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
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Preach it Gary...
ReplyDeletePreach it!
I like your dispensationalist angle on this film - Dirty Harry as Christus Victor.
ReplyDeleteHarry doesn't come across as much of a buddy Jesus in this film. He prefers to be a lone wolf and complains about the lack of able partners. I don't see Harry as much of an enabler ala Christ making us co-heirs of God's kingdom.
I think it's Harry's lack of empathy which makes me rate this as muddled Christology. We can cheer when he's on the rampage, but we'd also wouldn't want to be on the receiving end when we break the law.
Great comments about the American Jesus. I appreciate your thoughts on where America might be moving in the near future; and there may just be similarities today with what was happening in the early 70's. Seeing what is continually happening in America with all of the laws/regulations/policies that are being created each and every day are a good testament to that fact. Harry was being the Christ/Savior many people think about, yet are too afraid to admit that out loud. Some may not want to admit that Harry could ever portray a Christ figure, but there are probably many more who wish a "savior" could be more like Harry. Come on...we can admit it...Harry as a "savior" has many appealing qualities. What kind of "saviors" are being portrayed in the media today? I just heard on the news that many people see what is happening today feels like a bail out the rich at the expense of the poor. Many people being hurt in the world today would love a guy like Harry to clean things up. The problem is that there is no consensus as to whose agenda or problems Harry would be fighting for and cleaning up. We are a society that moves from one thing to the next so quickly; we forget what we were fighting for five minutes ago. I think Harry is a great AMERICAN Christ film.
ReplyDelete(I am not trying to make a political statement, just pointing out similarities from our discussion in class about back at the time of this film to today.)
Ron Rieger
Harry Callahan as OT Judge: This depiction of a man chosen (by God) to lead a rebellious people against a chronic enemy of their own making, who uses unconventional means and overcomes insurmountable odds reminds me of the Old Testament Judges. These were ordinary men, with plenty of sins of their own, who were God’s avenging instruments to deliver His people. The recorded histories themselves are graphic and brutal. As Chris noted previously, these men were also fit the category of "lone wolf", and achieved short-lived notoriety among their people in the midst of lawlessness. We can recount Samson’s long hair (“Get a haircut, Harry”), his failed attempts at marriage, and his attraction to prostitutes (“Now I know why they call you Dirty Harry”). These Judges killed scores of men using such means as an ox-goad or a donkey’s jawbone. Ehud tricked the Moabites using a left-handed sword.
ReplyDeleteAfter deliverance, the people enjoyed a period of rest, before once again returning to their sinful idolatry and crying out once again for rescue. The people of San Francisco (or at least the police chief and mayor) in this film seem to fit that mold, crying out for help until it arrives, then complacently siding with the lawless in the name of “rights”.
In all the movies we’ve seen where the character is rendered as “Agent of Divine Wrath”, it might be prudent to consider these characters in light of the Judges. The “sheriff” or “marshal” of the Old West may similarly fit this role.