Sunday 30 August 2020

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976 Clint Eastwood)

Excellent epic revisionist western, very overdue. (The only thing I remembered about it is the 'Good day to die' scene, which turns out to be from a different Chief Dan George movie, Little Big Man!)

Forrest Carter's novel adapted by Phil Kaufman and Sonia Chernus - they were unaware that he was a former Klansman and segregationist. Excellent script. Plays like a revenge western but along the way turns into something more Fordian as Wales is rehumanized by his encounters with an Indian chief (Chief Dan George) and squaw (Geraldine Keams), a tough old lady and her daughter (Paula Trueman and Sondra Locke) and assorted waifs and strays from a silver town where there ain't no silver. Sam Bottoms is an outlaw pal, John Vernon and Bill McKinney represent the bad guys. Lots of humour amidst the action, some spectacular scenery, shot beautifully by Bruce Surtees. Jerry Goldsmith's score is quite recognisable. Clint's direction most assured.

Malpaso for Warners. 

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