Clint Eastwood in the 1970s would be widely screened in France later and is considered one of Eastwood's finest works by the French. According to Eastwood and Lang, the film, aside from being poorly publicized, flopped due to Clint being "emasculated in the film". Eastwood said about his role: 1971 was a professional turning point in Eastwood's career. Before his professional financial adviser and president of Malpaso Productions Irving Leonard died, the last film they discussed was "Play Misty for Me". The goal was to give Eastwood the artistic control that he desired and make it his directorial debut. The rights to the song "Misty"
Clint Eastwood in the 1960s Leonard gave him a script to a new film, the American revisionist western "Hang 'Em High", a cross between "Rawhide" and Leone's westerns, written by Mel Goldberg and produced by Leonard Freeman. However, the William Morris Agency wanted him to star in a bigger picture, "Mackenna's Gold" with a cast of notable actors such as Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif and Telly Savalas. Eastwood did not approve, and preferred the script for "Hang 'Em High". He had one complaint, which he voiced to the producers, about the scene before the first hanging, where the hero is attacked by enemies. Eastwood believed