Dirty Harry’s Windbreaker in The Enforcer
Clint Eastwood as Inspector “Dirty Harry” Callahan in The Enforcer (1976), the third film of the Dirty Harry series.
Vitals
Clint Eastwood as Insp. Harry Callahan, reassigned San Francisco inspector
San Francisco, Summer 1976
Film: The Enforcer
Release Date: December 22, 1976
Director: James Fargo
Costume Designer: Glenn Wright
Background
After receiving the news that his friend, Inspector Frank DiGiorgio (played by Robert Mitchum’s brother John Mitchum), has been mortally wounded in a gunfight with Patty Hearst-like thugs, Harry immediately heads to the hospital like any good friend would.
It becomes one of the few days in cinema history that begins with visiting a friend in the hospital and ends with holding a bomber at gunpoint in a church pew… with some rocket launcher testing in between.
What’d He Wear?
Harry’s off duty attire is a very masculine ensemble consisting of a light gray windbreaker and shirt with dark slacks. It is a smart outfit that is practical for an action-oriented guy who isn’t sure just where the day will lead him with enough layers to remain comfortable in San Francisco’s cool climate. Harry’s look is – like him – not very flashy; it’s just fashionable enough to keep him from standing out too much without getting too ’70s about things (i.e. his suede jacket in the finale, which is dated but still pretty cool.)
The windbreaker is made of a synthetic rainproof material – likely canvas – in a very warm light gray that appears almost cream-like under the sun. In lieu of a standard collar, this jacket has an elastic ribbed standing collar – much like one would find on a baseball jacket – of dark green fabric.
It zips down the front with a silver bar tab. The dark green tape on the right side of the zipper matches the collar while the red tape on the left provides a contrast.
Harry, zipped and unzipped.
The jacket has four exterior pockets, with a button-flapped patch pocket on each side of the chest and slash side pockets for Harry’s hands. Edge stitching is visible throughout the jacket, notably on the chest pockets and the cuffs. The cuffs fasten with a single button on a pointed tab, but Harry leaves his unfastened.
This is what happens when Harry Callahan goes to church.
Unlike a blouson jacket, there is no ribbing on the waistline and cuffs. Thus, the jacket doesn’t “puff” over the waist like a blouson. Harry’s windbreaker thus has a large, square fit that allows him to easily carry his sizable firearm under his jacket. The short vents on the right and left sides extend up to the waist for additional comfort.
Harry’s shirt is also light gray, but there is a slight contrast between this gray and the warmer gray of the jacket. The shirt has a point collar that Harry wears open. It has white buttons down a front placket, and the mitred cuffs fasten with a single button.
Although certain elements give it a dated look, Harry’s casual attire is far more timeless than his boss’ super-’70s sportcoat, shirt, and tie.
Harry wears a pair of dark brown flat front trousers with jetted rear pockets and then-fashionable frogmouth front pockets. Harry wears a brown leather belt with a brass oval clasp through the trouser belt loops. Harry’s large light brown leather shoulder holster clips to his belt on both the right and left sides, with the .44 Magnum itself being carried under Harry’s left arm for a right-hand-draw.
A shoulder holster isn’t the best concealment method for a large revolver and such a short-length jacket, but Harry is pretty much famous for his gun so I don’t think he’s actually trying to conceal anything.
The trouser bottoms are plain-hemmed with a short break over his shoes.
Harry’s footwear in this casual dress sequence is a pair of brown suede desert boots with three lace eyelets and black leather soles, the same that he would also later wear with his brown suede jacket. His socks appear to be dark blue, which doesn’t make much sense given the brown footwear and trousers, but:
a) I could be mistaken.
b) Harry doesn’t really give two shits about sartorial rules.
If you have to leap into action in a moment’s notice, you want to be wearing the right shoes.
For the M72 LAW rocket launcher demonstration, Harry wears a pair of the brown tortoiseshell plastic-framed “sport” aviators that were very popular in this era. Pretty much any man who lived in the late ’70s and early ’80s had a pair of these sunglasses, from straitlaced conservative cops like Harry to volatile Cuban-born cocaine kingpins like Tony Montana.
Harry’s wristwatch is stainless with a round case and an expanding bracelet. The black dial has a faded white center.
Although the focal point of this shot is clearly meant to be Harry’s massive .44 Magnum, it also offers one of the better shots of his watch.
How to Get the Look
Though it wouldn’t be my first choice for a night out, off-duty Harry offers some practical sartorial choices for a day of running errands or chasing hoods.
- Light gray zip-front synthetic windbreaker with dark green ribbed collar, green and red zipper tape, button-flapped chest patch pockets, slash side pockets, 1-button cuffs, and short side vents
- Light gray shirt with large point collar, front placket, and mitred button cuffs
- Dark brown flat front trousers with frogmouth front pockets, jetted rear pockets, and plain-hemmed bottoms
- Brown leather belt with rounded brass single-prong buckle
- Brown suede 3-eyelet desert boots
- Dark blue ribbed socks
- Stainless wristwatch on an expanding bracelet with a round black faded-center dial
- Light brown leather shoulder holster (RHD) for a Smith & Wesson Model 29 revolver
The Gun
If you don’t know this by now…
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Buy the Dirty Harry collection
The Quote
Mustapha: You really are a dirty bastard, ain’t you, Harry?
Harry: The dirtiest.
I’m sour grapes over windbreakers. I tell myself I don’t like them, and then my self tells me I’m just jealous because I don’t have the muscles to make them work. My jackets need more heft and structure. So either my dislike or my envy has saved me all the money I’d have otherwise blown on a collection of Baracuta G9’s and God-knows-what-else.
A credit to Eastwood how he could take an outfit as dull as this and make it look cool. Even though this is one of the lesser entries in the Dirty Harry series, it’s probably my favorite of the bunch. It contains some of the funniest scenes and dialog of all the films. The scene when Harry is getting chewed out by Bradford Dillman, after demolishing the liquor store to end a hostage situation, is priceless.
Reblogged this on weeko.
in 2019, re-watching this great flick, I love the windbreaker; and would seriously consider buying/wearing it. Where was it made/who made it?