Clint Eastwood's Iconic 'Dirty Harry' Quote Cemented His Hollywood Legacy

The legendary 'Do I feel lucky?' speech remains one of the greatest moments in thriller movie history.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Fifty-five years ago, Clint Eastwood delivered one of the most iconic lines in cinema history in the 1971 action-thriller Dirty Harry. His character, San Francisco Police Inspector Harry Callahan, confronts a bank robber and offers him a chilling ultimatum - surrender or lose his head. The unforgettable 'Do I feel lucky?' quote has become synonymous with Eastwood's tough-guy persona and helped cement his status as a Hollywood legend.

Why it matters

Dirty Harry was a major box office hit that spawned several sequels, and the 'Do I feel lucky?' speech has endured as one of the most memorable moments in thriller movie history. Eastwood's delivery of the line, with a winking smile as he toys with his prey, made the brutal Harry Callahan a compelling and iconic character despite the film's controversial politics.

The details

In the scene, Harry interrupts a bank robbery, blowing away multiple goons with his powerful .44 Magnum while finishing a hot dog. The final robber, bleeding on the ground, attempts to reach for his shotgun. Harry then gives him a choice - surrender or risk having his 'head blown clean off' by the 'most powerful handgun in the world.' Eastwood's iconic line comes as he takes on the robber's perspective, wondering if he 'feels lucky' enough to make the wrong choice.

  • Dirty Harry was released in 1971.

The players

Clint Eastwood

The legendary actor who portrayed the tough-as-nails San Francisco police inspector Harry Callahan in Dirty Harry and its sequels, cementing his status as a Hollywood icon.

Harry Callahan

Eastwood's character in Dirty Harry, a brutal and uncompromising police inspector who will do whatever it takes to stop a serial killer terrorizing San Francisco.

Scorpio

The serial killer modeled after the real-life Zodiac Killer who terrorized San Francisco, and the main antagonist that Callahan pursues in Dirty Harry.

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What they’re saying

“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've kinda 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've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do you, punk?”

— Harry Callahan, San Francisco Police Inspector (Dirty Harry)

The takeaway

Clint Eastwood's iconic 'Do I feel lucky?' speech from Dirty Harry has endured as one of the greatest moments in thriller movie history, cementing his status as a Hollywood legend and his character Harry Callahan as a quintessential tough-guy action hero.