Magnum Force (1973)

Clint Eastwood: Insp. Harry Calahan

Photos 

Quotes 

• [last lines] 

  Harry Callahan : A man's GOT to know his limitations.

• [first lines] 

  Harry Callahan : [at end of main titles]  This is a 44. Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and it could blow your head clean off. Do you feel lucky?

  [fires at the audience] 

• Lieutenant Briggs : Suppose they panic and start shooting?

  Harry Callahan : Nothing wrong with shooting as long as the right people get shot!

• Sunny : [as Harry walks by to his appartment]  Hi!

  Harry Callahan : Oh, hi... what's your name?

  Sunny : Sunny. You know, I've been living here for almost six months now. It's funny I've never met you before.

  Harry Callahan : Oh well... I work a lot.

  Sunny : I know. You're the cop who lives upstairs.

  Harry Callahan : That's right.

  Sunny : Mind if I ask you a question?

  Harry Callahan : Go ahead.

  Sunny : What does a girl have to do to go to bed with you?

  Harry Callahan : [blinks twice, then smiles]  Try knocking on the door.

• Harry Callahan : [Harry is confronted by three of the vigilante cops]  You heroes killed a dozen people this week. What are you going to do next week?

  Officer Davis : Kill a dozen more.

• Lieutenant Briggs : You're a good cop, Harry. You had a chance to join my team, but you decided to stick with the system.

  Harry Callahan : Briggs, I hate the goddamn system! But until someone comes along with changes that make sense, I'll stick with it.

• [the phone rings, and Harry answers it] 

  Harry Callahan : Yah?

  Lieutenant Briggs : Harry, this is Briggs. Are you alone?

  Harry Callahan : No, as a matter of fact, I'm entertaining a young lady friend.

  Lieutenant Briggs : Well, put your pants back on, Callahan, and come down to the city morgue as fast as you can.

• Man at Mailbox : [seeing Harry take apart a mailbox]  Hey, what's going on down here?

  Harry Callahan : Taking apart the mailbox, what does it look like?

  Man at Mailbox : Well you people live here, right? What the hell are you doing to the mailbox, did you lose your key?

  Harry Callahan : Why don't you mind your own goddamn business?

  Man at Mailbox : Ummm. That's my mailbox too, now. Don't you get smart with me!

  [after a moment] 

  Man at Mailbox : Tampering with the mail's a federal offense. I'm calling the police.

  [starts to head upstairs to do so] 

  Harry Callahan : I am the police.

  Man at Mailbox : [comes back down]  What?... oh. The cop who lives upstairs?

  [Harry has the mailbox open now and finds a miniature bomb inside, with a red light lit up on it. He takes it out and clicks a button causing the red light to go out] 

  Man at Mailbox : What's that?

  Harry Callahan : Plastic explosive.

  Man at Mailbox : [quavering voice]  A bomb?

  Harry Callahan : Yeah, that's right. If you'd bothered me any more, we'd all be stuck to the ceiling now. Here... would you like to hold it?

  Man at Mailbox : No no, I don't want to get involved!

  [runs upstairs] 

• Pilot : Excuse me, Captain. This may seem silly, but - can you fly?

  Harry Callahan : Nope. Never even had a lesson.

• Harry Callahan : You know those guys?

  Early Smith : They came through the Academy after me. They stick together like flypaper, you know? Everybody thought they were queer for each other.

  Harry Callahan : Tell you something. If the rest of you could shoot like them, I wouldn't care if the whole damn department was queer.

• Harry Callahan : Well, I just work for the city, Briggs!

  Lieutenant Briggs : So do I, longer than you, and I never had to take my gun out of its holster once. I'm proud of that.

  Harry Callahan : Well, you're a good man, lieutenant. A good man always knows his limitations...

• Lieutenant Briggs : [With gun pointed]  Just hold it right there, Callahan. No tricks!

  Harry Callahan : [Activates the bomb he's holding out of sight]  Your organization is through, Briggs.

  Lieutenant Briggs : [Nods slyly]  There's a lot more where they came from, believe me. Move out of the way. Move it!

  [Harry tosses the bomb in the backseat and steps away. Briggs gets in] 

  Lieutenant Briggs : Uphold the law. You just killed three police officers, Harry. And the only reason why I'm not gonna kill you, is because I'm gonna prosecute you- with your own system. It'll be my word against yours. Who's gonna believe you? You're a killer, Harry. A maniac.

  [Briggs starts to drive away when the car blows up] 

  Harry Callahan : A man's GOT to know his limitations.

  [Walks away] 

• Infirmary Doctor : [stitching up Harry's head]  Sure you don't want a local for this, Harry? Takes about seven stitches.

  Harry Callahan : No, thanks.

  Infirmary Doctor : Ok, it's your ass...

  Harry Callahan : My head, the cut's on my head.

  Infirmary Doctor : Why does everybody suddenly become a comedian in here?

  Lieutenant Briggs : [comes in with Captain Avery]  Does he have to stay in here?

  Infirmary Doctor : No, I could stop and let the man's brains run out all over his shoes.

  Captain Avery : Rogers, I don't need to have a doctor display that kind of attitude. A police officer is dead.

  Infirmary Doctor : Sorry.

  Lieutenant Briggs : I got those warrants for a search of the premises, Callahan, not for you to become judge, jury and executioner. It was supposed to be a simple arrest.

  Harry Callahan : Well arresting a killer like Palancio isn't always simple.

  Lieutenant Briggs : People are guilty until proven... I mean... goddamnit, you know what I mean. This city is on the verge of the worst criminal violence in it's history, and you have to start full scale military operations.

  Harry Callahan : I didn't start shooting at anyone that didn't start shooting at me first.

  Captain Avery : Every time you pull out that gun, my paperwork backs up for three goddamn months! The chief and I have already conferred on this matter, Callahan - a full investigation is warranted here.

  [turns and leaves] 

  Lieutenant Briggs : [nodding repeatedly, obviously upset]  What about a dead cop? I warned you against taking them.

  Harry Callahan : Sweet was killed with the first shot. Besides, they were tipped off. They knew we were coming, Briggs.

  Lieutenant Briggs : How? Don't hand me that crap.

  Harry Callahan : I'm telling you, they knew we were coming. After 200 arrests, I know the difference!

  Lieutenant Briggs : If I have my way, Callahan, you won't make another arrest as long as you live.

  Harry Callahan : [contemptous]  Is that all, lieutenant?

  Lieutenant Briggs : No, that's not all. I want that slug you showed me.

  Harry Callahan : I ran that through ballistics, it was nothing, the rifling was totally different.

  Lieutenant Briggs : It's still state's evidence, I want it anyway.

  Harry Callahan : [takes it out and throws it at Briggs]  Eat it!

  [the bullet hits Briggs in the chest and drops to the floor] 

  Harry Callahan : [Briggs bends down to get it and then slowly gets back up glaring at Harry] 

• Harry Callahan : [seeing the three hold-up men come into the store]  Well, here's three salty-lookin' dudes!

• Lieutenant Briggs : You're on loan to Stakeout, Callahan.

  Harry Callahan : That's right, Lieutenant! You saw to that.

• Harry Callahan : [someone knocks on Harry's door]  Who is it?

  [no answer and there's another knock] 

  Harry Callahan : [takes gun out and aims it at door]  Come on in.

  Lieutenant Briggs : [enters]  I don't like looking down one of those.

  [Harry reholsters his gun] 

• Lieutenant Briggs : Turn right here... get on the freeway.

  Harry Callahan : The freeway? You got a new route to City Hall, Lieutenant?

  Harry Callahan : [Briggs puts his glasses away, takes his gun out and points it at Callahan]  Your gun's out of it's holster, Briggs. First time?

  Lieutenant Briggs : You know you're not going to City Hall, Callahan. The only way you're going anywhere is in a rubber bag.

• Walter, Crime Scene Investigator : [Harry and Walter are examining the car of the pimp shot to death]  Now, he'd have to be standing right here, this close. Point-blank range.

  Harry Callahan : The driver's license and a hundred dollar bill were out, almost like he was showing it to a traffic cop.

  Walter, Crime Scene Investigator : Yeah. And from what we have it figures to be someone impersonating a police officer. On the cars at least, it's been done before. This close it would have to be someone he would never recognize.

  Harry Callahan : Or never suspect.

• Harry Callahan : Where'd you learn to shoot like that? Certainly not around here.

  Officer Phil Sweet : No, sir. Airborne Rangers... Special Forces.

  Harry Callahan : And how about the rest of these guys? Are they as good as you?

  Officer Phil Sweet : Well, Grimes here... I'd say he's about even with me... Astrachan's a little better on a good day

  Officer Red Astrachan : [snickers]  A little better?

  Officer Phil Sweet : And Davis there... he's just dog crazy. He's a lot better.

  Harry Callahan : A lot better? You sure show a sense of style... Sweet is it? Well, when I get back on homicide I hope you boys will come see me.

• Officer Phil Sweet : What kind of a load do you use in that .44?

  Harry Callahan : It's a light Special. This size gun it gives you better control and less recoil than a .357 Magnum with wadcutters.

• Lieutenant Briggs : [Comparing bullets under a microscope]  Close, but no match. It has much more lines than the other. Where'd you get it from, by the way?

  Harry Callahan : Oh, just some hunch.

  Lieutenant Briggs : Tell me where.

  Harry Callahan : Look, it doesn't matter because it doesn't match up, so there's no reason for me to tell you.

  Lieutenant Briggs : Don't play any crap games with me.

• Harry Callahan : Couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch of guys.

• Officer Red Astrachan : Do you have any idea how hard it is prosecute a cop?

  Harry Callahan : You heroes have killed a dozen people. What are you gonna do next week?

  Officer Davis : Kill a dozen more.

  Harry Callahan : Is that what you guys are about? Being heroes?

  Officer Red Astrachan : All our heroes are dead.

  Officer Davis : We're the first generation that's learned to fight. We're simply ridding society of killers that would have been caught and sentenced if our courts worked properly. We began with the criminals that the people knew so that our actions would be understood. It's not just a question of whether or not to use violence, there's simply no other way, Inspector. You of all people... should understand that.

  Grimes : Either you're with us or you're against us.

  Harry Callahan : I'm afraid you've misjudged me.

• Early Smith : [On freeway, in car after confronting mobsters with San Quentin question]  You always gotta do things your own way, don't you?

  Harry Callahan : You do things someone else's way and you take your life into your own hands.

• Harry Callahan : How do you figure on pulling this off, Briggs?

  Lt. Briggs : I run the investigation. With your record, I can make anything stick.

  Harry Callahan : What I can't understand is, why you, of all people?

  Lt. Briggs : A hundred years ago in this city, people did the same thing. History justified the vigilantes. We're no different. Anyone who threatens the security of the people will be executed. Evil for evil, Harry. Retribution.

  Harry Callahan : That's just fine, but how does murder fit in? You know, when police start becoming their own executioners, where's it gonna end? Huh, Briggs? Pretty soon, you'll start executing people for jaywalking, and executing people for traffic violations. Then you end up executing your neighbor 'cause his dog pisses on your lawn

  Lt. Briggs : There isn't one man we've killed who didn't deserved what was coming to him.

  Harry Callahan : Yes, there is- Charlie McCoy.

  Lt. Briggs : And what would you have done?

  Harry Callahan : I'd have upheld the law.

  Lt. Briggs : What the hell do you know about the law? You're a great cop, Harry. You had a chance to join the team, but you'd rather stick with the system.

  Harry Callahan : Briggs, I hate the goddamn system, but until someone comes along with some changes that makes sense, I'll stick with with.

  Lt. Briggs : You're about to become extinct.

• Harry Callahan : It's not hard to understand how this could happen, the way things are. As incredible as it seems, there may be a sub-organization within the police force. Sort of a death squad like they had in Brazil some years back.

  Early Smith : Damn

  Harry Callahan : Some nights l wake up, wonder where the hell the world's going to. l want you to take care of yourself, you understand?