Review of High Plains Drifter (1973) by James F — 06 Sep 2010

I recently read a bit of Clint?s biography and surprised to find out that High Plains Drifter, to Eastwood anyway, is an unofficial addition to the man with no name trilogy. Leone had wanted Clint back for another instalment but Clint had become a huge star in his own right and had become tired and disillusioned with Leone?s shooting style. He therefore decided to direct it himself and carried on the familiar theme of a mysterious gunfighter looking for vengeance. And that?s what High Plains Drifter is, besides being a western of course, it?s a vengeance flick. To call Eastwood?s character in Drifter anything other than an anti-hero would be an understatement.

Arriving in a small backwater town he quickly makes a name for himself as he wastes no time in shooting down 3 troublemakers, then proceeding to rape a woman in a barn after she slaps him for some minor altercation?.a nice guy he is not. Impressed by his no bullshit attitude, the townsfolk soon offer him the job of protecting them from a local gang. This gang have sworn revenge on the town for having them sent to prison for a previous robbery, and about to get released, the locals live in fear of their return. Not keen on taking this role, its only when he?s offered anything he likes in the town as payment that the mysterious stranger agrees. Taking over the hotel for himself, clothing, drinking eating on their penny and bossing the locals around, he embarks on the high life abusing their hospitality as much as and wherever possible.

When the stranger begins to get flashbacks of the town?s previous sheriff being ruthlessly beaten to death and murdered by the gang he?s protecting the town from, it becomes clear there?s more to his arrival there than meets the eye. Indeed, his warped sometimes cruel idea of keeping the towns folk safe is part of a larger story?.slowly revealed, it becomes obvious that previous all round double-crossing means nobody?s totally innocent.

Although not as impressive the previous Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns, Drifter is still a fitting addition. Eastwood plays his usual gruff, lonesome self ; brilliant as always and the possible supernatural undertone (depending on how you see it) give it a nice twist and strange vibe.

Overall, High Plains Drifter is a dark and subtle movie that offers a different take on the traditional western genre; its well worth checking out.