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A quirky and sneakily funny delight from the mid-'70s, this oddball comedy stars Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston as a pair of modern cattle rustlers who have targeted a local rancher--and then steal his herd one cow at a time. The rancher (Clifton James) can't figure out who's stealing his cows, so he hires an elderly detective (Slim Pickens) to solve the mystery. Directed by Frank Perry from a deliciously dry script by Thomas McGuane, the film offers a startlingly varied cast that includes Elizabeth Ashley, Harry Dean Stanton, and Richard Bright, with an engaging soundtrack by Jimmy Buffett (who also shows up in the film). Watch it just to find out who Bob Dog is. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Very Likeable 70's Movie
Two of the most likeable and enduring actors of the 1970's, Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston, teamed up for this 1975 gem. They play a pair of modern day, small-time cattle rustlers. The film is mostly a comedy and mostly a character study, although the plot is quite funny also. The rancher from whom they rustle cattle is quite befuddled and hires Slim Pickens to solve the case. This is the kind of overlooked 1970's movie that has become a bit of a cult classic but deserves greater recognition.

Bridges and Waterston also had roles in the disaster "Heaven's Gate," but fans of the actors would be much better off checking out "Rancho Deluxe." Fans of Jimmy Buffet should appreciate his music in the film; he also appears as a singer in a bar scene. This film is also the last good one from director Frank Perry. Before this movie, he directed "David and Lisa," "The Swimmer," and "Last Summer." He later bombed with duds such as "Hello Again" and "Mommie Dearest." A very good, enjoyable movie that 70's film buffs should check out.

Amazing, but you need a very dry sense of humor.
How can I describe this movie in a nut shell? Odd and dated but with a very good heart- and dry dry dry!

It is a pseudo-western, featuring actors who would now be too "good" for a small cultish movie like this one. Can you picture a Law & Order T.V. star in this?? This could be viewed as a great piece of 70's era B movie making with slumming A list actors. Or how about one of Jimmy Buffet's first appearances in popular culture- a must see for parrot heads!

Listen for the one liners from Cecil (Sam Waterson), they could definately enter into your movie quote lexicon. Also, if you know any cowboys, watch it with them and check out their reaction to Cecil's Father's monolouge about the disease of "pickup truck debt" for which there is still "no cure in sight".

Not likley to please everyone, this movie is for people with a twisted sense of humor but if you like stuff like Space Ghost you will love.

Ramblin' Around Big Sky
A quirky look at stereotypical (although not too far fetched) characters around Livingston, Bozeman and Paradise Valley before the onset of present day contemporary "Californication". Looking for a way to "keep awake", Jeff McKee (Jeff Bridges), a bored rich kid from the east who has run away from a looney girlfriend, and Cecil Colson (Sam Waterston), a local Indian drifter, take up together as chainsaw rustlers looking to make a few bucks to put down on their own spread, Rancho Deluxe. In the process, they prey upon a local cattle baron (Clifton James) and his flurtatious wife (Elizabeth Ashley), recent transplants with lots of loose cash and plans to be the next cattle king of Montana. After some steer tossing and bull-napping for beef and front money, the rustlers plan the big one with some inside help only to get knabbed in the end by the hired regulator (Slim Pickens) and his mischevious niece (Charlene Dallas).
Jimmy Buffett's lively score and the scenery (natural and man made) contributes to the mistique and rough edge of the wild good old times.
Rancho Deluxe struck a nerve of interest when it was initially released and the film reached cult status in Montana. The phenomena might be partially attributed to the perception many young Montanans had at the time of being rather disconnected from the rest of the country (not that that was necessarily a bad thing). The film helped open up Montana to Hollywood movie makers who soon followed to make Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (1974) and The Missouri Breaks (1977). Big Sky Country would never be the same, what a shame.

A Bad 70's "Western"
Encouraged by many positive reviews, I purchased this DVD for viewing at a "movie nite" with a group of friends. Unfortunately, the film was a great disappointment - one of the least entertaining films I have seen, and often painful to watch. Even Slim Pickins couldnt save this artifact of the 70's. None of us found this film funny, and it is perhaps the only film in recent memory that was so awful and dated that I found myself hoping it would just hurry up and end starting painfully early-on in the film. Viewed on a 10' home theater screen, the video quality was only fair at best. Audio quality is similary only fair, and despite my like of Jimmy Buffet, his music did not make this film more tolerable.

RENT IT
It is interesting for the first 45 minutes but after that the plot dies. I did enjoy watching it so I gave it a honest 3 stars but I don't want to watch it again. The ending ruined the movie for me. People totally overrated this movie so I bought it. I waisted my money but it was not a total loss. I made note of their names and I will never trust their judgement again because I know they are insipid. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Very Likeable 70's Movie
Two of the most likeable and enduring actors of the 1970's, Jeff Bridges and Sam Waterston, teamed up for this 1975 gem. They play a pair of modern day, small-time cattle rustlers. The film is mostly a comedy and mostly a character study, although the plot is quite funny also. The rancher from whom they rustle cattle is quite befuddled and hires Slim Pickens to solve the case. This is the kind of overlooked 1970's movie that has become a bit of a cult classic but deserves greater recognition.

Bridges and Waterston also had roles in the disaster "Heaven's Gate," but fans of the actors would be much better off checking out "Rancho Deluxe." Fans of Jimmy Buffet should appreciate his music in the film; he also appears as a singer in a bar scene. This film is also the last good one from director Frank Perry. Before this movie, he directed "David and Lisa," "The Swimmer," and "Last Summer." He later bombed with duds such as "Hello Again" and "Mommie Dearest." A very good, enjoyable movie that 70's film buffs should check out.

Amazing, but you need a very dry sense of humor.
How can I describe this movie in a nut shell? Odd and dated but with a very good heart- and dry dry dry!

It is a pseudo-western, featuring actors who would now be too "good" for a small cultish movie like this one. Can you picture a Law & Order T.V. star in this?? This could be viewed as a great piece of 70's era B movie making with slumming A list actors. Or how about one of Jimmy Buffet's first appearances in popular culture- a must see for parrot heads!

Listen for the one liners from Cecil (Sam Waterson), they could definately enter into your movie quote lexicon. Also, if you know any cowboys, watch it with them and check out their reaction to Cecil's Father's monolouge about the disease of "pickup truck debt" for which there is still "no cure in sight".

Not likley to please everyone, this movie is for people with a twisted sense of humor but if you like stuff like Space Ghost you will love.

Ramblin' Around Big Sky
A quirky look at stereotypical (although not too far fetched) characters around Livingston, Bozeman and Paradise Valley before the onset of present day contemporary "Californication". Looking for a way to "keep awake", Jeff McKee (Jeff Bridges), a bored rich kid from the east who has run away from a looney girlfriend, and Cecil Colson (Sam Waterston), a local Indian drifter, take up together as chainsaw rustlers looking to make a few bucks to put down on their own spread, Rancho Deluxe. In the process, they prey upon a local cattle baron (Clifton James) and his flurtatious wife (Elizabeth Ashley), recent transplants with lots of loose cash and plans to be the next cattle king of Montana. After some steer tossing and bull-napping for beef and front money, the rustlers plan the big one with some inside help only to get knabbed in the end by the hired regulator (Slim Pickens) and his mischevious niece (Charlene Dallas).
Jimmy Buffett's lively score and the scenery (natural and man made) contributes to the mistique and rough edge of the wild good old times.
Rancho Deluxe struck a nerve of interest when it was initially released and the film reached cult status in Montana. The phenomena might be partially attributed to the perception many young Montanans had at the time of being rather disconnected from the rest of the country (not that that was necessarily a bad thing). The film helped open up Montana to Hollywood movie makers who soon followed to make Thunderbolt & Lightfoot (1974) and The Missouri Breaks (1977). Big Sky Country would never be the same, what a shame.

A Bad 70's "Western"
Encouraged by many positive reviews, I purchased this DVD for viewing at a "movie nite" with a group of friends. Unfortunately, the film was a great disappointment - one of the least entertaining films I have seen, and often painful to watch. Even Slim Pickins couldnt save this artifact of the 70's. None of us found this film funny, and it is perhaps the only film in recent memory that was so awful and dated that I found myself hoping it would just hurry up and end starting painfully early-on in the film. Viewed on a 10' home theater screen, the video quality was only fair at best. Audio quality is similary only fair, and despite my like of Jimmy Buffet, his music did not make this film more tolerable.

RENT IT
It is interesting for the first 45 minutes but after that the plot dies. I did enjoy watching it so I gave it a honest 3 stars but I don't want to watch it again. The ending ruined the movie for me. People totally overrated this movie so I bought it. I waisted my money but it was not a total loss. I made note of their names and I will never trust their judgement again because I know they are insipid. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Insult to Injury
ON TOP of the 2 previous reviews about cut scenes,awkward edits ad nauseum of this classic movie, this VHS version is also SPED UP!! This is an outrage.Now the rocket scientists a UA feel that we should have a movie that we paid for shortened not only by edits but by speed.Cliff Gorman sounds like Mickey Mouse in some scenes.Even the ending was butchered.Why are these people in charge of production? I know the attention span of most Americans is about 5 minutes,however I want what I paid for!

Such a Shame...
This is one of my all-time favorite films. I waited years and years for it to come out in video, only to find out that the VHS version was the same version that had been unmercifully edited for commercial TV. I agree with the disappointment expressed by a previous reviewer, and can only hope that the complete version (with its exquisite ending) will be included if and when it comes out on DVD. That would be worth five stars to me!

Good Movie, Zilch Video
Two New York City cops have had enough of the 'system' and decide on a high level robbery. This theme is presented in a somewhat light hearted manner along with interesting photography of the work-a-day person life.
With the video (and current tv version) the story line is still there. But apparently the plodding nature of the film prompted cutting and editing by someone who had little sense of the feeling and flow of the movie. Many scenes have been awkwardly shortened, remixed or completely removed. Hopefully an original copy still exists on the premium cable channels.

Gone,Good Bye !
Remember New York before Starbucks,Donald Trump,24 year old millionaire traders and Disney at Times Square? I sure do. This film has excellent location filming and emits a wonderful male midlife crisis in full bloom.Sex and crime go together,so I'm told.If you are over 35 and remember the early 70's,wide ties and funk,get this movie and go back...It's better than here!However this is the SAME bad edited version that has been on cable recenly.Does MGM video watch the movies they release? NO.NO,NO! Movie 4 stars,Video 1 star.

Wonderful light humor in a story with surprising twists.
My wife and I saw this film in a theater 25 years ago without benefit of critical review and having never heard of the actors. We were pleasantly surprised. We found the quality of the acting, staging, and the seemingly happen-stance story line outstanding. The humor was natural rather than contrived. This was the first film I can remember seeing where the ending was not prescribed by the predictable standards of film making prior to that decade. Cops and Robbers is a film which includes light humor with suspense. I regard this movie as one of the best I have ever seen in this peculiar genera. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Insult to Injury
ON TOP of the 2 previous reviews about cut scenes,awkward edits ad nauseum of this classic movie, this VHS version is also SPED UP!! This is an outrage.Now the rocket scientists a UA feel that we should have a movie that we paid for shortened not only by edits but by speed.Cliff Gorman sounds like Mickey Mouse in some scenes.Even the ending was butchered.Why are these people in charge of production? I know the attention span of most Americans is about 5 minutes,however I want what I paid for!

Such a Shame...
This is one of my all-time favorite films. I waited years and years for it to come out in video, only to find out that the VHS version was the same version that had been unmercifully edited for commercial TV. I agree with the disappointment expressed by a previous reviewer, and can only hope that the complete version (with its exquisite ending) will be included if and when it comes out on DVD. That would be worth five stars to me!

Good Movie, Zilch Video
Two New York City cops have had enough of the 'system' and decide on a high level robbery. This theme is presented in a somewhat light hearted manner along with interesting photography of the work-a-day person life.
With the video (and current tv version) the story line is still there. But apparently the plodding nature of the film prompted cutting and editing by someone who had little sense of the feeling and flow of the movie. Many scenes have been awkwardly shortened, remixed or completely removed. Hopefully an original copy still exists on the premium cable channels.

Gone,Good Bye !
Remember New York before Starbucks,Donald Trump,24 year old millionaire traders and Disney at Times Square? I sure do. This film has excellent location filming and emits a wonderful male midlife crisis in full bloom.Sex and crime go together,so I'm told.If you are over 35 and remember the early 70's,wide ties and funk,get this movie and go back...It's better than here!However this is the SAME bad edited version that has been on cable recenly.Does MGM video watch the movies they release? NO.NO,NO! Movie 4 stars,Video 1 star.

Wonderful light humor in a story with surprising twists.
My wife and I saw this film in a theater 25 years ago without benefit of critical review and having never heard of the actors. We were pleasantly surprised. We found the quality of the acting, staging, and the seemingly happen-stance story line outstanding. The humor was natural rather than contrived. This was the first film I can remember seeing where the ending was not prescribed by the predictable standards of film making prior to that decade. Cops and Robbers is a film which includes light humor with suspense. I regard this movie as one of the best I have ever seen in this peculiar genera. ... Read more