High Plains Drifter (1973)
A classy western about a mysterious stranger who basically takes over a frontier mining town that's terrified of three outlaws fresh out of jail who are returning to mete out their own brand of frontier justice on the corrupt townsfolk. Taking advantage of the situation, the stranger takes and does what he wants whilst the frightened citizens can do nothing about it.
Clint Eastwood daubs the word 'Hell' over the town of Lago's sign but it could quite easily have been 'Retribution' as the great man seemingly plays the vengeful spirit of a marshal whipped to death in the street by the three criminals whilst the town stood by watching doing nothing to help the stricken law man.
Although it's never explicitly said that the stranger is a supernatural presence there are enough hints and suggestions throughout to make it pretty clear including Clint's stunt double Buddy Van Horn playing the marshal so he has a striking resemblance to Eastwood anyway.
Taken purely as a western, High Plains Drifter is a stylish, brutal allegory with jet black humour and paranoia to the fore.
One of those films that's once seen, never forgotten especially the town painted red to resemble hell on earth.
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