Film Review: The Outlaw Josey Wales

About The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)As The Outlaw Josey Wales, four-time Academy Award winner* Clint Eastwood is ideally cast as a hard-hitting, fast-drawing loner, recalling his “Man with No Name” from his European Westerns. But unlike that other mythic outlaw, Josey Wales has a name – and a heart. After avenging his family’s brutal murder, Wales is on the lam, pursued by a pack of killers. He travels alone, but a ragtag group of outcasts (including Sondra Locke and Chief Dan George) is drawn to him – and Wales can’t leave his motley surrogate family unprotected. Eastwood’s skills behind and in front of the camera connected with audiences for its humor and tenderness as well as its hair-trigger action.

Starring: Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Chief Dan George, Bill McKinney, John Vernon

Directed by: Clint Eastwood

Runtime: 130 minutes

Studio: Warner Home Video

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Review: The Outlaw Josey Wales 

Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, The Outlaw Josey Wales was a significant Western from the seventies which tells the story of Missouri farmer Josey Wales (Eastwood) who seeks revenge when his wife and son are killed by Redlegs from Kansas who have sided with the Union in the American Civil War (1861-5). Wales joins a group of Confederate supporters led by Bloody Bill Anderson (John Russell). Following the Union victory in 1865, Captain Fletcher (John Vernon) convinces his men to surrender, swear loyalty to the Union and then they can go free. All agree except Wales who becomes a wanted outlaw and is hunted by Captain Terrill (Bill McKinney), Fletcher and bounty hunters. Can he evade capture and seek revenge or is Wales destined for an early death?

Wales is a peaceful man at the start, working the land and caring for his family but when Redlegs destroy his home and kill his loved ones, he is a changed man. Wales hooks up with the Confederates and fights in the war but they cannot defeat the Unionists. Wales refuses to surrender but the rest of the men wish to be free. Wales is too late to stop them being massacred but he does escape with one man, Jamie (Sam Bottoms), who is wounded. Wales goes on the run, finding new companions including an old Cherokee Lone Watie (Chief Dan George) and a young woman, Laura Lee (Sondra Locke). They band together with Wales as Terrill closes in.

I found The Outlaw Josey Wales to be a solid Western, not the best one I have seen but it has some great moments. It’s gritty in places, painting a bleak image of the West during after the American Civil War. Eastwood is commanding in the central role as he usually is in his films but the supporting cast at the end are good too. The shoot out between Wales’ band and the Unionists may stretch credibility a little (everyone in Wales’ group are all suddenly amazing shooters!), but the ending is still satisfying with a somewhat open-ended conclusion as Wales faces both Terrill and Fletcher.

The Outlaw Josey Wales isn’t the greatest Western but it’s a safe one in Eastwood’s capable hands. As an actor and director, Eastwood has made some fantastic films but he seems at his best when it comes to Westerns. This is another example of his undoubted gift as an actor and director.

Verdict: 4/5

(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)

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