Clint Eastwood, A Living Legend
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Clint Eastwood, A Living Legend
Icône du western classique des années 60 et 70, anti-héros du Western spaghetti, transformé entre
autres en un flic inflexible aux méthodes expéditives pour enfin incarner des héros fatigués et
désespérés, Clint Eastwood est à l’évidence un artiste aux multiples facettes. Son abondante
filmographie illustre la variété de ses œuvres et à travers elles ses propres questionnements.
Cette séquence se propose d’explorer l’œuvre du réalisateur au travers de quatre films qui ont fait
date dans sa carrière : The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966), Dirty Harry (1971), Unforgiven (1992),
Million Dollar Baby (2004). Outre son intérêt culturel (mieux connaître un grand réalisateur américain)
l’objectif est celui d’apprendre aux élèves à analyser un cinéma d’auteur grâce à la mise en
perspective de ses œuvres. D’un point de vue linguistique, l’expression de la comparaison, de la
similitude et du contraste ainsi que le lexique de la violence seront utilisés pour les aider à exprimer
leurs analyses.
Cette séquence s’adresse à des élèves d’un niveau plutôt avancé (B2/C1) compte tenu des pré-requis
(pratique du film en V.O, entraînement régulier à l’analyse) et des ambitions affichées, en l’occurrence
celle de réfléchir à la représentation de la violence au cinéma.
Tâche finale: Dans le cadre d'une conférence organisée par les responsables d'une cinémathèque,
les élèves élaborent une réflexion commune autour de la filmographie de Clint Eastwood.
Production orale générale
Niveau B2
Monologue suivi: argumenter
“Peut méthodiquement développer une présentation ou une description soulignant les points
importants et les détails pertinents.
Peut faire une description et une présentation détaillées sur une gamme étendue de sujets relatifs à
son domaine d’intérêt en développant et justifiant les idées par des points secondaires et des
exemples pertinents. “
Réunion formelle:
« Peut suivre une conversation animée, en identifiant avec exactitude les arguments qui soutiennent
et opposent les points de vue.
Peut exposer ses idées et ses opinions et argumenter avec conviction sur des sujets complexes et
réagir de même aux arguments d’autrui.
Peut participer activement à des discussions formelles habituelles ou non.
Peut suivre une discussion sur des sujets relatifs à son domaine et comprendre dans le détail les
points mis en évidence par le locuteur.
Peut exprimer, justifier et défendre son opinion, évaluer d’autres propositions ainsi que répondre à des
hypothèses et en faire. »
Serge Vizzini 1
Lycée des Arènes, Toulouse
IUFM de Toulouse
Mise en œuvre possible :
Séance 1 :
I Anticipation. (Classe entière)
Affiches de film :
- Clint Eastwood : Actor? Or Actor-Director?
- Genre? How much do you know about the film?
- Imagine who Clint Eastwood may be cast as/what role he may have in the film.
Références (images):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_good_the_bad_and_the_ugly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Harry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unforgiven
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million_Dollar_Baby
II Tâches : Travail de groupe
1) Chaque groupe visionne le film qui lui est proposé en tenant compte des pistes de réflexion
suivantes :
Serge Vizzini 2
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IUFM de Toulouse
a) What role does Clint Eastwood perform?
b) List elements associated with moral questions.
c) List elements associated with violence.
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
a) Clint Eastwood plays the part of the classical cow-boy who fears nothing, is a good shot
and does good when the others act badly.
b) The title: good versus bad. Greed (money is at the core of the conflicts)
c) The genre: western. A violent society in which people get shot easily for money. War (The
Civil War). Fighting scenes.
DIRTY HARRY
a) Clint Eastwood plays the fearless cop ready to save lives at all costs.
b) The killer stands for evil (his way of murdering people is horrifying. He is also greedy(he
kills for money). The police officer stands for good although his methods are sometimes
merciless.
c) San Francisco: a violent city (shootings, attempted suicides, bashing and mugging,
kidnappings…
UNFORGIVEN
a) Clint Eastwood plays the retired cow-boy who tries to forget his past as a fearsome gun.
b) The title raises the question of forgiveness (throughout the film, the protagonist sounds
regretful).
c) The genre: western. Cutting (the prostitute), bashing (the duke), whipping (Ned),
shootings…
MILLION DOLLAR BABY
a) Clint Eastwood is cast as an experienced box trainer.
b) Euthanasia. Injection of an overdose of adrenaline. Religion.
c) The world of boxing. Social relationships (Maggie’s family). Paralysis.
d) Une brève introduction au film (titre, genre, auteur, acteurs, date) est élaborée sous forme de
notes. Les informations sont accessibles sur le site http://www.imdb.com
e) Le groupe complète un synopsis (préalablement tronqué sous forme d’exercice lacunaire) qui
sert de point de départ à un résumé oral destiné à la classe.
f) Le groupe compare ses réponses au texte original.
Complete the plot summary: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1966)
The Good is Blondie, a wandering gunman with a strong personal sense of honor. The Bad is
Angel Eyes, a sadistic hitman who always hits his mark. The Ugly is Tuco, a Mexican bandit who's
always only looking out for himself. Against the backdrop of the Civil War, they search for a
fortune in gold buried in a graveyard. Each knows only a portion of the gold's exact location, so for
the moment they're dependent on each other. However, none are particularly inclined to share...
Check your answers in:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060196/plotsummary
Complete the plot summary: DIRTY HARRY (1971)
It's all in a day's work for Dirty Harry, a plainclothesman with the San Francisco police and for his
new partner, Chico. A bank robbery and an attempted suicide form the prelude to the main event:
catching a skilful sniper who is murdering the innocent while holding a city to ransom. Catching
him becomes a war between good and evil - with the protagonists on both sides shown as
ruthless, bitter and merciless products of a violent society.
Check your answers in:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066999/plotsummary
Serge Vizzini 3
Lycée des Arènes, Toulouse
IUFM de Toulouse
Complete the plot summary: UNFORGIVEN (1992)
The town of Big Whisky is full of normal people trying to lead quiet lives. Cowboys try to make a
living. Sheriff 'Little Bill' tries to build a house and keep a heavy-handed order. The town whores
just try to get by. Then a couple of cowboys cut up a whore. Unsatisfied with Bill's justice, the
prostitutes put a bounty on the cowboys. The bounty attracts a young gun billing himself as 'The
Schofield Kid', and aging killer William Munny. Munny reformed for his young wife, and has been
raising crops and two children in peace. But his wife is gone. Farm life is hard. And Munny is no
good at it. So he calls his old partner Ned, saddles his ornery nag and rides off to kill one more
time, blurring the lines between heroism and villainy, man and myth.
Check your answers in:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105695/plotsummary
Complete the plot summary: MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004)
Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), a poor thirty-one year old waiter from the very lower classes
and with a dysfunctional loser family, decides to make a difference through the box. She
convinces the experienced hardened box trainer Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to coach her and
be her manager, with the support of his old partner Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris (Morgan Freeman),
who sees her potential as a boxer. Frankie has a problem of relationship with his daughter, and
practically adopts Maggie along her career.
Check your answers in:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405159/plotsummary
Séance 2 :
III Partage d’information et confrontation des réponses. (Classe entière).
- Travail en binôme : Préparation à la prise de parole : chaque élève sélectionne 10 mots-
clés du synopsis. A partir de ces mots-clés, il/elle doit résumer le film à un partenaire
qui ne l’aura pas déjà vu. Il/elle doit ensuite relire le résumé initial pour mieux
s’imprégner du lexique.
- Travail (classe entière) : chaque groupe présente le film qui lui a été assigné
a) Title, date and cast of each film:
o The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: released in1966, starring Lee Van Cleef and Eli
Wallach.
o Dirty Harry: released in 1971, starring Andrew Robinson.
o Unforgiven: released in 1992, starring Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman.
o Million Dollar Baby: released in 2004 and starring Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman.
b) Plot summary (see above)
- Interaction : les groupes croisent leurs analyses
c) Compare:
o The image of the cow-boy:
The cow-boy from the Spaghetti Western is already a twisted image of the classical hero.
His excesses turn him into a humorous hero. For instance, his impassiveness at all times
is funny. He stands for the good guy though he is ready to shoot without too many
uncertainties.
In Unforgiven, the cow-boy has retired. He has changed his ways thanks to his wife. He
has founded a family and raises pigs. He is a tired hero, regretful for his past and asking
Serge Vizzini 4
Lycée des Arènes, Toulouse
IUFM de Toulouseto be forgiven for it until circumstances oblige him to turn back into the hard edge gun he
used to be (hence the title). The cow-boy in this film is a tragic hero.
o The image of the tough guy:
The tough guy in Dirty Harry is unscrupulous when it comes to saving lives. His methods
are quick and objectionable. He defends a strict code of honour and shoots whenever it is
not respected. He stands for good against evil.
The box trainer in Million Dollar Baby is as secretive as Inspector Callahan but more
sensitive. Despite his repeated refusals to train her, he is finally moved by Maggie’s
obstinacy. The tough guy has lost his power and is helpless when Maggie is wounded. His
image has softened but it is one of disillusion and despair.
o The significance of violence:
In the selected four films violence prevails but its meaning is different each time. Only in
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly does violence have comic undertones. It is excessive
and dealt with in a non-realistic way which makes it an element of satire, especially when
the Civil War is the historical background of the story. In its own way violence is being
denounced through laughter.
In Unforgiven violence is depicted in a realistic way and thus deplored and denounced.
The overwhelmingly brutal society in which women live obliges them to resort to it as a
means to survive. But violence brings about more violence without actually solving the
crisis.
Violence in Dirty Harry is not truly glorified but shown as a lesser evil. Despite the orders
of his hierarchy it is the only way for Inspector Callahan do his job properly, which is to
track and arrest (destroy?) the serial-killer. Violence is often justified as a means to re-
establish order.
Violence is a means to earn a living in Million Dollar Baby. It is a sport and a life challenge
as the ring also stands for the daily battle for life and proves fatal to Maggie, a modern
tragic heroin.
Séance 3 :
IV Réflexion finale : (classe entière)
a) Parole en interaction : les élèves élaborent une réflexion commune
Now focus on Clint Eastwood’s screen persona:
List what attitude the character displays in each of the four films: laconic, helpless, disillusioned,
cynical?
List their differences: the righter of wrongs using violence as a means to restore order (The Good, the
Bad and the Ugly/Dirty Harry) versus the good-doer who acknowledges its disastrous consequences
(Unforgiven/Million Dollar Baby).
How can you account for such differences?
Such differences correspond to C. Eastwood’s two different stages in his career:
From the impassive Spaghetti Western hero to the regretful ex-Western hero.
From the hard edge police inspector to the sentimental box trainer.
Why can we say that Clint Eastwood is a multi-faceted artist?
Actor, film director, producer and even music composer.
Did not stick to his roles as the good cowboy (or the good-doer) like John Wayne.
As his career unfolds, Clint Eastwood/William Munny attempts to reflect upon his past (films).
b) Travail écrit :
On pourra inviter les élèves à visionner le dernier film de Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino) puis à rédiger
une analyse comparative à partir de thèmes communs tels la question du pardon, de la revanche, de
la solitude etc…
Serge Vizzini 5
Lycée des Arènes, Toulouse
IUFM de ToulouseANNEXE :
fiches directement utilisables en classe
Clint Eastwood, A Living Legend
I Group-work :
• After watching the film, write an introduction to the film (title, genre, film-director,
actors, date) in note-form. You can check http://www.imdb.com
• Complete the plot summary of your film.
Serge Vizzini 6
Lycée des Arènes, Toulouse
IUFM de ToulouseComplete the plot summary:
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY (1966)
The Good is Blondie, a wandering ……………………… with a strong personal sense of honor.
The Bad is Angel Eyes, a ……………………… hitman who always hits his mark. The Ugly is Tuco,
1
a Mexican ……………………… who's always only looking out for himself . Against the backdrop of
the ……………………… War, they ……………………… a fortune in gold buried in a
………………………. Each knows only a portion of the gold's exact location, so for the moment
they're dependent on each other. However, none are particularly inclined to ……………………….
Check your answers in:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060196/plotsummary
Complete the plot summary:
DIRTY HARRY (1971)
It's all in a day's work for Dirty Harry, a plainclothesman with the ………………………. police and
for his new partner, Chico. A bank ………………………. and an attempted ……………………….
form the prelude to the main event: catching a skilful ………………………. who is murdering the
2
innocent while holding a city to ransom . Catching him becomes a war between good and
………………………. - with the protagonists on both sides shown as ruthless, bitter and merciless
products of a ………………………. society.
Check your answers in:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066999/plotsummary
Complete the plot summary:
UNFORGIVEN (1992)
The town of ………………………. is full of normal people trying to lead quiet lives. Cowboys try to
make a living. Sheriff 'Little Bill' tries to build a house and keep a heavy-handed order. The town
3
whores just try to get by. Then a couple of cowboys ………………………. a whore. Unsatisfied
with Bill's justice, the prostitutes put a ………………………. on the cowboys. The
………………………. attracts a young ………………………. billing himself as 'The Schofield Kid',
and aging killer William Munny. Munny reformed for his young wife, and has been raising crops
and two children in peace. But his wife is gone. Farm life is hard. And Munny is no good at it. So
4 5
he calls his old partner ………………………., saddles his ornery nag , and rides off to
………………………. one more time, blurring the lines between heroism and villainy, man and
myth.
Check your answers in:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105695/plotsummary
Complete the plot summary: MILLION DOLLAR BABY (2004)
………………………. Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), a poor ………………………. years old waiter from
the very ………………………. classes and with a dysfunctional loser family, decides to make a
difference through the box. She convinces the experienced hardened box trainer
………………………. Dunn (Clint Eastwood) to coach her and be her ………………………., with
the support of his old partner Eddie Scrap-Iron Dupris (Morgan Freeman), who sees her potential
as a boxer. Frankie has a problem of relationship with his ………………………., and practically
adopts Maggie along her career.
Check your answers in:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405159/plotsummary
1
Taking care of oneself
2
Keep somebody as a prisoner
3
A female prostitute
4
Bad-tempered
5
Old horse (derogatory)
Serge Vizzini 7
Lycée des Arènes, Toulouse
IUFM de Toulouse• Answer the following questions :
- What role does Clint Eastwood perform?
- List elements associated with moral questions.
- List elements associated with violence.
• Now focus on Clint Eastwood’s screen persona:
- List what attitude the character displays in each of the four films
- List their differences:
- How can you account for such differences?
- Why can we say that Clint Eastwood is a multi-faceted artist?
• Watch another film by (or with) Clint Eastwood:
- What common themes did you find in the film you watched?
- What differences did you find?
Serge Vizzini 8
Lycée des Arènes, Toulouse
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