TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA

US, 1970, 116 minutes, Colour.
Shirley Mac Laine, Clint Eastwood.
Directed by Don Siegel.

Two Mules for Sister Sarah was an early Hollywood film in Clint Eastwood’s career. After appearing on television and in supporting roles in Universal International features in the 50s, he became a celebrity when he went to Italy and made A Fistful of Dollars and A Few Dollars More. This was consolidated with The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. On his return to Hollywood in the late 60s he began to appear in a number of action adventures as well as westerns and his career never looked back. In 1970 he directed his first film, Play Misty For Me, and, after Woody Allen, has become the Hollywood actor with the most credits for direction – including two Oscars for Unforgiven and Million Dollar Baby.

Shirley Mac Laine was a strong screen personality of the 1950s and 1960s, appearing just prior to Two Mules for Sister Sarah as Sweet Charity. She was to win an Oscar in 1983 for Terms of Endearment.

The film was directed by Don Siegel who had a strong career with small-budget films in the 1950s and early 60s including The Line- Up, Edge of Eternity, Invasion of the Body Snatchers. He began to make tough police thrillers in the 1960s including Madigan and Coogan’s Bluff with Clint Eastwood. After Sister Sarah he went on to make The Beguiled and Dirty Harry with Clint Eastwood. One of his final films was the excellent John Wayne western, John Wayne’s last, The Shootist.

The film is set in the turbulent times of Mexico when the followers of Juarez wanted to get independence from France and the Emperor Maximilian III. Clint Eastwood portrays a reconnaissance scout who encounters a nun being molested by three men whom he dispatches. However, the nun, who is involved in espionage work, becomes more and more profane as the journey continues with cigars, whiskey and swearing. It emerges that she is a prostitute in disguise. However, it did give the opportunity, even momentarily, for Shirley Mac Laine to appear as a nun – even though very quickly she moves against the nun image.

1. How enjoyable a western was this? How was the film evidently designed for audience entertainment? How successful?

2. Was the film a good western? using the conventions of the western, how well? A good example of the American revolutionary type western?

3. The value of the use of colour, Mexican locations, Panavision, the distinctive musical score?

4. How important was the presence of the stars and their mystique? The attraction of Clint Eastwood and his silent hero? Shirley MacLaine? and her comedy style? Did they combine well for entertainment?

5. Audience response to the opening and the potential rape? The presence of Clint Eastwood as the silent hero? The surprise of Shirley MacLaine? as Sister Sara? How did this set the tone for the rest of the film, was it well followed up?

6. Whit kind of western hero was Hogan? Clint Eastwood's style, laconic, skills? His attitude towards the French and leading them off, his skill with the snake, getting the arrow out of his shoulder, blowing up the train. dealing with the Mexicans? His background and the Civil Wart causes and money? Was there insight into this kind of western hero?

7. His relationship with Sara? His respect, his restraint, depending on her, his support of her and vice versa? If she hadn’t been a nun, how would he have treated her?

8. The impact of Sara? Was the audience tricked? The humour of her swearing, smoking and drinking? Her presenting herself convincingly to Hogan as a nun? Sara as a revolutionary, the snake, her being rescued from the criminals, her use of the Cross with the Indians', following Hogan’s orders about the arrow, climbing the bridge for exploding, helping him shoot etc?

9. Insight into the real Sara or was her revelation as a prostitute too surprising and changing the tone of the film? Her role in the revolution?

10. How convincing was the revolution theme? The oppression of the Mexicans, the need for the revolution. the picturing, of the French, their violence etc?

11. How exciting was the siege of the garrison? The use of violence? Audience response to this?

12. How good an example of the violent western era was this? How skilfully made?