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Clint Eastwood’s name is synonymous with Western films, with classics like “High Plains Drifter,” “The Outlaw Josey Wales,” and “Unforgiven” merely scratching the surface of his extensive involvement in the genre. Beyond well-known titles such as “Pale Rider,” Eastwood’s filmography includes lesser-known works like “Bronco Billy” that deserve more attention. Whether you’re a seasoned Western enthusiast or a newcomer aiming to explore Eastwood’s works, Tubi offers a treat this month with the screening of 1968’s “Hang ‘Em High.”
United Artists
In this film directed by Ted Post, the story begins with Jed Cooper (played by Eastwood) falling victim to a rogue vigilante group led by Captain Wilson (portrayed by Ed Begley). Accused of murdering the former owner of his cattle, Cooper is strung up by the posse and left to die. However, fate intervenes, and Cooper is rescued and absolved of the charges. He even witnesses the real culprit being executed in the town square. Recognizing a burning desire for justice in Cooper, Judge Adam Fenton (played by Pat Hingle) proposes that Cooper, now the Marshal of Fort Grant, bring the vigilantes to justice under the guise of the law. Yet, Cooper soon discovers that the line between justice and revenge is perilously thin.
While “Hang ‘Em High” might not top the list of Eastwood’s greatest works, it holds significant value as the film that marked the beginning of one of Hollywood’s most enduring careers. We’ve even included it in our compilation of Eastwood’s top 10 Westerns for its crucial role in his cinematic journey.
Before the mid-1960s, Clint Eastwood was primarily known to American audiences for his role as Rowdy Yates in the long-running TV Western “Rawhide.” This CBS series not only set Eastwood on the path to becoming a director but also caught the eye of Italian director Sergio Leone. Their collaboration resulted in the creation of three iconic spaghetti Westerns: “A Fistful of Dollars,” “For a Few Dollars More,” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”
When Leone’s trilogy finally reached American shores, Eastwood had already become a global sensation, revolutionizing the Western genre. It was only natural for him to leverage his newfound fame with a Western produced in the United States. “Hang ‘Em High” stands out as the first film under The Malpaso Company, a production house Eastwood has continued to use for most of his projects ever since.
Hang ‘Em High was Clint Eastwood’s first American starring feature film
United Artists
Prior to the mid-1960s, most American audiences were familiar with Clint Eastwood from his eight-season stint on “Rawhide” as ramrod Rowdy Yates. The CBS-TV Western wasn’t just responsible for putting Eastwood on the path to start directing, but it got him recognized by Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone. Their collaboration resulted in three of the greatest spaghetti Westerns ever made: “A Fistful of Dollars,” “For a Few Dollars More” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”
By the time the famed trilogy made its way to the United States, Eastwood had become an international superstar who changed the way Westerns were made. It was only fitting that he would capitalize on his newfound silver screen fame with a Western made back home. “Hang ‘Em High” is notable for being the first film produced under The Malpaso Company, which Eastwood has used for most of his projects ever since.
It makes sense why Eastwood chose Ted Post to direct his first American Western, considering they had previously worked together on 24 episodes of “Rawhide.” While Post was a good journeyman director who knew how to get the best profile of the infamous Clint squint, he’s far removed from the controlled chaos of Leone’s filmmaking that made his leading man a screen legend. In some respects, “Hang ‘Em High” exists in a middle ground of emulating the spaghetti Western while being shot, edited and paced like an episodic television series. It helps, however, that Eastwood had graduated beyond the naivete of his Rowdy Yates days, as “Hang ‘Em High” presents its flawed protagonist with a compelling moral dilemma to lean on.
Hang ‘Em High sets Clint Eastwood on a complicated path of justice and revenge
United Artists
Everything about “Hang ‘Em High” suggests a typical revenge story, with Clint Eastwood’s Marshal Cooper going on a bloody killing spree against the lynching party. Leonard Freeman and Mel Goldberg’s screenplay, however, puts him in the position of carrying out his retribution by picking up the badge and doing it the “right” way. Where the film shines is in the relationship between Cooper and Pat Hingle’s Judge Fenton, who was loosely based on the real-life “Hanging Judge,” Isaac Parker, of Fort Smith, Arkansas. Fenton rules with an iron fist, bringing law and order to the Oklahoma territory in the hopes that his actions will help its chances of statehood. Tensions arise when Judge Fenton is quick to praise his new Marshal’s catches, but doesn’t allow him to speak up on behalf of two boys who saved his life from the murderous cattle rustler Miller (Bruce Dern).
“Hang ‘Em High” is at its best when Marshal Cooper contemplates the effectiveness of doling out true justice in an imperfect system, especially one that employs a routinely barbaric form of capital punishment. He can’t even bring himself to watch the prolonged mass hanging ceremony, itself a standout sequence. It’s a shame the film falls short of making any meaningful conclusions about the flawed nature of lawful murder, marking it up to something along the lines of “well, someone’s gotta do it.” It prevents “Hang ‘Em High” from achieving greatness.
With that said, this 1968 Western is well worth seeing for the morally conflicted lawman persona Eastwood would develop into the “Dirty” Harry Callahan character and beyond.