One of the Great Existential Westerns

High Plains Drifter stands as a testament to the spirit of the art-film Western, and carries the Sergio Leone inspired existential qualities within it. The Stranger (Clint Eastwood) rides into a corrupt town full of cowards, blows some of 'em away, and takes advantage of a luscious female. I consider it a misinterpretation to call what Clint does rape. His character basically treats people exactly the way they deserve, and this hot blonde in effect approached him, not vice-versa. As Bill Curtis (who played a munchkin in the Wizard of Oz) says, she tries to kill him because she loved the sex, but afterwards he ignored her.

Ambiguities abound in the film. Is the Stranger the ghost of the marshall that the town had killed? The film implies this, hence he knows a lot more about the townspeople then he lets on. Also contains an impeccable understated performance from Verna Bloom. At the heart of all this is sweet revenge, and the Stranger gets it good. Ranks with The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Once Upon a Time in the West, and the Hired Hand as one of the all time great Westerns.

Compelling, Powerful Western

Just who is this "stranger", portrayed by Clint Eastwood, who has entered Lago, and what is his purpose? From the time he arrives, until he leaves, we are left wondering about this shadowy individual.

Lago is a small Texas town where not to long ago a brutal murder of a sheriff occurred, while the whole town watched, too cowardly to come to his aid. "Help me," he utters again and again, while his attackers whip him to death.

Now enter the man with no name. Is he the spirit of the dead sheriff, his brother perhaps, or maybe some kind of ghoulish devil? Who ever he is, he quickly takes over the town, then takes charge of it, preparing for the return of the three men who killed the sheriff. It seems his real attempt, other than to avenge the death of the sheriff, is to run the town into the ground; retribution for their earlier cowardice. The most fitting reprisal being, perhaps, having the townspeople paint the town red, and then rename it "Hell".

Eastwood's character has no compassion for the people, and as much as he abuses them, we cannot somehow feel sorry the way in which they are being treated. And even after trying to build up their defense, and train them to shoot at their targets properly and effectively, he still comes to their aid at the end - the bad man shouting out "Who are you", and never given a reply.

Most westerns are the shoot 'em up kind, which we enjoy. The difference between them and "High Plains Drifter" is that this movie hangs on our moral conscience; and we don't soon forget it.

A bear-classic fable of the Old West

High Plains Drifter is a superior Eastwood Western that takes "The Man With No Name" characterone step further into the realm of myth. Is Eastwood's character the returned spirit of the betrayed sheriff or an avenging angel? You'll have to make up your mind yourself.

An impressive tale of revenge and atonement. Four stars.