I never knew (as Dorn points out) that this was based on a novel. I always saw it as a hybrid of Shane and High Plains Drifter. A decent film with some memorable (funny) lines, but not representative of Clint's best work.

    You guys probably never read the book. It is a far deeper movie than just injustice and vengence. It is also a movie about redemption. Eastwood's character the preacher was dead and he was sent back to protect these people as a chance to redeem himself. The man that killed him the marshal was far more evil than the preacher and God sent the preacher as the angel of death to terminate the marshal. In doing so he redeemed himself.

Very interesting premise under the surface but I think you have to read the book to get all this the movie just sort of hints at it. Great movie though.

Reasonably good remake of Shane.  Not the top of Eastwood's form, but worth watching.

For a few years, I didn't think much of Pale Rider. Looking at it now, I find it a worthy addition to Eastwood's canon of films. A quiet character study that asks the audience to be patient, Pale Rider makes us think about issues of justice and vengeance. Good but not great work for this director.