FILM · 1973
Magnum Force
36 archived facts 7 topics 1 source Last reviewed Oct 2026
All facts (36)
- #001
David Soul's performance as Officer John Davis, one of the outlaw policemen, led to his being cast as Detective Ken Hutchinson in the classic police series Starsky and Hutch (1975).
- #002
When Clint Eastwood approached Don Siegel to offer him the directing job on Dirty Harry (1971), Eastwood gave Siegel four drafts of the script, one of which had been written by Terrence Malick. Malick's script turned the killer from a mindless psychopath who kills for love into an outlaw who kills rich criminals evading justice. Siegel did not like Malick's script, but Eastwood did, and Malick's ideas formed the basis of this film, the second entry in the Dirty Harry series.
- #003
Carl Weathers, whose name does not appear in the credits, is briefly seen at the beginning of the film as one of the protesters demonstrating in front of the courthouse against the Ricca decision.
- #004
As in Dirty Harry (1971), Clint Eastwood performed all of his own stunts. His face is clearly visible in many of the stunt scenes: clinging to the hood of Palancio's moving, swerving car and riding the motorcycle in the thrilling motorcycle chase scene.
- #005
This film made Hal Holbrook a recognizable star. He was very happy when he learned he had a role in it, and later said the reason was that, being the sequel to the highly popular Dirty Harry (1971), it meant he would finally be in a film people would actually watch.
- #006
Clint Eastwood turned down the director's chair and Ted Post stepped in, but interviews with Eastwood and books about him indicate that he and second-unit director Buddy Van Horn directed more of this film than Post did. Post had previously directed Eastwood in several episodes of Rawhide (1959) and in Hang 'Em High (1968).
- #007
With 30, this film has the highest body count of all the "Dirty Harry" films.
- #008
During the title sequence, Clint Eastwood narrated his most famous line from Dirty Harry (1971). Eastwood apparently also wanted the hand holding the gun to be his own, but the creative team at Universal Title responsible for the sequence felt Eastwood's hand looked too small and feminine when matched with the Magnum pistol, so they decided to use a larger, "more manly looking" hand than Eastwood's in the actual sequence.
- #009
Suzanne Somers makes an uncredited appearance early in the film as the topless woman in the pool scene. It was the only time she appeared nude on screen during her career, though she posed fully nude for a photographer, and the photos were later published by Playboy without her permission after she became famous.
- #010
The San Francisco Police Department area where Harry meets the four "rookies" is actually the indoor range of the Oakland Police Department. It is now closed, partly because of the many "Dirty Harry" fans who tried to sneak in, but mostly because of indoor lead-exposure problems.
- #011
Two deleted scenes help explain why Harry begins to suspect John Davis and his colleagues of the murders of Charlie McCoy and the gangsters. One takes place between McCoy's funeral flight and the fighting championship: after the flight, Harry and Davis go from the airport to a bowling alley for a few drinks, when a young Black man is suddenly chased outside and attacked by four rough men; Davis attacks the toughs while Harry takes one down with a beer mug. After subduing the robbers, Davis delivers a speech to a group of witnesses for allowing such crimes to happen, and Harry, witnessing Davis's speech, sees in it his own approach to fighting crime, though far more violent. Later, after examining the bullet from Davis's gun at the championship shooting range, Harry checks old issues of a police magazine containing articles condemning the revolving-door justice permitted by liberal politics and articles written by the four rookie policemen. These scenes were probably cut because they were considered filler and not necessary to establish Harry's suspicion of the four rookie policemen.
- #012
In this film, after explaining the circumstances behind her divorce from Charlie, Carol McCoy comes on to Harry. When her wild child's game interrupts them both, she moves in to kiss Harry, but a phone call to Harry from Early Smith forces him to cut their date short and clearly rescues him from an awkward situation. However, a publicity photo circulating abroad shows Harry and Carol relaxed and kissing, and it was reported that a different version of this scene, in which Harry succumbs to Carol's advances (and which could have changed the dynamic of Harry's relationship with Charlie), was filmed but abandoned; the publicity photo came from this discarded scene.
- #013
This was the first feature film for both Robert Urich (Officer Mike Grimes) and Kip Niven (Red Astrachan).
- #014
According to screenwriter John Milius, the sewer cleaner scene was never planned to be filmed and was only mentioned in his original script.
- #015
David Soul, who played Davis, was at the time in an open relationship with Sondra Locke, who was then married; two years later she would become Clint Eastwood's live-in girlfriend.
- #016
The motorcycles used by the "death squad" policemen for most of the film are Moto Guzzi Eldorado Police bikes. However, in the final scenes aboard the aircraft carrier, Triumph 500cc T100 Tiger motorcycles were used, preferred by the stunt riders because they were lighter and easier to handle than the Moto Guzzis.
- #017
At 124 minutes, this is the longest of all the Dirty Harry films.
- #018
Michael Cimino's rewrite of the script impressed Clint Eastwood enough to hire him to direct Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974).
- #019
Frank Stanley was hired as cinematographer, Lalo Schifrin again handled the music, and filming began in late April 1973. During production, Clint Eastwood clashed repeatedly with Ted Post over who would make decisions while Eastwood was directing this film, and Eastwood refused to allow two major scenes Post had directed, citing time and cost. One of these was at the film's climax, involving an extended shot in which Eastwood confronts the rogue cops on his motorcycle. As with many of his films, Eastwood was determined to shoot as smoothly as possible and often refused to reshoot certain scenes. Post later said: "A lot of the things he said were based on pure, selfish ignorance and showed that he was the man who controlled the power. With Magnum Force, Clint's ego began applying for statehood." Post remained bitter toward Eastwood for many years and claimed that the disputes over the filming later affected his career.
- #020
Legendary stuntman Dar Robinson performed many of the motorcycle stunts, including the sequence in which Davis, at the end of his showdown with Callahan, rides his motorcycle off the aircraft carrier toward the bay.
- #021
It is the only Dirty Harry film whose opening sequence is not played over a view of San Francisco.
- #022
The air traffic controller speaking with Lieutenant Neil Briggs wears a pocket protector reading "PATCO." This stands for "Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization," the union whose members went on strike in 1981 and were fired by Ronald Reagan.
- #023
Just before Early Smith is blown up and is about to open the mailbox, the mailbox on the left of the screen is labeled Popwell, as is the actor Albert Popwell, who plays the killer pimp in this film.
- #024
The aircraft carrier in the confrontation scene was the USS Rabaul (CVE/CVHE/AKV-21), whose construction began in January 1945. It was based in Tacoma, Washington, but never saw service; it was held in reserve for eighteen years until it was finally sold for scrap in 1972, shortly before this film's release. The carrier in the adjacent bay was the USS Badoeng Strait (CVE-116), launched in February 1945 and used for anti-submarine duty along the West Coast. It performed the same role in three tours during the Korean War, providing close air support. It was modernized in 1953 but decommissioned in 1957 and held in reserve until it was sold for scrap in 1972.
- #025
It was the sixth highest-grossing film of 1973. It earned more money than Dirty Harry (1971).
- #026
Screenwriter John Milius admitted he did not care for this film. Of all the films he worked on, it is the one he likes least.
- #027
The guns used by the rookie motorcycle cops are four-inch-barreled .357 Colt Pythons. This model was produced from 1955 to 2004 and is now a highly sought-after collector's item.
- #028
The robbery scene at Cost Plus World Market shows the address number 2552. Cost Plus World Market is still located at 2552 Taylor Street, San Francisco, California.
- #029
This was Clint Eastwood's highest-grossing film of his career up to that point, until The Enforcer (1976).
- #030
Early Smith's gun was a snub-nosed Colt Diamondback. Produced from 1966 to 1986, this firearm is now a valuable collector's item.
- #031
One of the death squad officers is named "Red Astrachan," a popular apple variety grown in central California.
- #032
Hal Holbrook played a similar character in the similarly themed The Star Chamber (1983), which also deals with the discretion of those involved in law enforcement.
- #033
Although Hal Holbrook (Lieutenant Neil Briggs) dies at the end of this film, a different character named Captain Briggs, played by Bradford Dillman, appeared in Sudden Impact (1983). Dillman had previously played Captain Jerome McKay in The Enforcer (1976). It is unclear whether the two Briggs are related or simply share the same surname.
- #034
Clint Eastwood was initially asked whether he wanted to direct but declined. He directed the series' fourth film, Sudden Impact (1983). Second unit director Buddy Van Horn directed the final film, The Dead Pool (1988).
- #035
This is the second of the five Dirty Harry films. It was directed by Ted Post. After numerous confrontations with Clint Eastwood, Post never worked on the Dirty Harry film series again. Post also directed the second of the five Apes films, Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970). After numerous confrontations with producer Mort Abrahams, Post never worked on the Apes series again.
- #036
The original title was "Vigilance."
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