Clint Eastwood's Western Movie Timeline
THE MAN WITHOUT A NAME: CLINT EASTWOOD AND THE WESTERN
If John Wayne was the face of the classic western, Clint Eastwood is the face of the modern Western. Bookending his career with the "Spaghetti Western" trilogy and his Academy Award-winning directorial effort in Unforgiven, Eastwood has acted in, produced and directed some of the greatest Westerns to ever grace the silver screen. Let's take a look back at the remarkable western "career chronology" of an American icon.
Unforgiven (1992) – A fitting end to his Western career, this extraordinary film serves as mediation on the genre's darker side, following an aging gunfighter and killer (Eastwood) hired to avenge the vicious slashing of a prostitute. Eastwood took home well-deserved Best Picture and Best Actor Oscars.
Pale Rider (1985) – One of the more underrated films of his career, this modern retelling of Shane is bolstered by some tremendous action scenes, captivating Boulder Mountain locations and an intriguing air of mystery around Eastwood's "Preacher" character.
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) – A violent, fascinating film, the stature of this hit has only grown with time. Eastwood stars as the titular Civil War-era character, a Missouri farmer hell-bent on avenging the murder of his family by a band of Jayhawks.
High Plains Drifter (1973) – Another, darker variation on the "drifter with no name" theme, this acclaimed hit was the first Western Eastwood directed.
Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970) – The second of the reliably entertaining Don Siegel / Eastwood collaborations (best known for their decidedly non-Western film Dirty Harry), Eastwood starred as a drifter named Hogan, protecting a nun (Shirley MacLaine) and mixed up in a war between Mexican rebels and French occupiers.
Paint Your Wagon (1969) – Probably best remembered now as an object of scorn in a fantastic Simpsons joke (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM5-xFenaZI), this Western musical stars Eastwood and Lee Marvin as a pair of singin' Old West prospectors. It's as strange as it sounds, but entertaining enough.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), For a Few Dollars More (1965), A Fistful of Dollars (1964) – The "Spaghetti Western" trilogy kicked off one of the great Western careers ever. Directed with a pulpy edge by Sergio Leone, these three crowd-pleasing features are sent over the top by Ennio Morricone's astonishing score. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is undoubtedly the best, but the other two are top-flight films.