Clint Eastwood had been making films since the early 70s, yet his debut as an American filmmaker came with High Plains Drifter in 1981. Though often heavily criticized from critics and audiences alike, this groundbreaking movie proved an enormous financial success at the box office.
Clint Eastwood stars as a drifter (Clint Eastwood) who rides into Lago, where his gun-slinging skills are much-in-demand by locals trying to defend against an organized criminal gang, yet has his own hidden agenda for doing so.
Geoffrey Lewis
Geoffrey Lewis was an iconic character actor of the 1970s, renowned for his period pieces and gritty Westerns. With his wide-eyed stare and sinister chuckle he became a favorite of film directors; appearing in numerous series such as Bonanza, Gunsmoke, Mannix Mission: Impossible Cannon Barnaby Jones Mork Mindy Golden Girls Lou Grant Magnum P.I The A-Team Titus Murder She Wrote The X-Files Walker Texas Ranger among many more.
Lewis not only appeared in films and television, but he also performed short stories set to music as part of Celestial Navigations. Most of his own material was created by him, often including spiritual elements into them.
He was an active Scientologist who maintained that Scientology activities helped him succeed professionally. He is survived by his wife Paula, sons Lightfield and Matthew and daughter Juliette.
Clint Eastwood’s second film as director was High Plains Drifter, an homage to Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns with a strong cast and shot beautifully by Bruce Surtees in CinemaScope and featuring Dee Barton (Thunderbolt and Lightfoot)’s score as the perfect accompaniment.
Notable for its surreal and gothic undertones, which reflect Leone’s more experimental works. While not a classic, this film should certainly not be discounted by cinematic originality enthusiasts.
High Plains Drifter’s plot may appear straightforward, yet it’s packed with references to multiple themes. While it can be read as a revenge film, High Plains Drifter also serves as a study on rage’s destructive power despite some more graphic scenes and gore; additionally, this movie maintains a unique realistic quality rare for revenge movies.
Although The French Connection is based on true events, its creation was also the product of its time. Ernest Tidyman (who later won an Academy Award for The French Connection) first conceptualized the film after receiving a nine-page proposal from Universal; later he adapted this proposal into its final script but was denied screen credit by a WGA arbitration committee.
Billy Curtis
High Plains Drifter features an ensemble cast that includes Clint Eastwood and Geoffrey Lewis as well as many other talented actors. If you’re searching for more information about them or curious as to who starred in High Plains Drifter, this page has everything you need.
Billy Curtis was a film and television actor born June 27, 1909 in Springfield Massachusetts who had an enduring fifty-year career before passing away November 9th 1988 in Dayton Nevada.
But while he may have been best known for his dwarfism, he was also an exceptional actor who could adapt to many genres – westerns and science fiction movies alike. Perhaps his most iconic performance came as Mordecai in Clint Eastwood’s High Plains Drifter; also, in 1938 Musical/Western The Terror of Tiny Town which boasted the world’s only midget cast ever assembled for any Western. Finally he appeared in numerous other films such as American International Pictures 1973 release Little Cigars.
Curtis is an avid supporter of LGBTQ rights and an engaged community activist. For the last decade, he has served as Director of LGBT Resources at UC Berkeley where he has expanded campus resources while mentoring many leaders across various groups such as Project Open Hand and being an AIDS Lifecycle Rider himself.
Curtis’ most celebrated role may have been his part in The Terror of Tiny Town (1938), now considered an essential classic. Don’t miss this chance to watch one of Curtis’ legendary roles!
Curtis was an extremely sought-after actor during his time in film, having starred in multiple types of movies (such as Incendiary Blonde and Three Texas Steers ) ranging from biopics like Incendiary Blonde about Betty Hutton to Westerns like Three Texas Steers. Additionally, he made frequent television appearances including two episodes of Batman!
Curtis soon transitioned from acting into community activism, dedicating his life to helping those in need. He currently sits on the boards of Vitality (an LGBT business professional network), OpenHouse San Francisco LGBT Community Center and also belongs to both the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and Pride Parade Committees.
Mariana Hill
Mariana Hill hails from San Diego but was raised in New York City. As an accomplished actor she made her film debut with Married Too Young and since then has appeared in over 70 films and TV episodes; becoming a life member of The Actors Studio in 2012.
She received her training at Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York before moving to England, where she became a teacher of acting. Some of her most notable roles include Gabrielle in Howard Hawks’ Red Line 7000, Callie Travers from Clint Eastwood’s High Plains Drifter, and Deanna Dunn-Corleone from Francis Ford Coppola’s sequel to The Godfather Part II.
Her initial screen roles included low-budget exploitation movies like Black Zoo and its sequel. Later in her career, she would appear on numerous television series like “77 Sunset Strip” and “The Tall Man.” Additionally, she made several guest appearances in westerns as well as horror flicks.
At age 60, she earned her highest box office gross ever in Clint Eastwood’s 1973 Western, High Plains Drifter. Considered one of the greatest, versatile, and underrated actors of her generation, she is widely regarded as being among the greatest female Western actors ever.
Callie Travers (Marianna Hill), as town leader, is determined to get revenge for the murder of her parents. Though Barber Dave Drake (Mitchell Ryan) attempts to talk her out of it, Callie cannot resist killing him in order to exact her own revenge.
Classic of its genre, A Fistful of Dollars recalls Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars, Fred Zimmerman’s High Noon and George Stevens’ Shane as its predecessors; yet Eastwood’s initial directorial effort (adapted by Ernset Tidyman from Don Siegel’s novella “Hold on to your Hats “) stands out with its own sharp and bitter edge.
Story is familiar enough: A drifter rides into a small town to assist its residents prepare for battle against bandits, yet Eastwood takes it in his own unique fashion, creating an intricate, gothic, and haunting revenge thriller which could rival Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo.
At the core of Dirty Harry lies its unnerving setting: Lago, built from scratch entirely. From buildings to fences, everything from Lago was designed to appear natural rather than overt and functional. Cinematographer Bruce Surtees combined interior and exterior shots for maximum claustrophobia in both Beverly Hills Cop and Dirty Harry films.
John Wayne
High Plains Drifter stars iconic Western actors, such as John Wayne and Clint Eastwood – two major box office draws at their time and still widely revered among enthusiasts worldwide.
Though these two cinematic icons had different approaches to Westerns, both were able to produce movies that remain timeless classics despite never joining forces on one project. But there’s a fascinating tale behind why they never came together.
Sources have noted that Wayne was not particularly fond of High Plains Drifter and even sent Eastwood an angry letter denouncing its violence, sparking a disagreement between Eastwood and Wayne which Eastwood never forgot.
After the success of High Plains Drifter, Eastwood wrote to Wayne suggesting they make another film together as an act of reconciliation with his previous generation of Great Western Stars – this act remains the reason many still cherish this film today.
Clint Eastwood directs this outstanding Western, with all the hallmarks of classic Western fare: gunfights, murder and unflinching depictions of female sexuality – including some extremely un-PC moments such as rapes.
High Plains Drifter stars Eastwood as an unknown stranger persuaded by residents of a small town to help fight off three violent criminals. Written by Ernest Tidyman and with an unpredictable plot that keeps viewers guessing, High Plains Drifter makes for a captivating watch.
Eastwood made his directorial debut with Unforgiven – his inaugural Western. It marked an important turning point in his career and opened up new directing possibilities. Eastwood would go on to direct several more westerns over time – winning him several Oscars along the way!
This movie is dark and violent compared to Wayne’s other works; much more violent than what viewers are used to seeing from him. Instead of following nursery rhyme tropes of good vs. evil, this one features characters who remain more hidden or mysterious, often not speaking at all during its course.