Pale Rider

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Pale Rider

R

Released Jun 28, 1985

1h 55m

Western

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Popcornmeter

94%

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31 Reviews

83%

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25,000+ Ratings

When property owner Coy LaHood (Richard Dysart) starts using a band of hooligans to terrorize a group of small-town gold miners into giving up their territory, an enigmatic man named "Preacher" (Clint Eastwood) arrives in town. Preacher fends off the attacks, and then goes directly to LaHood to negotiate. When the miners, led by Hull Barret (Michael Moriarty), refuse the terms, LaHood sends in Marshall Stockburn (John Russell) to take down Preacher and the others.

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Critics Consensus

Nearly a decade after The Outlaw Josey Wales, Clint Eastwood returns as a director to the genre that made his name with this elegant, spiritual Western that riffs on the classic Shane.

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Though the metaphysical overtones of the screenplay are sometimes awkwardly handled and Eastwood's direction of actors (other than himself) is occasionally uncertain, this was one of the better American films of 1985.

May 27, 2011

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Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

Pale Rider does nothing to disprove the wisdom that this genre is best left to the revival houses. A double feature of Shane and Eastwood's High Plains Drifter will do just fine, thanks.

Oct 26, 2008

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Variety Staff

Variety

It's all been seen before, but Eastwood serves it up with authority, fine craftsmanship and a frequent sense of fun.

Oct 26, 2008

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

The very model of a polished, competent Western — one that showed Clint Eastwood could still scratch the itch so that, with "Unforgiven" seven years later, he could dig deep into the scab.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jun 26, 2025

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Bless Clint Eastwood for climbing back into the saddle during a period when most others preferred to climb into a spaceship.

Rated: 3/4

May 6, 2025

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Penny Holme

Starburst

The main feeling of the film is of a tongue-in-cheek parody of the spaghetti sagas.

Jul 8, 2022

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Colin M.

A remake of Shane. Maybe not quite as good as Shane but it’s still definitely worth watching. If you’ve ever seen Shane, look at the differences between the plots it’s interesting.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

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Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 55 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/04/25

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Keith M

One of Clint's worst in my opinion. Bad script and bad acting throughout. And enough with the "ghost" angle, which he used in High Plains Drifter, with much better results. (And it's a much better movie)

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/02/25

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steve d

In my humble opinion, one would be better off watching "Shane" rather than this. I love Clint Eastwood, but this movie borrows too much from an outstanding iconic western to stand by itself. I have no idea what Mr. Eastwood was thinking except perhaps to ""mine" some mint from an old classic movie.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/25/25

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Johannes S

Doesn't get any better than watching Clint Eastwood tear some corrupt tycoons to shreds.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/14/25

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Daniel C. M

Just watch High Plains Drifter instead. Unnecessary slow pacing combined with mediocre script action makes this a hard watch.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

11/20/24

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Clint Eastwood

Director

Clint Eastwood

Preacher

Michael Moriarty

Hull Barret

Carrie Snodgress

Sarah Wheeler

Chris Penn

Josh LaHood

Richard Dysart

Coy LaHood

High Plains Drifter

94%

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Synopsis

When property owner Coy LaHood (Richard Dysart) starts using a band of hooligans to terrorize a group of small-town gold miners into giving up their territory, an enigmatic man named "Preacher" (Clint Eastwood) arrives in town. Preacher fends off the attacks, and then goes directly to LaHood to negotiate. When the miners, led by Hull Barret (Michael Moriarty), refuse the terms, LaHood sends in Marshall Stockburn (John Russell) to take down Preacher and the others.

Director: Clint Eastwood
Producer: Clint Eastwood
Screenwriter: Michael Butler, Dennis Shryack
Distributor: Warner Bros., Warner Home Vídeo
Production Co: The Malpaso Company
Rating: R
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 28, 1985, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 15, 2008
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Surround

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