Best Clint Eastwood Movies of All Time, Ranked for Filmmakers

Despite Clint Eastwood’s notoriety for violent films, more notably his Westerns, his character in Where Eagles Dare actually kills more people than any other character in his career. The best World War II films, however, rely on more than just action in violence. It’s clever screenplay builds up suspense and curiosity in a memorable and entertaining way.

Clint Eastwood finds his way back into the saddle this mid-80s Western. It had been nearly a decade since Eastwood’s last Western The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) when Pale Rider was released. Eastwood’s return as the hero cowboy Preacher proves why he was such a key player in the Western genre. The film capitalizes on all things good about the Western including disdainful bad guys and a mysteriously captivating good guy making for a great watch for any Western fanatic.

Clint Eastwood uses the tropes of the Western from all his years of experience directing and starring in the genre to his advantage in Gran Torino in a unique way. Eastwood takes on a more modern setting with more modern characters in this story of a xenophobic Korean War veteran and his Hmong neighbors. What Gran Torino lacks in naturalistic dialogue it makes up for in its plot as it utilizes familiar story elements to tell a new story.

Best Clint Eastwood Movies

11. Honkytonk Man (1982)

Clint Eastwood performs his own vocals and plays his own guitar in this heartfelt road movie of a Depression-era musician. Eastwood reveals a more tender side in this film that contrasts with his tough guy antics of his more familiar work. The film is also one of the more thematically complex movies in Eastwood’s filmography as it touches on growing older, aspirations, and hope.

The screenplay of The Bridges of Madison County, adapted from the novella by Robert James Waller of the same name, gained so much traction that Steven Spielberg had originally considered directing the film. When Spielberg chose to just oversee work on the script, the film found its way to Eastwood to direct and star in the movie. The result is a sentimental yet satisfying film of a love affair that works at its own pace. The film capitalizes on the chemistry between Eastwood and Meryl Streep and leans into the rather cliche, but heartwarming tropes of a classic romance.

Another Eastwood classic full of action, thrill, and picturesque Western scenery. Eastwood’s performance as a post-Civil War Confederate soldier is as stellar as his direction. The film is filled with memorable and unique supporting characters that give the film depth and make the story only a bit more unique than the average Western. It’s the gritty, funny, action-packed Western we all know and love.

Clint Eastwood takes on the role of “The Stranger” in yet another gritty, action-packed, tobacco-smoking Western. Although the town of Lago, the setting of the film, was built only a few hundred miles away from Hollywood, the world of the film is tough and convincing as it serves as a character within the film. Mixed with traits of both a classic Western and mysterious ghost story, High Plains Drifter provides the gritty backdrop for Eastwood to shine as the gun-slinging man of few words.

Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby swept the Oscars in 2004 winning four including Best Picture and Best Director. The latter made Eastwood the oldest Best Director Oscar winner ever at the age of seventy-four proving that Eastwood has no intention of slowing down. The film follows the story of Frankie Dunn (Eastwood), a veteran boxing trainer, who takes on the role of training Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) in the world of women boxing. With a supporting role from Morgan Freeman, the film is loaded with talent not to mention an inspiring story.

Best Clint Eastwood Movies Ever

6. Escape from Alcatraz (1979)

Out of the saddle and into the jail cell. Eastwood takes on the role of real-life bank robber and Alcatraz inmate Frank Morris. The film follows Morris and two others in their attempt to escape from one of the world's most notorious prisons: Alcatraz. Eastwood’s low-key and subtle performance works as he portrays a more reclusive, yet highly intelligent bank robber.

Clint Eastwood initially turned down this role of Frank Herrigan, a secret service agent haunted by his failures, when he learned that the character was supposed to be about fifty years old. Eastwood, 62 at the time, ended up taking the part and used his experience and age to give his character more depth and elicit empathy in the audience. Eastwood’s and John Malkovich’s performances push what could have been an overly cliche action movie into an entertaining thriller.

Although the '90s were a statistical low-point for Westerns, Unforgiven managed to come out on top winning various Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director. Eastwood managed to deconstruct, rearrange, and dissect the genre of the Western he helped define.

Taking on the role of William Munny, an old-time outlaw-turned-good guy attempting to move on with his life, Eastwood avoids every cliche of the old Western and replaces it with a thematically complex and insightful narrative. Eastwood’s performance is powerful and convincing as he draws on personal experience from previous films to portray a man full of regret.

The story is focused less on action and more on reflection as it dissects the repercussions of violence. Unforgiven could be described as a farewell to the old Western genre and opened the door for a new era of the Neo-Western.