Before Clint Eastwood picked Hang 'Em High as his first lead role in a Hollywood movie, he passed on a considerably bigger scale Western blockbuster.
Before Clint Eastwood took on his first Hollywood leading man role in Hang 'Em High, he passed on a much bigger Western. Eastwood considered quitting the film business entirely towards the end of the '50s, but landing the part of Rowdy Yates on Rawhide convinced him to stay the course. It was during his run on the show that he was offered a low-budget Italian Western that was eventually released as A Fistful Of Dollars. The film was a shock success and revitalized the ailing genre.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy made Eastwood a screen icon, but he had to be careful making his transition to lead roles in American films. He co-starred with Richard Burton in World War 2 adventure Where Eagle's Dare and lead several other films, but it was the success of Dirty Harry that truly made him a movie star. Nestled in between this period was Eastwood's first Hollywood lead, Hang 'Em High.
The simple reason Eastwood passed on Mackenna's Gold was that he disliked the screenplay, and felt that Hang 'Em High's script - which explored capital punishment - had much more to say. Mackenna's Gold opened to average reviews but while it was a financial letdown in North America, it did solid business overseas.
Why Hang 'Em High Was A Much Better Fit For Clint Eastwood From a financial standpoint alone, Mackenna's Gold was the obvious, safe choice for Eastwood's first lead in an American Western. However, the material didn't speak to him, whereas Hang 'Em High let him explore another anti-hero kind of role. His character Marshal Cooper might be righting an injustice, but the morality of the film is a good deal murkier.
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