inspectors71 Okay, the whole thing reeks of a cheap knock-off of a Spaghetti Western (if that's possible), but there are some recommendables here in Ted Post's Hang 'Em High!Although it's a standard revenger, with Clint Eastwood as a former marshal, wrongly accused of rustling, and subsequently hanged by a lynch mob, only to survive the assault. Eastwood shows some inkling of being something more than a zombot, an actual actor. Pat Hingle is the judge who uses Eastwood when he recovers. Inger Stevens, easily the most ethereal beauty in 1960s moviedom, is the ubiquitous (only in moviedom) hooker with a heart of gold. Ed Begley is the leader of the lynch mob, and he is none too pleased as Clint starts dropping the not-so-much-baddies as stupidies. Throw in Ben Johnson, Arlene Golonka, James McArthur, Bruce Dern, and a bunch of other great character actors, and the cheapjackery of capitalizing on Sergio Leone's works begins to dissipate a bit.I don't like Hang 'Em High so much as I find it reasonably watchable. I'm enough of a movie nut that, if it's on, I'll sit down to see a good performance here or a nice touch there. But just for a few moments. Then I'll move on.After one viewing, so should you.

v_haritha_in Hang 'Em High deals with a subject not very often touched upon by Westerns. It addresses the nature of trials and their execution in the old West. A lynch mob hangs an innocent man, Jed Cooper (Clint Eastwood), suspecting him of cattle rusting and murder and leave him for dead. He is rescued, becomes a lawman and owes to hunt the members of the mob down. He is convinced by Judge Fenton (Pat Hingle) that the men should get a trial and it is for the law to punish them. After witnessing a few trials and public hangings, he realizes that the law is not all fair either.Judging by today's standards this justice system may look like a Kangaroo's court. But, is it really as barbaric as it seems to be. In the crime-riddled Old West, some tough decisions had to be made. These include making an example of crime-doers to deter others from repeating the same. Judge Fenton even explains to Cooper that he does not enjoy handing out harsh punishments but it is the only way for a better future. The greater good, you may call it. This is not a "Spaghetti Western", as maybe expected since it stars Eastwood. It is a like the classic westerns in that it raises ethical questions. Eastwood does a great job as a man undergoing an internal conflict while maintaining a no-nonsense demeanor. The supporting cast is good and it is interesting to see that we get to know each one of the lynch mob before they die. An under-rated gem.

Maziun This is a serious western drama that goes against typical „revenge movie" plot. There is more talk than action . Eastwood is rather an anti-hero than simple hero . During the story his view of the law and justice will change . It gives us a lot of reflection what is wrong and what is right . It's definitely more mature view at crime and punishment than most westerns. The internal struggle is interesting to watch at least. There is no black-white morality , only grey here.Veteran actor Pat Hingle ("Batman") shines as Judge Fenton and quite possibly gives the best performance of his career. Clint Eastwood is Clint Eastwood – enough said. He's tough and charming. Other actors aren't bad too.The opening sequence is memorable and powerful. The hanging scene in the middle is actually sad and thought provoking. The music is really effective.The love story doesn't seem really developed and movie could be a little faster."Hang'em high" is a deep and clever western . It holds even better on repeated viewings . I give it 7/10.

Ben Larson My mother was from Fort Smith (Fort Grant in this movie) and I grew up there for three years. I've visited Judge Issac Parker's court: "The Hanging Judge." The Fort Smith Independent was the first newspaper to report the on the new Judge. Its extra of September 3, 1875 was a 12 inch by 12 inch broadside with the large column headings reading: "Execution Day!!" In smaller type the paper explained: "Large Crowd -- 6 Murderers Hanged -- Details of the Execution -- Brief Sketches of the Convicts and the Crimes for Which They Suffered." From these first 6 in 1875 through 73 more up until 1896, Judge Issac Parker became famous for his stern brand of justice in a wild and untamed land. That's the history behind a good Clint Eastwood western, made after he did Sergio Leone's spaghetti flicks. Director Ted Post knew westerns, having directed many episodes of "Gunsmoke" and "Rawhide," which included Eastwood. He also directed Eastwood later in Magnum Force. The carnival atmosphere that accompanied the hangings was displayed accurately as folks would come from miles around, as many as 5,000, to watch the show. Post kept the action flowing and made an enjoyable revenge movie with some psychological overtones in Inger Stevens ("The Farmer's Daughter"), and the tortured angst of the Judge.