Rent Hang 'Em High (1968)

Not in the same league as Clint's spaghetti westerns. Not bad, just average. - Hang 'Em High review by RP

Clint Eastwood plays Clint Eastwood in his first US western after starring in Sergio Leone's spaghetti western 'Man With No Name' trilogy.

Clint is Jed Cooper (see - he does have a name after all) who is first wrongly accused of cattle rustling, lynched and left for dead, rescued by a conveniently passing marshal who takes him to the local 'hanging judge' who clears him, signs him up as a marshal, and sends him out to bring back his attackers alive. There are some good scenes - the mass hanging is well handled - and some wooden acting (the love interest is pretty dire).

While this film frankly isn't in the same league as the spaghetti westerns, it's not bad - but it is laboured in parts. That's probably down to the somewhat moralising tone as Clint is forbidden to take revenge but to let the law take its course. My course is to give it 3/5 stars. It's pretty average stuff.

Necktie Party - Hang 'Em High review by Steve

This is mainly remembered as Clint Eastwood's first film back in Hollywood after his spaghetti westerns. However they had not yet been released in the US where he was still better known for Rawhide. It was made by the star's production company and he appointed as director a colleague from his television days.

Ted Post is not a film maker on the level of Sergio Leone... but he obviously saw the Dollar trilogy as he borrows some of the visual motifs, like the extreme closeups and a feel for the grotesque. And there's a faint echo of Ennio Morricone in the music score. Plus there's Eastwood who clearly is ready to be a cinema star.

He carries the film as a cattleman erroneously hanged by a posse of diverse vigilantes who becomes a lawman obsessed with bringing them to justice. So it's a standard revenge western, and it's effective for about an hour before it explores at length several less interesting philosophical and historical themes... 

It threatens to become anti-death penalty as the Marshal grows dismayed by how bloodthirsty is the law, but never quite comes together. Bruce Dern as a weaselly gunman stands out in a strong support cast, but second billed Inger Stevens is wasted. It's decent entertainment for western buffs and fans of the star.