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Now who doesn’t know Clint Eastwood, an actor and director who pretty much revolutionized the face of Hollywood with his acting and directing talent. A one-of-a-kind star, it wasn’t until he was cast in Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars that he received the much-needed break that would enable him to become an enduring cultural icon of masculinity.
Clint Eastwood | Credits: Gran Torino / Warner Bros PicturesOne of the most iconic collaborations in the history of films, A Fistful of Dollars, not only put Eastwood on the map but also revolutionized the Western genre and the era of ‘Spaghetti Westerns’. However, the film wouldn’t probably have made it so far if hadn’t been for the brilliance of Eastwood, who was a compromise ‘cast’ after Leone failed to sign his first choice.
Sergio Leone on Casting Clint Eastwood in His Breakthrough Role
Clint Eastwood in a still from A Fistful of Dollars | Credit: United Artists Sergio Leone‘s casting of Clint Eastwood in his 1964 movie, A Fistful of Dollars, not only marked a significant turning point for the Western genre but also for Eastwood as well. His first ever significant role that put him at the forefront of attention, Eastwood received the impetus he needed to become the brilliant actor and director he is today.
The mascot of masculinity and old Hollywood charm, Eastwood before his acclaimed ‘Man with No Name’ role was known best for the Western TV series, Rawhide. Containing 8 seasons and running from 1959 to 1965, Eastwood received praise from the audience for his clean-cut, all-American cowboy, yet his role wasn’t a stand-out for Leone.
While talking to BBC in an old interview, the Italian filmmaker and pioneer of the Spaghetti Western genre, compared America’s biggest Macho to a cat,
I didn’t see any character in Rawhide, only a physical figure. What struck me most about Clint was his indolent way of moving. It seemed to me Clint closely resembled a cat.
While Leone wasn’t alone in his criticism of Eastwood, for many critics had similar things to say about the Hollywood legend, there is still no denying that the role was crucial for his career. Not only did his portrayal in Rawhide manage to appeal to the audience, but it allowed the actor to land his breakthrough role in Leone’s Spaghetti Western.
Clint Eastwood Was Never the First Choice of Sergio Leone
Eastwood in Rawhide (1959) | Credit: CBSClint Eastwood, despite the attention he garnered with his role in Rawhide, was still just another actor with a bag full of dreams trying to make a name in the cruel film industry. At that time, he was known best for his traditional American cowboy role in the hit series Rawhide.
So when the actor landed the opportunity to star in a Western film from the European perspective, he jumped on the wagon even though it was a tough all-international project. On the other hand, Sergio Leone, the director of A Fistful of Dreams, wasn’t all too interested in casting Eastwood, who did not fit his ideal leading man standards.
As he revealed in an old interview with BBC, Leone really wanted to cast The Magnificent Seven famed James Coburn as the ‘Man with No Name’. However, Coburn would have cost him $25,000, an expensive figure for a low-budgeted European film. Now forced to look for more affordable options, Leone recruited Eastwood with a salary of $15,000.
And that is how Leone ended up breathing a new life in the Western genre and gave Clint Eastwood his career breakthrough.
A Fistful of Dollars is available to stream on Netflix.
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