Clint Eastwood is. John McBurney, a Union sniper wounded in Rebel territory during the Civil War. He’s found by a young girl named Amelia and nursed back to health by the women in a boarding school run by Martha Farnsworth (Geraldine Page).
McBurney is held there as a prisoner of sorts. But as soon as he’s feeling better, he begins trying to manipulate the situation to his advantage. He lies about how he was shot, saying he was attempting to rescue a wounded Rebel officer. He tells the women he hates the destruction that has befallen the South, when he’s taken part in the burning of crops on local farms.
But most of all, he tries to manipulate the women in a more romantic way. He promises Martha’s black maid, Hallie, that he’ll help track down her “husband,” who was sold to someone else, if she’ll help him escape.
He sweets talks Edwina Dabney, a virginal school teacher with scant experience with men. He praises the beauty of Martha, who is looking for someone who can make her forget an incestuous love for her brother. And he winds up in the bed of Carol, a 17-year-old who promises him she’s much more worldly than her age would seem to indicate.
That indiscretion, coming after Edwina had fallen in love with him and coming as Martha waited for him to visit her bed, winds up costing McBurney his leg. He breaks it in a fall. Martha insists it must come off, or he could die a slow death from gangrene.
McBurney believes he’s being punished by a group of jealous women and decides it’s time to strike back.
Review:
You know you’re in for a different sort of Clint Eastwood film when, early on, the wounded John McBurney kisses 10-year-old Amelia (everyone calls her Amy) in order to keep her quiet as Rebel troops pass.
And different it is. Eastwood’s character might wind up being the victim of the piece, but he’s by no means a hero, trying his best to manipulate everyone around him in hopes of improving his chance of escaping the board school where he’s held prisoner.
In truth, he winds up sealing his own fate by arousing the women’s anger instead of their passions. The amputation and turtle scenes — you’ll have to watch to understand the latter — are particularly memorable. And Eastwood and company serve up a unique ending to their unique film.
This marked one of four films Eastwood made with Don Siegel. It was preceded by “Two Mules for Sister Sara” and followed by the much more successful “Dirty Harry.”
Of Eastwood’s young loves in this film, Elizabeth Hartman (Edwina) was plagued by depression and committed suicide in 1987. Jo Ann Harris appeared in a wide range of TV shows and did voice work on “The Simpsons” in the early 1990s..
Directed by:
Don Siegel
Cast:
Clint Eastwood … John McBurney
Geraldine Page … Martha Farnsworth
Elizabeth Hartman … Edwina Dabney
Jo Ann Harris … Carol
Darleen Carr … Doris
Mae Mercer … Hallie
Pamelyn Ferdin … Amelia
Melody Thomas Scott … Abigail
Peggy Drier … Lizzie
Patricia Mattick … Janie
Runtime: 105 min.
Memorable lines:
Amelia (Amy): “Are you dying, Mr. Yank?”
John McBurney: “Help me.”
Doris: “There’s only one way to tell if he’s a real Yank?”
2nd girl: “How’s that?”
Doris: “Take off his pants. Yanks have tails.”
Hallie; “Mr. Yankee, there was enough iron in your leg to shoe a horse.”
John McBurney, as Martha Farnsworth hammers shut the windows: “What’s happening?”
Hallie (the maid): “Sounds like maybe they’re making you a coffin.”
John McBurney, after Carol introduces herself with a kiss: “How old are you?”
Carol: “Seventeen. But I know a lot more than girls my age.”
McBurney: “I bet you do.”
Carol: “Gotta get back to (she kisses him again) Bible reading.”
McBurney: “Say a prayer for me.”
Carol, being flirty: “I would. But I have no idea what you want.”
Martha Farnsworth, as John McBurney recovers from the amputation: “Do you want some laudanum?”
John McBurney: “No thanks, kind lady! I’ll fall asleep, and then just by chance, you might cut off my… other leg.”
John McBurney, who Carol inquires about how he’s doing after “surgery:” I’ve just been thinking about all the advantages a one-legged man has. He saves on socks. He doesn’t have to worry about trimming as many toenails… fewer corns and bunions. I’ve even been contemplating asking her to cut off the other leg.”
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