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The 1970 movie Clint Eastwood wishes he could wipe from history: “I was crazy enough to try anything”
Clint Eastwood reportedly regards the 1970 musical western Paint Your Wagon as one of the worst experiences of his career, largely because of its troubled production and his uncomfortable attempt at singing. The article argues that the film stands out as an unusual failure in an otherwise highly successful career, and that it helped reinforce Eastwood’s reputation as better suited to acting and directing than musical performance.
Eastwood said he was willing to try different things because of his interest in music, though he later acknowledged that his work in the film was not really singing. The script was repeatedly rewritten, the production ran over budget and behind schedule, and Eastwood reportedly considered leaving before writer Alan Jay Lerner and director Joshua Logan persuaded him to remain; 17 months passed between filming beginning and the premiere.
In short
- Paint Your Wagon was a difficult and poorly received Eastwood musical.
- Rewrites and delays nearly prompted Eastwood to quit.
- Eastwood later criticised his own singing.
Explained simply
Paint Your Wagon is a 1970 musical western film featuring Clint Eastwood in a starring role that required him to perform musical numbers. At the time, Eastwood was primarily known for dramatic acting and had no professional singing background, making this venture an unusual departure from his established reputation.
The production faced substantial obstacles throughout its development. The script was rewritten multiple times, the project ran over budget and behind schedule, and the entire filming process lasted 17 months before the film's premiere. Writer Alan Jay Lerner and director Joshua Logan led the film's production.
Eastwood's involvement with the film came during a period when he was becoming recognised as a skilled film director as well as an accomplished actor. The film would later be viewed as an unusual failure in what proved to be a highly successful and long-lasting career.