Hang 'Em High (1968)

When an innocent man barely survives a lynching, he returns as a lawman determined to bring the vigilantes to justice.

Director:

Ted Post

Writers:

Leonard Freeman, Mel Goldberg

Stars:

Clint Eastwood, Inger Stevens, Ed Begley

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clint Eastwood	...	Marshal Jed Cooper
Inger Stevens	...	Rachel Warren
Ed Begley	...	Captain Wilson
Pat Hingle	...	Judge Fenton
Ben Johnson	...	Marshal Dave Bliss
Charles McGraw	...	Sheriff Ray Calhoun
Ruth White	...	Madame 'Peaches' Sophie
Bruce Dern	...	Miller
Alan Hale Jr.	...	Matt Stone
Arlene Golonka	...	Jennifer
James Westerfield	...	Prisoner
Dennis Hopper	...	The Prophet
L.Q. Jones	...	Loomis
Michael O'Sullivan	...	Francis Elroy Duffy
Joseph Sirola	...	Reno

Storyline

A band of vigilantes catch Jed Cooper and, incorrectly believing him guilty of cattle rustling and murder, hang him and leave him for dead. But he doesn't die. He returns to his former profession of lawman to hunt down his lynchers and bring them to justice.

---

Plot Keywords:

marshal | judge | justice | rustling | murder | 

---

Taglines:

High Adventure!

---

Genres:

Crime | Thriller | Western

---

Certificate:

M

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 August 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hirttäkää heidät

Filming Locations:

Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Leonard Freeman Production, Malpaso Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Clint Eastwood turned down a part in the big budget film Mackenna's Gold to make this film instead.

---

Goofs

At the beginning of the movie a piece of camera equipment can be plainly seen lying on the bottom of the gallows.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
[to a calf]
Jed Cooper: I'm gonna have to carry ya, huh?

---

Connections

Featured in Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western (1997)

User Reviews

Interesting Commentary on the Criminal Justice System

Eastwood, as Jed Cooper, sits on both sides of the fence in American criminal jurisprudence. First, he is hung (although they didn't get the job done) in a deputized mob lynching. After he recuperates (the first time), he returns to his career as lawman to help a "hangin' judge" grease the wheels of justice. Of course all that Cooper really wants is to see justice done to the mob that lynched him. He soon finds out that his transgressors were "men of the community" or leading town folk.

The irony is plentiful in this film. For example, the two young men who go peacefully in an impossible 3 day ride, submit completely to the new Marshall. How are they rewarded? Well, they are hung of course! This really sets the tone of the film. The audience quickly recognizes that the "hangin' judge" just might me a bit too effective in his role of "statemaker."

While the movie does get a bit tedious, the story is razor sharp, the soundtrack is good although a bit epic, and the acting is very well done.

One is left with a sympathy for the men Cooper is hunting. Of course, this is a deliberate result of the filmmakers who meant this to be a commentary on capital punishment. Well, I enjoyed the film despite the deeply woven propaganda.