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Today's Filmmaker, Feb. 1974
Dirty Harry Rides Again
Two years ago, Dirty Harry Callahan shot up a bunch of bankrobbers as he munched a hot dog, peeped at naked women, was nearly shot under a "Jesus Saves" sign, was beaten bloody under a huge cross, tortured a killer inside an empty ballpark, sidestepped the law, nearly killed a little boy, tossed his badge away in disgust and walked away with about 22 million dollars at the box office.
Well, hold onto your seat, because Harry's back with his heavy .44 Magnum pistol steaming in an aptly titled sequel, Magnum Force. He is still growling and disgruntled and still (despite the badge-tossing scene) with the San Francisco Police Department. Harry was shot down by most critics, but the audiences loved hating and/or loving him. Each time I saw the film, the audiences cheered, hissed, or, most disturbingly, chuckled during the most violent parts in which either Harry or his equally unlikable sniper counterpart received his comeuppance. Director Don Siegel, a highly talented man who specializes in crime dramas, claims the film does not condone Harry's behavior, but the fact is that the film is open to various interpretations, depending on the audience's point of view: anti-fascist, fascist, racist, anti-racist; a police thriller, etc.
Clint Eastwood repeats his anti-heroic scowl but with an unexpected twist. This time Harry has to round up an extremist group of vigilante cops who have taken the law into their own hands and begin exterminating undesirables. With such an uptight script, I expected an uptight crew, but I was in for a surprise. The crew was one of the nicest I had ever encountered, and I think much of the credit is due to Clint and director Ted Post.
If you watch Magnum Force carefully, you may catch a glimpse of me here and there working as a background player (or extra). The first day, I played one of the bowlers in a bowling alley scene, in which a guy is beaten by a pair of thugs. The second day, I was a passenger on a hijacked plane. It was terrific fun for the extras, because we had to pretend that the plane was running, then jolt forward as if the brakes were slammed. We even got to pull pillows down from the luggage racks above by tugging on thin black wires. Of course, the plane never moved, because if it had, the lighting (up above on the luggage racks) would have toppled down on us. Post also had a little trouble with an inexperienced extra working as a stewardess, but he handled her patiently and wisely, which many directors would not have done. However, Clint became impatient and said, "You're over-intellectualizing things." This came as no surprise to me after watching the last Academy Awards when Clint blew his cool over the highly unprofessional mishaps occurring all around him. If there is one person who cannot stand unprofessionalism, it is Clint Eastwood.
The third day, I was called on the set and not even used. A motorcycle accident was filmed with a long telephoto lens. Meanwhile, up above in a 17 story apartment building, a gun battle was being filmed, and the highlight of the day was watching a nude dummy (made up like a beautiful blonde girl) being tossed from the top floor and splattering on a patio. The crew, extras and apartment dwellers watched the shot as if it were a circus feat. The stunt propman strutted to the equipment truck with the nude, bleeding dummy under his arm and became a highly comic figure to his friends on the crew, who tossed lighthearted jibes at him.
The fourth day, the crew continued at the same apartment, and I got to play a curious onlooker as cops run back and forth, discovering bodies and gunmen. One of the cops is actor John Mitchum, who played one of Harry's fellow cops in the original (if you will remember, he is the one who explains Harry's prejudice and later helps Harry into the stadium). Offscreen, John is still stout but an energetic guitarist, who plucks and trades new and old jokes to keep the crew in stitches.
The fifth night, I was called on as an "Oriental" and had to do some walking near an apartment building. Although the scene is entirely lit and pre-planned, we had to wait around for nearly an hour- Clint hadn't come back from dinner yet. Finally, Clint arrived in a big sedan with friends and cannot seem to get the door open. He tries in vain, and even the traffic cop on the film tries to lend a hand. In impatience and disgust, he climbs out through the open window, swearing (Dirty Harry style) and sheepishly grinning (Clint Eastwood style). As he starts to walk away, a young girl in the car slides over to the door and easily opens it. It was nice to see that even superstars are not infallible.
After Clint gets in costume, the shot is finally ready to roll- but not really. The camera, one of the new, compact Panaflexes, placed inside the apartment, pans with Clint from right to left (I walk past him from camera left) as he makes his way to the apartment door. Clint, the crew, the extras, the bystanders and the equipment are all ready. So what's the problem? A cable car is wanted to pass in the background, and it has not shown up yet. Cable cars are supposed to pass every few minutes, but no car shows up after an hour of waiting. Word is finally passed to the traffic cop that a huge traffic foul-up is holding up cable cars for miles, on tonight of all nights. The shot is finally taken without the cable car and runs smoothly. Then, as soon as they tear down that setup and work on another, cable cars start showing up like they are on an assembly line. It was that kind of day. Or night. -Steven Y. Mori
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