From Dirty Harry to Top Film Director: Flags of Our Fathers Marks Eastwood's 26th Film as Director

Flags of Our Fathers, Clint Eastwood's 26th film as director, has just been released and with its glowing reviews it is safe to say that the 76 year old actor-director can be placed on the list as one of our great current American film directors. Following his two previous efforts, "Mystic River" and "Million Dollar Baby," "Flags" is being hailed as another masterpiece with a great chance of scoring major Academy Award nominations when they are announced next February. Who would have thought that the man who started out as the star of low budget Italian "spaghetti" westerns before graduating to action films to become the biggest star of the 1970's would now be a regarded as a masterful filmmaker?

Eastwood's films as director, especially in the last 15 years, have been serious, thought provoking dramas with sober themes. He frequently revisits the common theme of a man striving for normalcy within events that are abnormal. He paces his films leisurely so we can get to know the characters well and care about what has happened and, more importantly, what will happen to them. Some have complained that his films are too slow but that's Eastwood's point. Life moves slowly during its darkest times and there are no easy solutions.

How did this charismatic action star, best known as a tough cop nicknamed "Dirty Harry" rise from the glowing light of a movie superstar to become a great director? Eastwood simply paid attention. He says that his two biggest influences were the two directors he worked with most early in his career - Sergio Leone and Don Siegel. Leone directed Eastwood in the three films that would make him first an international superstar and then a domestic box office attraction with "A Fistful of Dollars," "For a Few Dollars More," and "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly." Eastwood then made several films in the next few years but none more influential for his acting and future-directing career then 3 films directed by Don Siegel - "Coogan's Bluff," "The Beguiled," and "Dirty Harry," which would cement his place in society as a box office icon.

Prior to "Dirty Harry" Eastwood had signed to play a disc jockey in a thriller called "Play Misty For Me," (1971). Wanting to try his hand at directing Eastwood went to the studio to offer his services. Surprisingly they agreed under the condition that Eastwood would waive his salary, a condition Eastwood quickly agreed to believing that the studio shouldn't have to take a monetary risk on someone whom had never directed before. Eastwood delivered a frightening sociological thriller about a small town disc jockey who foolishly starts a fling with a woman who has her sights set on a very serious relationship.

When things don't work out the woman turns threatening and then violent, turning the man's life completely upside down. In case this scenario sounds familiar it's true that the even more popular "Fatal Attraction," (1986), and countless other rip-offs owe more then a little to "Play Misty For Me." Eastwood's directorial career was in motion but he realized his popularity was on the other side of the camera and spent the next two decades acting in many box office hits and directing only some of them.

The remainder of the 70's found Eastwood continuing to cut his directorial teeth in action films (The Eiger Sanction, The Gauntlet) and westerns (High Plains Drifter, The Outlaw Josey Wales). Eastwood's first risk as director came in 1973 with the film "Breezy" starring William Holden as a middle aged man who begins an affair with a teenage hippie. The film delivered a fine performance by Holden but is seen today more as a curio for the times in which it was released. Eastwood's decision to stay behind the camera only failed to interest many filmgoers and "Breezy" was a box office flop even though you can see signs of the master craftsman Eastwood would become.

With the decade of the 80's Clint Eastwood began taking chances as a director even when his acting choices remained nearly status quo with thrillers and westerns. His first risk as a director was 1980's "Bronco Billy," a charming comedy about a Wild West show struggling to stay afloat and the spoiled heiress who takes up company with them while on the run from her abusive husband. Eastwood subtly weaved serious subjects with comedy and romance and the final result was his best film since "Dirty Harry," (1971). Despite having hit it big with his first comedy, "Every Which Way But Loose" just a year earlier, audiences failed to find "Bronco Billy."

Following the failure of "Bronco Billy" Eastwood returned the action genre that made him famous with "Firefox," (1982) and scored another hit. Deciding not to repeat himself with each film he directed Eastwood chose to take another risk and made "Honkytonk Man," (1982) about a Depression-era country singer trying to make it to the Grand Ole Opry before he dies. Much like "Bronco Billy" audiences chose to ignore Eastwood's change of pace film though this time the critics attacked the film as well. "Honkytonk Man" was Eastwood's biggest failure to date as either actor or director.

"Sudden Impact" marked a major turn in Eastwood's career. Choosing to return to his most famous character, Inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan, Eastwood decided to take the director's chair for the only time in the five film series. "Sudden Impact" was a smash hit and Eastwood became part of pop culture forever with the famous line "Make my day." With the success of "Sudden Impact" Eastwood would begin to make plans for more personal films in which he would direct and not appear but it would be another five years before his first dream project would come to fruition.

Before then Eastwood would direct three more films, all box office hits, though one of them is not commonly known to be an Eastwood directed film. "Tightrope," (1984) was Eastwood's biggest acting challenge to date as a sleazy New Orleans detective tracking a serial sex killer he soon discovers he has a lot more in common with then he would like to admit. With the acting challenge on "Tightrope" Eastwood decided to hand over the directing reigns to the film's writer, Richard Tuggle. Eastwood has previously done this for writer Michael Cimino, who Eastwood would hand the directing duties to for his script "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot." Soon after production began Eastwood realized that he and Tuggle were not seeing eye to eye on the way the story should be told, so Eastwood removed Tuggle to take over the film himself but promised to keep Tuggle's name on the film because of their friendship.

Following the success of "Pale Rider" and "Heartbreak Ridge" Eastwood decided the time had come to start making smaller, more personal films. At the age of 58 Eastwood stepped behind (and stayed behind) the camera for "Bird," the story of jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker (brilliantly played by Forrest Whitaker). Eastwood's love for jazz music had been apparent going as far back as "Play Misty For Me" but here he got to center his whole film on the jazz world. "Bird" was a critical success but a box office failure and despite Eastwood winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Director, the Academy Awards failed to take notice.

Taking the blow in stride Eastwood entered the 90's with another personal film called "White Hunter, Black Heart," a fictional telling of the making of "The African Queen" with Eastwood as the film's director who becomes more obsessed with bagging an elephant while in Africa then making his movie. Once again critics took notice but audiences stayed away apparently not showing much interest in a film about big game hunting. Eastwood decided next to return to the action genre with "The Rookie," (1990), but this time Eastwood showed signs of using the same formula once too often and the film was a critical and box office flop.

At the age of 62 Eastwood, desperately needing a hit, returned to the genre where it all started for him and crafted a western masterpiece called "Unforgiven," (1992). Eastwood starred as William Monney, a former killer for hire brought out of his peaceful farm life with his children to stalk some men with a bounty on their heads for slashing a prostitute. Eastwood saw the poetry in the film's story and dialogue and held the rights to the script for over 10 years until he felt he was old enough to play the role. With a strong supporting cast including Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman, Eastwood made what many considered to be his best film to date. Critics and audiences responded enthusiastically and "Unforgiven" would become only the third western (Cimarron; Dances With Wolves) to win the Academy Award for Best Picture while Eastwood took home his first Academy Award for best director along with his first nomination as Best Actor. Perhaps knowing he had finally crossed over with this important film Eastwood dedicated "Unforgiven" to his two mentors who had both died within the past few years, Sergio Leone and Don Siegel.

The remainder of the 90's found Eastwood continuing to act in others films while directing five more films himself (A Perfect World; The Bridges of Madison County; Absolute Power; Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil; True Crime). All five films were well regarded by the critics and but had mixed results at the box office. "A Perfect World," (1993), was considered by many to be another masterpiece with Eastwood taking a supporting role for the first time in his career as a cop trailing an escaped convict (Kevin Costner) who has kidnapped a child in 1963. While most directors would have centered the film on the suspense and urgency, Eastwood's leisurely pace really stood out here concentrating on character development and motivations. Despite the huge star power of its two leads, "A Perfect World" was a disappointment at the box office. Eastwood's next film as director was the most daring of his career.

"The Bridges of Madison County" was one of the most popular and loved books in years and many fans were angered when it was announced that not only would Eastwood direct but would star as Robert Kincaid, the book's main character who was many years younger then Eastwood's 65 years. With the brilliant casting of Meryl Streep, Eastwood wisely kept close to the book and crafted one of the best romantic movies in years and audiences responded in kind. "Absolute Power" and "True Crime" brought Eastwood back to the action genre he was best known for but audiences more or less stayed away. It was becoming apparent that Eastwood was not a popular figure of a new generation so fond of teen sex comedies and action films with explosions and chases but very little plot or character exposition. Undeterred, Eastwood next adapted the novel "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" about the lives and eccentricities of the rich socialites of Savannah, Georgia. Once again Eastwood struck a chord with critics but audiences stayed away.

With the turning of a new century Eastwood tried reviving his sagging action persona two more times with "Space Cowboys," (2000) and "Blood Work," (2002). "Cowboys" benefited from Eastwood's wise choice to play a character near his own age and casting James Garner, Donald Sutherland and Tommy Lee Jones as his cohorts. The entertaining film divided critics, a rarity, but the film was a mild hit. "Blood Work" was, possibly, Eastwood's last attempt at being an action hero. At 72 Eastwood looked a little rough on the edges and the film came off more silly than thrilling.

In 2003 Eastwood's directing career took an upswing that has catapulted him to the ranking as one of our top directors. "Mystic River" tells the story of family in Boston trying to cope with the tragic murder of their teenage daughter. Sean Penn gives a riveting, Oscar winning performance as the father who will stop at nothing to make sure the man responsible pays for his crime. Tim Robbins also gives an Oscar winning performance as a childhood friend of Penn's still suffering the effects of molestation as a child who may or may not be the girl's murderer. In the hands of another director "Mystic River" likely would have been a murder mystery. In Eastwood's capable hands the film details the horrors of molestation and the sufferings of a family coping with a senseless murder. "River" would bring Eastwood his second nomination for Best Director.

"Million Dollar Baby," (2004), came out of the blue at the end of the year with Eastwood's most glowing reviews since "Unforgiven." "Baby" tells the story of a weary gym owner who reluctantly takes a young woman under his wing who dreams of being a champion boxer, which leads to tragic results. As with "Mystic River" Eastwood told a simple story powerfully leaving many people in tears. "Baby" earned Eastwood his second Best Actor nomination and his second award for Best Director and Best Picture.

Now comes "Flags of Our Fathers," a powerful look at the soldiers who fought at Iwo Jima and raised an American flag, a moment that was caught in a picture that would give the American people hope of victory and become one of the most famous still photos of all time. Specifically the film centers on the three men who survived the battle (the flag had been raised early in the battle) and came home to a government eager to exploit the men by sending them to fundraisers in hopes of selling war bonds. Once the war was over the men were forgotten. Typical of Clint Eastwood the film's pace is slow as we get to know these men during and after the war. Eastwood includes powerfully violent moments of battle action to remind us all of what these men went through and what raising that flag meant to not only them but to an entire country.

At age 76 Clint Eastwood is at the top of his game when most movie directors have long since retired. Each film promises to be something special the way one expects when a film directed by Martin Scorsese or Steven Spielberg is released. Eastwood is showing no signs of slowing down as he has already completed his 27th movie, "Letters From Iwo Jima," which was shot simultaneously with "Flags of Our Fathers" and tells the story of the war from the viewpoint of the Japanese. When the film opens early next year Eastwood may already be celebrating some pre-Academy Award awards for "Flags." Eastwood has spent his whole career trying to prove himself and now he has left little doubt. When all is said and done Clint Eastwood may be remembered as one of the great box office superstars of all time but he will also be remembered as a great movie director.