The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Forrest Carter (book)
Philip Kaufman (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 June 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

...an army of one.

Plot:

A Missouri farmer joins a Confederate guerrilla unit and winds up on the run from the Union soldiers who murdered his family.

Plot Keywords:

Surrender | Vengeance | Farmer | Confederacy | Confederate

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Josey Wales
Chief Dan George	...	Lone Watie
Sondra Locke	...	Laura Lee
Bill McKinney	...	Terrill
John Vernon	...	Fletcher
Paula Trueman	...	Grandma Sarah
Sam Bottoms	...	Jamie
Geraldine Keams	...	Little Moonlight
Woodrow Parfrey	...	Carpetbagger
Joyce Jameson	...	Rose
Sheb Wooley	...	Travis Cobb
Royal Dano	...	Ten Spot
Matt Clark	...	Kelly (as Matt Clarke)
John Verros	...	Chato
Will Sampson	...	Ten Bears
William O'Connell	...	Sim Carstairs
John Quade	...	Comanchero Leader
Frank Schofield	...	Senator Lane
Buck Kartalian	...	Shopkeeper
Len Lesser	...	Abe
Doug McGrath	...	Lige
John Russell	...	Bloody Bill Anderson
Charles Tyner	...	Zukie Limmer
Bruce M. Fischer	...	Yoke
John Mitchum	...	Al
John Davis Chandler	...	First Bounty Hunter (as John Chandler)
Tom Roy Lowe	...	Second Bounty Hunter
Clay Tanner	...	First Texas Ranger
Robert F. Hoy	...	Second Texas Ranger (as Bob Hoy)
Madeleine Taylor Holmes	...	Grannie Hawkins (as Madeline T. Holmes)
Erik Holland	...	Union Army Sergeant
Cissy Wellman	...	Josey's Wife
Faye Hamblin	...	Grandpa
Danny Green	...	Lemuel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Cockrell	...	Confederate Soldier (uncredited)
Kyle Eastwood	...	Josey's Son (uncredited)
Richard Farnsworth	...	Comanchero (uncredited)
Walter Scott	...	Drunken Galloper in Town (uncredited)

Directed by
Clint Eastwood

Writing credits
Forrest Carter		(book "Gone To Texas")
Philip Kaufman		(screenplay) (as Phil Kaufman) and
Sonia Chernus		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Daley	....	producer
James Fargo	....	associate producer (as Jim Fargo)
John G. Wilson	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Jerry Fielding

Cinematography by
Bruce Surtees		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ferris Webster

Casting by
Jack Kosslyn

Production Design by
Tambi Larsen

Set Decoration by
Charles B. Pierce		(as Chuck Pierce)

Makeup Department
Joe McKinney	....	makeup supervisor
Lorraine Roberson	....	hairstylist
Jack Obringer	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
John G. Wilson	....	unit production manager
Nick Falco Sr.	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alan Brimfeld	....	second assistant director (as Alan Brimfield)
James Fargo	....	assistant director (as Jim Fargo)
Win Phelps	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Edward Aiona	....	property master (as Eddie Aiona)
Al Litteken	....	construction coordinator
Nayce Acosta	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Ragnar Antonsen	....	drapery (uncredited)
Dan Baray	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Robert L. Clark	....	painter (uncredited)
Franklin Combs	....	foreman (uncredited)
Franklin Combs	....	greensman (uncredited)
Mike Combs	....	foreman (uncredited)
Mike Combs	....	greensman (uncredited)
Jack Davis	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Tom Del Genio	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Tim Di Puma	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Henry Hail	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Roy Kirkpatrick	....	propmaker (uncredited)
George Lillie	....	foreman (uncredited)
George Lillie	....	painter (uncredited)
Richard Lind	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Ronald MacDonald	....	laborer (uncredited)
Alan Manser	....	set dresser (uncredited)
William S. Maxwell III	....	swing man (uncredited)
Frank Medina	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Michael Muscarella	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Andrew 'Sandy' Overholtzer	....	propmaker (uncredited)
James J. Pickering	....	drapery foreman (uncredited)
Eugene J. Reed	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Bob Rentch	....	propmaker (uncredited)
John Rozman	....	leadman (uncredited)
John J. Rutchland Jr.	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
George Samson Jr.	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Marty Seidman	....	foreman (uncredited)
Marty Seidman	....	greensman (uncredited)
John Sexton	....	props (uncredited)
Paul Sophy	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Dean Wilson	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bert Hallberg	....	sound
Tex Rudloff	....	re-recording mixer
Keith Stafford	....	sound editor
Steve Birkett	....	cable person (uncredited)
Alex Bytnar	....	boom operator (uncredited)
David Rust	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Robert MacDonald	....	special effects
A. Paul Pollard	....	special effects (as Paul Pollard)
Frank Hafeman	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Walter Scott	....	stunt coordinator
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jerry Gatlin	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert F. Hoy	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Hudkins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mike H. McGaughy	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Orrison	....	stunt double: Clint Eastwood (uncredited)
George Orrison	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Randles	....	stunts (uncredited)
Neil Summers	....	stunts (uncredited)
Greg Walker	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Kenneth Adams	....	key grip (as Ken Adams)
Richard Barth	....	camera assistant (as Dick Barth)
Doug Cook	....	second grip
Thomas Del Ruth	....	camera operator (as Tom Del Ruth)
Joseph Hernandez	....	camera assistant (as Joe Hernandez)
Charles Holmes	....	gaffer
Jack Kennedy	....	best boy
Charles W. Short	....	camera operator (as Charles Short)
Timothy E. Wade	....	camera assistant (as Tim Wade)
Howard Anderson	....	grip (uncredited)
George Bacos	....	grip (uncredited)
Don Christie	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Bob Fillis	....	electrician (uncredited)
Leroy Hershkowitz	....	electrician (uncredited)
Tony Ledger	....	grip (uncredited)
Alvin Presley	....	electrician (uncredited)
Gary Stromp	....	electrician (uncredited)
David Tomack	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jack N. Young	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Glenn Wright	....	costume supervisor
Thomas S. Dawson	....	costumer: men (uncredited)
Susan Smith	....	costumer: women (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Joel Cox	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Dan Carlin Sr.	....	music editor (as Dan Carlin)

Transportation Department
Art Rimdzius	....	transportation captain
John Brumby	....	driver (uncredited)
John Conte	....	driver (uncredited)
Robert Conte	....	driver (uncredited)
Howard Brady Davidson	....	driver (uncredited)
Bob Fish	....	driver (uncredited)
Tim Hill	....	driver (uncredited)
Wayne Krause	....	driver (uncredited)
Hank MacFarlane	....	transportation co-captain (uncredited)
James Marett	....	driver (uncredited)
Russ Meadows	....	driver (uncredited)
Joe Sawyers	....	driver (uncredited)
Steve Schultz	....	driver (uncredited)
Donald Tuttle	....	driver (uncredited)
Norman Walke	....	driver (uncredited)
Tom Yardley	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
John Franco	....	script supervisor
Fritz Manes	....	assistant to producer
James Moffett	....	first aid
Rudy Ugland	....	wrangler
Diana Brent	....	secretary to producer (uncredited)
Jack Casey	....	publicist (uncredited)
Cecil Higgins	....	representative: American Humane Association (uncredited)
Carl Longstrom	....	caterer (uncredited)
Don Mink	....	auditor (uncredited)
Marshall Moody	....	projectionist (uncredited)
Ramon Pahoyo	....	craft service (uncredited)
Estelle Schaffer	....	production coordinator (uncredited)
Elizabeth Yanoska	....	assistant auditor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. (as Warner Bros A Warner Communications Company)
• Malpaso Company, The (as A Malpaso Company Film)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1976) (USA) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros A Warner Communications Company)
• Warner Bros. (1976) (UK) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros A Warner Bros Communications Company)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1976) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1976) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1976) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1979) (USA) (TV) (network premiere)
• Warner Bros. (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (Canada) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1993) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles & optical effects
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

135 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Navajo | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:16 (original rating) | Canada:14A | Finland:K-18 | Norway:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (edited tv version) | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) (1999) | UK:AA (original rating) (passed with cuts) | USA:PG (Approved No. 24565) | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:16 | Norway:16 (1976) (heavily cut) | Peru:18 | Argentina:Atp (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Glen Canyon, Utah, USA

Company:

Warner Bros.

Trivia:

There were three waves of release: June 23, 1976 in Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Washington DC; June 30, 1976 in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Denver; July 14, 1976 in Minneapolis, Los Angeles.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: During the rape scene, crew members can be seen through the legs of a bandit.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Josey's wife:Little Josey! C'mon in, let's get you cleaned up!

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Eastwood Factor (2010) (V)

Soundtrack:

Rose of Alabamy

Love, Hate, Revenge, Forgiveness, Sorrow, Life, Death.

Love, hate, revenge, forgiveness, sorrow, life, death, emargination, racism, the uselessness of war, betrayal, redemption, solidarity, friendship. Not many films manage to deal competently with even just one of these topics. This masterpiece deals with all. Within the first 4 or 5 minutes (even before the opening credits) one has already been exposed to more force and emotion than most films can pack up in 90 minutes.

By the end of the 2 hrs 10 minutes of this film one would have lived through tour-de-force highlighted by memorable climaxes and showdowns featuring some of the most striking dialogue in cinematic history... "dying ain't no way to make a living". Eastwood's character doesn't speak much but utters a handful of memorable lines.

The central character played by Eastwood is given fine support by an excellent ensemble cast including Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney and most of all John Vernon. John Vernon plays a character called Fletcher who turns out to be one of the most complex characters I have ever come across. His motivations and true intentions are never quite clear. He comes across as a bit of a Judas figure and yet he still retains his humanity as the script and Eastwood as the director never truly judge Fletcher, leaving the viewer to judge for him or herself. Almost every character is memorable and every performance fits in place.

The action is sudden and explosive and not always expected. The film takes many twists and turns, yet every twist is a natural consequence of the situations and characters in the film. Ultimately one is left with a truly rich cinematic experience which should appeal to more than just fans of the Western genre. Its themes of suffering and the consequences of evil acts is still sadly relevant in today's world - a world in which not all wars are won by the good guys and in which the good are sometimes persecuted by those who win these wars.

When thinking of the best pre-credit sequences ever forget most others... this should be your best bet.