Harry's War (1981 film)


Harry's War is a 1981 American comedy-drama film from American Film Consortium and Taft International Pictures, starring Edward Herrmann, Geraldine Page, Karen Grassle, David Ogden Stiers, Elisha Cook, Salome Jens and Noble Willingham. It was written and directed by Kieth Merrill.

Plot

After his aunt dies of a heart attack while fighting the IRS, Harry Johnson decides to take up the cause in what may seem to be an unconventional manner: he declares war on the IRS. After the funeral of Harry's aunt, Harry uses a Half-track to sabotage a television interview of his IRS nemesis. Several violent outcomes occur with some anti-government rhetoric.

Cast

Parts of the film were shot in St. George, Utah.

Theatrical run

This film saw a limited two-week release in theaters in March, 1981.

Television

, ONTV, HBO and other premium cable movie channels ran the film in 1982, but it has never seen a network television premiere or any other broadcast since.

Home media

released a VHS version of the film on April 1, 1988 and using the same video transfer also did a DVD release on August 1, 2005.

Legacy

In a mid-1980s interview with David Ogden Stiers, who played the IRS director in the film, was asked what his favorite role had been and 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 in the office...."