L'Homme des hautes plaines

One of the great western plots is the outsider stranger who comes to a town and one way or another rids it of its bad elements. A cliché best typified by Shane. In High Plains Drifter we have the town of Lago which sure doesn't look like much. A mysterious stranger comes to town played by Clint Eastwood and he's certainly up for the role of town savior. But as the film unfolds is Lago a town worth saving?

The funny thing is that Eastwood himself did a variation on the plot of Shane in Pale Rider. He's as noble there as Alan Ladd was in Shane. But in High Plains Drifter his gunfighter skills are almost superhuman. And he's far from noble. His brooding presence frightens the town people but he might be their savior so like it or not, they put up with it though they don't like it.

In fact the town's leading citizens are really a scurvy lot and the town has a lot of secrets. As you watch High Plains Drifter you wonder if the crowd is worth saving.

It all works out the same as it does for Shane, but with one supernatural twist. In fact there's not another Clint Eastwood movie let alone western film where the supernatural comes in. It truly is a star vehicle for Eastwood, most of the supporting cast don't have enough to work with to create memorable characters. An exception is Barry Curtis, a midget who Eastwood elevates to prime importance and is really the only true friend the High Plains Drifter has.

In fact High Plains Drifter has a ride into the sunset like no other.

Clint Eastwood revives his signature role as "The Man with no Name" as he seems to come out of nowhere from the distant prairie and descends upon the sleepy little town of Largo and after that things there will never be the same again for the people who live there.

A film that has a lot more to it then what you see at first with Eastwood not being that mysterious and having a past which is seen in flashback every so often in the movie. Styled a lot like "High Noon" but with a twist that builds up slowly at first then takes off like a loose bronco to it's dramatic and fiery conclusion."High Plains Drifter" doesn't follow the well worn standard western scenario which is why it make it unique and thought-provoking at the same time.

Eastwood was never better here as the cool yet pragmatic stranger who's very anonymity makes him both mysterious and threatening to everyone he ruins into, friend or foe. Over the years since "High Plains Drifter" was released, back in 1973, it has reached cult statues and Eastwood has never made another western as good and as "High Plains Drifter" and that includes "The Unforgiven".

Eastwood is more then a match against those out to get him but what they, his enemies as well as the audience, don't know until the very end of the movie is that Clint has something, besides his quick guns and steel nerves, that is far beyond that of mortal man.

"High Plains Drifter" is probably Clint Eastwood's darkest western and that says quite a bit. It has similarities with "Pale Rider", his other western gem. The hero is a mysterious, ghost-like figure and he fights against the evil and corruption that infests a small town in the middle of nowhere. What sets these two films apart is that here Eastwood is fighting a lone battle , and his only sidekick is the midget Mordecai, while almost all other inhabitants of Lago are corrupted or/and cowardly.

Eastwood delivers one of his strongest performances here and manages to be charming and humorous besides exacting cool-blooded vengeance. His interactions with the two women (Marianna Hill and Verna Bloom, both solid in their roles) who are very different draws comparisons to his earlier film "Hang 'Em High". But what sets this apart from the typical Eastwood fare is the dark nature of this movie. Anthony James, the man with the unforgettable face, is once again back as one of the main villains. The rest of the cast are quite forgettable and lesser known names, which adds credibility to this movie, making it a film to be taken seriously and not just a gathering of famous faces.

This film's perhaps strongest asset is the excellent screenplay by Ernest Tidyman, the Oscar-winner for "French Connection" and it is probably the best screenplay ever written for an Eastwood-directed western. The storyline never ceases to surprise and is full of suspense and great dialogue. As always, Clint knew who to pick. As always in the Clint films, this movie is not about love. Clint and Bloom's affair almost results in love, but it never gets the chance to develop. The surprise ending adds a great touch. This film really is a delight for fans of Clint Eastwood and unusual, film-noirish westerns.

The classic picture, shot by Clint Eastwood, who himself played the main role of a stranger without a name. For me, this picture is certainly not the pinnacle of creativity, directorial and acting, the inimitable K. Eastwood, he just has a lot more work to do. But the film definitely deserves to be seen by many.

At first glance, it seems nothing new as regards westerns, having taken it in view, the viewer will not see. But it will be so only when viewing the first half of the picture. In the future, all the actions taking place in the film will acquire a raid of mysticism, which will intensify from one action to another and acquiring clear outlines of the supernatural with the development of the storyline. The fact that a stranger appears and disappears in the end of the tape will obviously hint at the mystical interpretation of the picture. And Eastwood himself hinted at the mystical aspect of his work in his interviews. Therefore, this tape will also be interesting to those who love not only the standard work in this genre. It will definitely appeal to lovers of the mysterious and mysterious.

In the picture itself, by and large, there is nothing to complain about. Everything in it is made to last. It could not be otherwise. Just look at the team working on the film. Here there are only one professional and aurochs of their business, who set and put into practice more than one picture of this genre. Separately, I would like to mention two people, I don't take Clint Eastwood a priori into account, because everything is clear with him, he is a pro in his field, especially as regards Westerns. First of all, I note the operator Bruce Surtis, who has done an amazing job. His camera is fascinating, he showed a small town in all its glory, the viewer sees it in full view. At the right moment, he pulls out close-ups, thereby creating a lot of stress. The locations that B.Sertes shows are pleasing to the eye, they are amazing. Here, an important factor plays the role of the place where the place was chosen for filming, the endless plains, the scorching sun, the small town. The viewer will see the wild west in all its glory, against which a bloody spectacle will unfold. And the second is noted by composer Dee Burton, who wrote beautiful and very beautiful music for this film. Of course this is not Ennio Morricone. If you compare with it, many composers immediately fade away, so for me, a comparison here with the greatest meter of their work will not be appropriate. And therefore Dee Barton created classical music for this western. For me, this composer stands on a par with the great L. Bokalov.

Shootings, for which they love this genre, there is not much. But without them, the film has something to see. Perfectly written out all the characters without exception. Whether major or minor. Each will play an important role, regardless of the time interval occupied in the tape. And be sure everyone here will be rewarded according to merit. The picture does not sag, it was interesting to watch the development of events throughout its entire length, the well-written script clearly contributes to that.

The output was a harsh and merciless picture, seasoned with a touch of humor and irony, like many other works of this genre by C. Eastwood. But it may seem ambiguous to many people, so of course, it's your decision to look or not.

I really had no idea what to expect when I grabbed High Plains Drifter from the video store shelf. I recently saw The Outlaw Josey Wales, and really enjoying that film, I figured I couldn't go wrong; I was right. High Plains Drifter is more than just another western with the standard assortment of gun fights, bar scenes, and shots of horseback riding on wide-open prairie. To be sure, it does have its share of the said events, it is a western after all, but what I particularly liked was the film's character development and well thought out story.

I don't want to ruin any of the film's enjoyment for any potential viewers, so I won't go into describing any of the characters. Suffice it to say though that they all have a very realistic quality to them, especially Clint Eastwood's character. No stereotyped good guys/bad guys here, thank you very much.

As I mentioned, the story is also very nicely developed. It has multiple layers which are peeled away as the movie progresses, remaining entertained throughout.

High Plains Drifter is an excellent western. If you're a fan of the genre, you'll no doubt find it to be an entertaining watch.