The Outlaw Josey Wales was directed by Clint Eastwood and released in June 26, 1976. The film tells the tale of a Missouri farmer turned outlaw after witnessing the murder of his family. Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood) witnesses pro-union “red leg militiamen” murder his wife and son, and is driven to join a group of pro-confederate Guerrilla fighters known as the Missouri Bushwhackers in order to seek revenge. When the Civil War comes to a close however, Captain fletcher of the Redlegs convinces the Bushwackers to surrender with the promise of amnesty.
Wales and a few others will not surrender, a decision that will save their lives as Fletcher goes back on his word, giving the order for the disarmed and surrendered confederates to be executed. While many of his compatriots are killed, Wales is able to intervene - seizing a gatling gun and killing several union soldiers. With he and a younger gentleman the sole survivors of the slaughter, Wales heads to texas with a $5,000 bounty on his head issued by none other than Union Senator Lane. Wales attempts to keep to himself, but ends up on the road with a sort of adoptive family: an elderly Cherokee called Lone Watie, a navajo girl, and an old woman from Kansas and her granddaughter rescued by Wales from the snares of bandits.
When the red legs catch up to Wales and company, they find the group sheltered in a hacienda equipped to withstand indian attacks. They attack, but find themselves in a hairy situation up against the hacienda’s defenders. Captain Terrill, the man who had given the commands to gun down the surrendered confederates at the beginning, is now the sole survivor of those who had charged the hacienda, and attempts to flee. Wales, completely out of ammunition, charges after Terrill. When he catches him, he dry fires all cylinders of his revolver to terrorize the Captain before stabbing him to death with his own sword.
Finally, Wales goes after Fletcher and finds him in a bar in Santa Rio accompanied by two texas rangers. They question a group of men who refer to Wales as “Wilson”, saying he had died in a gunfight in Monterrey. The rangers seem to believe the men and head out of the bar while Fletcher remains. He does not recognize Wales at first, but upon seeing blood flowing from his boots puts two and two together. Fletcher looks Wales in the face and nods, telling him he’ll give him the first move. “I owe you that”, he says. In the final scene, Wales rides off into the distance.
As a fan of westerns, I enjoyed this film immensely. Critical reception of this movie was also excellent. This is considered to be a quintessential spaghetti style western and one of the best directed by Clint Eastwood. Eastwood’s acting qualities and directors eye really mix together here to create a gritty masterpiece with humor and astounding realism. I will watch this film again!
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