HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER
(1964)With Clint Eastwood, Verna Bloom, Marianna Hill, Mitch Ryan, Billy Curtis
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Reviewed by JB
With elements of YOJIMBO, FOR A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS,
HIGH NOON and several other films, HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER, Eastwood's
second directorial effort, is one of the classic "revisionist"
westerns, a movie that would not only do Kurosawa
and Leone proud, but piss also off John Wayne in the process (The
Duke reportedly despised this film.). What could have been just a
good old revenge story is turned into
something far more mythical, mysterious and memorable by Clint
Eastwood's decision not to reveal his character's name or his motives,
leaving it to the audience to decide such matters. It begins as a
typical gun-for-hire film, with the people of the small town of
Lago needing Eastwood's stranger to protect them from
some gunslingers just released from prison, but as HIGH PLAINS
DRIFTER unfolds, its underlying themes of guilt and
punishment become clearer. Like so many of the best
westerns, HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER is primarily visual, with Eastwood
obviously the most famous alumni of Sergio Leone's school of directing.
If you love dark westerns, don't miss this one - it is superb
from beginning to end. 
- JB
ADD ANOTHER QUOTE AND MAKE IT A GALLON
"Don't know the man."
"Well, you missed your chance. You shot him yesterday."
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