a play on the Catholic stations of the Cross. After all, on the way to his "crucifixion", he had to go through a series of "stations."
Finally, with President Obama in office, the prospect of a more liberal Supreme Court if he has any appointments, the closing of Guantanamo, and his decisions regarding what is and what isn't torture and how to get information from the bad guys and what to do with them, I see this film as relevant all over again. Now we are dealing with Escobido, Miranda, and the 4th, 5th and 6th Amendments all over again, this time with foreign terror suspects. Where's Harry when you need him?
Gary Syth
To me, it helps me to view Harry through the lense of America and American Christianity rather than our typical Lutheran lens. In America, we are rebels, independent thinkers, scrappy, tough, do what needs to be done regardless of what others think of us, and God is always on our side. Harry fits this mold perfectly to my mind. He is of Irish descent (at least if Callahan is any indication), and works within the system until the system 1) doesn't work anymore, or 2) is actually working against us. Think of the Boston Tea Party. Think of Jefferson: the tree of liberty must be watered by the blood of martyrs from time to time. Think of MLK, Jr. Think of whistle blowers, whether in corporations or government or the military. For all of these, there came a time when the "right thing to do" was to take matters into their own hands, regardless of the personal price they would pay. Thus Harry throwing the badge away is 1) accepting the consequence he knew was coming, and 2) possibly drawing attention to the situation and "shine light on it to eliminate the darkness."
As an American Jesus hero, he is cocky and clever (knows how many rounds are left and taunts bad guy with the fact that he knows and the enemy doesn't), he is clever and confident enough to use any advantage (rifle, .44 Mag, switchblade), and just a regular Joe - he's one of us, except a super hero.
As American Christianity Jesus, I think looking at the movements of the film in terms of dispensationalism helps. First, he is the OT sword-bearing God. Then he is the sacrificial Lamb of God. Then he is the eschaton God, coming to finish the job. Scorpio, by comparison, is first the powerful OT Satan who strikes and strikes trying to take down the people of God (America), then is the triumphant Satan at the cross (only to be stabbed - slowed down, grievously wounded - and realize that he has not won after all), then is the tribulation Satan where he knows his time is up but he continutes to up the stakes (whole bus this time), then is finally defeated and thrown into the lake of - well, gunk, not fire. But if this is a cess pool, it goes well with the imagery of hell as connected with a refuse area outside the gates of Jerusalem. Further, American Christianity is big into America as the new people of God and that we can't be stopped because we are just and God is with us (hence manifest destiny). As this Jesus, then, he is our savior who breaks down every barrier (kicks in doors, shoots despite obstacles like crowds and hostages, can climb fences and chase down the bad guy even with broken ribs). He is the Jesus we as sinners all want - able to do what we cannot, able to defeat the bad guy (as long as it's not us) and able to let us go on with our lives uninterrupted. He is also the hero we want because he is so close to being us that maybe we could be like that, too. (Think Sunday School version of David and Goliath - the message is that you just need to be brave and stand up to evil and God will give you the victory).
I did wonder if there might be a bit of a play on the Catholic stations of the Cross. After all, on the way to his "crucifixion", he had to go through a series of "stations."
Finally, with President Obama in office, the prospect of a more liberal Supreme Court if he has any appointments, the closing of Guantanamo, and his decisions regarding what is and what isn't torture and how to get information from the bad guys and what to do with them, I see this film as relevant all over again. Now we are dealing with Escobido, Miranda, and the 4th, 5th and 6th Amendments all over again, this time with foreign terror suspects. Where's Harry when you need him?
Gary Syth
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them. -Someone has to do it-
Dirty Harry review by Matthew B. Peterson
I will focus on the following two themes:
1. The Angel of Yahweh
2. Light vs. darkness
The Angel of Yahweh is what jumped out at me almost from the very start of the movie. Dirty Harry is kind of this mysterious figure that appears on the scene and is always very clear about his mission, which is first and foremost to eradicate evil within “the rules”. Dirty Harry does things his way and he doesn’t flinch when he is face to face with evil. He does not show respect for his superiors, even though he obeys “the rules” most of the time. He does not want to give an inch to the criminal element. He just wants to get the job done.
The Angel of Yahweh (pre-incarnate Christ) performs many functions in the OT, including delivering God’s judgment. He is sometime has a sword (Numbers 22:23) and is described as the commander of the Lord’s army (Joshua 5:14). He slaughtered 185,000 (2Kings 19:35) troops of the Assyrian army. I believe that Dirty Harry best fits as the Angel of Yahweh, who delivers justly deserved wrath and at the same time saves the ones who need saving.
Inspector Callahan’s real character is established during his first clash with the criminal element (bank robbers). There is no hesitation on his part and is he is clear minded as to what he must do. He yells “halt” to the bank robbers to who respond by opening fire on him which turns out to be a really bad idea for them. In this encounter with evil, Dirty Harry is wounded, but it doesn’t even put a dent in his mission. In fact he is finishing his hot dog! The audience really sees this is no ordinary cop, especially when he mentally tortures the only bank robber left alive by pulling the trigger while knowing his gun was empty.
During the first encounter between Dirty Harry and Scorpio we see a clash between the evil one and Jesus. Scorpio intentionally shoots out the Jesus Saves sign (The audience is understands that Scorpio is 100% dead set against Jesus) while laughing and a cop ends up dead due to the shootout instead of the targeted priest (Once again depicting ultimate sacrifice cops may have to make). At this point, Dirty Harry is still playing by “the rules.”
The 2nd encounter between Dirty Harry and Scorpio is pivotal and explicitly makes it crystal clear to the audience who Dirty Harry is and who Scorpio is. Dirty Harry already knows the girl is dead, but goes through with his mission anyway. He relinquishes his sword or in this case his .44 Magnum, doing exactly what Scorpio demands. Facing the huge cross and looking up (is this an allusion to Matthew 26:39?) Inspector Callahan takes the full onslaught of Scorpio. He is relentlessly beaten into the fetal position and we see the full monstrosity of Scorpio, who just wanted to make sure he told Dirty Harry that the girl was dead before he killed him (Scorpio represents true evil by killing the 10 yr old boy and the 14 year old girl). After Dirty Harry is saved by his partner (I believe this was the primary mission of his partner in the movie) he stabs Scorpio in the leg and then passes out, representing his “death.” Upon awakening, Dirty Harry is now transformed into a 100% instrument of divine judgment. From this point on, Scorpio is now on the run with Dirty Harry closing in. No more “rules.”
We see righteous indignation poured out on Scorpio in the scene in the football stadium. This is where the light and darkness theme comes in especially focused on John 3:19-20. Despite the fact that Dirty Harry has two broken ribs and a swollen face, he stops at nothing to find Scorpio. He scales the fence (the quickest way in the stadium) and after a short pursuit, he flushes Scorpio into the open field and “fatso” throws the flood lights on exposing Scorpio. He not only wounds Scorpio, but brings suffering on him until he gets the information he wants. We also see what happens when the evil one comes face to face with the Angel of Yahweh in the light. Scorpio pleads, begs and becomes a complete coward, because he knows who he is and what he has done and he knows who Dirty Harry is and what he will do. Notice the contrast and building of the encounters between Dirty Harry and Scorpio up to this point. They meet in darkness, on the terms of Scorpio culminating in this passion, death and resurrection portrayal. The rest of the movie, except for the scene in the strip club is played out in the daylight. Most importantly their last meeting takes place in the daylight and just maybe with Scorpio being cast into the dark water, we see the triumph of the light over darkness.
The last encounter between Dirty Harry and Scorpio is very clear. When Scorpio first sees Dirty Harry, he just cannot believe his eyes, thus exclaiming “Jesus.” He both acknowledges and curses Dirty Harry as the Angel of Yahweh, who by the way is sporting the shades in this scene. We know from the Scorpio’s past record that he will kill the children on the bus and so does Dirty Harry, who saves them and the boy taken hostage on the peer by pouring justly deserved wrath via .his 44 Magnum. There are no rules this time, only pure wrath. In the end, the evil one is defeated by the Angel of Yahweh (1 John 3:8: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”)
Since there is never a question concerning Dirty Harry’s mission, this is at least a middle Christology film. The connections made between Dirty Harry and Jesus are clear, especially the scene at the foot of the cross. The Father is also referenced in this film, possibly implied at the foot of the cross, but directly (my opinion of course) when Scorpio is on the gurney in the hospital (after having himself beaten up) and he says in reference to Dirty Harry as the one who beat him, “I swear with God as my judge.” Exactly right Scorpio. Once again this has a double meaning. On the one hand, he is taking God’s name in vain and on the other hand he is predicting his own divine judgment. The more I think about that scene where Scorpio pays to have himself beaten to a bloody pulp, the more I realize that it is showing us how just the presence of Dirty Harry causes Scorpio to continue endure divine suffering and wrath. No longer is Scorpio free to do what he wants as he has become the hunted!
Dirty Harry does save in this movie also. The ones who need saving get a savior. Ultimately Dirty Harry saves the truly helpless, the children. He saves the future generation. He preserves life by snuffing out evil.
Overall this movie has good theology when it comes to God’s wrath. There is a breaking point at which Yahweh will no longer be patient. There is a point at which he will pour out his wrath and we are reminded that it is not sin that is his target, but sinners.
Psalm 35:5-6 sums it up:
Let them be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them away!
Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
On a personal note since I am a former police officer, this movie hits home for me and it speaks many truths about the sad reality of a broken world in which it appears justice rarely prevails. Thanks to all the cops who operate within the law putting their lives on the line while doing their duty with honor. In addition, the ending is all wrong and does match the beginning of the movie. There is no way Dirty Harry should have thrown his badge into the water (Yes, I know what the director was trying to do). The beginning of the movie is a tribute to fallen police officers and that is not how you honor them.
Matthew B. Peterson
I will focus on the following two themes:
1. The Angel of Yahweh
2. Light vs. darkness
The Angel of Yahweh is what jumped out at me almost from the very start of the movie. Dirty Harry is kind of this mysterious figure that appears on the scene and is always very clear about his mission, which is first and foremost to eradicate evil within “the rules”. Dirty Harry does things his way and he doesn’t flinch when he is face to face with evil. He does not show respect for his superiors, even though he obeys “the rules” most of the time. He does not want to give an inch to the criminal element. He just wants to get the job done.
The Angel of Yahweh (pre-incarnate Christ) performs many functions in the OT, including delivering God’s judgment. He is sometime has a sword (Numbers 22:23) and is described as the commander of the Lord’s army (Joshua 5:14). He slaughtered 185,000 (2Kings 19:35) troops of the Assyrian army. I believe that Dirty Harry best fits as the Angel of Yahweh, who delivers justly deserved wrath and at the same time saves the ones who need saving.
Inspector Callahan’s real character is established during his first clash with the criminal element (bank robbers). There is no hesitation on his part and is he is clear minded as to what he must do. He yells “halt” to the bank robbers to who respond by opening fire on him which turns out to be a really bad idea for them. In this encounter with evil, Dirty Harry is wounded, but it doesn’t even put a dent in his mission. In fact he is finishing his hot dog! The audience really sees this is no ordinary cop, especially when he mentally tortures the only bank robber left alive by pulling the trigger while knowing his gun was empty.
During the first encounter between Dirty Harry and Scorpio we see a clash between the evil one and Jesus. Scorpio intentionally shoots out the Jesus Saves sign (The audience is understands that Scorpio is 100% dead set against Jesus) while laughing and a cop ends up dead due to the shootout instead of the targeted priest (Once again depicting ultimate sacrifice cops may have to make). At this point, Dirty Harry is still playing by “the rules.”
The 2nd encounter between Dirty Harry and Scorpio is pivotal and explicitly makes it crystal clear to the audience who Dirty Harry is and who Scorpio is. Dirty Harry already knows the girl is dead, but goes through with his mission anyway. He relinquishes his sword or in this case his .44 Magnum, doing exactly what Scorpio demands. Facing the huge cross and looking up (is this an allusion to Matthew 26:39?) Inspector Callahan takes the full onslaught of Scorpio. He is relentlessly beaten into the fetal position and we see the full monstrosity of Scorpio, who just wanted to make sure he told Dirty Harry that the girl was dead before he killed him (Scorpio represents true evil by killing the 10 yr old boy and the 14 year old girl). After Dirty Harry is saved by his partner (I believe this was the primary mission of his partner in the movie) he stabs Scorpio in the leg and then passes out, representing his “death.” Upon awakening, Dirty Harry is now transformed into a 100% instrument of divine judgment. From this point on, Scorpio is now on the run with Dirty Harry closing in. No more “rules.”
We see righteous indignation poured out on Scorpio in the scene in the football stadium. This is where the light and darkness theme comes in especially focused on John 3:19-20. Despite the fact that Dirty Harry has two broken ribs and a swollen face, he stops at nothing to find Scorpio. He scales the fence (the quickest way in the stadium) and after a short pursuit, he flushes Scorpio into the open field and “fatso” throws the flood lights on exposing Scorpio. He not only wounds Scorpio, but brings suffering on him until he gets the information he wants. We also see what happens when the evil one comes face to face with the Angel of Yahweh in the light. Scorpio pleads, begs and becomes a complete coward, because he knows who he is and what he has done and he knows who Dirty Harry is and what he will do. Notice the contrast and building of the encounters between Dirty Harry and Scorpio up to this point. They meet in darkness, on the terms of Scorpio culminating in this passion, death and resurrection portrayal. The rest of the movie, except for the scene in the strip club is played out in the daylight. Most importantly their last meeting takes place in the daylight and just maybe with Scorpio being cast into the dark water, we see the triumph of the light over darkness.
The last encounter between Dirty Harry and Scorpio is very clear. When Scorpio first sees Dirty Harry, he just cannot believe his eyes, thus exclaiming “Jesus.” He both acknowledges and curses Dirty Harry as the Angel of Yahweh, who by the way is sporting the shades in this scene. We know from the Scorpio’s past record that he will kill the children on the bus and so does Dirty Harry, who saves them and the boy taken hostage on the peer by pouring justly deserved wrath via .his 44 Magnum. There are no rules this time, only pure wrath. In the end, the evil one is defeated by the Angel of Yahweh (1 John 3:8: “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”)
Since there is never a question concerning Dirty Harry’s mission, this is at least a middle Christology film. The connections made between Dirty Harry and Jesus are clear, especially the scene at the foot of the cross. The Father is also referenced in this film, possibly implied at the foot of the cross, but directly (my opinion of course) when Scorpio is on the gurney in the hospital (after having himself beaten up) and he says in reference to Dirty Harry as the one who beat him, “I swear with God as my judge.” Exactly right Scorpio. Once again this has a double meaning. On the one hand, he is taking God’s name in vain and on the other hand he is predicting his own divine judgment. The more I think about that scene where Scorpio pays to have himself beaten to a bloody pulp, the more I realize that it is showing us how just the presence of Dirty Harry causes Scorpio to continue endure divine suffering and wrath. No longer is Scorpio free to do what he wants as he has become the hunted!
Dirty Harry does save in this movie also. The ones who need saving get a savior. Ultimately Dirty Harry saves the truly helpless, the children. He saves the future generation. He preserves life by snuffing out evil.
Overall this movie has good theology when it comes to God’s wrath. There is a breaking point at which Yahweh will no longer be patient. There is a point at which he will pour out his wrath and we are reminded that it is not sin that is his target, but sinners.
Psalm 35:5-6 sums it up:
Let them be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the LORD driving them away!
Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the LORD pursuing them!
On a personal note since I am a former police officer, this movie hits home for me and it speaks many truths about the sad reality of a broken world in which it appears justice rarely prevails. Thanks to all the cops who operate within the law putting their lives on the line while doing their duty with honor. In addition, the ending is all wrong and does match the beginning of the movie. There is no way Dirty Harry should have thrown his badge into the water (Yes, I know what the director was trying to do). The beginning of the movie is a tribute to fallen police officers and that is not how you honor them.
Matthew B. Peterson
Dirty Harry Revisited...
I' ve got to be honest with you, I didn't exactly know how this movie was going to turn out on the Christology level. But now having seen it, I truly believe there is much to be said about this early 1970's film that paints an accurate picture of the times. First of all, the film was quite explicit in where Dirty Harry gets his name due to the fact that he always gets assigned the dirtiest jobs. Jesus Christ had the dirtiest job of all by far. He had to come to earth to die for the sins of all humanity. And although I would say that the viewer would be stretching this comparison at times during the movie, Clint Eastwood portrays a police officer who is out to perform justice his own way. Christ was out to perform justice His own way, the only just way, to incur the wrath of His Father for the sake of all humanity. It wasn't just a risk of life such as what it was for Dirty Harry, rather Christ freely gave up His life on His own accord to accomplish the mission for which He was sent.
With that being said, I do have some problems with the renegade man Dirty Harry being compared to Christ as well. The main problem I have with this is that Christ never acted as a renegade, although by many, He was viewed as one. At times in this movie, Dirty Harry performed acts of civilized disobedience that Christ simply wouldn't have done. I know, I am probably being too tough on this film in some respects, but I must point this out. Christ did indeed come to take care of the problems His own way, and Harry obviously does the same. Yet there are differences to be sure between the two of them. I got from this film that Harry was quite the Law giver, whereas Jesus came to be the Law fulfiller. He fulfilled what we could not do. There are many other inconsistencies that one could point out, but for the sake of time, I will move on.
A little bit about the culture of the time...as we spoke about in class, we talked about what was going on back in that day with the new miranda rights and the focus being put on protecting the rights of criminals. That is something that Christ definitely came to earth to do, but I think in perspective to this movie, Harry likely went to far in His administration of justice at times.
In conclusion, I was really impressed with this film. There are the scenes throughout the film that show Harry as the Christ figure with Him standing at the cross, and the miraculous shots that he takes at stopping robberies and other associated crimes...I must say that I wish I could shoot a gun like Harry...well anyways, kudos to the directors and producers for a film well done. This is one that I could definitely watch again and maybe even use in my ministry! (Oh, and by the way, I am really glad that Harry finally got the bad guy...that would have really sucked if he hadn't!!!) Peace out!
Kevin Hintze
With that being said, I do have some problems with the renegade man Dirty Harry being compared to Christ as well. The main problem I have with this is that Christ never acted as a renegade, although by many, He was viewed as one. At times in this movie, Dirty Harry performed acts of civilized disobedience that Christ simply wouldn't have done. I know, I am probably being too tough on this film in some respects, but I must point this out. Christ did indeed come to take care of the problems His own way, and Harry obviously does the same. Yet there are differences to be sure between the two of them. I got from this film that Harry was quite the Law giver, whereas Jesus came to be the Law fulfiller. He fulfilled what we could not do. There are many other inconsistencies that one could point out, but for the sake of time, I will move on.
A little bit about the culture of the time...as we spoke about in class, we talked about what was going on back in that day with the new miranda rights and the focus being put on protecting the rights of criminals. That is something that Christ definitely came to earth to do, but I think in perspective to this movie, Harry likely went to far in His administration of justice at times.
In conclusion, I was really impressed with this film. There are the scenes throughout the film that show Harry as the Christ figure with Him standing at the cross, and the miraculous shots that he takes at stopping robberies and other associated crimes...I must say that I wish I could shoot a gun like Harry...well anyways, kudos to the directors and producers for a film well done. This is one that I could definitely watch again and maybe even use in my ministry! (Oh, and by the way, I am really glad that Harry finally got the bad guy...that would have really sucked if he hadn't!!!) Peace out!
Kevin Hintze
Monday, January 26, 2009
Dirty Harry
Dirty Harry seems to be an ironically appropriately title for the movie. Harry received the nickname, because he had to handle all of the dirty jobs. As far as a Christ film, that is the first connection I see between Harry and Christ. Christ came to clean up the mess. He handled the dirty job, that no one else would or could handle---He died for all people’s sins. Although, I see this link and several others in the film, I would posit that the Christology is middle, at best.
Harry is a mean character, he is efficient, and he does what he has to do to get the job done, but he is also unorthodox. He does not always follow the rules. He makes choices that he believes are the best---not just for society (as Christ did), but for himself. Jesus (obviously) was selfless and all that He did was for each of us.
Beside the connection to Christ as the one who handles the dirty jobs, Harry also demonstrated a similarity to Christ in his “death” and “resurrection.” Scorpio kicked the tar out of Harry, he was nearly dead (Scorpio even called him dead) and then as if in a miraculous way, he got up and was able to stab him in the leg and shoot at him.
Perhaps a third connection the movie makes, is the regular explicative of Jesus Christ. The other characters almost always used this explicative in the presence of Harry; if not, referring to him. As I stated above, he is not the perfect Jesus, but it seems likely that the writer intentionally was pointing to Harry as a Christ character.
As a movie, Dirty Harry was pretty good. Harry was an excellent example of divine wrath. As I watched the movie, I was cheering on Harry as he tortured Scorpio. I know violence is not good, but really when you see the “sickness” of Scorpio it hard not to cheer for his defeat.
Jonathan R. Burkee
Harry is a mean character, he is efficient, and he does what he has to do to get the job done, but he is also unorthodox. He does not always follow the rules. He makes choices that he believes are the best---not just for society (as Christ did), but for himself. Jesus (obviously) was selfless and all that He did was for each of us.
Beside the connection to Christ as the one who handles the dirty jobs, Harry also demonstrated a similarity to Christ in his “death” and “resurrection.” Scorpio kicked the tar out of Harry, he was nearly dead (Scorpio even called him dead) and then as if in a miraculous way, he got up and was able to stab him in the leg and shoot at him.
Perhaps a third connection the movie makes, is the regular explicative of Jesus Christ. The other characters almost always used this explicative in the presence of Harry; if not, referring to him. As I stated above, he is not the perfect Jesus, but it seems likely that the writer intentionally was pointing to Harry as a Christ character.
As a movie, Dirty Harry was pretty good. Harry was an excellent example of divine wrath. As I watched the movie, I was cheering on Harry as he tortured Scorpio. I know violence is not good, but really when you see the “sickness” of Scorpio it hard not to cheer for his defeat.
Jonathan R. Burkee
Do you feel lucky... to have seen Dirty Harry? Well, do ya, punk?
Dirty Harry (circa 1971… and a great movie if I can be so bold) seems to be a defining moment in film for bringing together several developing strands of an entire literary genre known as the Police Procedural Story by inventing a new position for the hero. Before Dirty Harry, police procedural models were based on the realist, just-ordinary-guys-trying-to-do-a-job model. After Dirty Harry there was a new model. Now the cop could be a middle-aged male going through a mid-life crisis, a loner, his marriage collapsed, family lost, his romances are transitory, he is alienated, self-destructive, in conflict with his superiors, and in possession of questionable values. In short, with just a few Biblical references, these cops can now be a type of Christ as the Agent of Divine Wrath.
A man of few words throughout the entire film, Harry reacts with a simple expletive in his first line of dialogue, "Jesus." Dirty Harry is called upon to be an avenging angel. He is an outcast cop whose purpose is to seek out and exterminate the evil, Satanic, conscience-less killer who is loose in the urban environment. In several semi religious settings, a church near a revolving 'Jesus Saves' sign and a giant cross on top of Mount Davidson Park, Callahan confronts the murderer. Welcome to a Christ film made around a super-hero cop.
The film and its pretty compelling story looks and sounds remarkably contemporary even 37 years later; accommodations made for changes in clothing, hair, and musical fashions. Neither conspicuously modern nor postmodern, the film has none of the late 1960’s, early 1970’s hip/groovy/with-it quirkiness (see Jesus Christ Superstar for that). The closest it really comes to the 70’s motif is a scene in a tacky topless bar (but we didn’t experience that… which was probably a merciful edit). In this story Harry must pursue and capture the psychotic killer Scorpio (Scorpio was actually based on the real Zodiac Killer, a menacing serial killer to the city of San Francisco in the late 60’s who also wrote handwritten letters. The Zodiac murderer was never identified or caught, however. There are also some Charles Manson characteristics to Scorpio as well who still lives in the San Francisco area courtesy of the California State Penal System and the taxpayers; oh, and eligible for parole in 2012.) and it’s told twice. In the first telling, Harry's arrest of Scorpio is overthrown because he did not follow correct police procedure. In the midst of this Harry says, “The law is crazy” (Jesus said something similar; although he was referring to the way the Jews were interpreting and living under the law). So the second telling begins with the surprise that Scorpio is free again and must be stopped… again. In the second telling, Harry finds and stops Scorpio (in the most permanent way). Again he is outside procedural law, but this time by choice. Here he states (again for the second time) one of the most memorable sets of lines in all of film (and it MUST be quoted):
“I know what you're thinkin', punk. You're thinkin', did he fire six shots or only five? And to tell you the truth, I forgot myself in all this excitement. But bein' this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and it'll blow your head clean off, you could ask yourself a question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?”
Then, his last act in the film is to throw his badge into a stagnant bog. According to the writer, this scene pays homage to the final scene of High Noon (1952) where the lone Marshal contemptuously discards his badge in the dust after being betrayed by the entire Western community. The film both begins and ends with the images of a policeman's badge; his symbol of authority. Furthermore, it is bookended by the Christological theme of the guy who gives up everything to help people. At the beginning, there is a badge and in starts the hymn, "Oh God Our Help in Ages Past" as they show the cops who have died in the line of duty. This sets the stage for a story about guys who give everything to protect people. They walk the thin line between good and evil. They are the “Christ’s” of our time. At the end of the story, a second badge. This time it’s Harry’s and he tosses it. Why? Because he’s done his duty, dealt out the retribution that the evil guy had coming, and has rebelled against a system that would have betrayed not just him, but everyone who is being affected by the Scorpio’s of life. Dirty Harry is willing to give up "his life" as a police officer to do what he has to do. Now there’s some Christology!
This film is full of comic relief moments as Harry will occasionally "help" people. When he tricks the suicide guy (a.k.a., Miracle #2), Harry grabs him and punches him in the face to get him down. Thanks for the help! Or when he tells the male prostitute in the park to go home he’s helping too. Granted Harry tells him to kill himself there instead of in the park, but it gets him out of the park. I don’t recall Jesus helping anyone in this way though…
That being said, this film helped fuel a public debate in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. As it explicitly mentions, a liberal, left-oriented Supreme Court had handed down two decisions (Miranda and Escobido) protecting the rights of accused criminals. The Miranda decision forced arresting officers to read a criminal his rights before questioning him ('You have the right to remain silent.' a litany in police dramas ever since, which quickly became a verb: 'Did you remember to Mirandize him?'). Escobido protected against unreasonable search and seizure, which, in the film, Judge Bannerman of the Appellate Court accuses Harry of in the first apprehension of Scorpio. The film poses the most extreme example of the legal/social issue: suppose a totally uncontrollable and very clever killer preys on society and, though known to be guilty by every viewer of the film, is protected by the very legal sanctions we depend on to protect the accused until proven guilty? This not long after Sen. Barry Goldwater had run for the US Presidency defending "extremism in the defense of liberty" as a key value. What sort of answer do we want for this problem? Or, as the film has it, who speaks for the rights of little Anne Marie Deacon, whose death (and consequently Harry’s “passion,” “death,” and “resurrection” at the big, white, glowing cross) is the turning point of the story? How far are we as a society to go in responding to such extreme threats? We need a savior.
Of course, the savior the film offers us is just one of many Christ’s who have been willing to die for the innocent. Jesus was obviously much, much more and his work was far greater than just making sure a few people could have a safe life and maybe even go to heaven. But America wants a Jesus who protects the innocent and destroys evil (just as long as “good people” get to keep their hands clean) and is cool as a well-handled .44 Magnum in the process. Actually, the Jesus of the Gospels is much cooler… hands down.
- Tim Barkett
You got to ask yourself, do you feel lucky?!?
Is Dirty Harry a movie about decision theology? Well is it? It gets a bit more difficult to determine whether this is a Christ film compared with Cool Hand Luke. There are definitely things within the movie that I believe would make this a Christ film. One of the biggest things that I believe that would make this a Christ film is when the killer beats the crap out of Harry at the foot of the cross. This is a wonderful portrayal of the passion of Christ. Harry is at the cross on behalf of the girl, and he is in an ultimate showdown with the killer (a.k.a. the devil). He is at the point of death until he is saved by Chico. While this itself is not found in Scripture, Jesus did not have anyone save Him from the cross, it is symbolic. Harry passes out, and then comes back too, and goes off and follows the killer with a vengeance. This is definitely symbolic of the death and resurrection of Christ. Jesus was down, the devil thought that he had won, however Jesus (Harry) came back and won the final victory; the final victory is one at the end, where the devil is destroyed once and for all.
Harry portrays a Christ who does what needs to be done the way that He wants to do it. He does not do it according to the ways of the leaders, he does it his own way, and the way that works. In the Gospel it is only the way that Christ does it, through the cross, that we are all saved. In the movie, it is not through the diplomacy of the bureaucrats and those who are in charge that finally ends the reign of the killer, it is the wrath, the actions of Harry that saves the children, the day, and the city.
The badge number on Harry's badge, 2211, is symbolic if you connect it to the book of Revelation. Why connect it to Revelation? Because this is a movie portraying Christ as an agent of wrath, and Revelation is a book that depicts the end time. You have, as mentioned in other passages of Scripture, you have the separation of the sheep and the goats, division of the good and the bad. Therefore, Revelation 22:11 states, "Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy." Would Harry, be holy probably not. I think that you can argue however that he is righteous, he is righteous because he stands up for what is right and goes against the evil that is in the world. The city of San Francisco needed, needs, someone to watch over them, to protect them from the evil that is out there. "Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help."
Tim Schutt
Harry portrays a Christ who does what needs to be done the way that He wants to do it. He does not do it according to the ways of the leaders, he does it his own way, and the way that works. In the Gospel it is only the way that Christ does it, through the cross, that we are all saved. In the movie, it is not through the diplomacy of the bureaucrats and those who are in charge that finally ends the reign of the killer, it is the wrath, the actions of Harry that saves the children, the day, and the city.
The badge number on Harry's badge, 2211, is symbolic if you connect it to the book of Revelation. Why connect it to Revelation? Because this is a movie portraying Christ as an agent of wrath, and Revelation is a book that depicts the end time. You have, as mentioned in other passages of Scripture, you have the separation of the sheep and the goats, division of the good and the bad. Therefore, Revelation 22:11 states, "Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy." Would Harry, be holy probably not. I think that you can argue however that he is righteous, he is righteous because he stands up for what is right and goes against the evil that is in the world. The city of San Francisco needed, needs, someone to watch over them, to protect them from the evil that is out there. "Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help."
Tim Schutt
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