Hollywood and Guns

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whatnickname

whatnickname

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Slow day yesterday so flipping through my 100 or so channels on the TV and came across a 1973 Clint Eastwood movie, Magnum Force. Corny doesn’t even begin to describe it. The dialog sounded like it was written by someone’s 6th grade class. But, the highlight of the movie was when one of the bad guys slapped a silencer on a Colt Python and began to fire rounds with about a 98% reduction in report. They should have titled that box office classic: Magnum Farce.
 
It has one of his best lines in it! Tyne Daly, as Inspector Moore, asks Callahan, "Hey Callahan, Why do you carry that .44 Magnum? Most cops are happy with a .38, maybe .357." His answer? "Because I kill what I hit."
 
whatnickname said:
came across a 1973 Clint Eastwood movie, Magnum Force. Corny doesn’t even begin to describe it. The dialog sounded like it was written by someone’s 6th grade class. But, the highlight of the movie was when one of the bad guys slapped a silencer on a Colt Python and began to fire rounds with about a 98% reduction in report. They should have titled that box office classic: Magnum Farce.
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EPcgoA_XUAAXe_6.jpg
 
in fact, this afternoon, the James Bond movie, Dr. No was on.

the man that played the American CIA agent, "Felix" had a semi-automatic, i couldn't quite make out what it was. however, as he had his gun pulled on 007, (he didn't know who Bond was just yet) i could clearly see holster wear on the slide.

now to me, that was a nice touch, rather than a brand new shiny prop gun.
 
It's just entertainment. No, the firearms aspect didn't age well, since as we all aged, we learned more about firearms than the movie production crews of the day ... Motion pictures didn't tend to have "firearms advisors" or "armorers" then, as you'll typically see in the credits nowadays on respectable productions.

If the corniness detracts from someone's enjoyment of the Dirty Harry movies, too bad. They're all still classics in my book, and I've never seen a Clint Eastwood movie I didn't like (well, except for the one in which he played a country-western singer). Another thing about the Dirty Harry flicks is that they introduced some cool guns -- the Model 29, the Python, the AutoMag (and his snub Model 66 in The Gauntlet, the sheer coolness of the 627 8-shooter in Bloodwork)-- to a lot of people and spurred gun sales, for sure. Plus, great reminders of what a neat city San Francisco used to be ...
 
Awww Come on we are all thinking it...




My favorite part of that opening is when Kono played by the Actor Zulu.. Runs up that ramp with a shotgun..
using it and him as a battering ram...

Talk about having to 2 Kick butt Boss names..

lu-as-kono-kalakaua-in-the-opening-credits-of-hawaii-fiveo-image-picture-id477617450?s=2048x2048.jpg
 
I watched a British police drama this evening called VanderValk. It was the first episode I've ever seen. I have no idea what the premise is or the backstory but they got a bunch wrong.

First off it looked like the lead character was carrying a Walther .22. They had people's teacupping their guns. They had people holding their wrist for a two-handed hold. Everybody was running around with their fingers on the trigger.

They did get one thing right though. One of the cops killed somebody and it absolutely devastated him. The final scene the whole crew was sitting in the bar drinking and he was sitting in the corner just shaking like a leaf.
 
I couldn't make out the guns, thought I saw a H&K somewhere in there.
British idea of Amsterdam PD practices. Supposed Dutch with strong English accents.
Shoot the mobster with SMG in the leg and leave him to shoot at everybody from the stair landing.
 
Jim Watson said:
I couldn't make out the guns, thought I saw a H&K somewhere in there.
British idea of Amsterdam PD practices. Supposed Dutch with strong English accents.
Shoot the mobster with SMG in the leg and leave him to shoot at everybody from the stair landing.
Click to expand...

That was the episode.

And a couple of the cops didn't even have guns.
 
If you're looking for factual accuracy in firearms or tactics in movies or television (or games) you're almost always going to be disappointed. It is far easier to list the shows that went to the trouble to get the guns and shooting correct than the ones that don't (and then you can generally find some error).

The noted wear on Felix's handgun is a nice touch.
 
What gets me is how the characters almost always violate one or more of the rules of safe gun handling ... so obviously identifying writers, producers, directors and actors as all pretty ignorant about firearms.
 
wiscoaster said:
What gets me is how the characters almost always violate one or more of the rules of safe gun handling ... so obviously identifying writers, producers, directors and actors as all pretty ignorant about firearms.
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i cannot recall the movies i have been seeing, but i really DID SEE the cops in the movies, with thier trigger finger on the frame not the trigger, as they were walking (sweeping??) into the area where the bad guys were.

i have been more aware of what to look for recently.

but yes too, i have also seen (older??) movies/tv shows, like my morning show, Highway Patrol (1950's, black and white), where EVERYONE is running with thier fingers on the trigger.
 
If we're going to talk about Hollywood and guns here's my biggest beef and it's almost always John Wayne I see doing it.

There's a scene in The Cowboys in which he jabs one of the kids in the gut with what's supposed to be a loaded gun.

There's a scene in El Dorado in which Robert Mitchum sticks his rifle in someone's face and uses it to lift up their hat.

I don't care who you are if you point a gun (loaded or not) at me like that my response is going to be somewhat less than polite
 
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Yep, suppressors on revolvers were extremely common in the past.

I still very much enjoy all the Dirty Harry movies.

Then again, I also love all the cheesy 80's action flicks too.
 
There was a specialized Ruger Blackhawk (might have that wrong but some Ruger), that was all techy up for a silencer to work. It was described in on of the Gun Digest books on Assault Weapons. It made an appearance on the X-Files.

Didn't Harry say he shot 44 SPL on the range. Wimp! Don't expect accuracy in the media.
 
Trunk Monkey said:
I watched a British police drama this evening called VanderValk. It was the first episode I've ever seen. I have no idea what the premise is or the backstory but they got a bunch wrong.

First off it looked like the lead character was carrying a Walther .22. They had people's teacupping their guns. They had people holding their wrist for a two-handed hold. Everybody was running around with their fingers on the trigger.

They did get one thing right though. One of the cops killed somebody and it absolutely devastated him. The final scene the whole crew was sitting in the bar drinking and he was sitting in the corner just shaking like a leaf.
Click to expand...

There is NO firearms culture in the UK. What would you expect?
 
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