Film of the Week #62 - The Outlaw Josey Wales

Karl Hungus

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075029/

Discuss.

Sherifu

Delighted to see this win this week.

One of Clints best cowboy roles.
He directed and starred in a story about a farmer living out a quiet life in Missouri during the Civil War who sees his family and home destroyed. When the Union betrays and slaughters all of his friends, Eastwood takes violent revenge. He finds himself of the run from a determined Union force. As he travels towards Texas, he assembles a motley bunch of outcasts and becomes less concerned with revenge and more interested in helping people.

Josey Wales is a man who is tired of all the violence he has seen and taken part in. He just wants to survive, and protect those he cares about. A great story from the master.

lodgepole

I think it's Eastwood's best film, as director or actor. It's wonderful, and not terribly well known by the general public I don't think. Certainly not as well not as the trio of films he did with Leone which is a shame because it shouldn't be missed. I'll get into it more later in the weekend, since I voted for it.

It's available for around €8 in most places too, which gives people no excuse for not seeing it. If you have even a passing interest in westerns you must see this film.

The Denouncer

Superb Western, easily in my top 3 of all time (alongside Once Upon a Time in the West and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly). I always think of Josey Wales as a forerunner to his character in Unforgiven..I only got around to seeing it about 2 years ago on TCM or one of those and it blew me away. Go out NOW and purchase your copy of The Outlaw Josey Wales, its got possibly the best dialogue you'll ever hear in a movie..its got Chief Dan George, its got a superb soundtrack, its got Clint at his grizzled best (he kills a hell of a lot of bad dudes in this movie). The DVD picture quality is superb, the sound is DD 5.1 with surprisingly active soundstage, so no excuses. Now, are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie?

Galvasean

Let me be the first to say,

"Whooped 'em again Josey!"

Pride Fighter

Great film, the greatest Western ever IMO. 'Where I come from we have a thing called a Missoura boat ride'. Man I have to watch this film again.

gollyitsolly

Great film. One of his best. I love the feisty little granny and the old Indian story.Sondra Locke plays the innocent girl really well even though I cant stand her in any of his other films.

Otis Driftwood

Great great movie.Watched it for the first time about 18 years ago with my grandfather and Ive loved it ever since.Definitly in my top 5 Westerns of all time.

Duggy747

Excellent choice, the best Eastwood western after the Spaghetti trilogy. As far back as I can remember, even as a kid, I always loved the poster drawing with Clint's grizzled face holding his two pistols in a menacing manner, quality picture of proper 'ard man!

http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/The-Outlaw-Josey-Wales-Poster-C12205815.jpeg

Here's another quality pic of the man himself:

http://artfiles.art.com/images/-/Clint-Eastwood---The-Outlaw-Josey-Wales-Photograph-C10103986.jpeg

Anywho, I love this movie and all the characters in it, especially the little Indian dude. (I laughed when Clint discovered him shagging the Indian girl.) This is a quality movie beautifully shot and is choc-full of memorable scenes and quotes, my favourite scene being the one where he saves the Indian girl in that little shack from the 2 fat hicks. That bit where he's handing over his guns, flips 'em, cocks 'em, and then blows them the fùck away is brilliant!

Good choice.

L31mr0d

this was the first ever western I watched in entirety and really got me into the genre.

I loved the scene where Clint hops on the gatling gun... it was the perfect weapon to symbolize his rage.

Its a classic movie to get people saying "they don't make them like they used to"

Imhof Tank

Maybe off topic but this film is responsible for one of the best sporting nicknames ever, viz Northern Ireland snooker star Joe Swaile - known as

"The Outlaw Joe Swaile"