Dirty Harry "Time Out" polled several film critics, directors, actors and stunt actors to list their top action films. "Dirty Harry" was listed at 78th place in this list. John Milius later said he loved the film. "I think it's a great film, one of the few recent great films, more important than "The Godfather". It's larger than the sum of its parts; I don't think it's so brilliantly written or so brilliantly acted. Siegel can take more credit than anyone for it." The benefit world premiere of "Dirty Harry" was held at Loews' Market Street Cinema, 1077 Market Street (San Francisco),
Dirty Harry far a free, democratic society can go to protect itself. The original draft ended with a police sniper, instead of Callahan, shooting Scorpio. Another earlier version of the story was set in Seattle, Washington. Four more drafts of the script were written. Although Dirty Harry is arguably Clint Eastwood's signature role, he was not a top contender for the part. The role of Harry Callahan was offered to John Wayne and Frank Sinatra, and later to Robert Mitchum, Steve McQueen, and Burt Lancaster. In his 1980 interview with "Playboy", George C. Scott claimed that he was initially offered the role,