Invincible Hero: Pale Rider

May 30th, 2010  |   By Rono   |   1,016 views  |   12 Comments »

With Pale Rider, screenwriters Michael Butler and Dennis Shryack, and director Clint Eastwood attempt a tough trick: create a character that seemingly has no flaws, that no one can beat in a fair fight, has no weakness and no equal. A truly invincible protagonist focused on a single mission, carelessly flicking the dust from a fight off his sleeve, like it was nothing. They still managed to keep a constant sense of danger throughout the story.

The “Tin Pans”

The setup shows us the town of LaHood, governed by injustice and corporate greed. In the first scene, a teenage girl loses her dog killed by Coy LaHood’s henchmen, during a violent raid of their camp. LaHood heads a corporation that wants to grab the miner’s land for industrial mining. His men have been sapping their spirit for some time when the preacher’s arrival changes everything.

Burying her dog, she prays for a miracle, a protector to help them survive. On a background of rolling thunder, this scene is intercut with images of the protagonist arriving, a character only known as Preacher. He has been requested. Adding to the aura of supernatural, he arrives in Carbon Canyon while Megan reads from the Book of Revelations:

MEGAN

...and behold a pale horse:
and his name that sat on him was Death
and Hell followed with him.

A hero with no flaws

This western hero is not afraid to get involved. The story is constructed as if his arrival follows only one purpose. He is not flawed, he is righteous, he is just, he is implacable. He has no pity for the wicked. He has a sense of rumor. He is generous and unimpressed by money. He takes part of this particular storyline for a single purpose: kick some butt with extreme prejudice. Nothing else.

In his first scene he stands up for Hull Barret, a humble miner being bullied in town, once again, by LaHood’s men. This scene sets the tone for the subsequent action scenes; it is a demonstration of talent and it shows the ease with which he takes on about half a dozen hostile clowns. It is also the introduction of the notion of justice, a promise for the rest of the movie.

Stroke of genius: they made him a preacher. No one ever sees that one coming. This gives him an additional edge, an aura of divinity, reinforces the correlation with Megan’s prayer in the beginning. It also strangely makes him a really cool hero.

LaHood’s gang

The first set of antagonists is a laughable pack of well-meaning idiots with minimal skills, the opportunity for the preacher to lay down the new rules. Not much threat for our main character. However they are a very real threat to the miners and their families as we see all through the movie. So while the preacher does not fear them, he must be careful not to bring the danger to his friends.

The exception to this group comes in the form of the gigantic Club. For a bad man, he values some principles, demonstrated when he disapproves the boss’s son, Josh, forcing himself onto Megan. A villain with principles.  You always like a villain with principles. Club is a worthy opponent.

The opponents capable of challenging the preacher appear after the midpoint: the well known Marshal for hire Stockburn and his deputies. Their appearance is foreshadowed early in the story; these men are described as efficient, ruthless.

And expensive.

Inspiration

The preacher is a hard worker. He insists on being put to manual labor as soon as he integrates the community. He attacks the big rock first, unimpressed by its size.  A man able to move mountains, so to speak.

When threatened by Club, the preacher, although cautious, is not intimidated by the man’s imposing stature. Josh LaHood uses his henchman to tries and “convince” him to leave. Preacher holds his ground as the big man approoaches. he doesn’t flinch. He does not back up. Club demonstrates enormous physical strength by splitting the big rock in two holding a hammer in one hand. In a very short fight, Preacher hits hard and sends the big man home, hurt, in search of ice for his privates. He even shows measure and compassion as he helps his adversary climb back on his horse.

In just one short scene, with this impressive display of — let’s say it — balls, the preacher’s presence yields a new side effect: he inspires.

SPIDER

Preacher my ass!

All the miners gather around the rock, hammer in hand and start pounding, with new found energy, with renewed purpose. Megan and Sarah fall in love.

Coy LaHood wanted to break the tin pans’ spirit with intimidation. Now the preacher is boosting up their courage, LaHood needs to step up his efforts. Following their renewed sense of purpose and to compound things, Hull finds a big nugget and now he’s back in town settling their debts in the supply store. LaHood’s prospects (excuse the pun) are starting to turn grim.  (continued…)

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Tags: clint eastwood, duel, gunfight, pale rider, preacher, protagonist, review, scene, western

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