Clint Eastwood

What lies behind the Eastwood myth? After meeting the actor on the set of Space Cowboys, Serge Toubiana and Nicolas Saada, journalists at the Cahiers du Cinéma, tried to discover how the one they nicknamed the “man from nowhere” became the legend he is today.

Clint Eastwood grew up in the America of the great depression. He became an actor almost by accident; until his  thirties, the actor’s experience was limited to a role in a television series. The chance for his first big-screen appearance came when Sergio Leone, then an obscure Italian director, offered him a role in For a Fistful of Dollars, a low budget western film. Its success set him on the road to stardom.

After a triumphant return to the States, Eastwood chose his films with a caution derived from a precarious and nomadic upbringing. He accepted guest appearances in big productions, such as Brian G. Hutton’s Where Eagles Dare, before taking on leading roles. Despite bad reviews of his film Inspector Harry, Eastwood rapidly became an international star, acclaimed by critics and festivals alike.  

Clint Eastwood brings essentially American qualities into his acting: the nomadic character of the pioneers, the touch of classical cinema, the freedom and avant-gardism of jazz. He has kept the same, understated image throughout his career. Eastwood’s art is that of patience: taking the time to observe the world around him, to listen to his actors, to fully understand a feeling and an atmosphere. The man is as impressive as the myth: charming, profoundly human, and passionate about his art.