SUDDEN IMPACT
US, 1983, 112 minutes, Colour.
Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Pat Hingle, Bradford Dillman.
Directed by Clint Eastwood.
Sudden Impact is the fourth in the Dirty Harry series - after Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, The Enforcer. It is perhaps the most grim and deadly of the films - raising moral questions about the police, the administration of justice, vigilante tactics. It also raised controversy because of its focus on a rape situation and revenge, the role of the woman taking revenge against men. It was complicated by the macho image of Harry Callahan and his use of his Magnum to right wrongs.
Clint Eastwood also looks particularly grim in this film (although it came between his rather amiable-Honky Tonk Man and the more intelligently intense Tightrope). Frequent co-star Sondra Locke is the heroine. As always, there is a strong supporting cast. At the end Harry Callahan is surrounded by light almost as a halo, seeming to glorify this outsider man of action.
Technical credits are, as always, very good and include a musical score by Lalo Schifrin and a song, 'This Side of Forever' performed by Roberta Flack.
1. The popularity of the Dirty Harry series? The changes through the '70s and '80s? The popularity of police series - the hero police, police corruption? Audience familiarity with police work, detection? The focus on crime, violence, abuse?
2. Californian locations? The use of night? Light and darkness? Shadow world? Pace? Special effects? The musical score? Theme song?
3. The title and its reference to Dirty Harry? Violence? The question of police administration and detection? Corruption? Cover-ups? The loner policeman and his impact? The sudden impact of violence and abuse on the ordinary citizen? Retaliation, vengeance?
4. Clint Eastwood's style as Dirty Harry Callahan: presence, appearance? Laconic manner of speaking? Seriousness? His reliance on his strength, on his Magnum? The clashes with the police superiors? The examples of his justice? The death of the gang boss? His being sent on 'vacation'? The ugliness of the murder investigation? The clash with Jannings? The intervention at the hold-up? The meeting with Jennifer Spencer? The investigations and Harry's manner? The continual killings? The photo on Jannings' wall? The interview with Rae Parkins? The arrest of Mickey? Mickey's being released? The death of his ex-partner Horace King? The episodes at the fairground? The aura of light behind Dirty Harry? His relationship with Jennifer? The truth?. The decision to let her go? Decisions of right and wrong? Moral decisions?
5. Jennifer Spencer as artist? The memories of the rape? Her sister? Audience response to the visuals of the gang and their brutality? Her traumatised sister and Jennifer's motivation? The killings and their violent style? The clash with Rae Parkins and her giving Jennifer to the Mob? Rae's death? The clash with Mickey? With Jannings and his telling the truth? The confrontation with Mickey and the rescue by Harry? Her being allowed to go?
6. The picture of the police - the authorities in San Francisco and their exasperation with Harry? Friendliness with him? The local police and Jannings' authority? Clashes? Jannings and his protecting his son? The clash with Mickey and his death?
7. The youngsters and their brutality towards the girls? Their covering up? Their being killed by Jennifer? Audience response to this vengeance? Rae Parkins and her lesbian background? Antagonism towards Jennifer? Her being shot? Mickey as psychopath, her clashes with Harry, his killing Jannings, the clash with Jennifer and the attempted rape, the taunts of impotence, the fairground and the battle (High Noon style at night) with Harry?
8. Themes of rape and murder? Their being part of contemporary society? The possibilities of law and justice administering revenge and justice? The role of the individual? Justice questions? Moral questions?
