Clint Eastwood had just turned a round 80 years old on Monday. As if to mark the occasion, Warner Bros has released The Eastwood Factor, a feature documentary written and directed by TIME magazine film critic and filmmaker documentarian Richard Schickel. A truncated 20-minute version was included in the huge Clint Eastwood: 35 Years, 35 Films box set that was released back in February. This 90-minute version debuted on TCM for their Memorial Day special (and isn't that just awesome that Clint Eastwood's birthday falls on Memorial Day? I mean, really!), but is now available on this barebones DVD.
It's as good a time as any to celebrate Eastwood's extensive body of work, and that seems to be the primary focus of this documentary, which is less interested in Eastwood's personal life, personality or filmmaking approach, and more interested in the trail Eastwood's illustrious career laid down. It jumps from one film to the next chronologically, recapping and often spoiling the ending of said films. Be a little wary if you haven't seen a lot of Eastwood's works. The Eastwood Factor seems designed for his longtime admirers, as Schickel no doubt is, but then you'd have to stop and wonder if they would buy something that's essentially little more than "Hey, remember that movie he made that year? It was about this, and this happened. Remember? Wasn't it awesome?" Over and over.
That's not to say that the film is bereft of insight. Eastwood sits in as the sole interviewee, giving his own take on past films; and while he only talks about stuff strictly related to the movies, some of his personality—and politics—does emerge. His libertarianism, in particular, comes out when he talks about The Outlaw Josey Wales and how his character represents the great American fantasy of defending and taking care of one's family personally, without the need of a police department or elected officials to muddy the waters.
One thing about Clint Eastwood as a director that he's known for is his habit of shooting first draft screenplays, leaving unsuspecting screenwriters often surprised that they don't get the luxury of the director's notes, let alone time to rewrite. Sometimes the practice is obvious on the screen, such as the case in Gran Torino. As much as I adore that movie, it's certainly very rough around the edges (though that gives it its grumpy charm), especially its hilariously rambunctious dialogue, but Eastwood can latch onto a script if he believes in the story. Though he doesn't necessarily credit it for this habit, Eastwood does reveal his first instance of first draft love when he talks about his experience shooting Dirty Harry. After signing on to the role, he was given five different drafts to read, and the experience was so frustrating that he just insisted on the first draft. Years later, while making his unquestionable masterpiece Unforgiven, Eastwood tried to rewrite David Peeples' screenplay, before finally shooting the original draft, claiming that he was ruining it by trying to change it.
This being a Warner Bros output, it would be remiss for them not to highlight Eastwood's 35 year exclusivity with the studio. The first part of the documentary is dedicated to just that: his early admiration for WB back in the days studios owned stars, to his first work with them, to his decision to never leave. There's even a little skit with Eastwood visiting his WB wardrobe vault, recollecting all those costumes he's worn over the years. It's actually rather astonishing to see how robust Eastwood's career is just by looking at the amount and diversity of these costumes. What else can mark the passing of time so vividly than going from cowboy to astronaut? I can't help but think that this little trip should've been the documentary's main framing device, rather than a simple diversion.
Instead, the film's bookends are of Eastwood in the middle of shooting Invictus (which also comes out on DVD the same day), it does come across mostly as a feature-length promo video for it even if it doesn't talk about the film extensively. Rather than collecting various anecdotes and footage over the years, Schickel opts for a rigid chronicle told by a talky narrator. And who is said narrator? Who else but foolproof Morgan Freeman? Of course, that makes it seem even more like a supplement or a passing television appraisal, rather than a standalone feature worthy of its own purchase.
Oddly and disappointingly, the clips chosen to represent said films are all over the place. For whatever reason, Schickel didn't put much importance in getting the best quality clips from these movies from Warner Bros, and instead presented them in different aspect ratios, and often not the film's original. Kinda does a disservice to the films being talked about, doesn't it?
"The Eastwood Factor (Extended Edition)" is on sale June 1, 2010 and is not rated. Documentary. Written and directed by Richard Schickel. Starring Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman.
