Was Dirty Harry a pro-shoot-people-in-the-head-with-a-44-magnum movie?
Dirty Harry was not promoted as a romantic comedy.
"I know what you're thinking. Did he fire six shots or only five? Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you got to ask yourself one question... Do I feel lucky. Well, do ya punk?"
Was Dirty Harry a pro-shoot-people-in-the-head-with-a-44-magnum movie?
Yes, of course it was. And, it partly succeeded for exactly that reason. The audience bought the idea that sometimes justice must be swift and deadly. Agree or disagree, that was the subtext, and it wouldn't surprise me a bit if some who had initially disagreed were persuaded to some extent to change their minds based on the movie. Ideas have consequences, art has consequences, the popular culture has consequences. The left has always understood that better than the right.