Pale Rider (1985)

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Michael Butler (written by) &
Dennis Shryack (written by)

Release Date:

28 June 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller | Western

Tagline:

Hell comes home

Plot:

A mysterious preacher protects a humble prospector village from a greedy mining company trying to encroach on their land.

Plot Keywords:

Preacher | Sheriff | Gold | California | Small Town

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Preacher
Michael Moriarty	...	Hull Barret
Carrie Snodgress	...	Sarah Wheeler
Chris Penn	...	Josh LaHood (as Christopher Penn)
Richard Dysart	...	Coy LaHood
Sydney Penny	...	Megan Wheeler
Richard Kiel	...	Club
Doug McGrath	...	Spider Conway
John Russell	...	Stockburn
Charles Hallahan	...	McGill
Marvin J. McIntyre	...	Jagou
Fran Ryan	...	Ma Blankenship
Richard Hamilton	...	Jed Blankenship
Graham Paul	...	Ev Gossage
Chuck Lafont	...	Eddie Conway (as Chuck LaFont)

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:16 | Spain:13 | Argentina:16 | France:Unrated | Brazil:16 | Peru:PT | New Zealand:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1985) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Columbia State Historic Park - 22708 Broadway, Columbia, California, USA

Company:

Malpaso Company, The

Trivia:

When Stockburn arrives in town, Coy La Hood describes the Preacher to him. Stockburn appears unnerved and says quietly, "That man is dead," perhaps hinting that he had killed him or watched him die before. Clint Eastwood revealed in interviews that his character is in fact a ghost.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When Preacher splashes the man holding a lit match over Barret's wagon with a bucket of water, he actually fails to put the match out.

Quotes:

Teddy Conway: Where are you going Mr Hull?
Hull Barret: I'm going into town
Teddy Conway: Ain't that kinda dumb after what happened last time?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Clint Eastwood: The Man from Malpaso (1993) (TV)

Very enjoyable.

Returning to the Western genre for the first time since "The Outlaw Josey Wales", Clint Eastwood produced, directed, and acted in this tale of an unnamed soul, referred to only as "Preacher", who supplies desperately needed support for a community of "tin panners" who mine for gold the hard way. A local tycoon named LaHood (Richard Dysart) who's using more advanced techniques is trying to muscle them out of their territory, using every thug and goon he can buy off.

"Preacher" becomes particularly close to Hull Barret (Michael Moriarty) and Hulls' fiancée Sarah (Carrie Snodgress) and Sarahs' daughter Megan (Sydney Penny), both of whom fall for the cagey and low-key stranger.

It seems inevitable that any review submitted for this film would comment on its similarity to "Shane" and even Eastwoods' own "High Plains Drifter", and while the themes are all familiar, "Pale Rider" is still solidly entertaining and is certainly as well crafted as anything Eastwood's done. Magnificently photographed in Panavision by Bruce Surtees, there's some great scenery to enjoy. The film in general has a great look and feel, and Eastwood moves the plot along well, maintaining a feeling of hope for the miners but also a dark approach to the story to show that there will be prices to pay. While not as surreal or offbeat as "High Plains Drifter", the film does have some mystical elements to it that add to the flavor and impact. The final showdown is reasonably suspenseful.

Eastwoods' subtle, soft-spoken portrayal is matched by many of his co-stars. Although traces of his standard eccentricity filter into his performance, Moriarty is quite solid as the decent and brave Hull. Snodgress and Penny both deliver heartfelt performances as the two primary female characters, with Penny displaying a touching amount of youthful innocence and naivety. Dysart is a wonderfully wicked bad guy, with John Russell adding another touch of menace late in the film as hired gun Stockdale. Many familiar faces - Richard "Jaws" Kiel, Doug McGrath (the clueless deputy in the '74 "Black Christmas"), Charles Hallahan (Dysarts' co-star in John Carpenters' "The Thing"), Marvin J. McIntyre, Fran Ryan, Richard Hamilton, Billy Drago, John Dennis Johnston, and Robert Winley - round out a very entertaining cast.

While it doesn't reach a level of true greatness, "Pale Rider" is still an entertaining Western with a fair bit going for it.

8/10