Review of Hang 'em High (1968) by Clay B — 27 Aug 2010

Eastwood, fresh out of Sergio Leone's spaghetti Western trilogy ("Fistful of Dollars," "A Few Dollars More" & "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly"), here comes back to America to take the reins of Hollywood's imitation of the genre.

Eastwood, who DOES actually have a name in this film (Jed Cooper), is falsely accused of murder and barely escapes a lynch mob's noose. The local hangin' judge (Pat Hingle) finds Clint innocent and pins a badge on his chest, a license for Eastwood to hunt down those who done him wrong.

But will Clint gun 'em down or bring 'em in for trial? There's a lot of polite patter regarding the morality of justice-by-law and capital punishment, but most of what's on the dinner table is revenge served up cold ala Chef Clint.

Hingle's characterization, including the hanging of six convicts simultaneously, is based on the historical facts surrounding Judge Issac Parker of Fort Smith, Arkansas, who held the Oklahoma Territory jurisdiction in the last half of the 19th Century.

Clint's lovely love interest Ingar Stevens committed suicide less than two years after this film, despondent over her flagging film career and her series of fleeting high-profile romances.

Clint here solidifies the stoic screen persona embedded by Leone - a persona that would soon enough translate directly into his characterization of San Fran's "one man against the system" detective Dirty Harry.

RECOMMENDATION: Essential Eastwood.