Clint Eastwood has directed more than 40 films during one of Hollywood’s most remarkable careers, but when asked to name his personal favorites, one Western stood above the rest.
In a 2010 interview highlighted by Collider, Eastwood named 1976’s The Outlaw Josey Wales as one of his favorite films he had directed. Nearly 50 years after its release, the acclaimed Western continues to resonate with critics, holding a 91% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Eastwood stars as Josey Wales, a Missouri farmer whose family is murdered during the Civil War. Consumed by revenge, he becomes an outlaw, only to gradually transform into the reluctant protector of a growing group of outsiders who find safety under his watch.
According to Collider, the film remains one of Eastwood’s favorite directorial efforts because it accomplishes everything a revisionist Western should.
The publication praised the movie as “admirably intense and thought-provoking,” noting that it balances thrilling action with a thoughtful examination of violence and its lasting consequences.