I considered starting a separate thread for this, but I'll float it here first . . . .
The True Story Of The S&W 44 Magnum In The Movies That Made It An Icon.
I'd like to see someone who can track down the truth of all this write a commentary or even a short book (or not so short
) setting down the true details of the procurement, identification, number of units of the guns and the film biographys associated with the proper films to go with the making of the "Dirty Harry" film series. Many of the people involved are still alive and are not going to be with us much longer in relative terms. Much of the true information is already available, but fragmented and if it exists in one place in a compilation I am not aware of it.
Such a book would do much to put to rest all the fantastic and ridiculous rumors and stories that have taken the place of the facts concerning the mystique of the model 29's associated with these films.
I know it's always easier to say "someone else do it", but many of us with the desire don't have the access, the background, or the contacts to do a complete job.
I believe we have a member or two here that is up to the task, though. I, for one, would love to see such a project come to fruition. I'd buy the book in a heartbeat. While Eastwood and Milius are still with us and also many of the technical and prop personnel that worked on these movies, it would take some time and detective work but I think at least for a while, it could still be done. After these folks pass on we're left with the second, third, and fourth hand hearsay that we suffer with today.
It gets tiresome and ridiculous to see new folks come in and the same old inaccurate tales passed down over the years regurgitated here over and over. Many of the inaccuracies have found their way into print in magazines and whatnot over the years and some folks just like to embellish details to make it sound like they know something others do not. Lies become facts and the actual truth gets to be unverifiable and lost forever.
Such a book could encompass some great historical record of the story of the 44 magnum and offer opportunity for some great gun-porn photography. I know there some reference books that have attempted part of this (as far as the history of the gun goes) but I believe approaching it from the angle of the "Dirty Harry" guns would help make it more of a commercial success. I think it would cause a lot of folks who would not normally buy a reference book on the Model 29 pick it up out of curiosity connected with the films.
I'm trying to plant a seed here. Hopefully someone will pick up the ball and run with it.
