THE OUTLAW JOSIE WALES!

One of the final appearances of the late genius Actor and Movie Mogul Orson Welles was on "The Tonight Show" (his last public appearance before he died in 1985 was on "The Merv Griffin Show") where he characterized the picture I have chosen here as "a masterpiece" and the audience went wild. Make no mistake about it. This is a captivating film that is directed by Clint Eastwood--a fact many overlook--that he directs many of his projects with a deft hand and intelligence. On the one hand, a compelling argument can be made that this is but a continuation of "The Man with No Name" with a silent, stoic Eastwood whose personality is as closed as his compadre, the late Chief Dan George (who partners with him) is open. Their destinies cross when Eastwood, (as Josie Wales) has refused to be "reconstructed" at the end of The Civil War where his family is butchered by Northern troops. This is a rich tapestry of the hell associated with war, about its atrocities, about prejudice, and about a group of characters whose lives become intertwined while heading West. A man of Justice, Wales becomes a fugitive while "leveling the playing field" What is so intriguing about this story is that Wales, the loner who is embittered against civilization is no longer the lone drifter and refugee in the unsettled postwar West. He begins to collect a raggle-taggle group of similar loners and drifters who find their core destiny together.

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The most memorable character I have ever come across in any Western is an old Indian, played by Chief Dan George (who sadly passed away 3 years ago). A humiliated Indian who has grown old, his wit and sense of humor is side-splitting. In fact, he really is the glue who holds together the Missouri man Wales with a widowed Grandma and her young Niece whose family is nearly wiped out on their journey from Kansas to El Dorado. The Niece is played by Sondra Locke during the better days of her relationship with Eastwood. This is an intelligent movie about war and peace with beautiful photography brought to us by Bruce Surtees in a magnificent way. A favorite moment of mine is where a silent Wales leaves for an unannounced destination--a meeting with "Ten Bears" (Will Sampson)--an Indian Chief and his warriors. The dialogue is simply awe-inspiring as they make peace in a manner that we all find ourselves wishing to apply to modern day warfare and global conflict; if only peace were attainable the way these two men handle it. Meanwhile, bounty hunters are relentlessly after Wales. The late John Vernon's character is complex, part-Judas/part Humanitarian. Ultimately the viewer has to decide who is what as each character becomes distinctively unique. So, to recap: There is love, betrayal, war, peace, prejudice, a breaking down of barriers, survival, defeat, and retrenching before each of the character's destinies takes a final unexpected turn--including that of Wales. This is undoubtedly one of the finest Westerns ever made. It was Nominated as Best Musical Score (by Jerry Fielding) at the 1977 Oscars.

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Cast: Clint Eastwood....Josey Wales; Chief Dan George ....Lone Watie; Sondra Locke....Laura Lee; Bill McKinney....Terrill; John Vernon....Fletcher; Paula Trueman....Grandma Sarah; Sam Bottoms....Jamie; Geraldine Keams ....Little Moonlight; Woodrow Parfrey....Carpetbagger; Joyce Jameson....Rose; Sheb Wooley....Travis Cobb; Royal Dano....Ten Spot; Matt Clark....Kelly (as Matt Clarke); John Verros....Chato; Will Sampson....Ten Bears.

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I truly hope you love it!