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Clint Eastwood on directing "Jersey Boys"

The Hollywood legend spoke to CBS News' Ken Lombardi about adapting the hit Broadway musical
Clint Eastwood on why he directed "Jersey Boys" 02:22

Clint Eastwood is hoping to strike a chord at the multiplexes with the release of his latest film, "Jersey Boys."

The 84-year-old cinematic legend sat in the director's chair for this big screen adaptation of the long-running Broadway smash, which tells the rags-to-riches backstory of the 1960s doo-wop group The Four Seasons.

Eastwood's film career has spanned more than six decades, with much of his success thanks in part to his tough-guy roles as The Man with No Name and Dirty Harry. Eastwood's gritty persona may have made him one of the more unlikely candidates to helm a film about a bubblegum pop act, which is precisely one of the reasons why he took on the project.

"I thought of it as a story of four guys," Eastwood said. "Some of them leading towards a life of delinquence, but through music they become quite successful."

Eastwood, who has two best director Oscars under his belt for 1992's "Unforgiven" and 2004's "Million Dollar Baby," says he wanted to stay close to the source material when transferring the "Jersey Boys" story from stage to screen. Marhsall Brickman and Rick Elice, who received Tony Award nominations for writing the book for the "Jersey Boys" musical, also served as the film's screenwriters.

Watch the video above to see Eastwood discuss his very creative cameo in "Jersey Boys" and to hear the main leads -- John Lloyd Young and Vincent Piazza -- describe what it was like working with a Hollywood icon.

"Jersey Boys" is now playing in theaters.

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