Country: United States
Genre: Western/ Action/ Drama
Director: Clint Eastwood
Year: 1976
Rating: 
TRASH CINEMA RECOMMENDED MOVIE
The Outlaw Josey Wales is a very good western, and no wonder: it was written by Phil Kaufman from a novel by Forrest Carter, lensed by Bruce Surtees, composed by Jerry Fielding, and features a who’s who of wonderful character actors from the time, like Chief Dan George, Bill McKinney, John Vernon, and Woodrow Parfrey. All of these factors make director Clint Eastwood look better than he is. His direction is workmanlike and unfussy, as usual. He takes his time, which is just fine because the characters and milieau are so interesting.
Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood) is a homesteader in Missouri during the Civil War. He’s just minding his own business when a band of Red Legs (a special contingent of border scouts loyal to the Union) slaughters his family and burns down his home. Wanting revenge, Wales joins up with the Confederate Army. When the war ends, Wales refuses to surrender and becomes an outlaw, hunted by Union forces headed up by Terrill (Bill McKinney), the man who commanded the forces that murdered his family.
We think we know where The Outlaw Josey Wales is going, but it takes a different and intriguing direction. Without quite meaning to, Wales starts picking up misfits and strays. First is Lone Watie (Chief Dan George) a Cherokee who has forgotten the old ways. Lone Watie grieves over his inability to sneak up on people, for example, and it’s very funny. In fact, there’s a surprising amount of humor in The Outlaw Josey Wales. Wales himself is taciturn, often punctuating his speech by spitting a gob of tobacco juice with uncanny accuracy, usually to express contempt.
Eventually, Wales has assembled the motley beginnings of a community and he’s got a dilemma on his hands. Will he be able to move past his need for vengeance and settle down?
The Outlaw Josey Wales answers this question in satisfying and intelligent ways that don’t stint on either action or character. There’s a sequence in which Wales negotiates with the Commanche leader Ten Bears (Will Sampson) that’s quite poetic.
The narrative has a number of of satisfying surprises. Jerry Fielding contributes a rousing score that’s part Aaron Copeland and part drum and fife bugle corp.
The Outlaw Josey Wales is intriguing, it’s exciting at times, and it makes you think. It would be ungrateful to ask for more.
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