Pale Rider

(1985)

PLOT | AUDIO | TRIVIA | CAST | CREDITS | PURCHASE

A cadre of men employed by powerful strip-miner Coy LaHood (Richard Dysart) rides into a small mining encampment and begins shooting up the place. One of the terrorists kills the dog of young Megan Wheeler's (Sydney Penny). As Megan buries her pet, she says a prayer, begging the Lord to send someone to defend them. Later Megan sits with her widowed mother (Carrie Snodgress) and reads from the Bible: "And I saw, and behold, a pale horse, and its rider's name was death, and hell followed him." Then a lone horseman (Clint Eastwood), dressed as a preacher, rides into camp to help the struggling miners fight off LaHood. The supernatural elements of the story are incidental and handled in a restrained, subtle manner that does not distract from the story but enhances it, bringing another dimension to the oft-told tale. Eastwood the director has delivered a thought-provoking, well-crafted western.

Listen as Clint Eastwood talks candidly about his thoughts on this film including why he decided to make the movie and its comparisons to Shane.

• The film is obviously based on the classic Shane. Many critics noticed this, but failed to notice the similarities between Fatal Attraction and Play Misty for Me.
• It is reported that Clint's gap in western-making was due to a mid-life allergy to horses.
• Unlike Clint's earlier films, he chose the theme for the film and then commissioned a screenplay.
• As in High Plains Drifter the mining camp set consisted of interiors as well as exteriors.
• The film was entered in the official competition at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival, but failed to pick up any awards.

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