Overview
A mysterious gunslinger arrives to confront the dark secrets of a troubled town.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- brooding
- sardonic
- eerie
- classic western marathon
- clint eastwood retrospective
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Clint Eastwood's commanding presence, directorial flair, dramatic scenery, sardonic humor, and atmospheric revisionist western style, while noting uneven pacing and thematic shallowness.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Stranger's unexplained identity and apparent connection to Lago's buried crime give the revenge plot an uncanny, ghost-story dimension.
Lago's leaders and townspeople are implicated in a dark secret and must confront the consequences of their shared complicity.
The dusty mining town and surrounding wilderness are rendered as hostile, ominous spaces rather than picturesque western scenery.
Clint Eastwood's Stranger arrives without a known past, accepts the town's protection contract, and pursues his own concealed justice.
Films like High Plains Drifter, and why
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Shared revisionist western form, laconic gunslinger protagonist, sardonic tone, and morally corrosive frontier justice.
The Shooting
Shared supernatural ambiguity, revenge-driven stranger narrative, bleak frontier atmosphere, and stylized violence.
The Searchers
Shared revisionist western themes, enigmatic avenger, psychological dread, and violent reckoning with a corrupt community.
The Pale Rider
Shared supernatural western elements, haunted atmosphere, outlaw mythology, and grim revenge structure.
Movie Details
- Director
- Clint Eastwood
- Release Date
- 1973-04-19
- Runtime
- 106 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (1395)
Cast
- Clint Eastwood
- Verna Bloom
- Marianna Hill
- Mitchell Ryan
- Jack Ging
- Stefan Gierasch
- Ted Hartley
- Billy Curtis
- Geoffrey Lewis
- Scott Walker
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is High Plains Drifter about?
- An enigmatic gunslinger transforms a corrupt mining town into the stage for a supernatural reckoning with its buried crime.
- What is High Plains Drifter like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of High Plains Drifter as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is High Plains Drifter violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in High Plains Drifter as graphic.
- What did critics think of High Plains Drifter?
- Critics broadly praised Clint Eastwood's commanding presence, directorial flair, dramatic scenery, sardonic humor, and atmospheric revisionist western style, while noting uneven pacing and thematic shallowness.
- Which films are like High Plains Drifter?
- Films with a similar feel include The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The Shooting, The Searchers, and The Pale Rider.
- How long is High Plains Drifter?
- High Plains Drifter runs 106 minutes.
- Where can I watch High Plains Drifter?
- In United States, High Plains Drifter streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
