‘Dirty Harry’ is a popular neo-noir action-thriller film featuring a psychopathic shooter named Scorpio (Andy Robinson) who kills a woman in a rooftop swimming pool and leaves a note demanding $ 100,000 or do so. kill more people. His threatening letter was received by San Francisco Police Department Inspector Harry Callahan (Clint Eastwood), who was assigned to reduce the crime.
Along with his newborn colleague, Chico Gonzalez (Reni Santoni), Harry plans to track down Scorpio before committing further murders. An exciting chase set throughout San Franciso encompasses the most prominent areas in the city center. Thanks to an eye-catching background and cinematography, the Dirty Harry movie keeps viewers stunned.
Where Was Dirty Harry Movie Filmed?
The production of ‘Dirty Harry’ took place in California, mainly in San Francisco, Marin County, and Los Angeles County. The film’s main film debut began on April 20, 1971, and ended on June 18, 1971.
California
The city of San Francisco in California was used to shoot a few scenes in ‘Dirty Harry.’ The opening film series was shot at The Bank of America Building at 555 California Street. The first scene of the lake massacre was shot at the Holiday Inn Select Downtown Hotel at 750 Kearny Street, Chinatown. The Inn has been transformed into the Hilton San Francisco Financial District Hotel. Portsmouth Square in Chinatown was also used as a background for a few scenes within the movie.
In one of the scenes, Harry gets off at the “K” trailer and uses the fenced area in front of Mission Dolores Park, located on Dolores Street and 19th Street. The now-closed Fort Mason Tunel, near the park, is where Harry’s robbery took place. The Scorpio robs liquor store is actually located at 148 The Embarcadero; the store has since been demolished. Not far away is the historic Dante Building, 1606 Stockton Street, which was used in the movie to watch scenes where Scorpio screens victims.
Grandview Park on 1705 14th Avenue served as a shooting range where Scorpio caught a school bus. His car owner was fitted with a lens at 750 Noriega Street. San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center at 1001 Potrero Avenue, Potrero Hill, served as a photo booth when Harry visited the hospital to meet Chico and his wife.
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A few locations near Washington Square in North Beach were also used for filming action scenes. These include Krausgrill Place, Medau Place, and Jasper Place. The production team also used St. Peter and Paul Church at 666 Filbert Street, also near Washington Square, to record a few movie scenes.
Strip Clubs such as Big Al’s strip club, 556 Broadway, and Roaring 20’s strip club, 552 Broadway, are also used as background in the movie. The last is when Harry keeps Scorpio under surveillance.
Mt. Davidson Cross, at the top of Mount Davidson at 125 Dalewood Way, is a popular spot in town and can be seen ‘in Dirty Harry.’ Alamo Square in the Hayes Valley and Marina Green in the Marina Region were also used for film production.
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Other venues in the city that can be seen in the movie include San Francisco City Hall at 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Hall of Justice at 850 Bryant Street, and Kezar Stadium at 670 Kezar Drive in Golden Gate Park. California Hall at 625 Polk Street, formerly the California Culinary Academy, also appears in the movie. Areas such as Forest Hill Station, Lombard Street, and Golden Gate Bridge can be seen behind a few film scenes.
Part of the San Francisco Bay Area, Marin County is located near San Francisco, opposite the Golden Gate Bridge. Actors and the team have moved to a few locations within the region to record a few scenes of ‘Dirty Harry;’ this includes Hutchinson’s Rock Quarry at 42 Sir Francis Drake Drive, Larkspur, which was used to record a match between Harry and Scorpio. The quarry has been renamed Larkspur Landing Shopping Center and Larkspur Shores Apartments near the Larkspur Ferry Terminal.
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The site of the discovery of a woman’s body in a drainage pipe was recorded at Battery Spencer on Conzelman Road in Sausalito. Other notable areas in the region that doubles as the background to ‘Dirty Harry’ are the uninhabited community of Greenbrae and the beautiful town of Mill Valley.
Los Angeles County in Southern California is home to several film studios. The ‘Dirty Harry’ production team used a few of these sites to record various scenes. Scenes at the restaurant and a series of bank robberies were shot at Universal Studios Hollywood, 100 at Universal City Plaza, Universal City in San Fernando Valley.
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Specifically, the New York Street backlot in the production area was also used as a recording studio for many scenes. Another large studio within LA County that has served as a shooting center for entertainment directors is Warner Brothers Burbank Studios at 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank. “Dirty Harry.”
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