Pale Rider (1985)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers:

Michael Butler (written by) &
Dennis Shryack (written by)

Release Date:

28 June 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Western

Tagline:

Hell comes home

Plot:

A mysterious preacher protects a humble prospector village from a greedy mining company trying to encroach on their land.

Plot Keywords:

Preacher | Sheriff | Gold | Small Town | Train

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Preacher
Michael Moriarty	...	Hull Barret
Carrie Snodgress	...	Sarah Wheeler
Chris Penn	...	Josh LaHood (as Christopher Penn)
Richard Dysart	...	Coy LaHood
Sydney Penny	...	Megan Wheeler
Richard Kiel	...	Club
Doug McGrath	...	Spider Conway
John Russell	...	Stockburn
Charles Hallahan	...	McGill
Marvin J. McIntyre	...	Jagou
Fran Ryan	...	Ma Blankenship
Richard Hamilton	...	Jed Blankenship
Graham Paul	...	Ev Gossage
Chuck Lafont	...	Eddie Conway (as Chuck LaFont)
Jeffrey Weissman	...	Teddy Conway
Allen Keller	...	Tyson
Randy Oglesby	...	Elam (as Tom Oglesby)
Herman Poppe	...	Ulrik Lindquist
Kathleen Wygle	...	Bess Gossage
Terrence Evans	...	Jake Henderson
Jim Hitson	...	Biggs
Loren Adkins	...	Bossy
Thomas H. Friedkin	...	Miner Tom (as Tom Friedkin)
S.A. Griffin	...	Deputy Folke
Jack Radosta	...	Deputy Grissom
Robert Winley	...	Deputy Kobold
Billy Drago	...	Deputy Mather
Jeffrey Josephson	...	Deputy Sedge
John Dennis Johnston	...	Deputy Tucker
Michael Adams	...	Horseman (as Mike Adams)
Clay M. Lilley	...	Horseman (as Clay Lilley)
Gene Hartline	...	Horseman
R.L. Tolbert	...	Horseman
Clifford Happy	...	Horseman (as Cliff Happy)
Ross Loney	...	Horseman
Larry Randles	...	Horseman
Mike H. McGaughy	...	Horseman (as Mike McGaughy)
Jerry Gatlin	...	Horseman (as Gerry Gatlin)
Lloyd Nelson	...	Bank Teller
Jay K. Fishburn	...	Telegrapher
George Orrison	...	Stationmaster Whitey
Milton Murrill	...	Porter
Mike Munsey	...	Dentist / Barber
Keith Dillin	...	Blacksmith
Buddy Van Horn	...	Stage Driver (as Wayne Van Horn)
Fritz Manes	...	Stage Rider
Glenn Wright	...	Stage Rider

Directed by
Clint Eastwood

Writing credits
Michael Butler		(written by) &
Dennis Shryack		(written by)

Produced by
Clint Eastwood	....	producer
Fritz Manes	....	executive producer
David Valdes	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Lennie Niehaus

Cinematography by
Bruce Surtees

Film Editing by
Joel Cox

Production Design by
Edward C. Carfagno		(as Edward Carfagno)

Set Decoration by
Ernie Bishop

Makeup Department
Kathryn Blondell	....	hair stylist
Barbara Guedel	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Fritz Manes	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Matt Earl Beesley	....	second assistant director
L. Dean Jones Jr.	....	second assistant director
David Valdes	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Edward Aiona	....	property master (as Eddie Aiona)
Airick Kredell	....	lead man
Bob Lawless	....	stand-by painter
Michael Muscarella	....	construction coordinator
Robert E. Sessa	....	set designer (as Bob Sessa)
Jay Newington	....	set dresser: Sonora (uncredited)
Scott Nifong	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Donald L. Bolger	....	cable man
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert G. Henderson	....	supervising sound effects editor (as Bob Henderson)
C. Darin Knight	....	sound mixer
Alan Robert Murray	....	supervising sound effects editor
Vern Poore	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jules Strasser	....	boom man
Brooke H. Ward	....	assistant sound editor (as Brooke Henderson)

Special Effects by
Chuck Gaspar	....	special effects

Stunts
Kerrie Cullen	....	stunts
Tom Ellison	....	stunts
Bob Herron	....	stunts
Leroy Hershkowitz	....	stunts
Walt La Rue	....	stunts
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt coordinator (as Wayne Van Horn)
James Winburn	....	stunts (as Jim Winburn)
Diamond Farnsworth	....	stunts (uncredited)
George Orrison	....	stunt double: Clint Eastwood (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Edward A. Ayer	....	best boy (as Ed Ayer)
Kirk Bales	....	dolly grip (as Kirk E. Bales)
Brad Edmiston	....	camera assistant
Buzz Feitshans IV	....	camera assistant
Jack N. Green	....	camera operator (as Jack Green)
Leo J. Napolitano	....	additional camera operator (as Leo Napolitano)
Marcia Reed	....	still photographer
Charles Saldana	....	key grip
Bruce D. Spellman	....	second grip (as Bruce Spellman)
Baird Steptoe	....	camera assistant
Tom Stern	....	gaffer
Stephen St. John	....	additional camera operator
Tama Takahashi	....	camera assistant
Mike Thomas	....	camera assistant
Bill Young	....	dolly grip (as William C. Young)

Casting Department
Phyllis Huffman	....	casting executive
Christopher Gorman	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Darryl M. Athons	....	wardrobe: men (as Darryl Athons)
Deborah Hopper	....	wardrobe: women (as Deborah Ann Hopper)
Glenn Wright	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Jack Garsha	....	color timer
John Morrisey	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Donald Harris	....	music editor
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Keith Dillin	....	transportation captain
H. William Miller	....	transportation coordinator (as Bill Miller)

Other crew
Marco Barla	....	unit publicist
Paul A. Calabria	....	animal handler (as Paul Calabria)
Karin Dew	....	animal handler
Jay K. Fishburn	....	wrangler
Judie Hoyt	....	assistant to producers
Linda Sony Kinney	....	production secretary
Michael Maurer	....	assistant to producers
Michael Maurer	....	auditor
Bill McCamby	....	first aid
Lloyd Nelson	....	script supervisor
Jim Porter	....	first aid
Elise Ganz	....	studio teacher (uncredited)
Bill McCamey	....	first aid nurse (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Malpaso Company, The

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1988) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Bros. (1985) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1985) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1985) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1988) (Finland) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1997) (1998) (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrews (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (2000) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (1986) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (1993) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1992) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Donah Bassett and Associates  negative cutting
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex® Cameras by
• Technicolor  color
• The Caterers Inc.  catering

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:16 | Spain:13 | Argentina:16 | France:Unrated | Brazil:16 | Peru:PT | New Zealand:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1985) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Singapore:PG | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Columbia State Historic Park - 22708 Broadway, Columbia, California, USA

Company:

Malpaso Company, The

Trivia:

The first horse assigned to Richard Kiel collapsed the first time he climbed aboard. He was then assigned a stronger horse.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When Preacher splashes the man holding a lit match over Barret's wagon with a bucket of water, he actually fails to put the match out.

Quotes:

Teddy Conway: Where are you going Mr Hull?
Hull Barret: I'm going into town
Teddy Conway: Ain't that kinda dumb after what happened last time?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Munchies (1987)

Definitely the greatest western of the 80's

"Pale rider" is truly a spectacular film and unquestionably the very greatest western of the 80's. The fact that western was slowly dying as a genre already in the 70's is a sad but regrettable truth. Clint Eastwood still appeared in three of 'em: he played the amusing leading role of "Joe Kidd" (1972) - great, peculiar and funny little film - and he directed two magnificent masterpieces "High plains drifter" (1972) and "The Outlaw Josey Wales" (1976). What else did the 70's had to offer? Not too much. "Little big man" (1970), "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973) and "The Shootist" (1976). At the dawn of the 80's western was pretty much dead. "Silverado" and exceptional "Pale rider" (both released in 1985) are quite likely the only notable westerns of the decade in question.

And "Pale rider" is the better one - Clint Eastwood's last traditional western. Of course he climbed back to saddle in terrific and highly awarded "Unforgiven" (1992) but it was no longer a traditional western - more like an unusual anti-western. In "Pale rider" Eastwood is was once again (and for the very last time) the quiet, calm, cool and mysterious cowboy, (called "the preacher") classic and almost a supernatural character that rides into small, dusty town. Late John Russell with his terrific Lee Van Cleef-like looks is outstanding as the ruthless villain Stockburn. Movie is simply marvelous: amusing, well-written and exciting and it has a superb acting. This is a fantastic, gripping film that future generations will remember as one of the last real westerns. "Pale rider" is just one of the many reasons why I adore Eastwood. 10 out of 10.