A gun-fighting stranger comes to the small settlement of Lago and is hired to bring the townsfolk together in an attempt to hold off three outlaws who are on their way.A gun-fighting stranger comes to the small settlement of Lago and is hired to bring the townsfolk together in an attempt to hold off three outlaws who are on their way.A gun-fighting stranger comes to the small settlement of Lago and is hired to bring the townsfolk together in an attempt to hold off three outlaws who are on their way.
- Director
- Writers
- Ernest Tidyman
- Dean Riesner(uncredited)
- Stars
Top credits
- Director
- Writers
- Ernest Tidyman
- Dean Riesner(uncredited)
- Stars
- See more at IMDbPro
Videos1
- Director
- Writers
- Ernest Tidyman
- Dean Riesner(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
Storyline
A Stranger (Clint Eastwood) rides into in the dusty mining town of Lago, where the townspeople are living in the shadow of a dark secret. After a shoot-out leaves the town's hired-gun protectors dead, the town's leaders petition the Stranger to stay and protect them from three ruthless outlaws who are soon to be released from prison. The three have their sights set on returning to Lago to wreak havoc and take care of some unfinished business. A series of events soon has the townspeople questioning whether siding with the Stranger was a wise idea, as they quickly learn the price that they each must pay for his services. As the outlaws make their way back into Lago, they discover that the town is not exactly as they had left it, and waiting in the shadows is the Stranger, ready to expose the town's secret and serve up his own brand of justice. —bob-oconnor1964
- Taglines
- Welcome to Hell
- Genres
- Certificate
- K-18
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaShortly after this movie's release, Clint Eastwood wrote to John Wayne, suggesting that they make a western together. Wayne sent back an angry letter in reply, in which he denounced this movie for its violence and revisionist portrayal of the Old West. Eastwood did not bother to answer his criticisms, and consequently they did not work together.
- GoofsWhen the Stranger is first sipping his beer at the saloon, the bottle of whiskey is placed on the bar to the left of his glass of beer. When he reaches for his beer while saying the line "Faster than you'll ever live to be" to the one gunfighter, the bottle of whiskey "jumps" to the right of his glass of beer so he can pretend to draw his gun yet reach for the bottle of whiskey instead.
- Quotes
Sarah Belding: Be careful. You're a man who makes people afraid, and that's dangerous.
The Stranger: It's what people know about themselves inside that makes 'em afraid.
- Crazy creditsThe closing shot of The Stranger disappearing into the heatwaves plays out over the end credits.
- Alternate versionsWhen originally released theatrically in the UK, the BBFC made cuts to secure an 'X' rating. All cuts were waived in 1987 when the film was granted an '18' certificate for home video.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Maanjäristys (1974)
Top review
An Avenger Angel Looking for Revenge
In the coastal town of Lago, a drifter (Clint Eastwood) arrives and is bullied by three "bad guys". He kills them and soon he is invited by the locals to protect the city against three outlaws that would leave a nearby prison in a couple of days. One year ago, these criminals killed Marshal Jim Duncan using whips. The marshal asked for help and the coward towners did not help him. The killers were sent to jail and promised to come back to burn the city when they leave the jail. The citizens offer anything the stranger want "free of charge" for the protection against the rage of the criminals. Who might be the stranger with no name?
"High Plains Drifter" is a great movie about revenge. The viewer never knows whether the "stranger with no name" is a brother or a friend of Marshal Jim Duncan, or whether he is the avenger angel of Jim Duncan himself looking for revenge. In the last scene, when Mordecai asks for the name of the stranger while carving the gravestone of Jin Duncanin the cemetery telling that he did not know his name, the drifter responds that Mordecai does know his name. In the gravestone is written "Marshall Jim Duncan - Rest in Peace". Fans of western movies will not be disappointed with this film, no matter whether he is a cowboy or a supernatural character. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Estranho sem Nome" ("The Stranger without a Name")
Note: On 01 Sep 2020, I saw this film again.
"High Plains Drifter" is a great movie about revenge. The viewer never knows whether the "stranger with no name" is a brother or a friend of Marshal Jim Duncan, or whether he is the avenger angel of Jim Duncan himself looking for revenge. In the last scene, when Mordecai asks for the name of the stranger while carving the gravestone of Jin Duncanin the cemetery telling that he did not know his name, the drifter responds that Mordecai does know his name. In the gravestone is written "Marshall Jim Duncan - Rest in Peace". Fans of western movies will not be disappointed with this film, no matter whether he is a cowboy or a supernatural character. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "O Estranho sem Nome" ("The Stranger without a Name")
Note: On 01 Sep 2020, I saw this film again.
helpful•3720
- claudio_carvalho
- Dec 18, 2003
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $5,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $15,700,000
- Gross worldwide
- $15,706,540
- Runtime
- 1h 45min
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content

Recently viewed
You have no recently viewed pages



































