Harry's War

1981
PG
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

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After his aunt dies of a heart attack while fighting the IRS, Harry Johnson decides to take up the cause.After his aunt dies of a heart attack while fighting the IRS, Harry Johnson decides to take up the cause.After his aunt dies of a heart attack while fighting the IRS, Harry Johnson decides to take up the cause.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.0/10

376

YOUR RATING

15User reviews

See production info at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Quotes
Harry Johnson: I'm challenging the right of the IRS to destroy people, people like Beverly Paine. The God that gave us life gave us liberty at the same time. I think that most of you people will understand what I'm doing today. It's time to keep those liberties alive. I declare was on the IRS, and all the little men who have become their tyrants.
Shelly: It's dad! Mommy, mommy, come here. Dad's on television!
Harry Johnson: Americans have risen up against tyranny before, and we will rise up again! In the words of another patriot, we will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God. It's time that somebody did something.

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Featured in Vintage Video: A Chronological 80's Film Rewatch Podcast: Harry's War (1981) (2021)

User reviews15

Review

Featured review

9/10

trivia: David Ogden Stiers interview

In the mid-1980s I once saw part of an interview with David Ogden Stiers, who played the IRS agent/director in this great film. He was asked about what his favorite role had been, and I got this idea that the interviewer was expecting him to say something about his character in M*A*S*H. But instead he paused for a second, and said "There was this movie about the IRS, and I was the biggest [bleep] in the office...." at which point they cut to a commercial.

Unfortunately, I didn't bother to note what program this was, and it's been so many years ago that I'm not even sure I'm recalling everything right. But it was funny enough to remember all this time.

By-the-way, the Harry character gives a pretty good speech about his position near the end of the film -- it's not really all that radical or "anti-government" so much as it is anti-bureaucratic abuse and pro-freedom. Highly recommended, overall.

There are still a few sources (some online) with copies of this movie available -- you just have to look around.