MovieChat Forums > Play Misty for Me (1971) Discussion > Clint Eastwood....miscast?

Clint Eastwood....miscast?


I just find him unconvincing as this DJ who kinda labors through the movie dealing ineffectually with this demented woman. Maybe because he was typecast as the tough as nails kind of character in so many other movies.

"Worthington, we're being attacked by giant bats!"

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I love that it's Clint. He's playing against type, and the fact that we're used to seeing him win against male villains makes it even more frustrating (and scarier) that he's unable to deal with Evelyn through the bulk of the story. Had it been some traditional ladies man type actor in peril it would have felt like familiar territory to me. Still, I was half-expecting Clint to pull his .44 and smoke her from time to time.

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I thought he was cast just right. How was he miscast, for not playing a sharpshooter in a western who takes on the bad guys? He's' still the right type for this film

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Maybe because he was typecast as the tough as nails kind of character in so many other movies.
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So just keep on typecasting him right? Perhaps those that saw the film on initial release, may have felt that this was a change of pace for Eastwood and this was his first directorial effort too. However, since Eastwood has shown plenty of range in his plethora of films that came after, then referring to him as miscast is a redundant claim. Eastwood casting himself, would have also helped sell the film.

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[deleted]

Yes I have and that was years ago Squiffy. I don't recall being overly impressed; but I don't think I was watching it properly at the time or wasn't interested in the story.

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[deleted]

He had come back to America after the spaghetti Western period and was trying to carve out a different image for himself. He would eventually turn this into first Dirty Harry and Every Which Way But Loose types of films and eventually old guy "get off my lawn" parts.

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