Originally titled, Moving Target, the script was left for
Eastwood at his Carmel restaurant, The Hog's Breath Inn, by two aspiring screenwriters,
(Gail Morgan Hickman and S.W. Schurr). Eastwood was interested enough to turn it
over to two of his favorite script doctors, Sterling Silliphant and Dean Riesner
The People's Revolutionary Strike Force was inspired by Patty Hearst and
the Symbionese Liberation Front. Eastwood also had them in mind while filming the
climax on his next film, The Gauntlet.
Eastwood took the title from the Humphrey Bogart film of the same name
(also owned by Warner Bros.), but was taken to court in 1980 by someone accusing him of
plagiarizing it. The case was dismissed.
During Harry's first meeting with Mustapha, look for the continuity errors
caused by Harry placing his hands in his pockets.
This film marks one of Tyne Daly's first major film roles, although she almost didn't
accept it. She originally turned the part down three times, because she thought the
character would simply be used as comic relief. Eventually, the producers convinced
her to meet with Eastwood to discuss the role. In an attempt to flesh out the
character, she asked him to "let me confront one little bad guy". Clint
agreed, and Lalo's fate was sealed.
Terence McGovern portrayed the deejay and was an actual San Francisco radio personality
from station KSFO. Among his previous film credits were American
Graffiti and THX-1138 for George Lucas.
While working on the latter, he flubbed a line and exclaimed, "I think I ran over a
wookie back there." It stuck with Lucas, and later became a household name
thanks to Star Wars.
Eastwood originally intended this to be the last Dirty Harry film, leaving it at a
trilogy.