Classic Movie Monday: Pale Rider

Welcome to Classic Movie Monday. Every Monday, I watch a film at least 25 years old (or there abouts) that I have never seen before. I will then write my comments on the film, telling you what I thought of it. This is an attempt to beef up my classic film knowledge as well as highlight some forgotten gems of Hollywood's heyday. So without further ado...

Pale Rider
Released: June 28, 1985
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Michael Moriarty, & Carrie Snodgress

Plot in a Nutshell:
A mysterious stranger, known as the "Preacher" comes to the aid of a small mining camp that is being terrorized by their big money neighbors.

What I thought:
Unforgiven is easily one of my most favorite movies of all time. The themes that it presents about violence and the carelessness of youth are some of the best. The regret and remorse of Clint's character is so skillfully and meticulously constructed throughout the film, that when it is completely and brutally destroyed in the final reel, it carries all the more meaning. I mention Unforgiven because Pale Rider so closely resembles it in its relaxed tone, at least for a western. You can clearly see the efforts of Eastwood, in trying to create something different here.

Much as Unforgiven was not your typical western, neither is Pale Rider. Your main character is essentially viewed as a preacher, a spiritual man of God that only acts when forced to. In the last act, he literally trades his collar for a gun belt. But more than the main character's attitude, the general feel and look of the film is much mellower than I was expecting.

There are no broad and colorful characters, rather we get very real characters. The protagonists are simple miners, just wishing to be left alone to do what they do. The villain is not boisterous or conniving, he wants his land, and he'll do anything to get it. And Clint.., is well Clint. Very sparse in performance he doesn't need to act, he just is. Effortlessly, he manages to inhabit his characters time after time.

The only thing I didn't really enjoy about the film, was that their wasn't a big idea. There was no major theme that the story could carry through the film. There was an element of a group of people refusing to run away from bullies, and wanting to "grow roots" as it were. And a little bit of spiritualism to the Preacher, but beyond that, there was little of substance to Pale Rider. I would say that it doesn't need substance as long as other elements pick up the slack. However, the serious manner in which it was told was never supported by the plot. Parts of it wanted to be heavy, and others wanted to be enthralling, but it never seemed to gel.

I think it all boils down to a still-learning director. At this time in his career, Eastwood had directed many films, and I have to imagine that with each he got better and better (look at the ones he has recently churned out). Some of the choices here, as far as the other performances, the camerawork, and editing, it all sits just on the edge of good. It isn't great, nor is it awful.

You can see in every frame that this is a spiritual precursor to the far superior Unforgiven. That doesn't mean that on its own, Pale Rider is not a good film. No, Pale Rider is a serviceable western that more than anything, never fully conveys it's message. Instead it is a realistic and interesting take on the classic western that looks as though its trying to bite for something meaty, yet gets nothing. I'm just glad Clint pulled it all together for Unforgiven. God, I love that movie.

Bottom Line:
A western that falls somewhere between a meaningful piece of film-making and an action packed western extravaganza, but with not much of either.

B-

Sphere: Related Content