Play Misty for Me (1971)
For an actor who had already been defined as the definition of male machismo as The Man With No Name, Eastwood’s directorial debut was a surprising departure. His role as a stalked radio DJ is a subversive deconstruction of his established tough guy image. Made under the tutelage of his mentor/collaborator Don Siegel, Eastwood’s character is a rarity for him because he spends much of the film in a lose-lose situation. With a nail-biting climax, Eastwood made his presence known as a director who could produce tension and suspense out of a simple premise.
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