EVERY WHICH WAY: The Story 3. Philo Beddoe

[KC]

Eastwood is insuperable as he conciliates the apparent contradictions in Philo's personality: a man with no intellectual intelligence, yet with the great wisdom to purposely lose a fight and to know that this entails no loss of pride, a man who uses his fists to devastating effect, but is supremely gentle, who has a close-knit group of loyal friends, yet is essentially a loner. Eastwood suggests all this without over emphasizing it, just as he suggests rather than shows Philo's progressive drunkenness during the evening search for Lynn, in a sequence that is a masterpiece of understated acting ... He does lose the girl and gets his heart wrung in the process, yet the ending is not entirely sad: We feel the comforting comradeship between Philo and his friends, and above all we are left with the overriding impression that Philo has within him an inner greatness that cannot be vanquished, a core of intact, unassailable dignity.

(From Clint Eastwood/Malpaso by Fuensanta Plaza, p. 97.)

How do you feel Philo Beddoe compares to any of Eastwood's previous characters? Do you like the character of Philo Beddoe? Do you feel this was a good role for Eastwood to play, or do you feel it tarnished his image as the insuperable hero?

[Matt]

There's a quote we used to start a discussion of the character of Philo Beddoe in THIS thread, and it explains very well some of the reasons that I find him so likeable a character.  

There's another thread where we discuss the big fight, and I'll go into detail in that thread about how I interpret him throwing that fight, and will only go into it briefly here... but I've always felt he threw the fight because he knew if he won he would ruin a man's reputation and life... and for what?  Money? Fame?  I believe Philo values people more than anything in the world (and apes too, since he rescued Clyde, putting up the only thing of value he owned, his truck,  on a fight against four men.   )

In this way, he's like Bronco Billy McCoy... the best friend a man can have.  Someone with his values in check.  Someone who would go to the ends of the world to help someone he cared about.  If only the world were full of more people like him, right?

Philo Beddoe wasn't a loser at the end of this film... he was the biggest man in the world when he threw that fight.  He was the real winner.  

I'm glad Clint did these films.  I don't feel they tarnished his image at all, even though we occasionally have a member passing through who has to insult him for his choice of doing them.

[mgk]

Couldn't agree with you more.

This is probably the biggest reason to watch this film again. It's nice to see Eastwood play characters dedicated to family, friendship, loyalty, etc., and to have the honor and integrity to throw a fight for the sake of someone's feelings and reputation.

[mgk]

Thanks, everyone! This thread is now locked.  Please post any additional thoughts you have on this topic in the General Discussion forum.

[The Schofield Kid]

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