Hang 'Em High

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2:27

Hang 'Em High

PG-13

1968

1h 54m

Western

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Popcornmeter

92%

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13 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

After a gang of men unsuccessfully attempts to lynch him for a cattle rustling crime he did not commit, Jed Cooper (Clint Eastwood) is saved by marshal Dave Bliss (Ben Johnson) and judge Adam Fenton (Pat Hingle). The lawmen offer him a job as a federal marshal with the caveat that he not abuse his new power to seek revenge against his tormentors. But, when Cooper finds that some of the men who attacked him are involved in another set of crimes, he fights to bring them to justice.

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

In a way, it's a relief that Clint Eastwood is back home again.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 23, 2004

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Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

Ted Post's direction is especially adroit at keeping the baroque flurries bubbling under the deceptive surface of old-pro craftsmanship

Sep 6, 2009

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Chris Cabin

Filmcritic.com

Though not high-minded debate, Hang 'Em certainly counts as a solid victory lap

Rated: 3.5/5

Jul 16, 2009

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Andrew L. Urban

Urban Cinefile

This is the film that brought Clint Eastwood (and his reefer smoking habit) back from Sergio Leoneland to Hollywood

May 16, 2009

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Rated: 4/5

Nov 15, 2007

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Move over squeaky clean John Wayne, a new darker western hero by the name of Clint Eastwood has arrived to challenge your title as top cowboy star!

Rated: B

Mar 12, 2006

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D H

Hang ’Em High (1968) sees Clint Eastwood at his brooding best, playing a man nearly lynched for a crime he didn’t commit. The film opens with a grim hanging scene that sets the tone for a story steeped in vengeance and justice. As Eastwood’s character becomes a marshal, he must uphold the very laws that once failed him. Pat Hingle stands out as Judge Fenton, embodying the cold machinery of frontier justice. The pacing can drag, but the tension never disappears entirely. Ted Post’s direction leans toward realism, stripping away glamour for grit. The score echoes Morricone’s influence, giving it that familiar Western pulse. While the love subplot feels undercooked, the moral themes hit hard. Visually it’s not as stylish as the spaghetti Westerns, but its message runs deeper. Hang ’Em High endures as a sober meditation on justice, mercy, and the price of both.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/12/25

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Snek B

This is a masterpiece. This is Clint Eastwood in his prime!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/30/25

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Kimmo K

A fantastic movie, definitely worth your time.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/10/25

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Audience Member

I didn't like it much. It was just alright. Thought it would be way better...

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/22/25

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Jon T

Top notch western. A few tricks learned from the spaghettis give this a more authentic feel than most westerns. We are reminded of the smell of a lot of unwashed men and we get the facial close ups to heighten tension. There is also a depth missing in lesser films. Some of the editing at the end is brutal as the studio tried to rein in the run time. Would love to have seen an uncut version.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/19/25

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john w

westerns dont get much better than this

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/08/25

Full Review

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Ted Post

Director

Clint Eastwood

Marshal Jed Cooper

Inger Stevens

Rachel Warren

Ed Begley

Capt. Wilson

Pat Hingle

Judge Fenton

Arlene Golonka

Jennifer

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Hang 'Em High: Trailer 1

2:27

Hang 'Em High: Official Clip - You Better Look at Him

1:34

Hang 'Em High: Official Clip - The Judge's Offer

2:06

Hang 'Em High: Official Clip - I'm the Law

2:22

Hang 'Em High: Official Clip - Last Words

2:26

Hang 'Em High: Official Clip - Fighting Miller

2:00

Hang 'Em High: Official Clip - Lynched or Judged

1:28

Hang 'Em High: Official Clip - Dead or Alive

1:26

Hang 'Em High: Official Clip - Some People Calls This Hell

1:54

Hang 'Em High: Official Clip - Come to Kill the Prophet

1:54

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Synopsis

After a gang of men unsuccessfully attempts to lynch him for a cattle rustling crime he did not commit, Jed Cooper (Clint Eastwood) is saved by marshal Dave Bliss (Ben Johnson) and judge Adam Fenton (Pat Hingle). The lawmen offer him a job as a federal marshal with the caveat that he not abuse his new power to seek revenge against his tormentors. But, when Cooper finds that some of the men who attacked him are involved in another set of crimes, he fights to bring them to justice.

Director: Ted Post
Producer: Leonard Freeman
Screenwriter: Leonard Freeman, Mel Goldberg
Production Co: Malpaso Company, Leonard Freeman Production
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 54m

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