Dirty Harry Turns 55 on December 23, and Clint Eastwood's Inspector Still Cuts Through the Fog

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Dirty Harry was released in US cinemas on December 23, 1971, so it turns 55 this month. Don Siegel directed the film, which is set in San Francisco and follows a police inspector who is sent to catch a killer that the department cannot stop.

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Clint Eastwood played Harry Callahan, a loner who works outside the rules of his department. The character is an early example of a cop who is willing to bend procedure for the sake of justice, and the film became one of the most debated police thrillers of its time.

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Andrew Robinson played Scorpio, the sniper who taunts the police and makes the story personal. The film's tense scenes, including the chase through the city and the confrontation at the end, are still widely taught and quoted.

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The film spawned several sequels, including Magnum Force (1973), The Enforcer (1976), Sudden Impact (1983) and The Dead Pool (1988). Each one returned to the character in a slightly different setting, and the series is still discussed for its mix of style and controversy.

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Watching it now, the film feels both of its time and ahead of it. Which of the sequels do you think is the strongest?