Pale Rider/The Outlaw Josey Wales/Unforgiven (DVD)

Clint Eastwood western triple bill in which he both stars and directs. In 'Pale Rider' a community of gold mining prospectors comes under attack from a gang of marauders, who are after the prospectors' land. Young Megan Wheeler (Sydney Penny) prays for help, which consequently arrives in the form of the Preacher (Eastwood), a grim, silent stranger. The Preacher takes up the community's cause, and sets out to repel the invaders. In 'The Outlaw Josey Wales', Josey Wales (Eastwood) is a peaceful farmer at the time of the American Civil War who becomes a Confederate outlaw in order to avenge his family's death at the hands of Union guerillas. His obsession with revenge slowly lifts, however, as he picks up various outcasts in the wilderness. Wales tries to protect his new 'family' by leading them to a safe haven where they can rebuild their lives. Finally in 'Unforgiven, it is 1880s Kansas and ageing gunslinger-turned-farmer William Munny (Eastwood) reluctantly agrees to come out of retirement to help Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) collect the bounty on a wanted murderer. The man in question cut up a prostitute in a lawless town lorded over by the corrupt Sheriff Daggett (Gene Hackman), and if Munny and Logan want to catch him they are going to have to deal with Daggett first. A gritty western which brought a new level of critical respect to its director, Clint Eastwood, winning him the Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director (it also picked up the Best Supporting Actor award for Gene Hackman).