High Plains Drifter (1973)

In Clint Eastwood's stark and unsettling 1973 Western, *High Plains Drifter*, a mysterious gunfighting stranger comes to the small, morally bankrupt mining settlement of Lago. After efficiently gunning down three thugs who unwisely attempt to ambush him, the cowardly townsfolk decide to hire the enigmatic Stranger to protect them from a trio of dangerous outlaws recently released from prison and riding towards Lago for a bloody revenge. However, the Stranger's methods prove to be far more unconventional and unsettling than the townsfolk could ever anticipate, as he begins to exert an almost supernatural control over their lives and demands they paint the entire town red in preparation for the outlaws' arrival. While outwardly a classic Western, *High Plains Drifter* profoundly earns its place on a "Best Mystery movies" list through its pervasive and unsettling exploration of identity, guilt, and the haunting specter of the past. The film's central enigma revolves entirely around the Stranger himself: who is he, where does he come from, and what is the true nature of his deep-seated, seemingly personal connection to Lago's dark history? Through cryptic clues, dreamlike sequences, and the Stranger's own spectral demeanor and uncanny knowledge of the town's secrets, the film slowly builds the chilling suggestion that he may not be entirely human, perhaps a ghost or an avenging spirit – a spectral manifestation of the town's collective sin. This psychological mystery culminates in the reveal of Lago's complicity in the brutal whipping and murder of their former sheriff, Duncan, transforming the narrative from a simple tale of survival into a compelling and deeply disturbing meditation on retribution and the inescapable weight of past transgressions.