The Outlaw Josey Wales

Rating:
Summary: It is unfortunate that the scale stops at 5 stars.
Review: This movie is a western for guys who like westerns. A must see for any Eastwood enthusiast.

Rating:
Summary: is it better than Unforgiven?
Review: I love this movie. When Unforgiven first came out and it was winning all those awards, I had friends (Eastwood fanatics all) tell me what a great movie it was, Eastwood's best, blah, blah... I always said, "Yes, but is it a better movie than Outlaw Josey Wales?" That always gave them pause, because, even now, Outlaw Josey Wales is one powerful movie.

I love Unforgiven, but Outlaw Josey Wales is still my favorite Eastwood western and the DVD looks great. Sharp picture, widescreen picture. Buy it now and decide for yourself: Unforgiven or Outlaw Josey Wales?

Rating:
Summary: The best Western ever made!
Review: This movie is by far one of the best Westerns to ever be made. Clint is a tough, mean, and brilliant outlaw who really knows how to kick butt. His one liner's are hilarious and his character is one guy who you would never want to mess with. Definitely a must see among action and Western fans.

Rating:
Summary: Simply put:
Review: Eastwood's best film, the finest Western of the 70s, and one of the finest films, period. Magnificent, bloody, and ultimately extremely touching, THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES puts a spin on the revenge Western, for this is a tale of forgetting revenge, and finding a way to live again. "Dying is easy for men like us. It's living that's hard." Already an established classic. And it needs to be seen in widescreen.

Rating:
Summary: Classic and flawless Eastwood
Review: If you can get over the fact that it's a western, Outlaw Josey Wales is Eastwood's best film, as both as actor and director. I like his "Dirty Harry" subject matter better, but "Josey" is beautifully paced, timeless, and an endless volley of wit and digs between Josey and the others. Particularly heartwarming are the scenes between Josey and the Chief (and when you read Eastwood's recent biography, it becomes clear how difficult those scenes were to complete). If you're an Eastwood fanatic, this film is THE ONE!!!

Rating:
Summary: The very best in a western drama
Review: You want a cowboy movie, you got it Josey Wales. I can't believe no one has written a review on this movie except the movie critic himself, Leonard Malt Malt.

Rating:
Summary: A Man Like Wales, Lives By The Feud
Review: Some 16 years before the Oscar laden and equally brilliant "Unforgiven", this movie is seen by many as one of Clint Eastwoods finest movies, particularly in the Western genre. Playing the title role himself, we meet Josey Wales, a quiet farmer, abruptly thrown into the civil war after his land and family are attacked by Union soldiers, who joins up with the confederate fight in an almost guerilla / mercenary way. The civil War aspect of the story is little more than an opening skirmish however, as it is the subsequent fugitive aspect of the character that moves us through most of the picture. I have to disagree with those that think this is just a revenge movie, or that a single viewing is all one can manage, as the story unfolds in a multi faceted way with each succesive viewing, despite the viewer knowing the ending. Wales comes to be the guiding scout and protector to an unlikely and very mixed bag of characters (all played with sound realism)as he is continually and almost reluctantly hounded by his former ally Fletcher. Charged with hunting him down, Fletcher (played with a salty almost poetic grace by John Vernon) must accompany a band of "red leg" Union soldiers, with more than questionable morality, to the border and this long pursuit helps the picture move at an even pace. Add some interesting subplots, commancheros, some imaginative and lively characters (with many of Eastwoods regular screen stars in various roles)and the overall effect is just right, without trying to be moralistic. Often brutal in it's depiction of the "wild" west, and at times graphically violent keeps the deserved R rating, but some moments of comedy and pathos bring an unmistakable Eastwood handprint of direction, without overtaking the excellent story or script. Already widely received as a classic piece of filmaking, it has stood the test of time extremely well, and has become one of the movies that have benchmarked the genre since it's release almost thirty years ago. Extremely enjoyable movie.

Rating:
Summary: Josey Wales - Fastest gunslinger in the West!
Review: Clint Eastwood's movie, The Outlaw Josey Wales, is a classic in the Western genre. This movie is one of the best Western movies that I have ever seen.

The story of the movie goes like this. Josey Wales(Clint Eastwood) is a peaceful farmer in Missouri with a family in the middle of the Civil War. One day some Union Soldiers burn down his house (with his son in it) and kidnap his wife. Angry and Furious, Josey Wales joins some confederate guerillas and fights hard. When Confederacy surrenders, Josey Wales refuses and heads west. He travels to Texas and along the way picks up odd group: couple of Native Americans, an Old Grandmother, a beautiful woman and two servants. At the same time they are chased by Union soldiers.

I will not reveal the story further. However, what makes this movie a classic is the depth and dimension to the characters and superb action.

The character of Josey Wales is really complex. He turns from a peaceful farmer to a tobacco chewing, hell raising, gunslinger. However his humane side is seen through his hard attitude at times. He saves a native american girl from couple of scoundrels. He also saves travelers from another group of bandits. At the same time, he is a tobacco spitting hard man. Josey Wales spits on everything, from a scorpio to a union officer. The other characters are not as intensely developed, which is understandable since Josey Wales is the primary focus of the movie.

The action in the movie is just amazing. I will summarize three great scenes which will make you, the reader, want to just watch the movie. In first scene Josey Wales is carrying food and confronted by four soldiers... In another one Josey Wales(and his six-shooter) all by himself is up against 10-15 bandits...In the last one, Josey Wales and his Six-shooter, go toe-to-toe against tens of horse-riding soldiers...

I will leave the action for you to watch.

Also this movie is directed by Eastwood himself. He is as good as a director as he is as an actor.

FYI: This movie is based on the book "Gone to Texas".

Rating:
Summary: Eastwood has the union army surrounded
Review:

Director: Clint Eastwood
Format: ColorRated:
Studio: Warner Studios
Video Release Date: September 2, 2003

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
John Verros ... Chato
Will Sampson ... Ten Bears
William O'Connell ... Sim Carstairs
John Quade ... Comanchero Leader
Frank Schofield ... Senator Lane
Buck Kartalian ... Shopkeeper
Len Lesser ... Abe
Doug McGrath ... Lige
John Russell ... Bloody Bill Anderson
Charles Tyner ... Zukie Limmer
Bruce M. Fischer ... Yoke
John Mitchum ... Al
John Davis Chandler ... First Bounty Hunter
Tom Roy Lowe ... Second Bounty Hunter
Clay Tanner ... First Texas Ranger
Robert F. Hoy ... Second Texas Ranger
Madeline T. Holmes ... Grannie Hawkins
Erik Holland ... Union Army Sergeant
Cissy Wellman ... Josey's Wife
Faye Hamblin ... Grandpa Samuel
Danny Green ... Lemuel
Kyle Eastwood ... Josey's Son
Richard Farnsworth ... Comanchero

Josie Wales' family was murdered and his home burned by union redlegs, so he joins Bill Fletcher's border raiders on the confederate side of the war and does his share of getting even. When Fletcher turns in his men for money (except Wales) and they are all killed, Wales becomes an outlaw on the run from union authorities. They hunt him clear into Mexico, where things come to a head. Josie Wales single handedly surrounds the entire union army and the Indian nations.

This is a good story, well acted by all concerned, and very well directed by Eastwood, as are all of his films.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Rating:
Summary: The Masterpiece Josey Wales
Review: Clint Eastwood surpasses the realm of just a "good classic western film," here he has managed to create a masterpiece. Eastwood himself refers to this as one of his most important films, following the equally great "Unforgiven."
The 1976 film opens with Josey's family being violently slaughtered, sending the Outlaw into a remarkable wrath of revenge. Without giving too much away, the road to death soon becomes the road to redemption.
Eastwood and company incorporated wonderful two handed gunplay, laugh out loud humor, magnificent character development and overall a masterpiece that will stand the test of time.
The remastered edition is a God sent. The anamorphic widescreen has never looked better. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack brings new life to the picture.
I personally loath the Warner Bros. snap cases, but the Clint Eastwood Collection is well worth the frustration. Eastwood's films deserve so much better, such as the treatment of the 2004 3 Disc set release of the dark and spectacular "Mystic River."
The Outlaw Josey Wales throws away the formula of the standard "Western." Maybe that's why it's charm and the power and patience of Eastwood is undeniable.