The Outlaw Josey Wales

In what Orson Welles hailed as ‘one of the greatest Westerns ever made’, Eastwood recreates his iconic role as the mythic Man with No Name of the Spaghetti Westerns, subtly undercutting it through comedy and mockery. The film expertly blends two of the genre’s incompatible storylines – a loner’s quest for revenge for his massacred wife and son, and a man’s journey to rediscover his role as a father figure within a surrogate family. Reflecting Eastwood’s sensibility, much like his on-screen character, he directs the film with a no-nonsense approach and understated grace, transforming the straightforward revenge flick into a deeper and reflective meditation on grief, exile, and the facile righteousness of war. Academy Awards: Best Original Score nomination 12/9 (Sat): Film talk with Bryan Chang