The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) – Film Review

Director: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Chief Dan George
Certificate: 18

By Sarah Morgan

There really ought to be a drinking game attached to The Outlaw Josey Wales.

Every time you spot an actor or actress who had either already appeared in a Clint Eastwood film or would go on to work with him again, you have to take a slug of whisky, the Westerners’ tipple of choice.

There are bunch of them here, from the superstar’s former love Sondra Locke (they met on this film’s set), to Bill McKinney, one of the villains of the piece, and John Russell, an extraordinary looking chap who appears to have come from an entirely different time and place. My personal favourite, however, is John Quade, who was unforgettable as the lead Hell’s Angel in Clint’s orangutan movies, Every Which Way But Loose (1978) and Any Which Way You Can (1980).

And although trying to figure out where you’ve seen cast members before is a lot of fun, let’s face it, we’re here for Eastwood himself – and he does not disappoint.

“Killing machine”

Although some controversy surrounded filming (original director Phil Kaufman, who also co-wrote the script with Sonia Chernus, was sacked, allowing Eastwood to take the reins – no pun intended), the big man cites it as one of his personal favourites – and let’s face it, he has a lot of classics to choose from.

As is so often the case, actions speak louder than words for Eastwood’s character; Josey Wales is a grieving father and husband on the trail of villainous renegades fighting for the Union during the American Civil War. This once peaceful farmer has been transformed into a ruthless killing machine, one that refuses to surrender at the end of the conflict.

Josey decides to fight on, determined to see his own brand of justice carried out. He heads off in search of those he holds responsible for his family’s murder, a lone figure who nevertheless can’t stop attracting people to him – even the dog he regularly spits his tobacco juice on follows him around.

Eventually, Josey ends up with an entirely new adopted clan around him, and they set up home in an abandoned ranch house – it’s there that his enemies finally catch up with him, but probably wish they hadn’t…

“Touching moments”

Eastwood is at the peak of his powers here, both in front of and behind the camera, although Chief Dan George, as Lone Watie, the Native American who befriends Josey early on, very nearly steals the show thanks to some hilarious lines delivered completely deadpan; it’s credit to Eastwood that he allows him to take centre stage instead of keeping the limelight for himself.

While many will tell you that the Oscar-winning Unforgiven is the actor-director’s finest Western, I disagree – for me, this takes the title. It’s packed with action, touching moments and some genuinely funny scenes.

But is it really worth shelling out for this 4K UHD restoration if you already have the film in other formats? Bruce Surtees’ stunning cinematography and Eastwood’s direction, inspired by Sergio Leone’s work on the Dollar trilogy, have never looked so good. So, to use Josey Wales’ own words to answer that question, “I reckon so”.

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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