Warner Bros.
It ’s rarefied for a top movie star to mistreat behind the camera and flourish critically and financially as a director . From the thirties through the 1960s , Orson Welles and Charlie Chaplin were the gold standard for actors - turned - directors . But since the seventies , good luck finding a more successful actor - theatre director thanClint Eastwood . The actor was already a star topology in the former 1970s thanks to his roles in Sergio Leone ’s Dollars Trilogy andDirty Harry .
Eastwood directed his first film in 1971 withPlay Misty for Me . Since then , he has aim nearly 40 films , from Westerns and crime thrillers to Oscar succeeder and war epics . screw for his efficiency ( “ One Take Clint “ ) , Eastwood is still direct in his former XC , with his next film , Juror No . 2 , expected to eject in 2024 . To honor this great American filmmaker , we ranked his seven best films as a director .
Warner Bros.
7. Gran Torino (2008)
withdraw autoworker and Korean War veteran Walt Kowalski ( Eastwood ) hates what has become of America . Walt despises the influx of Hmong immigrant that have move into his Detroit neighbourhood and the crowd violence that has a stranglehold over its residents . Thao Vang Lor ( Bee Vang ) , ateenager who subsist next threshold to Walt , assay to steal Walt ’s Gran Torino , but fails . or else of reporting the son to the constabulary , Walt surprisingly forms a friendship with Thao as he attempt to straighten him out and put him on the right-hand course in life .
Gran Torinois in the running for Eastwood ’s good playacting of the 21st century . With the flick , Eastwood attempts to explicate that America is for everyone through Walt ’s prejudiced persona — and it mostly works . Gran Torinohas also been praised for its predominantly Hmong - American cast , a first among mainstream American films .
StreamGran TorinoonMax .
6. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
Before 1976 , Eastwood had place four films . However , Eastwood ’s 5th film , The Outlaw Josey Wales , is the moment where his directorial career took off . After Union soldier led by Capt . Terrill ( Bill McKinney ) kill his menage , Josey Wales ( Eastwood ) joins the Confederate Army and teams with guerrilla combatant to take his revenge . Josey becomes a legendary gunfighter and turn away to deliver when the war end . With a H.M.S. Bounty on his head , Josey tries to start over with a foster family , but his history as an felon endangers those around him .
Like many of his films , Eastwood thrives as a vengeful freedom fighter , but his humanization of Native Americans is the last memory in this terrific western sandwich . The Outlaw Josey Walesis also noteworthy for its behind - the - scenes drama between Eastwood and the film ’s original music director , Philip Kaufman . Eastwood fired Kaufman during output and took over as the director , leading the Directors Guild of America to create “ The Eastwood Rule , ” which forbids an actor or producer from firing a director and occupy over the production themselves .
RentThe Outlaw Josey WalesonYouTube , Google , Prime Video , orApple .
5. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
In 2006 , Clint Eastwood made twowar moviesabout the iconic Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II : masthead of Our FathersandLetters from Iwo Jima . liberate in October 2006,FlagsofOur Fathersis told from the American viewpoint and chronicle the life of the soldier who fought to raise the flag in one of WWII ’s most iconic minute .
Two months later , Eastwood released the superior film , letter of the alphabet from Iwo Jima , which depicts the fight from the perspective of several Japanese soldiers , admit General Tadamichi Kuribayashi ( Ken Watanabe ) . Despite being an American filmmaker , Eastwood does right by the Japanese soldier , showing that warfare is hell for all parties .
Rent Letters from Iwo Jima onYouTube , Google , Prime Video , orApple .
4. The Bridges of Madison County (1995)
I believe it ’s fair to say Eastwood is n’t exactly “ Mr. Romance . ” Most of the office he spiel are outlaws , activity heroes , or run afoul homo who wrick to ferocity to cope with their problems . In a surprise move , Eastwood traded his artillery for a tv camera inThe Bridges of Madison County . free-base on Robert James Waller ’s bestselling novel , The Bridges of Madison CountystarsOnly Murders in the Building’sMeryl Streepas Francesca Johnson , an Italian state of war bride living with her married man and two child in Iowa in 1965 . When her family attends the Department of State funfair , Francesca stays home . She encounter National Geographic lensman Robert Kincaid ( Clint Eastwood ) , who shows up at her doorsill asking for focussing to Roseman Bridge .
Over the next four days , Francesca and Robert engage in a love affair that reignite their passions in life . Streep is good in everything , so she unsurprisingly surpass as a adult female stuck between beloved and responsibility . However , Eastwood ’s performance is the standout , reckon how much of a unexpended turn this role was for him . It makes you wish he had directed and star in more amorous dramas .
RentThe Bridges of Madison CountyonYouTube , Google , Prime Video , orApple .
3. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Million Dollar Babyisn’t exactly the most rewatchable moving-picture show due to the sad tragedy near the end . However , that does n’t take away from its standing as an entertaining and great photographic film . aim bagger Maggie Fitzgerald ( Hilary ) want to be coached by the harden box trainer Frankie Dunn ( Clint Eastwood ) . Frankie say he does n’t train women , but that does n’t stop Maggie from showing up at his Los Angeles gymnasium .
finally , Frankie agrees to train Maggie , who cursorily shows promise . Frank , an estranged father , and Maggie , a fatal sheep in her family , forge a special bond certificate as their friendship extends outside the band . Thisboxing moviecan be catgut - twist , but its messages about painful sensation , loss , and persistence will stick with you long after it end . Million Dollar Babyled to Eastwood ’s second Oscar for Best Director and additional win for Best Picture , Best Actress ( Swank ) , and Best Supporting Actor ( Morgan Freeman ) .
StreamMillion Dollar BabyonThe Roku Channel .
2. Mystic River (2003)
Out of his directed flick , Mystic River , a 2003 crime dramatic play based on the novel by Dennis Lehane , features the best mold . Sean Penn , Tim Robbins , Kevin Bacon , Laurence Fishburne , Laura Linney , and Marcia Gay Harden all give some of the proficient performances of their careers inMystic River . Ex - con Jimmy Markum ( Penn ) , detective Sean Devine ( Bacon ) , and down in the mouth - taking into custody worker Dave Boyle ( Robbins ) have known each other since they were kid growing up in Boston in the seventies .
After Jimmy ’s girl Katie ( Emmy Rossum ) is killed , Dave , who has lived with years of heartbreak after being kidnapped and harass as a child , becomes a defendant . Jimmy wants retaliation for his girl ’s death and conducts his own investigation , while Sean race to get hold the killer before his childhood friend does . Mystic Riveris a harrowing film because of its grim themes – child abuse , murder , and furiousness . However , it ’s also an arresting examination of the past and the difficulty of living with childhood trauma .
StreamMystic RiveronTubi .
1. Unforgiven (1992)
In the townsfolk of Big Whiskey , Wyoming , a group of prostitutes put a bounty on a group of cowboys after one of them disfigures one of their own , Delilah Fitzgerald ( Anna Thomson ) . The bounty draw in several bounty hunters to Big Whiskey , admit the weathered X - bandit William Munny ( Clint Eastwood ) , who leads a squad with his honest-to-god better half Ned Logan ( Morgan Freeman ) and “ The Schofield Kid ” ( Jaimz Woolvett ) . The front of the H.M.S. Bounty hunter in Big Whiskey irk Sheriff Little Bill Daggett ( Gene Hackman ) , who runs the Ithiel Town with an branding iron clenched fist . The town is too big for Will and Little Bill , take to an heroic encounter between the two alphas .
Unforgivenis a enchanting intermediation on ethical motive , forgiveness , and salvation . Backed by sensational performances from the cast of characters , Unforgivenis Eastwood ’s well - direct movie . The Academy check , too , study they awarded the Western with four Oscar : Best Picture , Best Director , Best Supporting Actor ( Hackman ) , and Best Film Editing .
StreamUnforgivenonTubi .
