Is there anyone more emblematic of Hollywood than perennial movie star (& director) Clint Eastwood? With screen iconography that practically jumps out of the big screen and into real life, he has kept audiences intrigued through a myriad of genres and eras.
But he might be the quintessential masculine icon, forever etched in memory as the no-nonsense, boundary-pushing Inspector Harry Callahan, better known as Dirty Harry. Interestingly, this now-classic role was turned down by a litany of Hollywood’s who’s who, including the liberal-leaning Paul Newman.
Then why would Eastwood dive headfirst into such a controversial role that others deemed too hot to handle? Well, he saw gold whereas others saw coal; he recognized the script’s unique flavor!
And by turning conventional wisdom on its head, Eastwood not only took a daring plunge but also set a new cinematic standard, ultimately defending what many saw as an indefensible role.
How Dirty Harry Became a Diamond in the Rough for Clint Eastwood
When Clint Eastwood signed on for Don Siegel’s Dirty Harry, he knew he was wading into choppy waters. The film, a gritty portrayal of a no-nonsense cop in a politically charged era, was bound to stir the pot. Critics like Pauline Kael (via The New Yorker) took aim at the movie’s controversial political themes, but Eastwood was “not afraid” of controversy. In an interview with MTV, he confessed:
I was told when I first got the script that other actors had liked it but had reservations about the political elements of it,” Eastwood said in an interview with MTV. “But even at that age, I was not afraid of it.
By the time this flick premiered in 1971, Eastwood was a seasoned 41-year-old, and to him, the film was less about politics and more about a larger-than-life detective. The actor mused:
It was a fantasy. Here’s a guy who is so dogmatic that nothing is going to stop him when his mind is made up.
Siegel saw more than just a cowboy in Eastwood. He saw a potential icon with a touch of Roman grandeur, affectionately dubbing him “Clintus” (via Esquire). The former knew he had a treasure on his hands and wasn’t about to let it slip through his fingers.
As for Eastwood, he saw the script as a gem in the rough, a true hidden diamond waiting to shine:
Yeah, I knew. It was sort of a victims’ rights movie
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Eastwood felt that the socio-political climate was ripe for a film that shifted focus to victims, providing a fresh perspective in a sea of narratives emphasizing the rights of the accused.
I thought it was a time in history for a victims’ rights movie. All we heard in the media was all the haranguing about the rights of the accused. Everything was going that way. I thought, Maybe it’s time to explore the rights of the victims.
Eventually, Dirty Harry was a game-changer that broke the mold, showing that sometimes, taking a stand means rolling the dice and betting on something untouched.
Why Dirty Harry Didn’t Sit Well with Paul Newman?
Paul Newman and Clint Eastwood have taken on roles as dramatically different as chalk and cheese. The former had a knack for playing the mavericks and outlaws of cinema, shunning roles that might paint him as a tool of authority. So when the role of Inspector Harry Callahan in Dirty Harry came knocking, the actor passed, opting instead to steer clear of what he saw as a conservative crusader’s role.
Enter Clint Eastwood, who slid into the role of the renegade cop. He was just one of many stars considered for the role, a lineup that included Hollywood heavyweights like John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, George C. Scott, Robert Mitchum, Steve McQueen, and Burt Lancaster.
Yet, Eastwood’s reaction to Newman’s decision was a mix of confusion and admiration. The former shared with Entertainment Weekly:
Of course, my first question was, ‘Why didn’t he want to do it?’ He thought the character was sort of a radical guy on the right, so politically he couldn’t do it. I didn’t see it that way…. I’ll miss him.
Eastwood infused his portrayal of Harry Callahan with a dose of old-school Hollywood swagger. Per EW, he drew inspiration from James Cagney, whose iconic scenes in White Heat left a lasting impression.
Dirty Harry proved to be a critical and commercial juggernaut, setting the gold standard for cop thrillers and spawning four sequels. Ergo, while Newman and Eastwood might have danced around different political ideologies, their cinematic legacies intersected in Dirty Harry.