Sudden Impact Quotes

Shmoop will make you a better lover...of quotes

ALL QUOTES POPULAR BROWSE BY AUTHOR BROWSE BY SOURCE BROWSE BY TOPIC BROWSE BY SUBJECT

Source: Sudden Impact

Speaker: Dirty Harry

Go ahead. Make my day.

Context

This line is spoken by Dirty Harry, played by Clint Eastwood, in the film Sudden Impact, directed by Clint Eastwood (1983).

Clint Eastwood's iconic cop, "Dirty" Harry Callahan, gets a gross cup of coffee and foils a robbery all in the same morning. After blowing away most of the bad guys, the final robber takes a woman hostage. Harry isn't having any of it.

He taunts the man (which we're sure his hostage really appreciates), telling him, "Go ahead. Make my day." The man doesn't want to make Harry's day, apparently, so he surrenders.

Where you've heard it

We love this quote. So. Much. 

The quote was instantly referenced in 80's TV like Night Court and ALF. Mrs. Doubtfire says it, and so does Beetlejuice, cranking it up to "Make my millennium." Anyone who can deliver a good taunt has probably tossed it out at some point, too.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

Quoting Dirty Harry is never pretentious. Ever.