Cheap Magnum Force (DVD) (Clint Eastwood) (Ted Post) Price

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Customer Reviews of Magnum Force

"A man's got to know his limitations."
Who can forget that line from Magnum Force? It has more than one meaning here and definitely sets the theme. Dirty Harry says it a few times in the film but it has the most impact right after Hal Holbrook meets with an unfortunate accident in his car...priceless scene. This is my favorite line Eastwood says to Holbrook in the movie, with the second being when he throws a shell casing from evidence at him saying "eat it!". Magnum Force (1973) is the sequel to Dirty Harry (1971) and this time Harry is still an outsider with his own brand of justice, but he's got nothing on the 4 young motorcycle patrol cops who don't even bother with arrests and paperwork (the criminals don't make it that far!). In Dirty Harry, Callahan chased Scorpio, the mad sniper, but in Magnum Force he doesn't have to go far to find the criminals...they work with him! Action packed and stylish, Magnum Force is essential in the Dirty Harry/Eastwood Collection. The film is directed by television director, Tim Post (Baretta, Combat!) and written by Michael Cimino (director: The Deer Hunter, Thunderbolt & Lightfoot). The cast is great: Felton Perry plays Harry's unfortunate partner who just had to open his mailbox. Look for several familiar faces before they made it big: David "Hutch" Soul, Robert Urich, & Tim Matheson. Also look for a topless Suzanne Somers (uncredited) getting blown away in a swimming pool! I can imagine Joyce DeWitt from Three's Company laughing maniacally when she saw that scene.

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No Limitations Here!
I rarely give 5 stars, but this is one movie that deserves it! MAGNUM FORCE is my favorite Dirty Harry movie, and my favorite Eastwood film overall. After the smashing success of the classic Siegel film in 1971, Eastwood continued with this sequal in 1973, and it does not disappoint. Ted Post, who directed the TV series RAWHIDE where Eastwood started his acting career, takes the director's chair here. While most sequals usually are not as good, I consider MAGNUM FORCE to be the most interesting of the entire Dirty Harry series, and for good reason.

The plot is well-developed with a series of odd murders taking place over San Francisco. The top criminals of the city are the victims, but who are the killers? As Eastwood eventually finds out, the killers are closer to him than he thinks; they carry a badge just like him! Rookie motorcycle cops are relentlessly killing any criminal that escapes the courts. This Evil For Evil tactic is one that Harry would surely side with. Unfortunately he has sworn to protect the system he works for, no matter what. In the first movie, Harry is against the system, and was portrayed as a fascist by the critics. Ted Post did a good job of reversing this with MAGNUM FORCE. Here, Harry is protecting the system from the vigilantes that represent him from the first movie. The result is a startling puzzle that Harry puts together through instinct, determination, and patience.

In true Dirty Harry tradition, he busts a gang of crooks in the beginning, a group of plane hijackers by posing as the pilot.
Hal Holbrook plays Lt. Briggs, the greying boss of Harry who puts him in stakeout to keep him out of trouble. But Harry works his way back over to homicide and is soon on thr trail of the murders. When his good friend Charlie McCoy is killed, and the only witness is a rookie cop, he begins to investigate. Who is behind it all? I won't give that away.

This film has its share of comedy and lust, including Eastwood having a stand with Adele Yoshioka, an attractive Asian that lives in his apartment. Ted Post wanted to show the personal side of Dirty Harry here to counter the critics' opinions. Suzanne Sommers of THREE'S COMPANY makes a cameo appearance here as the girl that shows off her ring and removes her top in the pool! Too bad she gets all shot up. Eastwood doesn't seem to talk with as much venom in this one as he did in the first movie, and some say this film has more comedy then action. Ironically the critics that said Eastwood was too violent in the first movie, said that he wasn't violent enough in this one! Go figure.

The high-speed chase at the end is exciting with Harry running for his life from the vigilante cops. The ending is startling, with a new one liner, "A man's got to know his limitations." This was the first Clint Eastwood movie I obtained and have enjoyed it for years. It will satisfy any police action movie buff. For an Eastwood fan, it is a must! No limitations here!

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My Favorite Dirty Harry Sequel
Okay... before I begin, I must tell you I am a bit prejudice. I actually saw a scene from this movie being filmed. I lived in San Francisco and in 1973 was walking up the hill to Lafayette Park as they shot some scenes in a high rise apartment building.
I was fascinated as they shot the scene over and over to get the "tension" just right.

Now it is on DVD 30 years later. It has never looked better. Color corrected true wide screen picture, and a soundtrack that is crystal clear.

2 of the vigilante officers are played to perfection by "pre-Starsky" David Soul and, in his first role, the late Robert Urich. The scene in the darkened garage is still powerful in it's quiet threatening tone. It is SO CLEAR the cops enjoy wearing their elegant uniforms and tall boots, leather creaking and chrome gleaming in the dark... an awesome and memorable moment when those who are sent to protect and defend, go over the edge so confidently, quietly and in their minds, logically. It is still very frightening.