Western and Bitcoin have something in common. Both were pronounced dead on numerous different occasions. Such prediction in case of western nearly came true in in early 1980s when major Hollywood studios, still reeling from the cataclysmic failure of Heaven’s Gate, wouldn’t dare to touch the genre with proverbial ten-foot pole. It took major western icon like Clint Eastwood to change that. He did in 1985 by producing, directing and starring in Pale Rider, critically acclaimed film with more than solid box-office results.
The plot begins when small gold mining settlement in California gets attacked by thugs in the employment of Coy LaHood (played by Richard Dysart), gold mining tycoon who wants to take control of all mines in the area. In the mayhem thugs kill pet dog belonging to 14-year old Meghan Wheeler (played by Sydney Penny) who buries it and starts praying for a miracle who would save her family and other miners from further harassment. Her prayers are answered when a mysterious stranger (played by Eastwood) comes to nearby town and rescues Meghan’s common law stepfather Hull Barrett (played by Michael Moriarty) from LaHood’s thughs. As a sign of gratitude, Hull and Meghan’s mother Sarah (played by Carrie Snodgress) give the stranger a lodging and he is revealed to wear priest’s collar, after which everyone starts calling him Preacher. LaHood is not happy with an arrival of a man who inspires miners to stand up for themselves, so he hires corrupt marshal Stockburn (played by John Russell) and his deputies to kill Preacher.
Eastwood approached his attempt of resurrecting western by refusing to reinvent the wheel. Pale Rider owes a lot to earlier westerns, most notably 1953 classic Shane. The script by Michael Butler and Dennis Shryack borrowed so much plot elements from that fim, that Pale Rider is often referenced as its unofficial remake. However, Eastwood also took inspiration from himself, most notably 1973 film High Plains Drifter, in which he also played mysterious stranger whose ultimate motives and nature remain the unanswered question. Eastwood, there at his prime, delivers confident and effective performance, again playing the man of few words and lot of action , using charisma and letting his character seen through reactions of other characters. Such approach required good cast and Eastwood had it. Teenage Sydney Penny (until that known as young Meggie in The Thorn Birds) delivers best role in her big screen career, while Moriarty is effective as an ordinary and decent man in extraordinary situation. Film also features many good character actors which include Richard Kiel, giant actor best known as Jaws in James Bond films (here, just like in Moonraker, playing villain’s henchman who has a change of heart near the end) as well as Billy Drago. Pale Rider also benefits from cinematographer and Eastwood’s old associate Bruce Surtees who captures mountainous locations of Idaho and California and puts them to good use.
This is an old school western, but the script nevertheless gives nod to 1980s sentiments, both on the American right and the American left. Example of the former is the use of religious motives which play important part of the plot, while the example of the latter is environmental message. LaHood uses crude but effective method of mining by destroying entire hills through hydraulic pressure and it is explicitly described as “raping the land”. This corresponds to the scene in which LaHood’s son Josh (played by young Christopher Penn) attempts to rape Meghan after explaining the procedure in great deal. Pale Rider is well-made, entertaining and effective film but, even with commercial success, it failed to leave lasting impression as Eastwood’s westerns before and afterwards. The best explanation is subpar and almost unnoticeable music by Lennie Niehaus, another Eastwood’s old associaties, who simply fails to provide soundtrack of epic intensity this film should deserve. Even with this flaw, Pale Rider deserves recommendation even to the audience that doesn’t care that much about westerns.
RATING: 7/10 (++)
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