Interesting movie based on a novel by Forrest Carter titled "Gone To Texas" and professionally performed and directed by Clint Eastwood . Exciting film based on historical events set during American Civil War (1861-1865) in which the Bushwhackers use guerrilla warfare to destroy Yankee targets and led by men set on revenge, make raid and surprising attacks . A Missouri peaceful farmer named Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood) whose family is killed by ¨Red Legs¨, a bunch of pillaging outlaws who have allied themselves with the Union Army ; he then turns vigilante . After the war , everyone in his troop surrenders to the victorious Unión except Wales . There take place fights between cutthroat Bushwhackers versus Jayhawkers , including historical characters named Quantrill and Bloody Bill Anderson (John Russell) who carried out an infamous Raid on Lawrence, Kansas . The surrendering detachment are then murdered after being promised amnesty . Then Wales in turn has a price on his head and joins a Confederate guerrilla unit to revenge their deaths and winds up on the run along with a motley group (Sam Bottoms , Chief Dan George , Sondra Locke) from the Union soldiers who murdered his family and undertaking a lethal chase .
The picture compellingly describes the atmosphere of violence set in post-Civil War ; in which women have few rights, and took place confrontation among bands and bloody battles . This thrilling as well as violent flick details a bloody vendetta , propelling a cat-and-mouse pursuit odyssey . Although atmospheric , it's also sometimes slow-moving and winds up into a spectacular showdown . Very good production design , including breathtaking attacks and fights ; as the film contains some of the most wild horse scenes ever recorded and kept in a movie . The scenes of the picture were filmed in Lake Powell, Arizona, Wyoming,Glen Canyon, Utah, Kanab, Paria, Utah, Oroville, Utah and Mescal, Arizona . Nice acting by Eastwood in his usual stoic attitude as the outlaw becomes the hunter and the hunted . In fact , Clint Eastwood cites Josey as his personal favorite of all the movies he's made . And this is the first of six movies made by real-life couple Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke. Very good support cast plenty of familiar faces such as Chief Dan George , Bill McKinney . John Vernon , Paula Trueman as Grandma Sarah , Sam Bottoms , Joyce Jameson , John Davis Chandler , Will Sampson , Doug McGrath , John Russell , Charles Tyner , Matt Clark , among others . And uncredited Kyle Eastwood , in film debut , can be glimpsed very briefly in the opening sequence helping his dad, Josey, work the land by their home . Thrilling and atmospheric musical score by Jerry Fielding , Sam Peckinpah's usual . Colorful and adequate cinematography shot in Panavision by Bruce Surtees , great cameraman Robert Surtees's son.
This masterpiece of characterization , adventure and action was efficiently directed by Clint Eastwood ; however , the movie received mixed reviews on its release . Clint took over filmmaking from Philip Kaufman who also co-wrote the script , a rule which has ever since been titled the "Eastwood rule" . It is Clint's one of the best films as both a player and filmmaker and being followed by ¨The return of Josey Wales¨ with no participation by Clint Eastwood . Star, producer , director Eastwood realizes an excellent film and perfectly directed . This classic Western as good as the notorious ¨Pale rider¨ is magnificent in every way . Later on , Eastwood produced and directed another successful Western , the Oscarized ¨Unforgiven(1992)¨ also with some common theme.
The picture compellingly describes the atmosphere of violence set in post-Civil War ; in which women have few rights, and took place confrontation among bands and bloody battles . This thrilling as well as violent flick details a bloody vendetta , propelling a cat-and-mouse pursuit odyssey . Although atmospheric , it's also sometimes slow-moving and winds up into a spectacular showdown . Very good production design , including breathtaking attacks and fights ; as the film contains some of the most wild horse scenes ever recorded and kept in a movie . The scenes of the picture were filmed in Lake Powell, Arizona, Wyoming,Glen Canyon, Utah, Kanab, Paria, Utah, Oroville, Utah and Mescal, Arizona . Nice acting by Eastwood in his usual stoic attitude as the outlaw becomes the hunter and the hunted . In fact , Clint Eastwood cites Josey as his personal favorite of all the movies he's made . And this is the first of six movies made by real-life couple Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke. Very good support cast plenty of familiar faces such as Chief Dan George , Bill McKinney . John Vernon , Paula Trueman as Grandma Sarah , Sam Bottoms , Joyce Jameson , John Davis Chandler , Will Sampson , Doug McGrath , John Russell , Charles Tyner , Matt Clark , among others . And uncredited Kyle Eastwood , in film debut , can be glimpsed very briefly in the opening sequence helping his dad, Josey, work the land by their home . Thrilling and atmospheric musical score by Jerry Fielding , Sam Peckinpah's usual . Colorful and adequate cinematography shot in Panavision by Bruce Surtees , great cameraman Robert Surtees's son.
This masterpiece of characterization , adventure and action was efficiently directed by Clint Eastwood ; however , the movie received mixed reviews on its release . Clint took over filmmaking from Philip Kaufman who also co-wrote the script , a rule which has ever since been titled the "Eastwood rule" . It is Clint's one of the best films as both a player and filmmaker and being followed by ¨The return of Josey Wales¨ with no participation by Clint Eastwood . Star, producer , director Eastwood realizes an excellent film and perfectly directed . This classic Western as good as the notorious ¨Pale rider¨ is magnificent in every way . Later on , Eastwood produced and directed another successful Western , the Oscarized ¨Unforgiven(1992)¨ also with some common theme.