Talk:Magnum Force

Plot

The plot section needs a complete rewrite. Whoever wrote it has no idea how to write in a formal tone. --One Salient Oversight 14:28, 5 May 2007 (UTC)

Done (a month ago). YLee (talk) 23:55, 22 May 2010 (UTC)

Weapon

Dirty Harry had a Smith & Wesson Model 29 which is a .44 MAGMUM not a .357.

Previous poster: Where in this article does it ever say Harry Callahan had a 357 Magnum? Notice the spelling of Magnum, with an "n". Also, the Model 29 is not a 44 Magnum but the designation of a revolver CHAMBERED FOR the 44 Magnum cartridge. The actual bore diameter is .429 cal. It can also accept and fire a 44 Special or a 44 Russian cartridge as both are .429 cal.

Accepted format for caliber designation is .44 cal, but not .44 Magnum. The 44 Magnum is a particular cartridge.

Incidentally, the gun in the opening of this movie is a S & W Model 57 chambered for the 41 Magnum cartridge. I own a Model 29 - the bore is somewhat larger than the one shown.

66.177.101.121 (talk) 04:11, 3 September 2008 (UTC)fd-gunslinger

Honda into Triumph?

If you look closely; the Honda 450 "Silver Wing" police motorcycle Eastwood jumps on suddenly, mysteriously becomes a Triumph 750 "Bonneville". All decked out to look like an SPD bike. Also, sans electric starter, as it takes him several kicks to start it (tickle the carbs, Clint!) This is probably because he did his own stunts for years, until back problems forced him to stop, and refuses to ride Japanese bikes.

David Soul's Death?

This is also a little non-sequitur. The police bike goes into the bay; David Soul is obviously OK, as he is flapping his arms.He falls only a few feet on his rear. Yet, suddenly, he is floating. They should have shown him getting a pants leg caught or striking this neck, and then drowning. Something Believable.

That sequence has always bugged me; the problem became clearer when I watched it again just now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C5ZPqjTXc8

It was really the fault of the director, or whoever approved the final cut. For whatever reason, after the (1) shot of Davis overshooting, (with water visible below), there are successive shots of (2) him in the air, arms flailing (no water visible) and (3) a low angle shot of Davis and bike hitting the water. (A similar angle is later used to show his dead body floating.) The lower level/angle of (3) makes the drop look less dramatic, i.e. it is lower than the level that Callahan is on; that is made clear when we see Callahan kick Davis's helmet and it falls in the water near the body i.e. suddenly it's almost a straight drop of probably 65–70 ft (20–21 m). (This can be calculated based on the relative sizes of Davis in the water, and Callahan's foot in the foreground.)

In other words, the way the sequence was cut inadvertently undermined the impact (literally) of the fall, by succumbing to the temptation to show too much detail and spell out exactly what happened to Davis.

A better-cut sequence might have been (e.g): Davis and bike overshooting (high angle, water visible); Davis and bike in air (level, no water visible); cut to Harry attempting to regain his feet, with a loud splash on the soundtrack; cut to floating body. That is, omit shot (3) from the cut.

As to the supposed cause of "death": the impact of an uncontrolled fall of >20 metres into water would: (i.) definitely force all of the air out of Davis's lungs; (ii.) be enough to render him unconscious and/or (iii.) break his neck. (I have personally experienced (i.) after straight drops onto my back from heights of less two metres.) And, since it would normally take at least five minutes of total hypoxia (deprivation of oxygen) to kill someone, Davis was likely still alive and resuscitable, at the point when Callahan delivered his "eulogy" and kicked the helmet into the water. Presumably Callahan wasn't going to risk his own life by making the same jump, when Davis might be either still dangerous, or already dead.

Grant | Talk 04:06, 13 February 2023 (UTC)

Pipe Bomb?

If this is the "controversy" , only an Idiot would call that a "pipe bomb" in Harry's mailbox. It was described by the character as "probably C-4". Removing "pipe" shouldn't wrinkle anyone's undies...68.231.189.108 (talk) 23:20, 21 February 2010 (UTC)

Spelling of Callahan

User:Ch8ch has noticed that 'Callahan' is spelt with one 'L' in the end credits of Magnum Force. I have not personally noticed this, but have no reason to doubt. I would argue, however, that regardless of why it is spelt incorrectly (in joke, typo, to confuse Wikipedia editors in the future) it is really not notable and therefore there is not really any reason to mention it in the article. Any thoughts? raseaC^{talk to me} 18:11, 22 May 2010 (UTC)

Agreed. It's obviously a typo, and no reason to assume it has any credibility when the other films' credits all say "Callahan." YLee (talk) 23:54, 22 May 2010 (UTC)

Just pointing something out. No reason to be hostile. Peace RaseaC --Ch8ch (talk) 02:08, 3 June 2010 (UTC)

I literally do not understand you. raseaC^{talk to me} 18:03, 28 May 2010 (UTC)

Firearms inventory and plot

All this detail about the weaponry is really boring and detracts from the storyline. How about if the pistol trivia goes into footnotes?
Varlaam (talk) 07:22, 4 July 2010 (UTC)
(This movie seemed a lot better when I last saw it 35 years ago.)

I whole heartedly agree, I removed that sort of info from the The Enforcer (1976 film) page about a month ago and meant to do it to the others but forgot, I would say go for it. raseaC^{talk to me} 10:57, 4 July 2010 (UTC)

Emphasis on negative reviews

Rotten Tomatoes sampled 20 reviewers and judged 80% of the reviews to be positive.

Why, then, are no positive reviews quoted or at least cited? 69.42.17.116 (talk) 06:34, 8 July 2016 (UTC)

Not Mitchell Ryan

You have a Mitch Ryan in the cast, but it was Mitchell Ryan. 2601:19C:4A01:DF61:D9FB:7585:7CD0:2D24 (talk) 00:08, 24 February 2024 (UTC)