The Dirtiest Harry of them all.

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.

"Remember Fessenheim."

shetland.wav
Harry:  Alright, I'm standing on the street corner and Mrs. Grey there comes up and propositions me.  She says if I come home with her, for five dollars she'll put on an exhibition with a Shetland pony.
Mrs. Grey:  If this is your idea of humor, Inspector...!
Examiner:  Alright, what are you trying to do here Callahan?
Harry:  I'm just trying to find out if anybody in this room knows what the hell law's being broken- besides cruelty to animals.

Kate:  Every other cop in this city is satisfied with a .38 or .357, whattya have to carry that cannon for?
Harry:  `Cause I hit what I aim at, that's why.

Mustapha:  He went white.  Why?  Did he do something else foolish?

Father John:  How dare you pull a gun in the House of God!!  Have you no belief in the sanctity of the Church?
Harry:  I don't have time to argue religion with you, boy!

Kate:  Ok, I give up...what's this?
Harry:  This is the Fillmore chapter of the VFW...Very Few Whites.

DiGeorgio:  Ten to one they blow it.
Harry:  Not this time, Frank.

Harry Callahan:  Clint Eastwood
Kate Moore:  Tyne Daly
Lt. Bressler:  Harry Guardino
Captain McKay:  Bradford Dillman
Frank DiGeorgio:  John Mitchum
Bobby Maxwell:  DeVeren Bookwalter
Mustapha:  Albert Popwell
The Mayor:  John Crawford
Lalo:  Michael Cavanaugh
Wanda:  Samantha Doane
Miki:  Jocelyn Jones
Henry Lee:  Tim Burrus
Karl:  Dick Durock
Tex:  Ronald Manning
Father John:  M.G. Kelly
Mrs. Grey:  Jan Stratton
Abdul:  Kenneth Boyd
Freddie the Fainter:  Joe Bellan