[9]
Clint Eastwood stars in and directs The Outlaw Josey Wales, a Civil War drama about a peaceful farmer who turns to vengeance after a violent faction of the Union army burns down his home and murders his family. Wales joins a group of rebels who fight the the Union even after the war officially ends. After getting betrayed by a fellow fighter who turns the band in, resulting in mass execution, Wales goes it alone into the frontier wilderness, where he slowly — and begrudgingly — picks up fellow travelers who need his protection. From an aging Native American (Chief Dan George) to kidnapped settlers (Sondra Locke and Paula Trueman), Wales ends up accruing a surrogate family that slowly wears down his gruff façade. They make him human again, while searching for a quiet place to set down new roots together. Once they find a place, they are threatened by bounty hunters, the local Natives, the Union army, and the turncoat who nearly got Wales killed (John Vernon).
The Outlaw Josey Wales is one of Eastwood’s strongest efforts. It’s a beautiful film full of lush outdoor scenery and compelling characters. Chief Dan George and Paula Trueman are two of the most memorable, playing a Native American and an elderly Kansan who disparage each other’s race while exchanging, “No offense,” and “None taken.” The film has a noble message of peaceful coexistence embodied by these characters who acknowledge their turbulent past while forging a brave new future together. (If only America in 2025 could follow their example.) While there are many fun and exciting gunfights and physical confrontations throughout the film, Wales’ greatest victory is when he rides out to fight Chief Ten Bears (Will Sampson) on the eve of battle at the new settlement, and convinces the thoughtful leader that Wales and his friends mean him no harm — that they seek to live in peaceful coexistence. The film deserves credit for depicting Native Americans as three-dimensional human characters — one of the first films to do so. Wales prevents a bloody showdown with diplomacy, a tactic that unfortunately won’t work as well with the Union soldiers closing in on him.
The film’s title hero is a masculine hero for the ages. Wales’ character is at first rooted in and driven by rage, as many men are at times. But Wales learns the importance of friends and family in quelling rage and giving his heart peace. He’s macho at times, of course, but he’s ultimately a flawed man who redeems himself. It’s a subtle transformation perfectly suited to Eastwood’s acting sensibilities.
The film has a terrific screenplay with excellent dialogue and a healthy dose of good humor for levity’s sake. I normally don’t like tacked-on love stories, but the muted romantic subplot between Eastwood and Sondra Locke is so well written, I don’t mind it at all. The film also ends on a strong note — eschewing an expected, final bloody conflict in favor of reinforcing the film’s central theme — it’s prayer — for peaceful coexistence.
With Bill McKinney, Sam Bottoms, Geraldine Keams, and a striking score by Jerry Fielding.
Oscar Nomination: Best Score