Pale Rider (1985) – Film Review

Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Michael Moriarty. Carrie Snodgress
Certificate: 15

By Sarah Morgan

Clint Eastwood is a man of few words. While many leading men (and ladies) desperately want to dominate the screen as much as possible by having the most lines, he’s the opposite. In fact, it’s often been the case that he’s cut down his own dialogue, preferring to convey what’s going on with a glance or a gesture.

That approach reached its zenith in Pale Rider, in which Eastwood rarely speaks at all. Nevertheless, his charisma and screen presence means that whenever he’s in the frame, he’s the person we’re looking at. Actually, even when he isn’t there, we’re wondering when he’s going to be back and what his character might be doing.

In this mysterious Western, which has a sort of spiritual side, he plays a guy known only as Preacher, who appears seemingly from nowhere after teenager Meghan prays for a miracle – the community of prospectors she lives in is under attack from a wealthy, bullying businessman who wants to take over their claims, and her friends are in desperate need of respite.

“Old score”

Preacher gives them the strength to fight back, making a particular impact on Meghan, her mother Sarah and Sarah’s fiancé Hull. Ultimately, however, Preacher takes it upon himself to conclude the situation by settling an old score with a former foe, who is clearly rather shocked to see him.

So who is this character? Well, that’s open to interpretation. When we first see him, he arrives on a dappled grey and white steed, just as Meghan is reading the famous quote from the Bible: “And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death.” Is that the clue to his identity? The bullet wounds we see in his back certainly suggest he may be otherworldly…

Not that it really matters; it’s just another aspect to an intriguing tale that can be enjoyed on different levels – both as a haunting story, and as a straight Western. Think of a cross between Eastwood’s own High Plains Drifter and the classic Shane, and you get an idea of its premise and attraction.

“Hired thug”

The supporting cast includes Sydney Penny as young Meghan, then fresh from her success in The Thorn Birds, Carrie Snodgress as her mother and Michael Moriarty as Hull. Plus, a young Chris Penn plays one of the villains of the piece (alongside Richard Dysart as his father), with Richard Kiel, who remains best known for his role as Jaws in the Roger Moore Bond movies, also popping up as a hired thug who learns the errors of his ways.

While not as impressive as other entries in the genre directed by Eastwood – the aforementioned High Plains Drifter, The Outlaw Josey Wales and Unforgiven – it’s still a wonderful film that Western enthusiasts and Eastwood lovers will cherish.

What’s more, there’s a helluva lot of special features to savour, including a fascinating hour-long documentary about Eastwood’s directorial career featuring a few famous faces who, it’s fair to say, remain rather impressed with the big man.

Sarah Morgan

Sarah Morgan studied film journalism at post-graduate level with the BFI and has been writing about TV and film for PA Media’s newspaper, magazine and new media customers since 1996. She’s also written for a wide range of other publications, both online and in print, including the book Offbeat and Intermission magazine, and is a regular contributor to the Talking Pictures TV podcast. When she isn’t watching movies, she’s collecting and reading vintage crime and horror paperback books or, for her sins, watching her beloved Sheffield Wednesday.

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