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
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Nice blog Burkee. You brought out some good points of relation between Dirty Harry and Christ. One in particular caught my attention: When you mentioned how Harry did what he had to do and compared it to what Christ came to do for us, the attitudes were different. Harry was said to dislike everyone, while "God so loved the world..." Harry was the guy who wanted to do good, who was the man. Christ was sacrificial. He was the man for all humanity, but he was one who surrendered his own life to death. He was humiliated and disgraced, so that we may be saved.
ReplyDeleteAnd just like you, I always enjoy watching the good guy destroy the "Scorpio's" of the movies, this movie is no exceptoin. And there's no greater victory than that of Jesus Christ over Satan.
Burkee I think you hit some of the main points of the movie. I am wondering if you are trying to call Jesus...dirty Jesus???? Just joking, I wonder if this can even be considered middle Christology? I think this should be at least one step lower that Cool Hand Luke (Where ever you placed Cool Hand Luke). The divine wrath is certainly a good point. I also was cheering when Harry took down the filthy Scorpio! I just wished he would have done it sooner. Shame on me! Thanks for the insights!
ReplyDeleteAaron
While there isn't as much evidence as a Cool-Hand Luke for Christology in this movie, the little evidence that it does give speaks a lot. The cross scene where Harry pretty much dies and resurrects is convincing as well as the "Jesus Saves" sign that is above them as they are searching for Scorpio. I would rank this movie as middle Christology because of the resurrection scene at the cross. I don't want to give it High Christology because I don't think there is sufficient evidence from a numerical standpoint. Also, Harry is many times negative and prejudice, and any Christ film that portrays Christ in that way shouldn't be considered a High Christology film.
ReplyDeleteAlso, this may be a stretch but, Scorpio, as an astrological sign, can be associated with the snake, which is symbolic of the devil. Maybe a stretch, but this is a movie about good defeating evil. We all root for Harry because he is defeating evil. He gets the dirty job, much like Burkee pointed out, to save mankind from this freak, just as our Savior got the dirty job to save all of us from the Freak, the Devil.
Also, it appears that Clint Eastwood commonly appears in these "Christ" films. Interesting article at: http://tonymacklin.net/content.php?cID=162 makes this case.
I do not believe that producers/directors put convincing scenes like the cross scene in a movie on accident, it has to be on purpose. I do not believe they'd just place a "Jesus Saves" sign as big as it is in the middle of this movie just becasue. Though an outisder might not catch the Christology of the film, Christians should definitely see it, especially if they are looking for it.
Zach Zehnder
Dirty Harry: A "Christ" for His Time and Place
ReplyDeleteI like your take on this film, Burkee. The Dirty jobs that Harry took transcended just occasional jobs but really became his identity. In a sense, he became sin, evil, wrath, in order to eradicate evil from San Francisco, in order to defend innocents and bring hope.
I also like looking at this film as a cultural artifact. It seems there are at least 3 strains of things going on in the U.S. culture of the time that are prevalent in this film:
1. The Zodiac Killer (Scorpio Killer?), 1968, multiple assassinations, and the operation of the Manson Crime Family. All of these were domestic threats that would elicit a need for lawful order and security.
2. This particular brand of hope and security is embodied in the police force, which was both an agent of protection and a controversial if not hated agency because of police brutality and things like Kent State (National Guard) in which anti-war protestors were killed at the hands of the lawful order.
3.The Jesus movement was swinging hard during this time. Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar were popular musicals. The particular brand of Christianity that was fashionable during this time was very much connected to hippie counterculture and PEACE and LOVE.
4. Vietnam was going on and lots of anti-war sentiments were floating around. Again, PEACE.
PEACE appears in Dirty Harry as an emblem of graffiti on a wall and then immediately after on the belt buckle of the Scorpio killer.
Also the Scorpio killer is portrayed as a long-haired hippie in appearance.
Ironically, a hippie, peace and love culture, perhaps enabled evil people to victimize others.
Also, the willingness of the mayor to play his games enabled the Scorpio killer in his power plays. Negotiations are not possible with evil people who have no conscience.
In comes “Dirty” Harry Callahan. A guy who operates with his own authority, not confined to the code of the police force. He does not compromise or waver. This is further emphasized by the way he is photographed in this film. He is shown on higher ground, almost omniscient, overlooking the city skyline. The defender, the LAW, embodied. He doesn’t play favorites.
It’s not clear what the creators of this film hoped to communicate. He leaves his portrayal of Harry up in the air. Is it good to have this kind of guy around, who will not comply with the judicial system but who administer vigilante justice according to his own authority?
Is Siegel saying at the end that we need someone who is willing to work above the system?
Is Siegel portraying that as Harry pitches his badge into the water that he is throwing in the towel, that he’s fed up with doing all the dirty jobs?
This act is ambiguous, though overall the police force is portrayed as existing for the good will of society. They are an agency of service and sacrifice for the sake of justice.
What about the “JESUS SAVES” sign? Harry is seen under this on the top of a building as he is caught in a shootout with the sniper. The Scorpio killer fires recklessly toward Harry and destroys the Jesus Saves sign. Is it possible that while the director is trying to identify Harry as a sort of Christ figure that he is setting up a contrast or alternative to Christ?
Whether Siegel and the other makers of this film had conscious intent to critique Christianity, they portray Dirty Harry as a very strong character who nonetheless communicates a low to middle Christology. This portrayal has a ton of relevance for what kinds of "Christ" expectations were perhaps prevalent in the American scene in 1971 and what shortfalls the makers of this film and perhaps the culture saw regarding the prevailing messages of Christianity and Jesus himself, no matter if their take is complete or accurate, positive or polemical.
Karl Fay
Dirty Harry I agree was a good movie about divine wrath. I personally liked the title, Dirty Harry; we could look at it as having 2 Dirty (his purpose) and Harry (describing him). If the title was changed to Dirty Christ it would do the same thing; Dirty (His purpose of taking on our sin and our dirt) and Christ (describing who He was). Harry was hairy and Jesus was the Christ. OK maybe that's a stretch, but a thought.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was easy to see the connections between Harry and Christ. Both had long hair, both were surrounded by people who didn’t agree with what he was doing, both were wounded in their attacks against evil.
I thought it was a good movie, I too cheered when Scorpio went down. He felt lucky didn’t he? I wonder if Satan felt lucky when Christ died on the cross, as if he was able to make a move?
Stevie B.
It really does not do a lot of good to make late comments on here. It seems like everyone has taken all the good comments. I like to read them and have some good "Oh" moments.
ReplyDeleteI do see Harry as the Americanized version of Jesus or God. We like for God to come in and clean up our mess, so that we don't have to get our hands dirty. We are glad that Christ has come to get the bad guys, that sin a lot. I am really glad that I am "good enough" so God will not crush me. In America we have that view. Whoever lives a good life will be good enough. But God needs to get the others, the really bad guys.
But God hates sin! Christ has come to eliminate all sin. When he died on the cross he died for all sinners. But some fail to hear the voice of the Shepherd and follow after him. These are the ones that God will take his vengence out on. The curse is still upon them. So no matter how much you think you are good enough, or God will only kill the really bd guys, Christ will deliver the divine wrath upon those who refuse to hear his voice. At this point we can see Harry as Christ, showing his wrath to those that refuse to follow.
Philip Robarge