Source: CCTV.com

04-10-2006 14:55

There are plans in Hollywood to make a movie depicting the 1937 Nanjing massacre. Movie producers are talking with Hollywood star Clint Eastwood, in hope that he'll take the lead. In today's "List", let's meet the man who earns his tough-guy reputation both in front and behind the camera.

It's a name you can't miss in movie land. He bolted to fame under the brim of a cowboy hat. As a successful actor, producer and director, Clint Eastwood has gained a stellar international reputation.

Eastwood was born into a San Francisco steel family in 1930. He worked as a lumberjack and gas station attendant before making his name. It was not until the mid-1950s that Eastwood went to Hollywood. His first few roles were merely walk-ons.

It was director Sergio Leone's Italian Trilogy that catapulted Eastwood to household name status: "A Fistful of Dollars" in 1964, "For a Few Dollars More" in '65, and "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" in '66.

The horse opera was a most popular genre in 1960s America. Eastwood's macho charm and characteristic look made him the prototypical western hero.

In 1992 Eastwood surprised movie buffs with "Unforgiven", which won him an Oscar for Best Director, and a nomination for Best Actor. He portrayed an aging cowboy with a young heart. "Unforgiven” is seen as a reflection of Eastwood's emotional life.

It seems that Eastwood can't escape the cowboy image. In 2000 he appeared in "Space Cowboy". The picture tells the story of four aging pilots assigned to outer space. Their mission is to prevent a satellite from crashing into earth. The picture brought together four senior Hollywood veterans. Clint Eastwood, who produced, directed and acted in "Space Cowboy", was the oldest of the four.

The 1995 movie "The Bridges of Madison County" unveils Eastwood's tender, sentimental side. An adaptation of the best-selling novel, its a bittersweet romance between a housewife and a photographer. Eastwood landed the lead role opposite Meryl Streep. He rendered the photographer's role perfectly to let Streep then jerk the tears. Some thought Eastwood had cast off the cowboy label in this film. But he still plays the rogue, this time with a camera instead of a gun.

2005 saw the release of the milestone "Million Dollar Baby". The film took home four Oscars last year, including Best Picture and Best Director for Eastwood. The story follows the struggles of Maggie Fitzgerald, a poor thirty-something waitress who decides to change her fate by boxing. She convinces experienced trainer Frankie Dunn, played by Eastwood himself, to coach her. Their lives are then woven together inextricably. Along Fitzgerald's road to success are many profound choices. Boxing movies are not easy for directors. But Eastwood rose to the challenge, proving his talent for subtlety.

Now 75, this legendary cowboy is enjoying a second coming. After crossing so many hills and valleys, Eastwood has set his sights on the highest possible peak.

 

Editor:Chen Zhuo