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If you haven’t heard the name Clint Eastwood, you might want to consider climbing out from that rock you’ve been living under! Clint Eastwood’s movies list is long and impressive, and it’s no surprise that the Clint Eastwood directed movies are among his best! With over 60 years in the business and a resume that already makes him a cinematic icon, many have formed opinions on which of his films are his best. We’ve compiled our own list of the best Clint Eastwood movies, so take a look to see which ones came out on top!

Clint Eastwood is one of the most accomplished actors, directors, and film producers in Hollywood history. He’s achieved and enjoyed an illustrious career in entertainment spanning over six decades with a total number of over 60 films, which he either starred in, directed, and/or produced. His achievements in the entertainment industry are nothing short of amazing, especially considering the fact that he never initially had any ambitions to become an actor or work in Hollywood in the first place! As it turns out, Eastwood just happened to be in the right place at precisely the right time, when he was abruptly plucked out of obscurity and thrust into the vast and fascinating world of cinematic wonder and excess. Not bad for someone who was simply serving as a military lifeguard in the former U.S. Army base of Fort Ord during the Korean War. Maybe that’s why Clint Eastwood’s movies consist of so many war epics!  Of course, given his extensive and impressive film repertoire, not every movie Clint Eastwood directed or starred in has received critical acclaim or achieved massive box office success. Throughout every actor’s and director’s career, there are bound to be some movies that flop and others that become cultural icons. There’s no doubt that Clint Eastwood has made some poor film choices in his career, and critics are always tough. But the name Clint Eastwood didn’t receive its prestige without some tough times in the industry.

The Best Clint Eastwood Movies:

Clint Eastwood has directed and starred in over 20 movies and he’s best known for revolutionizing and dominating the western genre in the 1950s through the 1980s. No discussion of his filmography would be complete without mentioning The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966), For a Fistful of Dollars (1964), or  Hang ‘Em High (1968). Of course, none of the abovementioned movies would’ve even come into fruition if it hadn’t been for his starring role in the wildly popular and successful TV series, Rawhide (1959-1965). Plus, since his heyday making Hollywood westerns, Clint Eastwood has certainly come a long way and expanded his portfolio to include horror flicks, war movies, and even a few romances. Here are just a few the best movies Clint Eastwood has ever made.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)

This is perhaps the movie for which Clint Eastwood is best known. After all, who can forget that iconic image of him squinting, as he slowly removes a cigar from his pursed lips and lights a cannon on fire to blow his enemies into oblivion? Not to mention the fact that the film has one of the most well-known cowboy-era soundtracks. It’s stood the test of time throughout the years, even though it wasn’t nominated for any academy awards after its theatrical release.

For a Fistful of Dollars (1964)

In this movie, Clint Eastwood plays the role of the mischievous Man with No Name, who uses his wit and intellect to trick two opposing parties by feeding both of them false information. It’s another iconic film that Clint Eastwood starred in and it was so well-received that it sparked a sequel entitled For a Few Dollars More (1965).

Hang ‘Em High (1968)

Hang ‘Em High has special sentimental value for Clint Eastwood because it was the first film that was produced by his production company, The Malpaso Company. In it, Eastwood plays Jed Cooper, a man who survives an unlawful lynching at the hands of a group of western thugs and is poised to prove his innocence of all crimes and wrongdoings of which he’s accused. Once again, the critical acclaim came at an extreme high for this film and the proof is in the numbers. It grossed $6.8 million in the United States and it earned back its entire budget within the first two weeks of its release!

Trouble with the Curve (2012)

Trouble with the Curve is the only baseball movie that Clint Eastwood has ever made and even though by some counts, the ending was very predictable, it’s still considered among the best of his most recent film endeavours. It even received a 66% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes! Eastwood plays a disgruntled, but seasoned baseball scout who wants to make one final mark on the league by recruiting one of the best current players. In order to achieve this goal, he’s forced to enlist the assistance of his estranged daughter, played by the talented Amy Adams. While this movie didn’t garner a whole lot of critical acclaim or success, it’s certainly a lovable fan favourite.

Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

Of all the Clint Eastwood war movies, Letters from Iwo Jima is arguably one of his best efforts in the genre, despite the fact that it didn’t render a great deal at the box office like some of his past movies. Eastwood actually took a huge risk by making and releasing this extremely controversial film, given its subject matter and the immense political turmoil during the time period in which it takes place. Set during World War II at the Battle of Iwo Jima, this film is an homage to the tremendous outrage, heartbreak, sacrifice, and financial (as well as emotional) losses that are experienced during war on both sides of the battlefield. The fact that this movie has attained a resounding 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes proves that art forms of this kind are still very much relevant to this day.