Line #64 Main/ClintSquint


1	[[quoteright:330:[[Film/{{Unforgiven}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Clint_Squint.jpg]]]]
2	[[caption-width-right:330: [[Film/SuddenImpact Go ahead, make his day.]]]]
3
4	->''"Eyes closed by the sun, yet sharp as a hawk."''
5	-->-- '''Mr. Fabian''' about '''Wyatt Earp''', ''Film/{{Tombstone}}''
6
7	Every once in a while actors think that they have to scrunch up their eyes while being on screen. Reasons for that are manifold, though it most commonly seems to be a way of increasing the badass level of the character they are playing. Squeezing your eyes together works like a focusing mechanism for the DeathGlare. However, some actors seem to think of the Clint Squint as some sort of cheap way to add depth to a character (which is, of course, destined to fail).
8
9	In animation, where facial expressions are often either very broad or completely absent, a stoic character's choice of expressions can be basically limited to this (as everything else is either too emotionally open, or too subtle to convey).
10
11	Other reasons for squinting include:
12
13	* Filming a movie or tv-series in really bright surroundings, like deserts.[[note]]Possibly another reason for Clint's original squint, because the ''Film/DollarsTrilogy'' that made him badass was shot in South Spain, often in the deserts. In fact, Clint has mentioned in multiple interviews over the years that the squint started simply because he is very sensitive to direct light and tobacco smoke.[[/note]]
14	* {{Large Ham}}s who like [[ChewingTheScenery exaggerated facial expressions]].
15	* For whatever reason, the actor is not wearing their glasses, and is BlindWithoutEm. Such is the case for Creator/ChristopherLambert.
16
17	The trope is named for Creator/ClintEastwood, and is a common facial expression of any [[TheExpyWithNoName parody of his famous role, the Man with No Name]]. See also the PerpetualFrowner. For this trope's logical extreme, see EyesAlwaysShut.
18	----
19	!!Examples
20
21	[[foldercontrol]]
22
23	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
24	%%* Saeko Busujima from ''Manga/HighschoolOfTheDead''.
25	%%* Seraphim from ''Literature/IsThisAZombie''
26	%%%* Admiral Akainu from ''Manga/OnePiece''.
27	* SubvertedTrope in ''Manga/CaseClosed'': An elementary school teacher had such a squint, but he just happened to forget his glasses that day.
28	* If a character in a Creator/MasatoshiKawahara work is a BigGuy with a LanternJawOfJustice, beard, and Clint Squint, you can be sure that person is a badass (and will very often be TheLancer to the main character, if he is not TheHeavy for the antagonists).
29	[[/folder]]
30
31	[[folder:Comic Books]]
32	* Creator/AlexRoss tends to draw and paint Franchise/{{Superman}} with a Clint Squint. He also had one in the old 1940's Creator/MaxAndDaveFleischer also tended to give him a Clint Squint in the 1940's WesternAnimation/SupermanTheatricalCartoons, and his [[Franchise/DCAnimatedUniverse DCAU appearance]] tends to be drawn like this in tribute to the Fleischer cartoons.
33	* A major part of Creator/RobLiefeld's art. So major, in fact, that it's surprising to see characters who actually have eyes.
34	* Vasco, the main character in Javier de Isusi's comic book ''The Pipe of Marcos'', does display different kinds of expressions, but a large majority are squints. Come to think of it, he's hardly the only one in that comic to do that.
35	* In issue #25 of ''[[ComicBook/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicIDW My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic]]'', Applejack does this when she resolves to get back at Cattle Rustlers that are threatening a family's western farm.
36	* In ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo'' the main character occasionally is drawn with squinted dots for eyes rather than his usual half-circles, giving an impression of a ClintSquint.
37	[[/folder]]
38
39
40	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
41	* In one ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' comic strip, Garfield is taken aback when John seems to have gotten something in his eyes. "I'm squinting! All macho guys squint!" He then promptly walks into a doorframe in the next panel.
42	* {{Lampshaded}} in ''ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}}'': Upon meeting Creator/ClintEastwood back when he was running for mayor of Carmel, Ca., Lacey Davenport tells him "Don't squint so much, dear, you'll end up with goose feet."
43	[[/folder]]
44
45	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
46	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}}'': Lady Tremaine does this when she watches Cinderella waltzing and humming to herself in response to the news that the Prince will marry the girl who fits the glass slipper, realizing that Cinderella was the mystery girl who danced with the Prince at the ball the previous night.
47	* Randall Boggs from ''Westernanimation/MonstersInc1'' has this look by default, scrunching his eyes further when angry or for intimidation. Prequel ''WesternAnimation/MonstersUniversity'' implies this is [[BlindWithoutEm a side effect of Randall stopping wearing prescription glasses]].
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Films -- Live Action]]
51	* TropeNamer is Creator/ClintEastwood, who frequently squinted while playing his iconic western roles. Eastwood said he only did it because the cigars his character smoked bugged his eyes, and he was allergic to horses. He's also said his eyes are sensitive to bright light.
52	* Deconstructed in ''Film/{{Unforgiven}}''. [[TheGunfighterWannabe The Schofield Kid]] tries this, but it just makes him look silly. [[spoiler:It later turns out the kid's got astigmatism and can't see for shit, which is why he squints.]]
53	* Parodied in ''Film/BackToTheFuturePartIII'' where Marty [=McFly=] uses Creator/ClintEastwood's name as well as his squint.
54	* Also referenced in ''Film/FerrisBuellersDayOff'', when an angry diatribe by [[DeanBitterman Ed Rooney]] impresses his secretary Grace, who claims he sounded like Film/DirtyHarry. Ed follows up with the squint.
55	* Creator/LeeVanCleef often wore a [[DeathGlare perpetual sneer]] when playing movie villains, which involved a steely-eyed squint.
56	* Creator/CharlesBronson, perhaps aided by his naturally narrow eyes due to Tatar ancestry.
57	* Italian actor Creator/BudSpencer always did this. He had sight problems that made it hard for him to get things in focus even at short range when ''not'' squinting. Later he recovered some sight through surgery, and subsequently squinted a lot less.
58	* ''Film/BurnAfterReading'': Creator/BradPitt's character Chad tries to give Osbourne Cox one when they first meet. He [[FailedAttemptAtDrama fails hilariously]].
59	* In a non-biological sense, the "T-shape" made by the squinting eyes and nose of this trope (plus the other SpaghettiWestern tropes embodied in it) supposedly inspired the T-shaped visor of bounty hunter Boba Fett in ''Franchise/StarWars'', since his film debut in ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack''. Naturally, since the expansion of the lore behind Fett's background, this has come to characterize every Mandalorian that has come to life in the franchise since.
60	[[/folder]]
61
62	[[folder:Literature]]
63	* [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] at one point in ''Literature/TheRestaurantAtTheEndOfTheUniverse'', with the LemonyNarrator wondering why looking like you have trouble seeing is supposed to seem threatening.
64	[[/folder]]
65
66	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
67	* Captain Archer of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' fame did this to an extent that made you want to write "insert coins here" on his (barely recognizable) eyelids.
68	* One episode of ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'' had Observer doing this while ''saying'' [[CallingYourAttacks "Chilly Squint!"]] threateningly.
69	* The titular ''Series/WalkerTexasRanger'' would get one at least OnceAnEpisode -- usually complete with dramatic close up and ThemeMusicPowerUp.
70	* Parodied by UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush in ''Late Night With'' Creator/ConanOBrien with the "Live Via Satellite" skits.
71	-->Squint, please (Bush squints). Bring it on! (theme from ''Film/TheGoodTheBadAndTheUgly'' plays)
72	* British actor Creator/KevinStoney alternated between this and what appeared to be EyesAlwaysShut but sometimes it appeared more as if he were simply looking down at his feet.
73	* ''Series/BurnNotice'': Michael Westen. Justified, as the series takes place and is filmed in sunny Miami.
74	* The MonsterOfTheWeek and the Winchester's public defender use this expression in the episode [[Recap/SupernaturalS02E19FolsomPrisonBlues "Folsom Prison Blues" (S02, Ep19)]] of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}''.
75	* The titular protagonist of ''WebVideo/{{Decker}}'' seems to have this as his ''default'' expression. Totally PlayedForLaughs, as the show is lampooning action series and Decker's dopey expression is meant to come off as him reacting to something in dramatic shock.
76	* An episode of ''[[Series/LastManStanding2011 Last Man Standing]]'' ends with Mike giving Ryan one of these after the latter insults Westerns.
77	[[/folder]]
78
79	[[folder:Video Games]]
80	* During [[KnightErrant Samara's]] [[AFriendInNeed loyalty mission]] in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', Shepard can use the Clint Squint to intimidate a ''[[ProudWarriorRaceGuy krogan]]''. It works rather well.
81	** Likewise, when we finally get to meet [[SupportingLeader Admiral Hackett]] face-to-face, this seems to be the default state of his eyes.
82	* This is the only look Jimmy Hopkins of ''VideoGame/{{Bully}}'' ever wears on his face.
83	* VideoGame/EccoTheDolphin tends to employ these as a non-verbal cue that he's saying "LetsGetDangerous" during CG cutscenes in the second game, ''Tides of Time''.
84	* VideoGame/MaxPayne in the first game of the series, but only when he is shooting (when he is not, his face is relaxed). This is, however, his most famous look because it's the most common in action screenshots.
85	* Cole Cassidy of ''VideoGame/{{Overwatch}}'' usually has this expression - which makes sense, as he's based on [[Film/AFistfulOfDollars the Man with No Name]].
86	* Wendy Oldbag in the ''Franchise/AceAttorney'' games has a very pronounced squint in her eyes where they would be a case of EyesAlwaysShut if she squinted any further. The only time her eyes are wide open is if she is angry, shocked, or lovestruck when seeing Edgeworth.
87	* Colonel Campbell in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' has a pronounced squint and it becomes more apparent in ''VIdeoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' due to his older age.
88	* Being based on the TropeNamer, [[Film/DirtyHarry Dirty Brory]] from ''VideoGame/{{BroForce}}'' is depicted with his eyes basically shut.
89	[[/folder]]
90
91	[[folder:Web Comics]]
92	* In [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2010-09-15 This]] ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' comic, George uses this sort of squint to both demonstrate his disdain for Elliot, and attempt to intimidate him. The author discusses this trope in the commentary. He claims that Creator/ClintEastwood copyrighted it, and that when anyone else uses it, they have to pay him ''Film/AFistfulOfDollars''.
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	[[folder:Western Animation]]
96	* In ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheAnimatedSeries,'' Batman is extremely stoic and hard to surprise. When in costume, nearly his only way to react to ''anything'' is narrowing his eyes.
97	** In an episode of ''WesternAnimation/JusticeLeague Unlimited'' Amanda Waller calls him "Rich-boy", implying that she knows his identity, and the only response he makes is to ''widen'' his eyes.
98	** The very first time you see him in the Animated series, his very first action, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEx9r5enZsk is to squint]](0:36).
99	* Batman's protege ComicBook/{{Nightwing}} [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE2CpwAuO8k makes a similar squint]] in ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice2010'', when [[spoiler:he's enraged at the Blue Beetle seemingly allying himself with the Reach.]]
100	* WesternAnimation/SamuraiJack does this. ALL the time.
101	* Vendetta in ''WesternAnimation/MakingFiends'' often squints her eyes to emphasize what she's saying.
102	* Doc of ''WesternAnimation/TheLandBeforeTimeVITheSecretOfSaurusRock'' is rarely seen without one, just like the actor he's a clear {{Expy}} of.
103	* ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'': In "Cor! What A Picture," Baron Greenback obtains a set of photos of Penfold from a photo booth with which he plans to manipulate. One of the photos has Penfold doing a Clint Squint, and Greenback asks "How did Creator/ClintEastwood get in here?"
104	* In the ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' episode "[[Recap/AmericanDadS2E16TearsofaClooney Tears of a Clooney]]", Francine criticizes Creator/GeorgeClooney for always tilting his head down, then raising it back up while doing a squint. [[BrickJoke Sure enough]], we later see him doing it while shooting a movie.
105	* In ''WesternAnimation/GravityFalls'', the in-universe Western character, Grandpa the Kid, uses this.
106	--> '''Grandpa:''' ''I'm tired during the day.''
107	[[/folder]]
108

Context Main / ClintSquint