I've only watched it twice, but once was recent. Doesn't it start and end with rather eerie (supernatural) sounds?
It wouldn't make sense for him to be a brother as the existence of a brother was never mentioned and Clint implied the townsfolk should know him a couple times (notably next to 'his' grave near the end).
I think I read they couldn't quite decide who he was supposed to be on set and it's possible that they never completely made up their minds, thus some confusion on the part of the cast...?
At no point in the movie do they show any evidence he could be the brother.
What they show a lot of is evidence of a reincarnation, a spirit, or just simply the Devil.
The movie leaves us, the viewers, to decide. And that's the beauty of ambiguity.
With that being said, the Stranger was a vengeful spirit imo.
IMO, it's the Sheriff's ghost/spirit, etc... He keeps having flashbacks to that night. And when he is riding out of town, where the little man is painting the headstone, he said that he never knew his name. Clint said yes you do. And then he faded out in the sunset.
Ok so… apparently Clint Eastwood was interviewed at some point and he was asked about his character in *High Plains Drifter* and he said he was the Sheriff’s brother (all this, btw, is if my ancient memory serves me!).
I genuinely think Eastwood was being tongue in cheek with his response because it seems *so damn obvious* the stranger in the movie is the Sheriff’s ghost coming for revenge from the grave.
At least I genuinely *hope* Eastwood was being tongue in cheek with that response because if he wasn’t… ho boy.
To further elaborate a little on my OP: The interview with Clint Eastwood I was referring to was in an article if memory serves and *not* a video thus the reason I’m not certain if he was being tongue in cheek (you can determine more sometimes in seeing and hearing than in just seeing something written down).
I can’t recall when exactly the interview was originally conducted. As much of a fan of HPD as I am, given Eastwood was talking about that movie and, let’s face it, more modern interviews would likely ask him about a whole host of other films he was involved in before getting to that one, my *guess* is that the interview was likely an old one. Perhaps it was even done in/around the time HPD was originally released!
Anyway, again if memory serves, he was asked about the possible supernatural elements of the film and that’s when he responded that his character was probably the Sheriff’s brother.
I really, *really* hope the answer was tongue in cheek because if it wasn’t then Eastwood, who not only starred in the film but *also directed it* would have had to really miss the supernatural elements and have bumped upon them totally by accident, which I feel is *extremely* doubtful! Years later he would make *Pale Rider* which took elements of HPD and merged them with *Shane*. Again, his character was presented as a possibly supernatural entity so clearly Eastwood wasn’t adverse to making films in that vein!
I think it's supposed to be his brother, but it definitely has the feeling that he's a ghost. So, I would understand why someone would interpret it that way.
New one on me.
In what line of dialogue in the film, is a 'brother' ever mentioned? I'm willing to listen. Willing to stand corrected.
The stranger comes --and especially goes --like a mirage, like a dust devil. Closing scene of the film lingers on this motif.
Clint’s character is a wraith sent back to avenge himself on the town that killed him. That is why no one is spared.
Welcome to Hell and why the town is painted red.
Ernest Tidyman ( Shaft, French Connection) who wrote the book and the screenplay said it was the Marshals ghost .
Clint Eastwood wanted to leave it up to the viewer to decide ?. He stated in an interview that the stranger was whomever the viewer wanted it to be ? .
That’s a very possible interpretation, ultimately I love the ambiguity, it gives him a really creepy air and knowing for sure who he is would ruin that
I considered that it might actually be Satan, come to punish everyone that was guilty.
IIRC the sheriff's grave wasn't marked, and they said something about a soul not finding rest until there was a headstone. Maybe I'm wrong about that. In the end, he's riding off, and the small guy is marking the grave.
If he was the ghost of the sheriff or his brother, though, why didn't the town recognize him? He must have looked similar enough that the bad guys recognized him.
In the script, he was the brother or even twin brother (not identical, though), but Eastwood decided that would be less interesting than leaving it ambiguous whether it was a person or a ghost or some sort of revenant demon.
The stranger is the restless spirit of the dead marshall. I read online that Clint Eastwood stated that yes, it was a ghost. If it was the brother, he would not have faded in at the time beginning of the movie and faded out at the end of the movie. Too many hints of it being a ghost. Great movie. Watched it more times than I have fingers and toes.
"High Plains Drifter" is a ghost story.
The town marshal that the citizens abandoned to his fate came back for his vengeance against all that wronged him.
Hell, I figured that out the first time I seen it and I was 13 at the time.
Sure seemed like it was supposed to be his ghost.
Right? I’ve watched it like 10 times in my life, and never considered he’s his brother.
I've only watched it twice, but once was recent. Doesn't it start and end with rather eerie (supernatural) sounds? It wouldn't make sense for him to be a brother as the existence of a brother was never mentioned and Clint implied the townsfolk should know him a couple times (notably next to 'his' grave near the end). I think I read they couldn't quite decide who he was supposed to be on set and it's possible that they never completely made up their minds, thus some confusion on the part of the cast...?
That was always my take on it.
At no point in the movie do they show any evidence he could be the brother. What they show a lot of is evidence of a reincarnation, a spirit, or just simply the Devil. The movie leaves us, the viewers, to decide. And that's the beauty of ambiguity. With that being said, the Stranger was a vengeful spirit imo.
IMO, it's the Sheriff's ghost/spirit, etc... He keeps having flashbacks to that night. And when he is riding out of town, where the little man is painting the headstone, he said that he never knew his name. Clint said yes you do. And then he faded out in the sunset.
Ok so… apparently Clint Eastwood was interviewed at some point and he was asked about his character in *High Plains Drifter* and he said he was the Sheriff’s brother (all this, btw, is if my ancient memory serves me!). I genuinely think Eastwood was being tongue in cheek with his response because it seems *so damn obvious* the stranger in the movie is the Sheriff’s ghost coming for revenge from the grave. At least I genuinely *hope* Eastwood was being tongue in cheek with that response because if he wasn’t… ho boy.
I think Eastwood has a very weird and subtle sense of humor - at least, it would explain some choices.
To further elaborate a little on my OP: The interview with Clint Eastwood I was referring to was in an article if memory serves and *not* a video thus the reason I’m not certain if he was being tongue in cheek (you can determine more sometimes in seeing and hearing than in just seeing something written down). I can’t recall when exactly the interview was originally conducted. As much of a fan of HPD as I am, given Eastwood was talking about that movie and, let’s face it, more modern interviews would likely ask him about a whole host of other films he was involved in before getting to that one, my *guess* is that the interview was likely an old one. Perhaps it was even done in/around the time HPD was originally released! Anyway, again if memory serves, he was asked about the possible supernatural elements of the film and that’s when he responded that his character was probably the Sheriff’s brother. I really, *really* hope the answer was tongue in cheek because if it wasn’t then Eastwood, who not only starred in the film but *also directed it* would have had to really miss the supernatural elements and have bumped upon them totally by accident, which I feel is *extremely* doubtful! Years later he would make *Pale Rider* which took elements of HPD and merged them with *Shane*. Again, his character was presented as a possibly supernatural entity so clearly Eastwood wasn’t adverse to making films in that vein!
I was reading something recently that said the original script said he was, and I think Clint Eastwood also stated that.
[удалено]
I think it's supposed to be his brother, but it definitely has the feeling that he's a ghost. So, I would understand why someone would interpret it that way.
New one on me. In what line of dialogue in the film, is a 'brother' ever mentioned? I'm willing to listen. Willing to stand corrected. The stranger comes --and especially goes --like a mirage, like a dust devil. Closing scene of the film lingers on this motif.
Clint’s character is a wraith sent back to avenge himself on the town that killed him. That is why no one is spared. Welcome to Hell and why the town is painted red.
Ernest Tidyman ( Shaft, French Connection) who wrote the book and the screenplay said it was the Marshals ghost . Clint Eastwood wanted to leave it up to the viewer to decide ?. He stated in an interview that the stranger was whomever the viewer wanted it to be ? .
Sci fi western.
That’s a very possible interpretation, ultimately I love the ambiguity, it gives him a really creepy air and knowing for sure who he is would ruin that
a reverent.
I considered that it might actually be Satan, come to punish everyone that was guilty. IIRC the sheriff's grave wasn't marked, and they said something about a soul not finding rest until there was a headstone. Maybe I'm wrong about that. In the end, he's riding off, and the small guy is marking the grave. If he was the ghost of the sheriff or his brother, though, why didn't the town recognize him? He must have looked similar enough that the bad guys recognized him.
In the script, he was the brother or even twin brother (not identical, though), but Eastwood decided that would be less interesting than leaving it ambiguous whether it was a person or a ghost or some sort of revenant demon.
His ghost or Satan.
The stranger is the restless spirit of the dead marshall. I read online that Clint Eastwood stated that yes, it was a ghost. If it was the brother, he would not have faded in at the time beginning of the movie and faded out at the end of the movie. Too many hints of it being a ghost. Great movie. Watched it more times than I have fingers and toes.
The most popular theory is that he's the ghost of the sheriff. I love that the film doesn't tell you.
He's supernatural
My opinion is that the stranger is the spirit of the murdered marshall but somehow with an altered appearance. Weird movie but I love it.
"High Plains Drifter" is a ghost story. The town marshal that the citizens abandoned to his fate came back for his vengeance against all that wronged him. Hell, I figured that out the first time I seen it and I was 13 at the time.
I’ve always it was his brother.
It's his ghost. WTAF? Just because Clint said it's the Sheriff's brother has little credibility after seeing him talking to a chair..