Hang 'Em High

Name: Hang 'Em High
Genre: Western
Released: August 3, 1968
Duration: 114 min
Rating: 62
Cast: Alan Hale Jr., Arlene Golonka, Ben Johnson, Bruce Dern, Charles McGraw

1968

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 4 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Ratings

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7.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 18 Ratings

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Hang 'Em High

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Movie Details & Credits

United Artists | Release Date: August 3, 1968 | M

Starring: Alan Hale Jr., Arlene Golonka, Ben Johnson, Bruce Dern, Charles McGraw, Clint Eastwood, Ed Begley, Inger Stevens, Pat Hingle, Ruth White

Summary: When an innocent man barely survives a lynching, he returns as a lawman determined to bring the vigilantes to justice.

Director: Ted Post

Genre(s): Western

Rating: M

Runtime: 114 min

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Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

Begley and Stevens add tone to the cast, and Hingle comes over like an especially earnest Karl Malden. The moral of the story is vaguely against capital punishment, and there's a lot of that thin, windblown guitar twanging for you thin, wind-blown guitar twanging fans. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

More interesting as a way station in Eastwood's career than for anything intrinsic to its lawman/vigilante scenario, this was his first American Western after the spaghettis. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Though the material is nothing special and relies on the avenging angel mystique that had been established for Eastwood in the Leone films, director Post squeezes out some fine and memorable moments in the film Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Hang 'em High comes across as a poor-made imitation of a poor Italian-made imitation of an American western. Read full review

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User Reviews

Robwinz

Jul 31, 2020

A decent western which I enjoyed, I loved the story, I loved how it built up to Jed getting his revenge on the people who made him hang. Also, I thought the score worked nicely with the scenes they've been put with especially the one where Jed's on his horse going up the hill to get hisA decent western which I enjoyed, I loved the story, I loved how it built up to Jed getting his revenge on the people who made him hang. Also, I thought the score worked nicely with the scenes they've been put with especially the one where Jed's on his horse going up the hill to get his revenge on the people who made him hang. Overall, it's a decent little western movie, it's got some great action scenes with Clint Eastwood which I really liked and it's got a decent story.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

r96sk

Jan 11, 2022

'Hang ’em High' is entertaining stuff.

I personally think the first half is much stronger than the second half, which loses its way a tad and ends up concluding in a perfectly good but not as great way as what I had wanted - based on the impressive opening hour or so. Clint Eastwood,'Hang ’em High' is entertaining stuff.

I personally think the first half is much stronger than the second half, which loses its way a tad and ends up concluding in a perfectly good but not as great way as what I had wanted - based on the impressive opening hour or so.

Clint Eastwood, though, is excellent from start-to-finish. I undoubtedly enjoyed his performance, which is great to see follow on from the major highs of the Dollars trilogy. Pat Hingle is also a positive performer, he and Eastwood share one terrific scene in particular.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

ProfAmateur

Jun 26, 2023

Clint hunts the guys who wanted to kill him by mistake. But he was ordered to bring them back alive. The love story in the end was a bit unnecessary.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

codyz

Jul 30, 2023

Movie is Eastwood's first American studio film as a leading man, is a bland misfire.
A semi attempt to replicate a Spaghetti Western, it comes close with music and star, and the revenge plot works to a point. Movie starts strong but grows tedious due to muddled presentation.
Theme of levelsMovie is Eastwood's first American studio film as a leading man, is a bland misfire.
A semi attempt to replicate a Spaghetti Western, it comes close with music and star, and the revenge plot works to a point. Movie starts strong but grows tedious due to muddled presentation.
Theme of levels of frontier justice, ethics, are also muddled.
Cheaply made, with same famous MGM Western town set repeatedly redressed as five different towns.
Lots of famous faces in supporting roles.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

amheretojudge

Aug 24, 2018

hangs stuff higher..

Hang 'Em High Hang 'Em High is a character driven action thriller about a man fueled with vengeance that latter gets seduced by the justice side of the coin. The premise has enough potential to bedazzle the audience which it delivers unflinchingly in here and additionhangs stuff higher..

Hang 'Em High

Hang 'Em High is a character driven action thriller about a man fueled with vengeance that latter gets seduced by the justice side of the coin. The premise has enough potential to bedazzle the audience which it delivers unflinchingly in here and addition to that its gripping screenplay that enfolds and ensues more fragile and layered concept that just mere fist fighting. The action sequences are well choreographed and easily draws the attention from the viewers especially the way it glorifies and savours each and every moment. It consists few nail-biting political debate and also raises the question of the transaction of the system of law from the western world's perspective. The star cast doesn't snatch away the actual crisp or essence from someone else's track and offers them enough room and range to factor in effectively in the bigger picture. The script is mature than one would expect especially its last act that is surprisingly softer and sensible that one usually doesn't get in such action features. It is rich on technical aspects like cinematography, camera work and editing that helps chew the characters' perspective in, appropriately which are aptly cooked and three dimensional. There are few pathos track in here but it is what helps keep the feature grounded and viewers rooting for the character. If Eastwood is ferocious and has finesse, Hingle is equally powerful and challenging for him with Stevens supporting her decently especially in its last act. The director Post may not have Leone's precision but has patience and awareness of its characters strength which he uses it wisely. Whistle blowing dialogues, sharp sound effects and mature take on the genre are the high points of the feature. Hang 'Em High hangs stuff higher than genre calls for or one would expect, it's refreshingly good.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Broyax

Jan 20, 2022

Un western sans John Wayne mais avec Clint Eastwood… mais tout aussi mollasson et ballot que les vieilleries des années 50 ! en outre, inutile de s’emballer parce que Clint est là, il ne s’agit pas ici de l’homme au poncho et au cigarillo, ni de l’ironie ou de la mise en scène de SergioUn western sans John Wayne mais avec Clint Eastwood… mais tout aussi mollasson et ballot que les vieilleries des années 50 ! en outre, inutile de s’emballer parce que Clint est là, il ne s’agit pas ici de l’homme au poncho et au cigarillo, ni de l’ironie ou de la mise en scène de Sergio Leone mais du lymphatisme de Ted Post, un tacheron sans envergure qui peine à faire avancer ce bourricot de western soporifique.

Le scénario est tout aussi ballot avec son histoire de vengeance à la petite semaine malgré une ou deux scènes au cours desquelles Clint montre les dents et fait sa moue vengeresse assez typique, juste avant de tabasser ou flinguer quelques vilains…

Le reste du temps, ça bavarde et ça pédale dans la semoule entre quelques pendaisons (rendez la justice pour le justicier Clint, etc). Bref, un fort bon… sominifère tout compte fait, vu qu’on s’endort bien avant la fin et c’est peu de le dire.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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