Summary

• Harry Callahan's tough cop persona delivers iconic lines that have solidified his legacy in cinematic history.
• Despite controversy, Dirty Harry films provide social commentary on policing issues from diverse perspectives.
• Memorable quotes highlight Harry's unapologetic attitude towards his job, his methods, and his adversaries.

Harry Callahan is one of Clint Eastwood's most iconic characters and there are plenty of great Dirty Harry quotes that solidify the legacy of the character. The first Dirty Harry movie came out at a time when city violence was at an all-time high and this brutal cop character who played by his own rules so long as he could take down the bad guys and see justice served was readily accepted by audiences. Along with delivering action-packed thrills, the Dirty Harry movies featured some of the most iconic lines in movie history.

Throughout the years, Dirty Harry has remained a controversial cinematic figure, with some critics suggesting he condones prejudicial, problematic, and dangerous methods of policing. However, the franchise wasn't all about anti-hero action, but social commentary as well. Each film looked at a particular issue from the points of view of both the law and the victims in question. This sparked some great dialogue, and quite a few memorable Dirty Harry quotes that highlighted the stone-cold persona of Harry himself.

19 "You're Either A Cop, Or Public Enemy Number One."

Jennifer (Sondra Locke) - Sudden Impact (1983)

While audiences would actively debate whether Harry Callahan was a hero or part of the problem, the Dirty Harry movies also addressed his rather complicated reputation. In 1983's Sudden Impact, Callahan gets roped up in a case involving Jennifer Spencer, a traumatized victim who leads her own revenge movie story as she attempts to hunt down the villains. When the two cross paths, they're immediately drawn to each other, even if she's a bit reluctant to trust him so soon.

Jennifer is weary of the kind of man Harry is, seeing the good and the bad in him.

Jennifer is weary of the kind of man Harry is, seeing the good and the bad in him. The two share this exchange with Jennifer wondering if he is closer to a cop or a criminal, to which Harry suggests he’s been called both. He seems all-too-willing to acknowledge that not everyone is thrilled with his style of police work. However, it also shows how little the opinions of those people matter to him.

18 "You're Out Of Bullets. And You Know What That Means - You're S*** Outta' Luck!"

Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) - The Dead Pool (1988)

1988's The Dead Pool is the fifth and final Dirty Harry movie. By this point, Harry as a character had been around for nearly two decades and yet there weren't any signs of the franchise attempting to change him to match more modern times. He was as mean and cold as ever when it came to facing down bad guys, and this includes the climactic moment in the movie.

After getting into a gunfight with the would-be killer, Harry proves that he has gotten better at keeping track of bullets over the years and points out that his adversary is out of bullets, then shows him how much sympathy Harry has for the man. Not only does he shoot the now unarmed man, but he does so with a high-powered harpoon gun (rather than his trademark 44 Magnum), giving a little more flare to his typical heroics.

17 "Opinions Are Like A*******. Everybody Has One."

Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) - The Dead Pool (1988)

This popular Dirty Harry quote is now practically part of the cultural lexicon, but Harry Callahan used it in The Dead Pool, perfectly fitting his personality. Not one to mince words, Harry was used to distilling people down to their core elements in a short space of time, or as a means to intimidate anyone he didn't like. Here, he makes an accurate, albeit crude analysis of the human condition, and why society has so much trouble getting along.

With his rude and vulgar remark, he lets everyone know it is best to keep those opinions to themselves when Harry is around.

At the end of the day, everyone has their own opinion on how things ought to be done and run, but only the effectiveness of said methods really matters. Harry is not interested in having everyone chime in with their thoughts on the matter. With his rude and vulgar remark, he lets everyone know it is best to keep those opinions to themselves when Harry is around.

16 "Funny. I Never Thought Of It As A Game."

Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) - Sudden Impact (1983)

Though Harry faces plenty of memorable villains over the course of the series, he seems to butt heads most with his superiors in the police force. Over the course of the Dirty Harry films, the titular detective's methods became less and less tolerable as scrutiny was placed on the police. His superior Briggs was quick to point this out, signaling the end of the fast and loose policing that became so prevalent in the '60s and '70s.

Harry, for his part, retorted in typical fashion. Everything made sense to those crafting rules from the top down, but Harry was in the thick of it, day in and day out. It was life or death, not just for himself and his fellow officers, but for the public he wanted to protect, as well. His bosses might see Harry as playing by his own rules, but Harry feels he is the only one taking this work seriously.

15 "It's A Question Of Methods. Everybody Wants Results, But Nobody Wants To Do What They Have To Do To Get Them Done."

Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) - Sudden Impact (1983)

Dirty Harry is not one to let killers go free and his methods for dealing with criminals have been deemed reckless but are always effective in the movies. Harry is known for doing whatever it took to get the job done, within reason. He acts on instinct and impulse, with property damage following in his wake. Fortunately, his instincts proved to be correct the majority of the time, and his actions saved lives, even if they ended up violating the rules.

While Callahan is certainly not a vigilante, he knows that criminals never play by the same rule book as cops do.

Harry makes a case for the need to deal with the more insidious elements of the criminal underworld by doing things nobody wants to talk about. While Callahan is certainly not a vigilante, he knows that criminals never play by the same rule book as cops do. In his mind, he is the only one brave enough to do what needs to be done to stop these villains.

14 "Why Don't You Call Them Right Now And Have Them Send Down An Ambulance. Tell Them There's Two Sorry-Looking A******* Here With Multiple Contusions, And Various Abrasions And Broken Bones."

Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) - Sudden Impact (1983)

While acting legend Paul Newman was attached to play Dirty Harry at one point, it is impossible to picture anyone other than Clint Eastwood in the role when considering Dirty Harry quotes like this. Though he is often seen as a grizzled and grumpy cop, Callahan never loses his sense of dry humor. This is especially seen when he faces off with people he clearly has no respect for.

Harry decides to crash the wedding reception of a crime boss named Threlkis, which leads to some hilarious antics. Callahan utters this quote when an employee asks for his invitation, and he identifies himself as a cop. Two burly-looking enforcers approach to intimidate him, and he tells the young woman to call for an ambulance, nonchalantly explaining the brutal beating he will deliver to these two men if they step to him.

13 "Try Knocking On The Door."

Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) - Magnum Force (1973)

Callahan has never been known for going out and having fun, and he seemed married to the job of being a cop, more than anything else. However, like many of the slick and charming movie anti-heroes like Dirty Harry, women seem drawn to him in these movies. This is made very clear when Harry's attractive neighbor propositions him out of the blue.

It is a funny and charming moment from Eastwood, who plays the scene wonderfully.

She asks Harry bluntly what it takes to go to bed with him, and he humbly replies that simply asking would be enough. It is a funny and charming moment from Eastwood, who plays the scene wonderfully. Harry is taken aback and maybe even a little embarrassed by her boldness, but he sweetly responds to her with a smile. It is a reminder that even Harry Callahan can get caught off guard in certain circumstances.

12 "Nothing Wrong With Shooting, As Long As The Right People Get Shot."

Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) - Magnum Force (1973)

In Harry's world, everything operates under a system of rationality and common sense. When people commit a crime, then they will get punished. Especially through a modern lens, his seemingly heartless view of taking a life seems harsh for a cop to have, but there is sense to be found in his rationale. In Magnum Force, Harry utters this quote while discussing police marksmanship with another officer, suggesting that using force is a tool a cop must use, but use wisely.

Harry had been involved in many scuffles over the length of his career, but he always knew when to draw a gun and when to pull the trigger. Harry has no sympathy for the people he has had to shoot down. Suggesting that the "right people" should be the ones being shot fits into Harry's few of seeing his job as a matter of protecting the good ones from the bad ones.

11 "I Didn't Start Shooting At Anyone That Didn't Start Shooting At Me First."

Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) - Magnum Force (1973)

While Harry is more than willing to share his blunt and simple view of bad guys and good guys with the world, he is much more irritated when he feels he has to explain these actions to his bosses. Once again, Harry has a very direct way of thinking about things and has no patience for people who cannot understand how simple it all is. When people are shooting at him, he shoots back and there is nothing more to discuss.

In the flawed world he lives in, Harry has to hammer home the obvious.

Those who questioned his methods usually got responses like this one, where Harry spelled out his attitude in plain English. It is another example of how Harry sees himself as a man against the world. In his mind, no sane society would ever question his actions like that. However, in the flawed world he lives in, Harry has to hammer home the obvious.

10 "Well, I'm All Broken Up About That Man's Rights!"

Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood) - Dirty Harry (1971)

Part of the reason a Dirty Harry remake would not work today is how flippant the character was about the rights of suspects. Callahan isn't the least bit concerned with the well-being of the Scorpio killer, and he realizes that the current system of law was responsible for bogging down the case in so much legal red tape that it ended up costing the life of an innocent woman.

After successfully tracking and arresting Scorpio, Callahan thought he would serve jail time for the death of the young girl he kidnapped. However, he is chewed out for the use of police brutality and denial of the Scorpio's rights, despite the killer's sadistic nature. Callahan uttered this quote with angry sarcasm while wondering why the legal system was more concerned about Scorpio's rights than the brutal death of an innocent young girl.