A German-language daily newspaper that caught heat for publishing a birthday tribute to Clint Eastwood that included decades-old quotes has issued a statement after it was accused of being fake news. 
The controversy kicked off earlier this week when Eastwood, 95, referred to the article in Kurier as false. The actor released a statement to <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/06/clint-eastwood-assails-austrian-interview-in-austrian-kurier-entirely-phony-1236420771/">Deadline</a> to “set the record straight” and asserted that he “never gave an interview to an Austrian publication called Kurier, or any other writer in recent weeks, and that the interview is entirely phony.”
In the statement, the outlet noted that the writer they contracted for the piece, Elisabeth Sereda, used old quotes from Eastwood that created the perception that she had just interviewed the iconic film legend. In reality, Sereda used a mashup of quotes from Eastwood lifted from different interviews dating back to 1976.  
“There was no immediate reason to doubt that she had interviewed Eastwood,” a translated version of the Kurier statement <a href="https://kurier.at/kultur/medien/clint-eastwood-interview-hollywood-kurier-in-eigener-sache/403047088">said</a>. Outlet reps noted how Sereda had a long history of interviewing celebrities and was a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
The statement went on to note that Sereda had spoken to Eastwood 18 times during roundtable discussions and that none of the quotes were altered. However, the outlet admitted that framing the article as an interview rather than a tribute did mislead audiences. 
“Even though no quote is fabricated, the interviews are documented, and the allegation of falsification can be refuted, we will no longer work with the author in the future because transparency and our strict editorial standards are paramount to us,” the statement concluded.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
The outlet has since removed the interview from its website. 
Sereda defended her actions in a statement to <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/is-clint-eastwood-interview-real-old-quotes-1236417323/">Variety</a>, again claiming it was enough that only real quotes were used.
“Quotes from Mr. Eastwood cited in the story are culled from several of those 14 press conferences I attended and covered,” Sereda told the outlet.
The original birthday tribute, which appeared on Kurier, got the most attention for being critical of remakes and franchises. 
“I long for the good old days when screenwriters wrote movies like ‘Casablanca’ in small bungalows on the studio lot. When everyone had a new idea,” Eastwood is quoted as saying. “We live in an era of remakes and franchises. I’ve shot sequels three times, but I haven’t been interested in that for a long while. My philosophy is: do something new or stay at home.”
Variety noted that this particular quote might have come from the mid-1980s. 
Eastwood is also quoted as saying he didn’t plan on retiring “for a long time,” despite being five years shy of triple digits.
Eastwood has established a reputation in Hollywood as a conservative and supporter of GOP politicians, including presidential candidates Mitt Romney and the late John McCain. In 2012, he made an appearance at the Republican National Convention, where he made headlines for addressing an empty chair that represented then-President Barack Obama.

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood Calls Out ‘Entirely Phony’ Article About Him; Writer Responds

Clint Eastwood Calls Out 'Entirely Phony' Article About Him; Writer Responds

Celebrities

Germany

Journalism

World

Bill Murray revealed the movie role he still regrets not taking to this day, and it was one that Clint Eastwood offered him.
Speaking on “The Howard Stern Show” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icsyXWwO0DI">podcast</a>, the 74-year-old actor was asked by Stern if he’s “ever watched a film and said I want to act with this guy so bad?”
The “Ghostbusters” star said definitely, and then shared that he was once offered a role in what turned out to be Eastwood’s 1986 military movie “Heartbreak Ridge,” The <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/bill-murray-regrets-turning-down-clint-eastwood-movie-heartbreak-ridge/?via=twitter_page&amp;utm_campaign=owned_social&amp;utm_source=twitter_owned_tdb&amp;utm_medium=socialflow">Daily Beast</a> reported.
“A long time ago I was watching the Clint Eastwood movies of the day, like ‘Thunderbolt and Lightfoot’ or whatever the hell movies he was making then,” Murray responded, “and I thought: ‘His sidekick gets killed, and he avenges, but the sidekick gets like a great part, a great death scene.&#8217;”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Bill Murray Regrets Turning Down This Clint Eastwood Movie" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/icsyXWwO0DI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“I was like, I got to call this guy,” he added. “So I called him out of the blue, and he said, ‘Would you ever want to do another service comedy?’ Because I just made ‘Stripes’ and he had this great idea for an enormous Navy thing.”
“And when he said, ‘Would you ever want to do another service comedy?’ like jeez, ‘Would I become like Abbott and Costello?&#8217; I had to do like military movies? And I said, ‘Well, God, I guess maybe I shouldn’t,’” Murray continued.
Even after all these years, the “Groundhog Day” star said when he sees Eastwood, he still mentions to him how he should’ve taken it.
“But it’s one of the few regrets I have is that I didn’t do it,” Murray said. “Because it was a big-scale thing, and I would have gotten a great – I don’t know if I’d have gotten a great death scene, it was more of a comedy, that one – but it was great. He had access to World War II boats and he could have like, made a flotilla and stuff, and there was some cool stuff in it.”
“And when I see him, I’m like: ‘I’m sorry, I wish I’d done that, Clint, I’m really sorry,&#8217;” he added. “He’s certainly well over it. He’s a very resilient fella.”
During his appearance on Travis and Jason Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast, Murray talked about the early days of his career on “Saturday Night Live” and disagreed with others who&#8217;ve said that the late-night sketch comedy is just not as good as it once was, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-murray-insists-snl-is-just-as-funny-as-it-used-to-be-regardless-of-what-fans-think">reported</a>.
“People always give me a hard time about, ‘Oh, the original show was so great and it’s lousy now,’” Murray said, per <a href="https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/bill-murray-defends-snl-cast-critics-lousy-1236236995/">Variety</a>. “And I say, ‘No, it’s not.’ The show that’s on now, they do stuff that’s just as good as anybody ever did, all the time.”
At the time, the actor also said he would “certainly” come back to help celebrate the show’s 50th anniversary in 2025, which he eventually did in February.
“It was surprisingly emotional,” the movie star shared after his appearance on the show, per the “Today” <a href="https://www.today.com/popculture/tv/bill-murray-snl50-special-rcna195105" target="_blank" rel="noopener">show</a>. “I wept three times in the show. Yeah, it really got to me.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bill-murray-names-which-comedian-hed-want-to-play-him-in-upcoming-snl-movie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Murray Names Which Comedian He’d Want To Play Him In Upcoming ‘SNL’ Movie</a>

94th Annual Academy Awards – Red Carpet

Bill Murray Reveals Movie Role He Still Regrets Not Taking

Bill Murray

Entertainment

Hollywood

Movies

U.S.

Celebrity tributes poured in for legendary movie star Gene Hackman following news of the Oscar-winning performer’s death on Thursday. He was 95.
Francis Ford Coppola &#8212; who directed Hackman in the 1974 movie “The Conversation” &#8212; wrote on Instagram, “The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution.”
Morgan Freeman &#8212; who worked with the late star alongside Clint Eastwood in the memorable western “The Unforgiven” &#8212; said, “One of the personal highlights of my career was bringing the French Film Gardé a Vue (Under Suspicion) to life with the incredibly gifted Gene Hackman. And of course&#8230; Unforgiven. Rest in peace, my friend.”
Actor James Woods recalled getting to work with Hackman on Woods&#8217; first movie called “Night Moves,” and said Gene took time to meet Woods’ mom and stepfather, saying he went “far beyond a polite hello,” spending “an hour chatting with them, genuinely interested in their lives.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Clint Eastwood pays tribute to Gene Hackman: “There was no finer actor than Gene. Intense and instinctive. Never a false note. He was also a dear friend whom I will miss very much.” <a href="https://t.co/BKahJkuFIB">https://t.co/BKahJkuFIB</a> <a href="https://t.co/hrSyU3v9PS">pic.twitter.com/hrSyU3v9PS</a>
— Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1895165913827037349?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
“That day was a model for me going forward. I have always prided myself on the way I treat fans, visitors, and friends,” he added. “And I thank Gene for it. As an actor he was without equal, and as a man, he was one of a kind. Rest in peace, sir.”
Eastwood shared in a statement to <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/gene-hackman-death-reactions-francis-ford-coppola-1236322137/">Variety</a>, “There was no finer actor than Gene. Intense and instinctive. Never a false note. He was also a dear friend whom I will miss very much.”⁠
Actress Viola Davis wrote, “Loved you in everything! The Conversation, The French Connection, The Poseidon Adventure, Unforgiven — tough yet vulnerable. You were one of the greats. God bless those who loved you. Rest well, sir.”
Actor Josh Brolin wrote on Instagram that he was “crushed” to learn of the star and his wife’s deaths. “He was always one of my favorites. Not many who beat to their own drums like he did,” he added.
A message from the Prince and Princess of Wales on X read, “So sad to hear the news of the death of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy. Hackman was a true genius of film who brought each and every character to life with power, authenticity and star quality. W.&#8221;
Actor Michael Chicklis wrote, “Hackman is gone. Hurts when your heroes pass. Thank you Gene. You were one of a kind.”
Director/actor Nick Searcy wrote on X,  “RIP to my idol, Gene Hackman. When I saw him, I believed I could be an actor too.  I told him that with tears in my eyes on the last day I worked with him. He thanked me and was touched. Today I cried again.”
Actor Nathan Lane &#8212; who worked with Hackman on “The Birdcage” &#8212; shared a lengthy statement with Variety following the star’s death, calling him his “favorite actor, as I think I told him every day we worked together on ‘The Birdcage.’”
“Getting to watch him up close, it was easy to see why he was one of our greatest,” he added. “You could never catch him acting. Simple and true, thoughtful and soulful, with just a hint of danger. He was as brilliant in comedy as he was in drama and thankfully his film legacy will live on forever. It was a tremendous privilege to get to share the screen with him and remains one of my fondest memories. Rest in peace, Mr. Hackman.”
Hackman was discovered at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, 63, on Wednesday. The couple’s dog was also found dead. Local officials say there are no signs of foul play, per <a href="https://apnews.com/article/gene-hackman-found-dead-f6c106e92987aeaaab7b35c1b956a5c8">Associated Press</a>, but the cause of death was not immediately revealed, and authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oscar-winning-actor-gene-hackman-found-dead-alongside-his-wife-and-dog" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oscar-Winning Actor Gene Hackman Found Dead Alongside His Wife And Dog</a>

On the set of The French Connection

Celebrity Tributes Pour In For Legendary Star Gene Hackman

Death

Gene Hackman

Morgan Freeman

Nathan Lane

Roberta Flack, Grammy award-winning soul and R&amp;B singer/musician of “Killing Me Softly with His Song,” among many more ballads, died peacefully at her home surrounded by family. She was 88.
&#8220;We are heartbroken that the glorious Roberta Flack passed away this morning February 24, 2025,&#8221; a statement read on Monday to <a href="https://people.com/roberta-flack-dead-88-killing-me-softly-singer-7502305?utm_campaign=people&amp;utm_content=likeshop&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=instagram">People</a> magazine.
&#8220;She died peacefully surrounded by her family,” it added. “Roberta broke boundaries and records. She was also a proud educator.&#8221;
A cause of death has not yet been released. However, it comes after a representative for Flack shared in 2022 that the star&#8217;s singing career was over after she had been diagnosed with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/roberta-flack-dies-61ad9755cc7b4f37b29884adc49c9340">Associated Press</a> noted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Legendary pop/R&amp;B vocalist Roberta Flack, who was launched to stardom in the early ’70s by the Grammy-winning hits “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” has died. She was 88. <a href="https://t.co/WfpVHIjz6y">https://t.co/WfpVHIjz6y</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q6dmM6z8Xg">pic.twitter.com/Q6dmM6z8Xg</a>
— Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1894045103368425767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
Born in 1937 in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and raised in Virginia, Flack was a trained pianist whose talent for singing was discovered after graduating from Howard University. Her career exploded in the 1970s with the release of her song, “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.”
And it was thanks to actor Clint Eastwood who pushed to have her song with her tempo included in the soundtrack to his 1971 movie “Play Misty for Me” with Donna Mills.
“The record label wanted to have it re-recorded with a faster tempo, but he said he wanted it exactly as it was,” Flack told the AP in 2018. “With the song as a theme song for his movie, it gained a lot of popularity and then took off.”
The song soared to the top of the Billboard chart in 1972 and she ended up winning a Grammy for record of the year, the AP noted.
The following year, she hit another gold with the release of her version of “Killing Me Softly with His Song” and won another Grammy for best record &#8212; a first for any artist.
Flack went on to find success with duet hits such as “Where is the Love,” &#8220;The Closer I Get to You,” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” which she performed with her close late-friend Donny Hathaway.
“We were deeply connected creatively,” Flack told Vibe in 2022, AP noted. “He could play anything, sing anything. Our musical synergy was unlike (anything) I’d had before or since.”
Following news of the singer’s death, musicians and artists took to social media to pay tribute to the singer.
Queen Latifah wrote on X, “Rest in peace to Howard graduate, classically trained pianist, songwriter, singer, &amp; the first artist to ever win a Grammy for Record of the Year in two consecutive years, Miss Roberta Flack. Her &amp; her fellow songwriter Donny Hathaway are now reunited.”
Jennifer Hudson wrote, “So sad to hear of Roberta Flack’s passing. One of the great soul singers of all time. Rest well, Ms. Flack. Your legacy lives on!!!”
Clint Eastwood added, “Rest in Peace Roberta Flack…”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/all-by-myself-singer-dead-at-74" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘All By Myself’ Singer Dead At 74</a>

Roberta Flack

Famous Singer Roberta Flack Dead At 88

Music

One of Clint Eastwood’s famous “spaghetti Western” films, “A Fistful of Dollars,” is getting a remake thanks to the help of Hollywood and Italian veterans in the movie-making industry.
In a statement from Hollywood veteran Gianni Nunnari (300) and Simon Horsman of Euro Gang Entertainment, alongside Italian production veteran Enzo Sisti (Ripley) of FPC, and Rome-based Jolly Film (which produced the original movie), they said they were thrilled at the prospect of remaking one of Sergio Leone and <a href="https://deadline.com/tag/clint-eastwood/">Eastwoo</a>d’s classic films, <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/07/fistful-of-dollars-remake-movie-clint-eastwood-western-sergio-leone-1236004352/">Deadline</a> noted.
“I am delighted to partner with Gianni again having just worked with him on ‘Those About to Die’, and with Simon on the remake of this classic film, which created a whole new sub-genre in film spawning over 500 European westerns,&#8221; Sisti said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A remake of ‘A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS’ is in the works.
The original film launched the “spaghetti western” genre and also launched Clint Eastwood’s career.
(Source: Deadline) <a href="https://t.co/ixt15YJBg3">pic.twitter.com/ixt15YJBg3</a>
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) <a href="https://twitter.com/DiscussingFilm/status/1810684380152770650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
Nunnari and Horsman added: “Enzo is one of the most experienced producers in the film business, and we are fortunate to call him our partner on this incredible project. We are determined to produce a remake that does justice to the great Sergio Leone’s classic.”   
The Western movie, which came out in Italy in 1964, is about “a wandering gunfighter&#8221; who &#8220;plays two rival families against each other in a town torn apart by greed, pride, and revenge,” a description on <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058461/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2">IMDb</a> read. 
It not only created a whole new genre called “spaghetti Westerns” but also helped to launch Eastwood’s career, the outlet noted.
The success of Leone’s “A Fistful of Dollars” helped create two more movies in a classic Western trilogy of movies, “For a Few Dollars More,” followed by “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” All three movies are about the &#8220;Man with No Name,” Eastwood’s character, IMDb noted.
Eastwood starred in all three and went on to become a famous Hollywood star known for his rugged and tough appearance in westerns followed by his no-nonsense approach in cop movies.
Production is being kept under wraps as it’s still early in the process, Deadline noted. It is unclear if the film will be in English as the original movie was released in Italy and dubbed into English for audiences in the United States in 1967, along with the other two films in the trilogy, <a href="https://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/fistful-of-dollars-a">Reel Reviews</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/clint-eastwoods-daughter-talks-about-her-parents-decision-to-raise-children-outside-of-the-hollywood-scene" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clint Eastwood’s Daughter Talks About Her Parents’ Decision To ‘Raise’ Children Outside ‘Of The Hollywood Scene’</a>

Famous Clint Eastwood ‘Spaghetti Western’ Getting A Remake

Famous Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Western Getting A Remake

Mel Brooks teased sequels to both “Spaceballs” and “History of the World, Part 1” back in the ‘80s.
The former made its intentions clear in tongue-in-cheek fashion – “Spaceballs 2: The Search for More Money,&#8221; Brooks’ character said in the film.
The 97-year-old funnyman is finally making good on his promises, but the results threaten a legacy up until now has remained bulletproof.
The same holds for other aging stars who can’t let their signature franchises go.
Brooks. Mel Gibson. Danny Glover. Eddie Murphy.
Their quest to revive long-dormant IPs could remind us why we loved them in the first place. Or, more likely, they’ll make us wish they left well enough alone.
<div id="attachment_753793" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-753793" class="wp-image-753793 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2156851870-864x576.jpg" alt="BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 09: Mel Brooks poses for a portrait during the 2024 Peabody Awards at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on June 09, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Peabody Awards)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2156851870-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2156851870-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2156851870-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2156851870.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Peabody Awards</div>
Brooks’ legacy has remained certified gold despite the occasional clunker (“Dracula: Dead and Loving It,” “Life Stinks”). His big-screen classics like “The Producers,” “Young Frankenstein” and “Blazing Saddles” remind us of a time when comedy had no guardrails.
Funny was funny, and no one did it better than Brooks. His “Producers” revival on the Great White Way only polished his gleaming brand.
He’s still vibrant and funny in his 90s, but he recently decided to revisit “History of the World Part I” for a modern generation.
Uh oh.
The result? Hulu’s multi-episode “History of the World Part 2,” created by comics eager to add their woke bromides into warped historical takes. Ike Barinholtz, Wanda Sykes and Nick Kroll couldn’t duplicate Brooks’ old-school wit. Instead, they inserted lectures along with a black Jesus (Jay Ellis) and Mary Magdalene (Zazie Beetz).
Is anyone still talking about the 2023 series? Will it be rewatched as aggressively as Brooks’ version? Sadly, Brooks served as a producer and narrator on the sequel series. 
That comes to mind as news of a “Spaceballs” sequel hit the news. Josh Gad of “Frozen” fame will co-write and star in the film, also to be produced by Brooks.
The original “Spaceballs” proved hit or miss, but characters like Pizza the Hut and Barf, the Chewbacca riff played by John Candy, became part of comedy lore. The film also arrived as “Star Wars” fever still gripped the culture.
Today, “Star Wars” is mostly a punchline.
If Team “Spaceballs” leans into the Disney “Star Wars” era and its heavy-handed agenda, it could have a solid satirical base. We’ll see.
Eddie Murphy is much younger than Brooks, but at 63 he’s also returning to the saga that made him a superstar. The Netflix original “Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F” (July 3) brings Murphy’s fast-talking hero back alongside some familiar franchise faces &#8211; Judge Reinhold, John Ashton and Bronson Pinchot.
<div id="attachment_753795" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-753795" class="size-large wp-image-753795" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/EM-f-1024x426.jpg" alt="Eddie Murphy and John Ashton in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)PeopleEddie Murphy, John Ashton TitlesBeverly Hills Cop: Axel F Photo by Melinda Sue Gordon/photo by Melinda Sue Gordon/Netf - © 2024 Netflix, Inc." width="1024" height="426" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/EM-f-1024x426.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/EM-f-300x125.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/EM-f-768x319.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/EM-f-1536x639.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/EM-f-2048x852.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Melinda Sue Gordon/Netf. IMDB. Copyright 2024 Netflix, Inc.</div>
The franchise’s two sequels made money but proved shadows of the cutting original. The latest sequel has been teased for some time, but now it’s a streaming title, skipping theaters entirely.
That alone feels wrong.
Plus, the shadow of “Coming 2 America” hangs heavily over the project. That belated sequel, another streaming original (Prime Video), lacked the humor and heart of the original. It, too, bowed to the Woke Gods in its alleged yuks.
Will “Axel F” improve on that model or sink to its lows?
Murphy is a relative rookie compared to Danny Glover. The veteran actor, nearing his 78th birthday, will reprise his role as Det. Roger Murtaugh in a fifth “Lethal Weapon” film.
So says 68-year-old Mel Gibson, set to star and direct in the latest installment of the action franchise. The last film in the saga hit theaters in 1998. Gibson said the latest installment is an homage to late director Richard Donner who helmed the previous installments.
<div id="attachment_753797" style="width: 766px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-753797" class="size-large wp-image-753797" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2121179074-756x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 28: Danny Glover speaks onstage at the 2024 A Great Night In Harlem Gala at The Apollo Theater on March 28, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)" width="756" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2121179074-756x576.jpg 756w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2121179074-300x229.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2121179074-768x585.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/GettyImages-2121179074.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 756px) 100vw, 756px" />Arturo Holmes/Getty Images</div>
Gibson is still mending fences following his infamous, antisemitic meltdown. Glover works regularly, but he hasn’t anchored in a film in some time.
The irony?
The 1987 original featured Glover’s classic line, “I’m too old for this s***,” which he uttered when he was roughly 40. What will he say this time?
Age is a common denominator in all of the above, but it doesn’t imply great art can’t be made by older artists. Nor are belated sequels necessarily a bad idea. Yes, we didn’t need “Zoolander 2,” but “Anchorman 2” didn’t embarrass its fan base.
Even better was Martin Scorsese’s belated sequel to “The Hustler,” 1986’s “The Color of Money.” Pairing Paul Newman with Tom Cruise proved worth the wait.
The best stars learn how to age gracefully. Clint Eastwood has directed several excellent films, including “Sully” and “American Sniper,” in his golden years.
<div id="attachment_753799" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-753799" class="size-large wp-image-753799" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/Clint--864x576.jpg" alt="Clint Eastwood in Juror #2. Clint Eastwood. Juror #2. Warner Bros." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/Clint--864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/Clint--300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/Clint--768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/Clint--1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/Clint--1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/Clint--1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/06/Clint-.jpg 2008w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Clint Eastwood in Juror #2. Clint Eastwood. Juror #2. Warner Bros.</div>
The stars of the “Bad Boys” franchise, 50-somethings Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, have factored Father Time in with their more recent adventures. Lawrence’s character nearly expires in “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” but the film uses the plot point to great comic effect.
Age has added both gravitas and gravity to a silly saga, and it’s a better series as a result.
Still, older stars risk not only embarrassing themselves in projects from their youth but diminishing their creative legacies in the process. 
The search for more cash can be addictive, but celebrities should proceed with extreme caution.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

2024 TCM Classic Film Festival Day 4 – Sunday

Aging Stars Release New Films, Risking Their Creative Legacies

actors

Eddie Murphy

Mel Brooks

“What a drag it is getting old,” Mick Jagger sang on 1966’s “Mother’s Little Helper.”
Age is very much on the mind of directorial legend Quentin Tarantino, nearly 20 years younger than Sir Mick.
The 61-year-old director is prepping what he dubs his 10th and “final” film in his illustrious career. Why final?
The “Pulp Fiction” director insists artists fade with age, and he doesn’t want to leave behind an imperfect film legacy. He explained <a href="https://uk.movies.yahoo.com/movies/why-is-quentin-tarantino-retiring-161213367.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABwi04R2wvedcZRU4bNo5zu5lZEnsPZQ1bi2v4H8S0BL6t4_pS5sSl24E44_w-ydDUwaiNPkQ8EaZq438T2ImpeVCzwkUGex3OISZUAacY4O6J4usS_0E97nPqeNGqn2ngC6DvJGH4Ujji46Kh_6hI032hF_xThTxIAHt9NoXyCA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">his thinking in a 2012 interview:</a>
<blockquote>&#8220;Directors don&#8217;t get better as they get older. Usually the worst films in their filmography are those last four at the end. I am all about my filmography, and one bad film f**** up three good ones.”</blockquote>
And he hasn’t had a change of heart since then.
<div id="attachment_728987" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-728987" class="size-large wp-image-728987" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1658901514-864x576.jpg" alt="Quentin Tarantino lors du 76e festival de Cannes le 27 mai 2023. (Photo by Laurent KOFFEL/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1658901514-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1658901514-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1658901514-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1658901514.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Laurent KOFFEL/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images</div>
Sorry, but 2007’s “Death Proof” remains flawed, and 2015‘s “The Hateful Eight” succumbed to his worst instincts.
Still, Tarantino’s body of work has been mostly exceptional, and it’s commendable to exit at the top of one’s game. It explains why Tarantino just scrapped what would have been his final feature, “The Movie Critic,” and hustled back to the proverbial drawing board.
It’s got to be just right, he argues. Except age isn’t always indicative of creative decline.
Clint Eastwood is still going strong at 93, and while 2021’s “Cry Macho” proved anemic, he spent the last decade delivering bravura work like “American Sniper,” “Sully,” “Richard Jewell” and, to a lesser extent, “The Mule.”
Not shabby for an 80-something auteur who came of age as an action hero more than 50 years ago.
<div id="attachment_728991" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-728991" class="size-large wp-image-728991" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1189029915-864x576.jpg" alt="HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 20: Clint Eastwood attends the &quot;Richard Jewell&quot; premiere during AFI FEST 2019 Presented By Audi at TCL Chinese Theatre on November 20, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1189029915-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1189029915-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1189029915-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1189029915.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images</div>
Martin Scorsese, 81, just scooped up countless nominations for last year’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” including an Oscar nod for Best Picture. His work remains vital and captivating, hardly the results you’d expect given Tarantino’s age framing.
Critics and audiences alike marveled over 2015’s “Mad Max: Fury Road,” directed by the ageless George Miller. The director, now 79, uncorked that sizzling action film on the cusp of his 70th birthday. Some regard the “Mad Max” reboot as <a href="https://www.landmarkcinemas.com/movie-news/mad-max-fury-road-tops-empires-100-greatest-movies-of-the-century-poll#:~:text=News%20%7C%20Landmark%20Cinemas-,Mad%20Max%3A%20Fury%20Road%20tops%20Empire's%20100%20Greatest%20Movies%20of,Movies%20of%20the%20Century'%20poll.">one of the best films of the 21st century</a>.
Ridley Scott, 86, isn’t slowing down either, witness his upcoming summer sequel “Gladiator 2.” Results vary with recent Scott fare, but his 2015 film “The Martian” remains a career highlight. He was in his mid-70s during the film’s production.
Other aging auteurs are taking risks that would scary any film school student silly.
Francis Ford Coppola returns from semi-retirement with “Megalopolis,” one of the most intriguing projects from any filmmaker in recent memory. The epic, a dream project for the 85-year-old director, has been described as &#8220;bats***&#8221; among other dubious phrases from early screenings.
Its commercial prospects are dim and the “Godfather” legend has yet to secure a distributor for the film. It could be the biggest swing of his or any legend’s career.
<div id="attachment_728993" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-728993" class="size-large wp-image-728993" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1239552904-864x576.jpg" alt="US film director Francis Ford Coppola and his wife Eleanor Coppola attend the 94th Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1239552904-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1239552904-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1239552904-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/04/GettyImages-1239552904.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images</div>
Meanwhile, Kevin Costner is pushing all his chips in for “Horizon,” a planned four-part western not based on any existing material or IP. The first two installments hit theaters later this year. The 69-year-old has enjoyed an up-and-down career, most notably the latter with “Waterworld.” He still thinks he’s got something vital left to say.
Tarantino’s fears of age, though, aren’t without merit. Coppola hasn’t made a movie of consequence for three decades – 1992’s “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” is the last film that dented the zeitgeist.
George Lucas, 79, never recaptured the magic of his 1977 space epic “Star Wars,” a dramatic departure from his celebrated 1973 film “American Graffiti.” He directed the saga’s three prequels – all considered inferior to the original trilogy – and never followed through on plans to make smaller, more personal films.
He had enough money to fund them himself. Perhaps he had nothing left to say, cinematically speaking.
The great Brian De Palma’s decline also coincided with Father Time. For De Palma, 83, you have to go all the way back to 1996’s “Mission: Impossible” to recall a project with significant appeal.
His last directorial effort, 2019’s “Domino,” earned less than $1 million while generating brutal reviews.
It still might be better for Tarantino to break his pledge. Few will hold it against him, and chances are following the wonderful “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” his creative tank isn’t empty yet.
He could follow the unofficial Hughes Rule.
Director John Hughes gave us some of the best movies of the ‘80s, including “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “The Breakfast Club” and “Planes, Trains and Automobiles.” His knack for nailing the teen zeitgeist was unrivaled, but his workload diminished dramatically as he got older.
By the time he died in 2009 at the age of 59, he hadn’t directed a film since 1991’s “Curly Sue,” one of his lesser efforts.
Hughes never announced his retirement, and he certainly could have leveraged his name to keep directing with inferior results. Instead, he either lost his passion or realized he no longer had the spark of his younger self.
He never opined on his quasi-retirement. He just … stopped. Here’s betting Tarantino will know when his muse has left the building.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-25-Apr-2024-02-33-PM-3978

When Do Filmmakers Hit Their Prime? Here Are The Aging Auteurs Who Refuse To Retire

Martin Scorsese

Readers Pass

Tinsel Town has turned some of the biggest movie genres against Heartland USA.
Science Fiction? James Cameron’s “Avatar” franchise doubles as a climate change screed, while his “Terminator” franchise diminished Arnold Schwarzenegger in favor of a Girl Power aesthetic with the 2019 “Dark Fate” installment. Recent Marvel Cinematic Universe films hyper focus on LGBTQ themes and aggressive diversity casting over, you know, fun.
Horror? Woke shockers like “Antebellum,” “Candyman,” and “They/Them” speak for themselves.
Is the Western next?
A new short film, albeit one featuring two major stars, is getting plenty of buzz.
Shot in southern Spain’s Tabernas desert, “<a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/global/pedro-almodovar-gay-western-strange-way-of-life-italy-latin-america-mubi-1235580205/">Strange Way of Life</a>” stars Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal as two gunmen who reunite after 25 years. The half-hour film has been described by [Pedro] Almodóvar as a “queer Western, in the sense that there are two men and they love each other,” the director said last December on Dua Lipa’s “At Your Service” podcast. 
It&#8217;s “Brokeback Mountain” redux. One could also say it’s a kissing cousin to “The Power of the Dog.” That 2021 Netflix original featured a closeted gay cowboy (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his connection with a local outcast (Kodi Smit-McPhee).
The film earned 11 Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.
The latest spin on “revisionist Westerns” could be the new normal, and it involves more than closeted gay cowboys revealing their sexual appetites. 
The Western is as American as baseball, apple pie, and reality TV. The genre thrives on rugged individualism, masculine heroes, and themes that speak to the country’s character. Classic Westerns like “High Noon” (1952), “Shane” (1953), and “The Searchers” (1956) taught generations about sacrifice, honor, and what it means to be a man.
In short, it’s the American experiment.
The Western hero was far from perfect. He might drink too much or struggle with his emotions. When danger came, however, the townsfolk knew who to call. He didn’t blame others or wallow in his misery. He got his hands dirty and set to work.
Female heroes mattered, too.
Movies like The Daily Wire’s “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/terror-on-the-prairie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Terror on the Prairie</a>” featured a strong female lead (Gina Carano), but the essential Western elements surrounded her brave defense of her nuclear family.
The Nicolas Cage/Nick Searcy indie “The Old Way” followed a gunslinger (Cage) training his daughter how to sling lead to protect herself. 
The Western’s DNA is anathema to major film studios. Too much toxic masculinity, they say. Where is the diversity? Why are these stories glorifying guns for self-defense?
Is “Strange Way of Life” a sign of stories to come?
The Western faded from the pop culture landscape in the late 20th century years as legends like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood either passed or passed on the white hats to a new generation. Oaters became passe, as CGI fueled a string of blockbuster movies and superhero adaptations.
The genre never went away. TV shows like “Longmire,” “Justified,” and, more recently, “Yellowstone” captured the Western’s ethos despite modern trappings. Each enjoyed sizable success, with the latter becoming one of the most popular shows across the cluttered streaming landscape.
Few stories inspire as much passion, and viewer loyalty, as the ongoing Dutton saga.
Subverting the Western fits snugly into liberal Hollywood’s worldview. Movies once celebrated the American way of life, extolling freedom, self-reliance, and sacrifice against impossible odds. Now, the films that celebrate all-American principles (<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/affleck-damon-deliver-with-air-a-pro-capitalism-three-pointer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">like the recent “Air”</a>) stand out as exceptions to the pop culture rule.
And, of course, American culture is swiftly shared across the globe, our most curious export. While Chinese movies praise the communist nation and its achievements, American filmmakers (under no such governmental pressure) often do the opposite.
The Western must be demystified, rearranged, and revised to blast the past and embrace the new American ethos. Films like 2017’s “Hostiles” turn on the mistreatment of the American Indian, a valid theme that often swamps storytelling essentials.
Even the liberal RogerEbert.com review noted that Christian Bale film <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/hostiles-2017" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lacks nuanced portraits of the Indian characters</a>. Woke sensibilities make it harder to turn minority figures into flesh-and-blood souls. 

This doesn’t mean a film genre needs to be replicated over and again.
Previous revisionist Westerns cling to the genre’s core elements. Many rightly praised Clint Eastwood’s 1992 classic “Unforgiven,” a look at a gunslinger reflecting on his violent handiwork. Some genres need a nip or a tuck to bring them back to life.
Other revisionist classics include “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969), “Little Big Man” (1970), and “Django Unchained” (2012).
American audiences always crave the Western essentials, though, which means classic Westerns will find new generations to delight. Let’s hope they can enjoy newer versions alongside the classics. One might come from Mr. “Yellowstone” himself.
Costner is set to direct “Horizon,” a sprawling Western set before, and after the Civil War. The large cast, including Costner, Jena Malone, Luke Wilson, and Thomas Haden Church, promises to tell its story through multiple perspectives.
Chances are there’s enough Dutton left in Costner to make “Horizon” a worthy addition to a deeply American film genre.
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Does Hollywood Want To Wrest The Western Out Of Conservative Hands?

Ethan Hawke

Kevin Costner

LGBTQ

Pedro Pascal

Terror on the Prairie

Top Gun: Maverick Film Premiere

32 Conservative Movies That Defy The Hollywood Trend

Adam Carolla

Conservatives

Top Gun

What Is A Woman

Clint Eastwood&#8217;s daughter, Alison Eastwood, has nothing but praise for her parents who she said made the decision to raise her and her brother, Kyle Eastwood, outside &#8220;of the Hollywood scene.&#8221;
The 50-year-old actress opened up to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/clint-eastwood-daughter-alison-hollywood-animal-rescue">Fox News</a> about what she called a &#8220;magical upbringing&#8221; being raised in the small town of Carmel, California, far away from the hustle and bustle of tinsel town, the outlet noted in a piece published Friday. Her father was a true movie star and her mother, Maggie Johnson was an actress.
&#8220;Carmel is a beautiful place and I think my parents really wanted to get out of Hollywood to raise their kids,&#8221; Eastwood shared. &#8220;When my dad was in the army, he was stationed in the Monterey peninsula, so he loved the area.&#8221;
&#8220;And my mom fell in love with it too,&#8221; she added. &#8220;They both lived in LA, but when it came time to raise a family, they felt it was important to get out of the Hollywood scene.&#8221;
<blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6tXdbhhYbH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14">
<div style="padding: 16px;">
&nbsp;
<div style="flex-direction: row; align-items: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div>
<div style="flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div>
<div style="height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div>
<div style="padding-top: 8px;">
<div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div>
</div>
<div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div>
<div style="flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;">
<div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px;"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 8px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent;"></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-left: auto;">
<div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px;"></div>
<div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent;"></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;">
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div>
<div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div>
</div>
&nbsp;
<a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6tXdbhhYbH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Alison Eastwood (@alison.e.wood)</a>
</div>
</blockquote>
&#8220;I&#8217;m glad they did because it was a very magical upbringing,&#8221; the star continued.  &#8220;We lived surrounded by the forest where we had baby deer, raccoons – all sorts of wildlife. And we were right on the ocean. My brother and I would just go outside and enjoy nature. I think that&#8217;s why I love animals and nature so much because I grew up in that kind of environment. It&#8217;s hard not to appreciate it on a very deep level.&#8221;
The daughter of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/clint-eastwood-offers-surprising-support-for-this-2020-candidate">famed Hollywood legend</a> ended up following in her father&#8217;s footsteps. Alison said he never &#8220;encouraged&#8221; her to pursue acting as a career, but was very supportive when she told him she was going to give it a shot.
&#8220;He [Eastwood] just simply told us that we could do whatever we wanted as long as it made us happy,&#8221; the &#8220;Absolute Power&#8221; star shared. &#8220;At first, I wanted to be a veterinarian, but when I reached high school, I was told I had to go to college for eight years.&#8221;
&#8220;At the time, I didn&#8217;t want to do that,&#8221; she added. &#8220;So I ended up getting into the film world, not just with acting, but also working behind the scenes. My dad would simply say, &#8216;If this makes you happy, go for it.'&#8221;
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/matthew-mcconaugheys-wife-opens-up-on-their-decision-to-leave-malibu-for-a-life-that-embodies-their-belief-system-in-texas">Matthew McConaughey&#8217;s Wife Opens Up On Their Decision To Leave Malibu For A Life That &#8216;Embodies&#8217; Their &#8216;Belief System&#8217; In Texas</a>

Alison Eastwood, Clint Eastwood-2

Clint Eastwood’s Daughter Talks About Her Parents’ Decision To ‘Raise’ Children Outside ‘Of The Hollywood Scene’

Clint Eastwood’s Daughter Talks About Parents Decision To ‘Raise’ Children Outside ‘Of The Hollywood Scene’

Parenting

No conservative critic wants to admit that any Clint Eastwood film is less than great. Especially when it’s a film like “Cry Macho” whose strong, stoic lead implicitly thumbs his nose at notions like “toxic masculinity” while still acknowledging the tough guy cliché can be a burden when you no longer fit the mold.
In 1980, ranch boss Howard (Dwight Yoakum) calls in a favor from washed up bull-rider Mike Milo (Eastwood). He wants him to retrieve his wild 13-year-old son from the boy’s mother in Mexico City. When Mike arrives south of the border, he discovers that young Rafo (Eduardo Minett) has fled his glamorous drunk of a custodial parent and is instead living on the streets, making a living cockfighting with his rooster, Macho.
Having suffered at the hands of mom’s many boyfriends, Rafo has learned not to trust men. He’s willing to give Mike a chance, though, because Mike’s a real cowboy and has the cynical, world-weary squint to prove it.
As they wind along dusty roads, headed for the promised land of Texas, the pair form a cautious bond. Their trust in one another becomes all the more vital once Rafo’s madre decides she isn’t so willing to let him go after all and sends the police and a hired henchman after him.
On the face of it, Mike and Milo&#8217;s father-son-style relating while evading Federales and gangsters should be the high points of the film. Instead, it all falls awkwardly flat, not least because both Eastwood and his young co-star are off their acting games. Their dialogue, already too on-the-nose for believability, is delivered with all nuance and depth of a high school play. But the story also struggles to hold attention because, in the immortal words of Danny Glover in “Lethal Weapon,” Eastwood may simply be getting too old for this stuff.
At 91, he is still eminently capable of masterful work, as we saw with his direction of 2019’s “Richard Jewell” and his performance in 2018’s “The Mule.” But he can no longer do all things. And believing that a nonagenarian is capable of punching out a thug half his age, attracting a woman a third of his age, and breaking a wild mustang a bare fraction of his age requires too much suspension of disbelief.
Thankfully, at the midpoint, the story arrives in a place that illustrates the more authentic charisma Eastwood has developed at this stage of his career — the kind that understands that in a field of monosyllabic race car drivers and roided-out superheroes, the most manly attribute one can display is quiet capability. Not beating people up, but fixing old machinery and winning over wary strangers with years of hard-earned wisdom.
In a tiny cantina in a backwater pueblo, Mike meets a widowed señora who understands that it isn’t good for women to be alone any more than men. With their slow, chaste courtship, Mike’s journey takes a surprisingly romantic and lovely turn.
That may not be the tale that audiences signed up for with “Cry Macho,” but it&#8217;s the one part of the film they’ll be glad they saw.
The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

rev-1-CM-06412-CFr_High_Res_JPEG

‘Macho’ Fails To Move

The 1980s will always be associated with President Ronald Reagan, and for very good reason. It was “morning in America” again, a time when optimism roared back after President Jimmy Carter’s patented “malaise.” Pop culture often reflected that spirit, brimming with muscular heroes who saved the day without handwringing.
Stallone. Willis. Schwarzenegger. Van Damme. Norris.
The era also featured pop culture characters who embodied, in one shape or another, the decade’s conservative mien. Some thrived on the small screen. Others made their mark (and their day) on theaters nationwide.
Here are ten characters who left an indelible mark on the culture, and did so while embracing smaller government and the American Dream. They weren’t all heroes, though, but each captured a component of conservatism in engaging ways.
1. ​Alex P. Keaton
The minds behind the NBC sitcom “Family Ties” created the character as the perfect foil for his hippie parents. Michael J. Fox upended those plans, much to the producers’ delight. Yes, Alex didn’t win every battle with progressive Ma and Pa, but he became the show’s breakout star. Fox’s swift wit and indefatigable spirit left even liberal viewers laughing with, not at, the character.
Liberal Slate noted how Fox “made conservatism seem at once upstanding and rebellious.”
<div id="attachment_132597" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-132597" class="wp-image-132597" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Family-Ties-883x576.jpg" alt="FAMILY TIES -- 'Be True to your Preschool' Episode 1 -- Pictured: (l-r) Justine Bateman as Mallory Keaton, Michael J. Fox as Alex P. Keaton, Marc Price as Erwin 'Skippy' Handleman -- Photo by: Ron Tom/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank" width="800" height="522" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/Family-Ties-883x576.jpg 883w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/Family-Ties-300x196.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/Family-Ties-768x501.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/Family-Ties.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Ron Tom/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images</div>
2. Thornton Melon
Rodney Dangerfield proved an unlikely conservative hero in the 1986 comedy &#8220;Back to School.&#8221; The film’s focus stuck to the ultimate sight gag – the gray, out of shape stand-up acting like a college freshman.
Thornton Melon delivered more than killer one-liners. He was a self-made man who built his small business into an empire of “Big and Fat” stores. He hoped his son Jason (Keith Gordon) would follow in his footsteps, but with a twist. Thornton’s immigrant parents bemoaned his academic failures, and he didn’t want Jason to repeat those mistakes.
It’s why he “bribed” his way into college and, later, caused comic chaos in the grand Dangerfield tradition.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Back to School Official Trailer #1 - Burt Young Movie (1986) HD" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bnvwN8yntok?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
3. “Dirty” Harry Callahan
Clint Eastwood’s rule-smashing cop stormed box offices during the 1970s, drawing shrieks from liberal film critics like Pauline Kael. She called Eastwood’s no-nonsense cop a fascist, and worse. Audiences ignored her pleas, turning Dirty Harry into a cultural force alongside Charles Bronson’s “Death Wish” anti-hero.
“Dirty Harry” spawned four sequels, pushing the character’s story deep into the Reagan era. In fact, Dirty Harry’s most famous line came from the 1983 film “Sudden Impact.”
“Go ahead … make my day.” Does that sound like a progressive’s approach to crime?
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Sudden Impact - Theatrical Trailer" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8AnAgwxJk0Y?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
4. John McClane
Bruce Willis’ character smoked, cracked wise and saved hundreds of lives after terrorists commandeered Nakatomi Plaza in 1989’s “Die Hard.” The character’s blue collar bona fides, from his tattered undershirt to his quest to reunite with his feminist bride, are unquestionable.
His self-given nickname? “Roy,” as in Roy Rogers. He spouted western catchphrases and proved more heroic than his estranged wife’s beta co-workers.
The only thing conservatives argue about “Die Hard” now is whether it’s an official Christmas movie or not.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Die Hard (1988) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jaJuwKCmJbY?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
5. George Jefferson
The patriarch of the beloved long-running sitcom &#8220;The Jeffersons&#8221; (1975-1985) is another example of the American dream in action.
Jefferson, played with panache by Sherman Hemsley, used an insurance settlement to fund his own business, one that eventually led him to a “deee-lux apartment in the sky.”
The show, as well as the characters, explored race and class far more than politics. “The Jeffersons” sprang to life after successful appearances on “All in the Family,” including a 1974 episode where George ran for local office on the Republican ticket.
<div id="attachment_132600" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-132600" class="wp-image-132600" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/The-Jeffersons-752x576.jpg" alt="The cast of the TV sitcom 'The Jeffersons' (L-R Berlinda Tolbert, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford, Franklin Cover, Roxie Roker and Marla Gibbs (seated)) circa 1977 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)" width="800" height="613" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/The-Jeffersons-752x576.jpg 752w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/The-Jeffersons-300x230.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/The-Jeffersons-768x588.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/The-Jeffersons.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images</div>
6. Gordon Gekko
The man who proclaimed, “Greed is good” gave 1987’s “Wall Street” its outsized villain. The role also delivered Michael Douglas his first and only Best Actor Oscar (to date).
Director Oliver Stone created Gordon Gekko to critique Wall Street excess, and he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. The slick hair. The suspenders. The take-no-prisoners attitude.
For better and worse the image stuck. Gekko didn’t put conservatism in a positive light, but you couldn’t take your eyes off him. It pained co-writer Stanley Weiser that some embraced the character as a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2008/10/wall-street-s-co-writer-on-gordon-gekko-the-man-and-the-misunderstood-legend">hero of sorts</a>, in the years following the film’s release.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Wall Street (1/5) Movie CLIP - The Art of War (1987) HD" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-TLCaDbBv_s?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
7. The “Ghostbusters”
Few films show the folly of government overreach quite like this 1984 comedy classic. There’s nothing political about Bill Murray flirting with Sigourney Weaver, or Harold Ramis tinkering with ghostly traps. Still, the quartet’s war against New York bureaucrats, and their self-determination, make them unofficial Libertarians at the very least.
That was <a href="https://www.polygon.com/2019/6/18/18682991/ghostbusters-original-reboot-sequel-director-ivan-reitman-interview">no accident</a>, according to the film’s director, Ivan Reitman.
“I’ve been sort of a Libertarian,” Reitman says. “I’m actually a double immigrant. Coming to Canada from Czechoslovakia and then immigrating to America from Canada did make me believe in the power of capitalism and the power of the intelligent individual which has been a theme from many of my films.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Ghostbusters (1984) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6hDkhw5Wkas?start=20&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
8. Rocky Balboa
The Italian Stallion’s 1976 debut proved Manna from Heaven for conservatives, especially coming in the wake of President Nixon’s calamitous fall. Sylvester Stallone’s unlikely hero stood toe-to-toe with the champ, capturing the American dream via a sweaty, if imperfect, metaphor. The star fashioned the character’s journey on Christian principles.
“This is a story of faith, integrity and victory. Jesus is the inspiration for anyone to go the distance,” <a href="https://www1.cbn.com/700club/sylvester-stallone-faith-integrity-and-rocky-balboa">commented</a> Stallone.
Rocky Balboa’s cinematic arc eventually took him to the Soviet Union in 1985 where he squared off against Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in “Rocky IV.” The brawler proved the Italian Stallion’s toughest foe, but the athlete stood for more than boxing greatness.
Drago fought for Mother Russia, and Rocky entered the ring wearing his old pal Apollo Creed’s red, white and blue trunks. Audiences responded by making it the highest grossing “Rocky” film to date.
Rocky didn’t win the Cold War. It took President Ronald Reagan to make that happen. However, Stallone’s most iconic character did all he could to rally conservatives stateside with his most patriotic effort to date.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Rocky IV Official Trailer #1 - Burt Young Movie (1985) HD" width="500" height="375" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mIE5HYkzvV0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
9. Arthur Fonzarelli
The coolest character on TV from 1974 to 1984 cared more about chicks than trickle-down economics. Still, when “Happy Days” got political on one combustible episode the key characters had to pick sides.
Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard) went with Adlai Stevenson, the well-spoken ‘50s Democrat. Why? Richie had a crush on a local girl who also supported the Democrat’s campaign.
Fonzie (Henry Winkler) threw his support behind the Republican in the race, incumbent Dwight D. Eisenhower. Why?
“Hey, he won the war for you, didn’t he?” Fonzie told the crowd. “If Ike loses, the Fonz is gonna be maaaaaad.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4DYmZJj_x8
10. Arthur Carlson
The “big guy” at “WKRP in Cincinnati” gave this workplace comedy its weekly villain, but the show’s writers afforded him his humanity along the way. Carlson, a former Marine, wasn’t a monster. He epitomized corporate buffoonery, no doubt, and he often seemed clueless compared to his underlings.
Gordon Jump’s character also believed in a higher power and often stood up for his motley crew of DJs and assorted talent.
The far-left AV Club breaks down a critical episode where Carlson comes up big in the battle for free expression. A Jerry Falwell type (Richard Paul) threatens to lead a boycott against the station for its so-called naughty playlist. Carlson was a man of faith, but he <a href="https://tv.avclub.com/10-episodes-of-screwball-hilarity-and-social-commentary-1798269228">stood up to the attacks</a> on his station’s behalf.
“But it’s Carlson—an uptight conservative who had disapproved of rock ’n’ roll since season one — who finds the moral courage to stand up for the station’s freedom of expression.”
<div id="attachment_132602" style="width: 810px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-132602" class="wp-image-132602" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/WKRP-873x576.jpg" alt="WKRP IN CINCINNATI featuring (from left) Richard Sanders (as Les Nessman); Frank Bonner (as Herb Tarlek); Gordon Jump (as Arthur Carlson, 'Big Guy'); Loni Anderson (as Jennifer Marlow), sitting on lap of: Howard Hesseman (as Johnny Caravella 'Dr. Johnny Fever'); Gary Sandy (as Andy Travis); Tim Reid (as Gordon Sims, 'Venus Flytrap); and Jan Smithers (as Bailey Quarters). Image dated 1980. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images) " width="800" height="528" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/WKRP-873x576.jpg 873w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/WKRP-300x198.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/WKRP-768x507.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/07/WKRP.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />CBS via Getty Images</div>
More from Christian Toto: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/toto-7-leftist-hollywood-myths-that-need-a-serious-debunking">7 Leftist Hollywood Myths That Need A Serious Debunking</a>

Clint Eastwood in Sudden Impact

TOTO: 10 Unforgettable Conservative Characters From The ‘80s

Conservatism

Menu