1976 Movie Named Among the Best Westerns Ever - and It Redefined a Screen Legend
Today, Clint Eastwood as a complicated gun slinging cowboy is an image embedded in many moviegoers' minds. However, back in 1976, the legendary actor and director was coming off a different role: As a cop.
He was fresh from his audience-favorite role as a cop in 1971's Dirty Harry. "Go ahead, make my day," was already an iconic line. So it's not surprising that the studios wanted to keep him in that wheelhouse. Of course, his Dirty Harry role was pretty much a gunslinger in a police car, so it's not really that much of a stretch when you think about it. Furthermore, Eastwood had been starring in Westerns since the 1950s, and he made The Good, the Bad and the Ugly in 1966, another classic.
However, a 1976 film that Eastwood both directed and starred in became a revisionist western that put the actor back in the saddle, redefining his career. It was The Outlaw Josey Wales. In this western, the protagonist was also an anti-hero, the anti-war themes were clear, and the Native American characters were realistic and complex. Eastwood would go on to star in other iconic westerns like Pale Rider (1985) and Unforgiven (1992).
The Outlaw Josey Wales Ranks Among the Best Western Movies Ever Filmed
The site Ranker allows fans to rank their best movies by genre, and Eastwood's The Outlaw Josey Walesranked #4 on the list of the Best Westerns Ever Made and #1 on the list of the Best Westerns of the 1970s.
"In the tumultuous aftermath of the Civil War, a man of few words sets off on a quest for justice, hell-bent on avenging the murder of his family. Along the way, he forms a ragtag band of misfits, each grappling with their own demons," Ranker wrote. "Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, this epic journey weaves together complex character dynamics and thrilling shootouts, resulting in a captivating and satisfying Western experience."
One highlight of the movie was the role played by Chief Dan George. According to Bulletproof Action, he "was 76 during filming. Clint had seen him in only one movie but claims he had a 'great face.' George had trouble remembering his lines so Clint would tell him the lines and instead of having him repeat the lines on film, George would just naturally tell the story as he would to a friend. It ended up working brilliantly."
According to No Film School, Eastwood once named the movie among his six favorite from his directing career.
The Outlaw Josey Wales Has Faced Multiple Controversies
According to CinemaBlend, there were problems on the set when Eastwood clashed with the director. The Right Stuff's Phillip Kaufman "wrote the screenplay for the Western and was initially hired to direct as well," the site reported. "The actor clearly had a different vision for the movie." And, according to CinemaBlend, both were pursuing actress Sondra Locke (Eastwood prevailed, but that relationship eventually ruptured badly).
Controversy also erupted over authorship of the book the movie is based on. It turned out that the author, Forrest Carter, was likely Asa Carter, a "well-known speechwriter for the notorious segregationist governor of Alabama, George Wallace," CinemaBlend added, noting that the movie also traffics in "Lost Cause" narratives about the Confederacy.
According to No Film School, Eastwood once said the movie "came out in the '70s when the country was restless about Vietnam. It addressed the divisiveness of war, and how it can tear at heart and soul. But it also dealt with the rejuvenation of a cynic, re-instilling his life with purpose, and with a surrogate family."
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 2:15 AM.