High Plains Drifter

Clint Eastwood's second film as a director (and his first Western) offers a variation on the "Man with No Name" theme, starring Eastwood as a drifter known only as "the Stranger," who rides into the desert town of Lago and is quickly attacked by three gunmen. Recovering with the aid of a local little person (a memorable role for Billy Curtis), the Stranger is hired by the intimidated townsfolk to fend off a band of violent ex-convicts. After teaching the citizens self-defense and instructing them to paint the entire town red and rename it "Hell," the Stranger vanishes, but reappears when the marauding criminals arrive, delivering justice while also teaching the townsfolk a harsh lesson about moral obligation. Is the Stranger a figure from their past or a kind of supernatural avenger? Combining humor with action, 1973's High Plains Drifter is simultaneously both a serious and tongue-in-cheek tribute to the Westerns that made Eastwood a household name. Shining on Blu-ray—albeit with only a trailer as a supplement—this is highly recommended. (J. Shannon)