The Pale Rider ~~Clint Eastwood The Preacher~~

Directed by Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood as Preacher
Michael Moriarty as Hull Barret
John Russell as Marshall Stockburn


Pale Rider 1985

Story / Plot


Pale Rider is set in the American West during the 1850’s gold rush era. A small group of miners and their families had banned together to form a small mining camp. These miners all had claims filed on a creek that was throwing some gold. They didn’t have any large mining equipment, they mined with hard labor, shovels, rocker boxes and gold pans. They made enough to scrape by while they worked their claims and hoped for the big nugget or pocket of placer gold. Mr. LaHood was the local land baron and he is quite the villainous character. He’s hydraulic mines every draw and canyon he can grab. He has his sights set on Carbon Canyon but the Miners who live there and work their claims will not leave. LaHood has his band of thugs ride through the miners camp once a week and harass them and kill their livestock. They are too stubborn to be run off and they have their pride but that’s about it. Then the band of outlaws raids their camp again. This time tearing down their tents and cabins and killing their cattle and a young girls dog. While the young girl buries her dog she prays a powerful prayer and asks the lord for a miracle. Then a man on a pale horse comes to camp with her mothers fiancée.


Conclusion

It’s been a Clint Eastwood weekend for me. After watching so many Clint Eastwood films I’ll have to stay in the house for a couple of days. I get to feeling cocky after seeing so many Eastwood films, I’d probably get beat up if I went anywhere. Anyway, Pale Rider is another Clint Eastwood Western that I enjoy watching. He stars and directs this film. The story has all the making of a good western, a villainous land baron, his posse of thugs and a righteous cowboy or preacher in this case. The story is enjoyable. The acting in Pale Rider is very good. I particularly liked Eastwood and Michael Moriarty. Seeing Eastwood play a Preacher is a bit different. He’s a death dealing preacher but still cordial and polite with those on his good side. Moriarty plays a good brow beat miner with good intentions and a big heart. There is also some good acting by the ladies in the film. I thought the cast was very good.


I also liked the scenery in the Pale Rider. It looks like it was shot in Utah or there about. The only awkward moment in the movie is the very young girl who falls in love with the preacher. It seems like every Eastwood film has an awkward scene with a lady. The directing and cinematography in the movie are good. By 1985 Clint Eastwood had directed several movies and acted in many more. It's definitely a step up from Play Misty For me. The film has a good plot with a good pace to it. I think most people would enjoy seeing the Pale Rider once. I enjoy most westerns, so I have added it in my DVD collection. I would recommend The Pale Rider to any fan of westerns or Eastwood. I give this film 4 or 5 stars.


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Unforgiven
The Outlaw Josey Wales
High Plains Drifter
Hang ‘Em High
The Good The Bad and The Ugly
A Fist Full Of Dollars
A Few Dollars More
Joe Kidd

Thanks for the read,

© 2006 Joe McMaster