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The Outlaw Josey Wales [1976]
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The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), Clint Eastwood's 31st film as an actor, 20th as international star and 5th as director, was the first to win him widespread respect. Critics had grumbled when the producer-star replaced Philip Kaufman (The Right Stuff) in the director's chair a week into shooting. They ended up cheering when Eastwood delivered both his most sympathetic performance to date and--with the heroic collaboration of cinematographer Bruce Surtees--an impressive Panavision epic that stresses the scruffiness, rather than the scenic splendors, of frontier life. Though it's been honoured with a place in the National Film Registry, Josey Wales is good, not great, Eastwood. The big-gun fetishism can get tiresome, and too many characters exist only to serve as six-gun (and at one point Gatling gun) fodder. But mostly the film is agreeably eccentric, and almost furtively sweet in spirit--a key transitional title in the Eastwood filmography, and one of his most entertaining. --Richard T. Jameson During the Civil War, Union "Redlegs" attack Southerner Josey Wales's dirt farm and wipe out his family. Seeking vengeance, Wales throws in with a company of Reb guerrillas. Tagged as a renegade after the surrender, he flees west into the vastness of the Indian Territories, where, quite unintentionally, he finds himself cast as the straight-shooting paterfamilias of an ever-growing, spectacularly motley community of misfits and castaways. This is to say, Josey's personal quest for survival and something like peace of mind evolves into a funky, multicultural allegory of the healing of America. Josey Wales is good, not great, Eastwood. The big-gun fetishism can get tiresome, and too many characters exist only to serve as six-gun (and at one point Gatling gun) fodder. But mostly the film is agreeably eccentric, and almost furtively sweet in spirit--a key transitional title in the Eastwood filmography, and one of his most entertaining. --Richard T Jameson
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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
During the Civil War, Union "Redlegs" attack Southerner Josey Wales's dirt farm and wipe out his family. Seeking vengeance, Wales throws in with a company of Reb guerrillas. Tagged as a renegade after the surrender, he flees west into the vastness of the Indian Territories, where, quite unintentionally, he finds himself cast as the straight-shooting paterfamilias of an ever-growing, spectacularly motley community of misfits and castaways. Which is to say, Josey's personal quest for survival and something like peace of mind evolves into a funky, multicultural allegory of the healing of America.
Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), Clint Eastwood's 31st film as an actor, 20th as international star and fifth as director, was the first to win him widespread respect. Critics had grumbled when the producer-star replaced Philip Kaufman (The Right Stuff) in the director's chair a week into shooting. They ended up cheering when Eastwood delivered both his most sympathetic performance to date and--with the heroic collaboration of cinematographer Bruce Surtees--an impressive Panavision epic that stresses the scruffiness, rather than the scenic splendours, of frontier life.
Clint's Western Masterpiece
Review date: 2008-01-08 Rating: 10 out of 10
Seldom does a definitive example of a genre come along, but this is it. Together with Costner's "Dances With Wolves" this film has to be the Western Genre's moment of triumph, certainly from outside the genre's golden age in the 1950s. Yet it was for Unforgiven that Eastwood won his Best Director's Oscar. I'm not saying he shouldn't have won for that, he just should have won for this too.
It is a film with manages to merge triumphalsim with en edgy darkness, at times it's uplifting and humbling, it is superbly acted with some magnificent characters and performances from lead and support actors alike. The film challenges many pre-conceptions we might have about this period in American History as the white man's enemy is himself whilst the Native American becomes his most trusted and loyal companion. Women too are shown as generally strong, able to fight and in the case of the young Native American woman, better than most of the men:- a challenge indeed to both the genre and the context of the mid 70s in whcih the film was made. It is beautifully filmed with excellent editing and cinematography. It is, quite simply, brilliant and not to be missed.
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Reviews
Big Clint at his best
Review date: 2008-01-02 Rating: 10 out of 10
This film is highly regarded among Clint Eastwood fans and fans of the Western genre in general. Clint is a tobacco chewing bitter warrior here. He can't fit back into society in the post-Civil War era and instead goes on a rampage of killing (on many occasions the trouble actually comes to him without looking for it).
A number of gritty Western cliches are featured here but are done rather stylishly - such as honour, treachery, saving the damsels in distress from the clutches of evil wandering thugs, standing tall when faced with peril and not backing down, posing with corpses for the primitive cameras, salesmen trying to sell potions, meeting Indians in dangerous circumstances and eventually teaming up with them, a 'gold' ruse to lead your intellectually challenged assailant into a false sense of security before gunning him down, the frontierswoman who learns how to handle a rifle at exactly the right moment ... and many more.
Still this is Josey Wales so expect plenty of action. I think they stop counting after he guns down about 60 men.
"Are ya just gonna stand there, or whistle Dixie!"
Review date: 2007-12-29 Rating: 8 out of 10
Some of the best ever one liners are scripted in this epic, and even the ferryman gets in on the act!! Wales' pursuers were hot on his heels but "The Missoura boat ride" came to his aid!!! Fantastic film which you watch time and time again to take in all it has to offer!!!
An absolute CLASSIC!!!!!!
One of the greatest movies of all time
Review date: 2007-05-18 Rating: 10 out of 10
I remember first seeing this movie at the drive-in back when it came out and it remains one of my favorites. In fact it was the first movie that I bought on VHS when I got a VCR and was the second (maybe third) movie that I bought on DVD. Always a big fan of westerns I class this one as way better than 90% of the genre and cereberal in nature. While there are some small problems with weapons that are out of time this is something that will only irk those who are very knowledgeable concerning post-war weapons. This is one movie that should be on everyones short list of must have movies.
Tip Top Film
Review date: 2007-04-10 Rating: 10 out of 10
Dont go by what i say,buy it,watch it,love it,an absoloute Tour De Force.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Sondra Locke
Bill McKinney
John Vernon
Sam Bottoms
Clint Eastwood
Director(s):
Recording label: Warner Home Video
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
EAN: 7321900125888
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 1999-08-23
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 130 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1976-06-30
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: French (Original Language)
Language: Arabic (Subtitled)
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: German (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)
Language: Portuguese (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Dubbed)