Perhaps the greatest cop film ever?

Really there are few words left to describe Dirty Harry and the massive effect it had on world cinema. On the one hand it virtually invented the maverick cop genre and we have it to thank for the slew of pale imitations which followed (notably the Lethal Weapon series) and parodies (such as the brilliant Slegehammer).
Clint Eastwood is iconic and fantastic in the role, really the first cop who breaks the rules and enjoys it, the first movie cop to really carry a distinctive handgun (de riguer nowadays), Harry really is a force a nature, not so much a fascist as some would argue but a man who actually cares so much about society and the people that he's prepared to be ruthless to protect them. People see this as a right-wing film but it's not really, Scorpios victims include an Afro-American child and 2 young women, the police are able to save a flamboyantly gay man and a Catholic priest. It was always regarded as 'every frame votes for Nixon' but given his overwhelming election victory during the period it was certainly catching the mood of the times. When the girl gets kidnapped Harry immediately writes her off whilst the Mayor and the police Captain refuse to do so and want to pay the ransom and you're really not sure who's right or wrong? The DA and judge who let Scorpio go do so reluctantly but convincingly argue that we can't introduce evidence in court obtained by torture. Whilst the script ultimately sides with Harry's viewpoint it's not always so black and white as is often assumed.
People argue this is a humourless film but I don't think so, the humour is just extremely dark and cutting. Harry just continually seems to be surrounded by people who just don't get him and his constant frusration is just hilarious and played to great comic effect. You do have to wonder if his nickname Dirty Harry is due purely to his methods? He always seems to be looking through naked girl's windows and following Scorpio into strip clubs?
Terrific music although not as good as it will be in the arguably superior sequal Magnum Force. Wonderful performance from Andrew Robinson, the child of the free love 60s gone horribly wrong, so nice that Star Trek;DS9 will later give him a career resurgence. Apart from Harry and Scorpio the 2 characters that really stick in your mind are the superbly telegenic city of San Francisco itself and Harry's beloved 44 Magnum, not the most powerful handgun in the world and won't blow your head clean off (although I'd love to see Mythbusters try that)but still packs a hell of a punch.
Michael Mann's Heat aside possibly the greatest cop movie ever.