The Outlaw Josey Wales

PG

Released Jun 30, 1976

2 hr. 15 min.

Western

List

91%

45 Reviews

Tomatometer

91%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood) watches helplessly as his wife and child are murdered, by Union men led by Capt. Terrill (Bill McKinney). Seeking revenge, Wales joins the Confederate Army. He refuses to surrender when the war ends, but his fellow soldiers go to hand over their weapons -- and are massacred by Terrill. Wales guns down some of Terrill's men and flees to Texas, where he tries to make a new life for himself, but the bounty on his head endangers him and his new surrogate family.

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Critics Consensus

Recreating the essence of his iconic Man With No Name in a post-Civil War Western, director Clint Eastwood delivered the first of his great revisionist works of the genre.

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Carol

A unique Western and an Eastwood epic!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/31/21

Full Review

Lanfranco C

It were impossible to shot nowadays a movie like this: with a Confederate as Good Guy! We are living in censorship times.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/31/24

Full Review

Alec B

Clint Eastwood's portrayal of Josey Wales is exactly what you'd expect (stoic intensity along with terrifying one-liners) but the rest of the characters are all wonderfully strange and unique . . . so while Wales is a familiar character, the world he occupies is not. Ultimately, what makes "The Outlaw Josey Wales" far more complex and daring than your standard revenge story is that it actually portrays the negative effects of violence on individuals and communities.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/10/23

Full Review

Larry M

Ones of his best movies ever! I quoted pieces of the movie so many times, the Rascals at work began quoting it! Ha!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/13/23

Full Review

TWMax65

Clint Eastwood is an immortal legend in film at this point, and I always find it neat whenever I find out that that he directs movies where he plays major roles in (and it's directed very well). He was practically made for the western/action genre. The movie felt like it dragged a few times but it had some epic and significant moments. It was also shot in a very quality way for when it came out. I'm not sure if I watched a more HD version but whatever kind of camera they used to shoot the movie made it look really good! I might not recommend it to someone else who's young like I am but I'm always glad I watch his films!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

09/07/23

Full Review

William H

I'm here after having seen this movie many times over the decades since I first saw it (when it came out) -- most of all to repudiate these so called "critics" who nauseate we who are entertained with their unending complaints. Why (or how) do these people even get paid? At 63 I've seldom ever paid them a moment's notice, and when I have it's because I accidentally saw one of their stupid, self centered derogatory comments. I've spent my life enjoying movies without needing some busybody telling me what I should watch or why I shouldn't, and I've done just fine having a good time. *This* movie ENTERTAINS. It's a classic, always has been and always will be. The critics on the other hand.. either have or will soon die away and memories of them will disappear. PS I am also a civil war and military buff (and Army veteran.) This movie did just fine in their depictions of those, and also you should read about the interactions between Clint and Chief Dan. It was a sincerely respective relationship. Go elsewhere to scream racist, fools.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/05/23

Full Review

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Clint Eastwood

Director

Clint Eastwood

Josey Wales

Chief Dan George

Lone Watie

Sondra Locke

Laura Lee

Bill McKinney

Terrill

John Vernon

Fletcher

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Wales also possesses a touching emotional vulnerability that marks another significant step away from Eastwood's often-overcriticized "macho" image.

Aug 8, 2011

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

The screenplay is another one of those violence revues, with carnage production numbers slotted every so often.

Jul 6, 2010

Full Review

Richard Schickel

TIME Magazine

[Eastwood] gets to the heart of the matter briskly, orchestrates his confrontations intelligently and gets off without lingering unduly over the resultant ugliness.

Oct 26, 2008

Full Review

Vickie Ong

Honolulu Advertiser

[The Outlaw Josey Wales] takes the typical Eastwood scenario -- a man seeking revenge for the death of his family and shooting every man who gets in the way -- and embellishes it with drama and comedy.

Apr 5, 2024

Full Review

Steve Warren

The Barb (Atlanta)

Although it runs a little long, a good script keeps The Outlaw Josey Wales entertaining, especially for Eastwood fans.

May 9, 2023

Full Review

Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

Those who brand Eastwood as a reactionary, conservative filmmaker must’ve forgotten this film; there’s a fair amount of bitterness about the white man.

Rated: B+

Nov 29, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

Josey Wales (Clint Eastwood) watches helplessly as his wife and child are murdered, by Union men led by Capt. Terrill (Bill McKinney). Seeking revenge, Wales joins the Confederate Army. He refuses to surrender when the war ends, but his fellow soldiers go to hand over their weapons -- and are massacred by Terrill. Wales guns down some of Terrill's men and flees to Texas, where he tries to make a new life for himself, but the bounty on his head endangers him and his new surrogate family.

Director: Clint Eastwood
Screenwriter: Forrest Carter, Philip Kaufman, Sonia Chernus
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Malpaso Company
Rating: PG
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 30, 1976, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 1, 2011

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