# HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER question: What was the Stranger? (And other Eastwood western topics.) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 28, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626 "2012-06-28T19:58:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/41 "2012-06-30T16:31:32Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > I gave up on Unfiorgiven when he left the kids. You mean at the very beginning? Why does that bother you? ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/42 "2012-06-30T17:05:51Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > You mean at the very beginning? Why does that bother you? Maybe because I have kids and they didn’t properly explore the desperation that would justify his leaving. Took me out of the movie. It’s a good movie and that’s about it. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/43 "2012-07-01T00:33:17Z")
I liked Unforgiven when it came out. There hadn’t been many good, intelligent Westerns in a long time (and I say that mindful of Pale Rider and Silverado). But still, going back 30 years earlier than Unforgiven, Brando’s **One-Eyed Jacks** had already covered a lot of the same ground, and better IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Enuma\_Elish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/44 "2012-07-01T02:20:27Z")
People who don’t get Unforgiven IMHO are people who have not had to struggle with the violence inherent within themselves. It is a tale of struggle with inner demons. It is a tale of the unfairness of life’s choices. It is a tale of raw justice. It is a tale of the reality of power vs the myth of power. It is a tale of redemption. Unforgiven is the best Western ever made. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/45 "2012-07-01T05:17:11Z")
> [@Enuma\_Elish](#): > > People who don’t get Unforgiven IMHO are people who have not had to struggle with the violence inherent within themselves. This. I also agree With Slithy that One Eyed Jacks is better. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/46 "2012-07-01T09:53:30Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > I liked Unforgiven when it came out. There hadn’t been many good, intelligent Westerns in a long time (and I say that mindful of Pale Rider and Silverado). But still, going back 30 years earlier than Unforgiven, Brando’s **One-Eyed Jacks** had already covered a lot of the same ground, and better IMHO. I also like \* Quigley Down Under\* and _Open Range_. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/47 "2012-07-01T14:43:37Z")
> [@Enuma\_Elish](#): > > People who don’t get Unforgiven IMHO are people who have not had to struggle with the violence inherent within themselves. > > It is a tale of struggle with inner demons. It is a tale of the unfairness of life’s choices. It is a tale of raw justice. It is a tale of the reality of power vs the myth of power. It is a tale of redemption. > > Unforgiven is the best Western ever made. No, it is not. And I didnt struggle at all in writing that. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/48 "2012-07-01T14:49:42Z")
> [@outlierrn](#): > > It also gives us the awesome line, ‘he shoulda armed himself if he was gonna decorate his bar with my friend.’ and the better line to live by (or die by), “deserves got nuthin’ to do with it” ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/49 "2012-07-01T18:34:24Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > and the better line to live by (or die by), “deserves got nuthin’ to do with it” Or even better " we all got it coming" Yes, It has some great words but it is equally as good are the visuals. Munny staring into the distance and sipping the whisky as the story of Ned’s death is recounted to him. The hair-trigger look given to Beauchamp when he unwittingly criticises Little Bill’s carpentry. The encounter on the porch between English Bob and Little Bill. I think it takes a great director to enhance character in that way. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/50 "2012-07-01T19:34:59Z")
> [@Lochdale](#): > > Maybe because I have kids and they didn’t properly explore the desperation that would justify his leaving. Took me out of the movie. It’s a good movie and that’s about it. It was very clear to me on first viewing that Munny and his family were close to starving, and that his prime (if not only) motive for accompanying Ned and the Bullshit Kid was to take care of his children financially. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/51 "2012-07-02T14:54:56Z")
> [@Wargamer](#): > > _The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly_ - pros - Eli Wallach, the music, the epic scope, Eli Wallach, ‘There are two types of people in this world, those with guns, and those that dig. You dig.’, THE absolutest bestest ever showdown ever filmed, and Eli Wallach. > > - cons - IMO none of the other characters can hold up in this Clint vs. Wallach You forgot Lee Van Cleef! ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626/52 "2012-07-02T23:29:17Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > It was very clear to me on first viewing that Munny and his family were close to starving, and that his prime (if not only) motive for accompanying Ned and the Bullshit Kid was to take care of his children financially. They should have done a better job highlighting that IMHO. Good movie, not great. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/high-plains-drifter-question-what-was-the-stranger-and-other-eastwood-western-topics/626626.md?page=2)