Reviews (24)

A Most Accurate Depiction of the Civil War and the Old West
Hollywood couldn't make a movie like Josey Wales today. In an age of political correctness, sappy westerns, and revisionist history, I find this movie a refreshing break from modern "reality." It is a classic, and one of the few movies that I own and watch more than once.

The realistic representation, references to actual historical figures, interwoven irony, and tightly knit dialogue make this movie a pleasure even for those prone to analyzing small details.

I grew up in the South and still remember my grandparents describing life during the Civil War in much the same terms that Josey Wales experiences it. The vast majority of Southerners were dirt-poor farmers who had never even seen a plantation, much less owned slaves, and I can't help but regard The Outlaw Josey Wales as a cinematic vindication of the wrongs they suffered at the hands of looting and pillaging murderers like W.T. Sherman.

A couple of interesting side notes that will enrich your viewing of Josey Wales: Clint Eastwood's son in the movie is his son in real life; Lone Watie was a chief in real life; Sondra Lock went on to become Clint Eastwood's wife in real life.

Classic Eastwood, Classic Western, Classic Movie
In recent years, Clint Eastwood's "The Outlaw Josey Wales" has been elevated to a higher plain than it occupied when released in summer 1976. Praised by a handful of critics, the film did well at the box-office but really acquired a following through no less than six highly rated airings on NBC, ABC, and CBS. Now it's often considered Eastwood's finest hour as director and star, even surpassing his Oscar winning "Unforgiven" in some eyes. Among its fans was the late Orson Welles who praised it as one of the finest Westerns ever made, and praised Eastwood as a director worthy of notice long before it was fashionable to do so. In 1996, Eastwood's fifth film as a director was even recognized by the Library of Congress when it was added to the National Film Registry, that collection of films deemed historically, artistically, and/or sociologically important and deserving of protection from tampering by anyone but the original director.

At first glance, I found it overlong and meandering, enlivened only occasionally by some trademark Eastwood gunplay. But if it's a little short on the action for which Eastwood made his name, repeated viewings make it clear that there is much more happening beneath the surface. The Outlaw Josey Wales is very much a film about community and trying to find a place in one. Josey Wales is an outlaw only because he avenged the death of his family at the hands of murderous Union soldiers. Now a hunted man, this peaceful farmer is an Angel of Death wandering the west in search of vengeance but also a place to call home. Its scope is much bigger than the revenge tale at its center, and the film represents an important step in Eastwood's maturation as a director.

Beautifully photographed, splendidly acted (especially by John Vernon), and capably directed, "The Outlaw Josey Wales" is one of Eastwood's finest hours (although "Unforgiven" is superior in my book), and one of the finest hours for the western, as well.

"I RECKON SO."
LEAVE THE WINING 'UNFORGIVEN' ON THE SHELF AND BUY THIS ONE.
EASTWOOD HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER IN FRONT OF OR BEHIND THE CAMERA.
WALES (EASTWOOD) IS A MISSOURI DIRT FARMER RAIDED BY RED LEGS UNION TROOPS AT THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR. AS A RESULT HE BURIES HIS WIFE AND CHILD AND SETS OUT WITH CONFEDERATE IRREGULARS TO "SET THINGS ARIGHT."
AND THAT HE DOES EARNING A REPUTATION AS A FEARED PISTOLERO IN THE PROCESS. ALONG THE WAY HE IS FORCED TO ACCEPT A RAG TAG FAMILY OF LONERS AND LOOSERS.
HE IS FREQUENTLY CHALLENGED AND SYSTEMATICLY BLASTS THE BAD GUYS
PUNCTUATING HIS KILLS WITH TOBACCO SPITTLE ON THE CORPSES FOREHEADS. WHEN A PARTNER REGRETS NOT BEING ABLE TO BURY THE BAD GUYS, JOSEY QUIPS IN TRUE LACONIC FASHION "BUZZARDS GOTTA EAT, SAME AS WORMS.'
THE DIALOGUE SELLS THIS SHOW. THE CHIEF VILLIAN YANKEE WHO IS CHARGED WITH TRAKING THE OUTLAW REMARKS TO HIS MEN (REFERRING TO WALES) "NOT A HARD MAN TO TRACK, LEAVES DEAD MEN WHERE EVER HE GOES." WALES CONCLUDES HIS EPIC MISSION BY FINALLY KILLING HIS ARCH RIVAL 'RED LEGS TERRELL' THEREBY AVENGING HIS LONG DEAD FAMILY.
THE FILM IS NOT WITHOUT HUMOR THANKS TO 'LONE WATIE' AN OUTCAST ELDERLY INDIAN WHO LIGHTENS THE DRAMATIC LOAD WITH TIDBITS OF WIT AND WISDOM. WHEN WALES ASKS WATIE IF HE HAS ANY THING TO EAT.
THE OLD WARRIOR REPLIES AS HE HOLDS UP A COLORFUL STONE "JUST THIS PIECE OF ROCK CANDY, BUT ITS NOT FOR EATIN....JUST FOR LOOKIN THROUGH."
WATIE ENCOURAGES WALES BY INSISTING THAT HE "ENDEAVOR TO PERSEVEARE."

WALES DOES SO AND SLOWLY REDISCOVERS HIS LOST EMOTIONS AND IN THE END WE ARE LED TO BELIEVE ALL WILL BE WELL.

GOOD WESTERN ENTERTAINMENT?

AS JOSEY WOULD SAY "I RECKON SO."

Simply the Best
This is the best Western of all time, bar none.

GREAT!
i love this movie i have seen lots of of clints movies (yes and some R ones but just 2) this is the best! ... Read more

Amazon.com

John Wayne drew on what he learned from John Ford, Howard Hawks, and practically everyone who directed him during his long career when he made his own directorial debut on this labor of love. The Alamo is a sprawling, unabashedly patriotic epic of the sacrifice made by 187 men defending the Alamo from Santa Ana's bigger and better equipped army. Wayne stars as Col. Davy Crockett, the straight-talking, fun-loving frontiersman turned senator, with Laurence Harvey as the stiff, by-the-book Col. William Travis and Ricahrd Widmark as the legendary Jim Bowie who bristles under Travis's military protocol. The mix of regular army soldiers, Texican irregulars, scouts, and civilians makes for a volatile melting pot, but they all come together in a time of crisis in this metaphor for Wayne's heroic vision of America. Wayne spared no expense in this, one the last of the old fashion Westerns, re-creating the Alamo in exacting detail and corralling a cast of Western icons and old friends, including Richard Boone, Chill Wills (who earned an Oscar nomination), Hank Worden, Denver Pyle, Ken Curtis, and Olive Carey, in addition to teen heartthrob Frankie Avalon and Wayne's son Pat. Even old pal and spiritual godfather John Ford lent a hand shooting second-unit footage. Wayne is no Ford, but despite himself (and a talky script), he delivers an entertaining film full of intriguing characters and excellent action scenes, earning the film an Oscar nomination for Best Picture in 1960. Remember the Alamo! --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (90)

A Duke Classic
The Alamo is a true western/historical classic that John Wayne wanted to make for years before the actual release. The movie tells the story of the days leading up to and during the famous siege of the Alamo. Many people say it isn't accurate or its boring, but it is really anything but. The movie is full of patriotic speeches that at times slow it down, but they are still very enjoyable. As for historical accuracy, The Alamo goes on its own way. Many things seen in the movie never actually happened, but it contributes to the overall feeling of the picture.

All the performances are truly great. John Wayne portrays Davy Crockett with Richard Widmark as James Bowie and Laurence Harvey as William Travis. The cast is full of Wayne regulars who also give great performances; Chill Wills, Patrick Wayne, Ken Curtis, Denver Pyle, Hank Worden, Chuck Robertson and many others. Other good parts include Joan O'Brien as Susannah Dickinson and Linda Cristal as Flaca, the woman who captures Crockett's heart. The only out of place actor is Frankie Avalon as Smitty, the youngest of the defenders of the Alamo.

Overall, The Alamo is one of my all-time favorite movies. The set built in Bracketville is truly amazing. The final assault on the old mission is one of the best battle scenes ever made. The original, un-cut VHS version is much better than the DVD since it adds almost 30 minutes to the movie that are missing elsewhere. There are several scenes that are very interesting that I don't think should have been cut. However, the DVD does have an interesting documentary about the making of The Alamo. Excellent score by Dmitri Tiomkin, excellent performances, great battle scenes. Do not miss this movie!

one of the best movies ever made on the Alamo
as far as historical reference, it's not a documentary, but this movie is awsome. i've been watching The Alamo since i was a little kid. i pratically have the entire movie memorized in my head. the music is great in film, the guitars and mexican sounding music is relaxing. my favorite part as music goes is when the Mexicans are surrounding the Alamo and all you hear is the drums for like 5 minutes. Sounds awsome.

as far as the movie goes, this was a huge production and the Alamo still stands today! The real Alamo of course is in San Antonio, but the Alamo for this movie stands in Bracketville, TX, where other movies have been made. John Wayne stars, produces, and directs this one of a kind film. truly a great film by a great man.

of course, in every Wayne movie, there is always a love story of some sort, and the Alamo has a short love story. The Alamo centers around 185 Texans and fellow men fighting for their independence from Mexico and General Santa Anna, ruler of Mexico. the movie stars Richard Widmark (Jim Bowie) and Laurence Harvey from The Manchurian Candidate as Colonel William Barrett Travis. great movie and great cast. the actual battle scene rocks. tons of explosions and action.

there are 2 sad parts in the movie.
the first sad part is the day before the battle. all the men are together talking about life, because they know tommrrow they are going to die. the background music sets the right tone and i like Davy Crocket's quote during this scene. one of the guys asks him "What ya thinkin Davy?" and John Wayne (Davy Crockett) replies, "Not thinking, just remembering."

the second sad part is after the battle is over, and Lady Dickinson is leaving with her child and the boy. all the Mexican Soliders are standing around, there are some bodies of the men on the ground, and then Santa Anna makes his soliders stand when she's leaving. he also takes off his hat as a sign of respect.

what i liked about this movie is that John Wayne makes both sides look galiant and brave. the men of the Alamo know they are going to die, but they still stay to fight for what they believe in. then he makes the Mexican soilders look honorable twice. the first time, Santa Anna asks that all women and children be evacutated before he attacks, and this takes place.
the second instance is right after the first attack, which happens right after the women and children are released. the Tennessian boys are standing around and one of them says "even though i was killing them, i was proud of them. men dying for what they believe in."

the DVD features include about a 40 mintue feature on the making of the Alamo. this is where you really get to see how much The Alamo ment to John Wayne and just how loyal of a man he really was.

The Alamo is a classic that everybody should watch at least one time in their life. great film that to me, will always be remembered as John Wayne's greatest work.

Still Waiting For the 2-Disc Special Edition
One could easily say that seeing this film for the first time was a turning point in my life (it probably had a great impact on a lot of other 6-year old boys, too). To this day, John Wayne's "The Alamo" still has a firm grip on me emotionally.

True, the film is not accurate to history, but I dare anyone to name a movie that is! As I stated in my review of "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc", Hollywood makes "movies", not documentaries (and most documentaries don't agree on the details of the Alamo, anyway). Movie producers, like John Wayne, try to make an "entertainment", to sell tickets and make money. Anyone who thinks film makers are honor-bound to tell the truth on the screen is kidding him or herself.

So the question is: Does this movie entertain? Speaking subjectively, I say a resounding "Yes!". I guess there's still a lot of 6-year old in me.

One suggestion I have for Ted Turner (or whoever makes the DVD decisions over at MGM) is to release the roadshow Director's Cut version on a 2-Disc Special Edition. Include the 40-minute documentary found on the current disc, and any other archival footage pertaining to the film (Oscars, premiere, interviews). I would also like to see the television special, "Spirit of the Alamo", that John Wayne hosted in 1960. A part of it was used in the aforementioned documentary, but it would be nice to see the program complete for a change. Perhaps the discs could also include a printed history of the Alamo and other events during the Texas Revolution, so viewers won't come away from the film thinking they just witnessed the truth.

A few good scenes, mostly nonsense
The script of this movie is awful. There are so many historical inaccuracies. There's also a lot of schlock in the movie.

Frankie Avalon didn't disgrace himself, but why was he in the movie, anyway? Smells like pandering to the younger generation!

I couldn't believe The Duke as Davy Crockett. I always thought of him as Duke, rather than Crockett. You can't superimpose one big legend on top of another.

Richards Widmark and Boone were good in their performances.

Laurence Harvey as Travis was terrible! That accent was all over the place. Finally, in his last big speech he abandoned it altogether, sounding more like Laurence Olivier.

This movie was long and bloated. I kept checking my watch. I'm thankful that I don't have to sit through the director's cut!

Skip the first two-thirds of the movie and check out the last third, and you'll be just as well off!

Frankie Avalon in one of his 1st movie roles
The movie is good and with Frankie Avalon in one of his 1st movie roles. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One of the best epic westerns
Ford is perfect for this role, and the story is told very well. Fantastic cinematography, including wagons and horses racing to claim land and Ford's strong moral stand at a party with big-time politicians trying to change his views. Timeless and powerful. I loved the ending and Anne Baxter's performance. A great plot with suspense and unpredictable consequences. Very handsome movie, with strong cast.

Magnificent film, one of the best westerns, very artistic
Ford is perfect in this role. The cinematography, including the wagons racing to claim their land, was outstanding. Anne Baxter gives a great performance as the woman Ford leaves for another woman. Great suspense and drama, bold sweeping action, and a wonderful plot perfectly cast and filmed. An essential part of any western collection. I haven't seen the original Cimarron yet, but I cannot imagine telling the story any better. The ending is great too, powerful and patriotic. This is a timeless classic of epic proportions and beautiful storytelling.

Cimarron
I'm glad this is back in print - it's been a while since I've seen it, but it is a classic Glenn Ford role - the deep, rightous, but haunted cowboy. This is definately not a chick movie - the thought processes and emotions that Ford's character explores are no more understood by actual women than they are by his character's wife. My favorite scene is his return from the Spanish American War, and I also thought the ending was well done.

Character of Courage
Clancy (Glenn Ford) portrays the atypical hero of an era gone but not forgotten. His penchant for fun adventure and excitement, always accompanied by goodness and virtue, soon find him at odds with his beautiful new wife. Even though their newspaper business flourishes with potential and periodic problems Clancy's internal restlessness drives him on to War and remote engagements while his dutiful wife attends to the newly founded entity set in the heart of Oklahoma immediately after land rush. Nostalgic movie goers who rarely see the raw character of courage so eloquently presented in films today will relish this return to the adventure of a "humble and reluctant hero." Prepare to shed a tear or two and enjoy a hearty laugh. But Cimmaron will not quickly retire from your memory once you've watched it. ... Read more

Reviews (61)

A Typical and Atypical Western
"Quigley down Under" stars Tom Selleck in the title role as an American sharpshooter who answers a help wanted poster for the best rifleman in the world. The job is in Australia and Quigley travels there not knowing exactly what the job is.

When he arrives in Australia, Quigley meets Crazy Cora, played by Laura San Giacomo. Cora is a slightly deranged American who believes Quigley to be her husband Roy. Cora continues to believe Quigley to be Roy even after he insists his name is Matthew Quigley.

When Quigley finally meets his new employer, Elliott Marston (Alan Rickman), he is disgusted to find out that Marston wants him to shoot Aborigines. Cora has become the self-designated defender of the Aborigines and gets abused by Marston for it. Quigley intervenes and winds up roughing Marston up a bit. Marston then has Quigley and Cora beaten and left in the desert to die.

"Quigley down Under" becomes, after this, a set piece movie about good versus evil. This is typical of the Western genre. In this Western though the good guys are a little "gooder" than usual. Both Quigley and Cora are pure hearts who only want what's right for the Aborigines. Cora is more determined to see it happen while Quigley is only interested in it so far as it gets him out of Australia alive.

The most interesting part of the movie is the relationship between Quigley and Cora. In most Westerns the woman is a one-dimensional cutout whose only raison d'etre is to stand by in horror as her man goes out to fight the bad guy. However, Cora is a fully fleshed out individual with both a history before Quigley and an existence independent of him. She still does the "stand by in horror" thing; but, it's with a sense of grace and composure you don't often get from that role.

From that relationship between Quigley and Cora is where I derive my four-star rating. Absent it, this movie would only get two stars from me. The Western is one of the most overdone genres in the cinema. To be able to find a unique spin on it after so many have been done is a well accomplished task.

Another plus for "Quigley down Under" is its cast. The three main players in this movie; Selleck, San Giacomo, and Rickman; are all first-rate actors. That Tom Selleck has not become a film star similar to Tom Cruise or Robert De Niro amazes me. He has an ability to fill a screen like so few actors can. The one actor who comes to mind by way of comparison is Charlton Heston. They both have that ability to project the necessary emotions and feelings of a scene without much effort. Laura San Giacomo is also another actor that I have a hard time figuring out why she hasn't become a star. Her portrayal of Crazy Cora in "Quigley" should have been a springboard to better roles but it hasn't panned out. Rickman is probably the one from this movie to have the best movie career to date. Rickman is one of the best bad guys going and even when he plays an angel ("Dogma") he still has that sideways sneer that makes you wonder what kind of a criminal he would be if he didn't find acting.

"Quigley down Under" is not your typical Western, which is why it might not be for those who enjoy movies like "Unforgiven" or "The Outlaw Josey Wales". However, it is a good movie from a non-Western genre standpoint and one that I'd recommend.

Tom Selleck's best ever
Like many TV actors, "Quigley"'s star Tom Selleck gave much attention, during and after his small-screen career, to attempting to break into movies. If he'd been born in 1926, instead of 1946, he would probably have gained fame, not as Thomas Magnum, but in Western films and/or TV series like this one. Quigley is the role he was born to play, and in Quigley's adventures he has made, to my mind, the best movie of his career.

This slam-bang actioner, though often labelled a "Western," actually takes place, not in the American West, but in the Crown Colony of Western Australia, probably around 1875 (there are still convicts there). Selleck plays Matthew Quigley, a soft-spoken marksman from Wyoming, who answers an advertisement by Australian rancher Marston (Alan Rickman) for "the finest long-distance marksman in the world." After three months on a sailing ship, he steps ashore at the port of Fremantle, where he promptly gets into a brawl with what turn out to be three of Marston's men, come to meet him, and is mistaken by displaced "native-born Texian" Crazy Cora Cobb (Laura San Giacomo) for her husband Roy. At Marston Water he offers a display of his skill with his primary weapon, a customized Sharps .45 buffalo gun, and impresses everyone, including Marston, who describes himself as "a student of your American West" and is a fast draw, pinpoint-accurate, and quietly proud of it. Only now does Quigley find out that he was being hired, not to kill dingoes (Australian wild dogs) as he thought, but to clear Marston's lands of the native Aboriginies. He promptly throws Marston out the French window of his own house, but is eventually overwhelmed by Marston's crew and, with Cora, taken out to the desert to die. Managing to kill the two men who fetched them there, he recovers his rifle and big Stetson, but loses the buckboard and horses. Trying to walk out, he and Cora are found by a clan of Aboriginies, who take them in, and when a group of Marston's men appears to hunt the natives down, Quigley takes up his Sharps in their defense. Eventually he eliminates Marston and all but three of his men in a sort of one-man "long hunt," climaxed by a shootout in which, though wounded and battered and admitting that he "never had much use" for handguns (he doesn't even carry one), he kills three men so fast that his shots sound like one.

Though there's a good deal of violence in this video--in fact, it will probably be too intense for kids under the age of 12 or so--none of it is gratuitous: each instance either serves to further the story in some way or is portrayed as an inevitable result of the choices and character of the person acting or being acted against. Selleck's Quigley is a '90's version of the classic John Wayne hero: soft-spoken, quietly competent, modest and unassuming (he "spent a night" in Dodge City once, and describes it as "a nice place to get some sleep"), chivalrous toward women and even a little unsure of how to react to them. (His early interactions with San Giacomo's Cora, on the Fremantle docks and in their first outback camp, add a whimsical touch to the movie's tone and should draw laughs from all watchers.) He also has an iron code of behavior, and he doesn't hesitate to learn even from the primitive Aborigines: one of the most delightful sequences finds them teaching him to use a spear-thrower and to suck water out of the sand through a bamboo--after which he repays them by conducting a class in the making and proper use of a rawhide lasso. Rickman is the kind of villain you love to hate: smooth, silky, sneering, yet acting from what seem to him to be completely valid reasons. San Giacomo may be "touched in the head," but she's also earthy, practical, and fiercely loyal to Selleck and to the orphaned Aboriginie baby they find; her story of how she came to be in Australia is touchingly delivered.

And, like most of the best movies, "Quigley" can serve as a starting point for some penetrating family discussion. Parallels will quickly be seen between the Aborigines' situation and, not only the experiences of the American Indian, but the "ethnic cleansing" through which the former Yugoslavia suffered, and which kids may have studied in school. Quigley seems not to be revengeful against Marston and his crew of 20-odd tough English and Irish until they act against the Aborigines who have been his and Cora's friends, and even then a case can be made for his killing as many of them as he can hit: afoot and outnumbered, he doesn't want them in the area and angry at him; after the second Aboriginie drive and the accidental killing of a storekeeper's wife, he is simply resolved to keep them from doing any more harm.

Though action is the movie's keynote, it is above all the story of how three people inspire one another to certain inevitable acts--in short, like all the best stories, it turns on character. And its characters will remain in the memory for a long time to come. (A side-benefit is the blood-stirring score by Basil Poledouris, which was one of the first CD's I ever purchased.) The cinematography gives a powerful sense of the size and loneliness of the Australian outback (filming was done in Alice Springs and other Australian locations), as well as of how important it is that Quigley seems far better able to adjust himself to it than Marston's men are willing to do. Director Simon Wincer, though not of American birth, has turned out a movie which, while not strictly a "real" Western, should become a classic of the genre. By my criteria, it's definitely a 10--or perhaps even a 12.

Great comedy
You will be laughing your tail off. Here is why:

Quigley (Tom Selleck), investigates a report on human right violations by the English settlers against the aboriginal population of Austria.

(Obviously, Quigley had improved the inter-racial relationships in his native Wyoming to perfection: black, indians, white, all live in equality, peace and harmony, and now he is on a mission to do the same in Austria)

Quigley quickly discovers the horrible truth, and being a superman, supperherro, suppersshooter, quickly brings justice. All bad guys (english, irish, scotch) are punished, aboriginals are free. No more slavery, genocide, collonialism and exploitation.

A blond Texan woman shares his passion and adopts a little black baby; the baby fell from a 200 feet cliff and survived!

Have fun!

Ernesto Ce Gevara

Western with a twist
This is an American Western to be sure, filmed in the outback! Classic good vs. bad! And lots of fun with the interaction between crazy Cora and Quigley! Fine acting all around and a nice twist at the end! Very enjoyable.

Boring CD, good movie
In glancing at the reviews I see that many of them are for the moive which is much better than the soundtrack. I've liked the title theme since I first heard it and always wanted the CD for that reason. Out of the 11 tracks I was disappointed to find that I really liked only about three selections, maybe one or two more than that. #1 Main Title is good and #11 Matthew Quigley amounts to about three different versions of the tune, it might be even better.
Out of the eleven tunes six have varying degrees of the theme worked into them in some way, thats what makes the CD boring, so little variety. I think I did like #4 Marston's Murderers, actiony but no Quigley bits. #4 Native Montage had no Quigley and certainly nothing Native to it, guess it was all right otherwise.
All I can really recommend this album for are the two Quigley selections, easily the best on the CD. Shiloh Rifle, the company that made the Sharps that Selleck used in the movie still uses the title selection on their website 12 years later, that's how good that tune is. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

marcus
good movie, not great. interesting action scenes however a little too pyschologically bent. The jazz score although well played, is out of place. You'll recognize many vetran western actors such as Paul Fix, David Carradine, Jack Kelly, and John Anderson ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Soundtrack
This is my second issue of the movie. I have the 3 hour tape, the 3 hour DVD, and this 4 hour spectacular. It is by far superior to the others for content that had been edited to make it shorter. Also the sound is much better even than the DVD version. John Barry outdid himself with this score and this issue shows its superiority over the others. Another plus were a booklet about this special issue and some gorgeous photos to go along with it. Extras include how the killing of the buffalo was faked, but looked very real. It should be rereleased.

"the 4-hour version is THE definitive version"
"Undoubtedly, this 4-hour version of 1990's "Dances With Wolves"
is ten-and-a-half times better than the 3-hour version. Reason
being is because this is not only the ONLY version of this movie
that I have ever seen; but, also because this one is definitive, due to the fact that the extra footage actually makes this film
even better than its 3-hour predecessor. There are several more
characters, plus a few extra scenes that actually enhance and
improve the remainder of the movie. Altogether, this becomes an
essential viewing experience that no fan of this movie should ever miss or be without. It would be a great idea for MGM Home Entertainment to reissue the 4-hour movie onto the home video market, on both VHS and on DVD. What do you think?

I loved this movie, but...
This is such a great movie. I have been looking for the long four hour version for some time. I recently purchased what I thought was just that, from this web-page (although the seller was someone who is no longer listed), but when it came in the mail, I was a little disappointed to find out I had only gotten the regular three hour version. I was impressed with how quickly my order was processed and delivered, but I found the description of the merchandise to be a little misleading. It had been described as the 1994 edition with two casettes. It also had reviews that talked about the four hour version and how much better it was. By ordering from that page, I guess I assumed I would be getting the video that was described. Oh well,... I know this is supposed to be for reviewing the movie itself and let me say again that it is one of the best movies I've ever seen; but maybe this can help people who are thinking of ordering--so they'll be really careful to check out all the details. And for those posting movies they want to sell, this can be a reminder for them to make sure to describe all of the necessary information so that customers can see exactly what they are getting.

Long version is really the best version.
The original release version was great, but this one fills in a lot of details left out the first time. With roughly an extra hour, that is a bit of an understatement. All in all, this truly is a phenomenal experience and well worth the investment of time to watch it.

The Best of Costner
Costner's acting abilitites are highlighted and extremely broadened in this emotional and action type movie. It is amazing what one can learn from a movie, especially of right and wrong, the weak vs strong. and the mysteries and love of an animal. ... Read more

Reviews (59)

A big Western with a stupendous music score.
I loved this movie as a kid when I saw it in the theatre back in 1958 or 1959 and I still love it. The movie score by Jerome Morass is absolutely magnificent. Gregory Peck plays a pacifist Easterner who's trying to avoid getting caught up in the land dispute his fiance's (Carol Baker) family is having with a local clan. His shallow fiance and her father (Charles Bickford) interpret his unwillingness to fight as a sign of weakness. Charlton Heston and the beautiful Jean Simmons are fine in their roles. Burl Ives won an Oscar for his portrayal of Rufus Hennesey, the leader of a very large extended family. Last, but not least, Chuck Connors (of the Rifleman TV series) turns in his finest film performance. A big movie with big stars made by a big-time director (William Wyler who won best director Oscars for Ben-Hur and The Best Years of Our Lives). A fine film with a good message about the futility of fighting in order to resolve conflicts.

Good performances in a beautiful Hollywood Western
THE BIG COUNTRY is a very good Hollywood Western, with all the strengths and weaknesses that implies: a first-rate cast and fine production values, but a less-than-imaginative script written by a studio committee. The story is a variation on the tried-and-true "Eastern Dude Tames Wild West" theme. Co-produced by director William Wyler and star Gregory Peck, it strives a bit self-consciously for epic grandeur, and lacks the comparatively gritty realism of John Ford's thematically related THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE.

As the transplanted Easterner, Peck's understated performance is a pleasure to watch. Jean Simmons is fine as the schoolmarm, and the two Chucks (Conners and Heston) are equally good in their roles. A supporting actor Oscar went to Burl Ives, but the standout performance belongs to Carroll Baker as Peck's spoiled fiance. Franz Planer's cinematography is quite good, too, but like the script, performances, and pacing, it's just a little bit too self-conscious. The picture feels more like OKLAHOMA! than like THE SEARCHERS--altogether too theatrical to sustain the suspension of disbelief.

Yet this is a very entertaining movie--at least for those who value character, conflict, and beautiful imagery over car chases, explosions, and other special effects. And fans of Westerns in particular should appreciate the many virtues of this near-Classic. Four solid stars.

Atticus Finch goes West
This is a sprawling, glorious saga that will be appreciated by people who don't even like the Western genre. With fabulous cinematography, an excellent script, and two of my favorite actors, it's a film I never tire of watching.
Gregory Peck is the sea captain with principles who goes west to meet his future bride, only to find feuds and fighting, and some lawless varmints who need his "non violent" ways of resolving territorial issues. He is terrific as James McKay, who is sort of an Atticus Finch in boots, and looks mighty fine as well.
Charlton Heston has the smaller part as Leech, a foreman who is seething with jealousy and obeys the orders of his unscrupulous boss (rancher Terrill, played with subtle menace by Charles Bickford) as he yearns for his daughter. Heston is brilliant as this rather complex character, and would a year later star in director William Wyler's next epic, "Ben Hur", which is perhaps my all-time most viewed and enjoyed film.

Both female leads are wonderful, and are portrayed with enormous strength; Jean Simmons, with her luminous eyes is the schoolteacher, and Carroll Baker is the tough daughter of rancher Bickford, and is too much like her daddy to make a suitable bride for Peck.
Among the many strong performances in the supporting parts are Burl Ives, and received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his gnarly old Rufus, Chuck Connors is his bad to the bone son, and Alfonso Bedoya, is a delight as Ramon, who along with a horse named "Old Thunder", provides some of the humor in the film.
The score by Jerome Moross is lovely (and received an Oscar nomination) and the cinematography by Franz Planner spectacular. The film was shot in the Yuba and San Joaquin Counties in California, as well as canyon country in Chinly, Arizona, and it is breathtakingly beautiful.

If you like a good screen fight like I do, this has a great one, "mano a mano" between Peck and Heston; it initially has no music, just the pounding of the fists and the men gasping for breath, and is very effective.
Romance, drama, and lots of action make this a film that appeals to many, and is suitable for the whole family. Total running time is 165 minutes.

A good Western movie

Director: William Wyler
Format: Color
Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios
Video Release Date: May 2, 2000

Cast:

Gregory Peck ... James McKay
Jean Simmons ... Julie Maragon
Carroll Baker ... Patricia Terrill
Charlton Heston ... Steve Leech
Burl Ives ... Rufus Hannassey
Charles Bickford ... Major Henry Terrill
Alfonso Bedoya ... Ramon Guiteras
Chuck Connors ... Buck Hannassey
Chuck Hayward ... Rafe Hannassey
Buff Brady ... Dude Hannassey
Jim Burk ... Blackie/Cracker Hannassey
Dorothy Adams ... Hannassey Woman
Chuck Roberson ... Terrill Cowboy
Bob Morgan ... Terrill Cowboy
John McKee ... Terrill Cowboy
Slim Talbot ... Terrill Cowboy
Donald Kerr ... Liveryman
Carey Paul Peck ... Boy
Jonathan Peck ... Boy
Stephen Peck ... Boy
Ralph Sanford ... Party Guest
Richard Alexander ... Party Guest, (Oceans)
Harry Cheshire ... Party Guest

It is said that Gregory Peck and William Wyler, erstwhile friends who had previously worked together successfully had a falling out over this film and never spoke for years afterward. Both were co-producers, and Peck became agitated over the fact that Wylie was working too slowly and the film was going 'way over budget. Wylie resented anyone else telling him how to make a movie. It also appears that three of Peck's children had children's parts in the film.

The fight seen between Peck and Heston is one of the high points of the film that has caused much comment, as it was filmed from a great distance, rather than close-uo.

Such details aside, the story depicts a sea-captain, James McKay (Peck) coming West to marry Patricia Terrill (Carol Baker). He walks straight into a personal vendetta between Major Henry Terrill (Charles Bickford) and Rufus Hannassey (Burl Ives) over an old grudge, and the usual battle over water rights typical in many Western stories. McKay is a peaceful man who tends to avoid resorting to violence, causing his would-be bride to accuse him of cowardice.

Buck Hannassey (Chuck Connors) and Steve Leech (Charlton Heston) play supporting roles, each of whom has designs on the leading women in the story, leading to antagonisms. Ramon (Alphonso Bedoya) plays his part well, as a Mexican ranch employee. He was better in the Treasure of the Sierra Madre, I think, but he always turns in a good performance.

This is a good Western, with the usual scenery typical of the West. The plot is somewhat hackneyed, but is well-played and comes off well, thanks to the staff.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

The only Western that I highly recommend watching
Although my tastes in film are very broad, I am not fond of Westerns. However, "The Big Country" is an excellent film. It is a Western, but in many ways it doesn't FEEL like a Western. The film's intelligence, strong characters, and reliance on humanity provide a superior storyline to the traditional shoot-'em-up mentality so common in Westerns.

The basic premise concerns retired sea captain James McKay (Peck), who travels West to marry his fiancé Pat Terrill (Baker), whom he met while she was visiting Baltimore. He is quickly thrown in the middle of a huge family feud between the wealthy Terrills and the struggling Hannasseys, presumably over water rights at the Big Muddy, a dormant ranch owned by the lovely schoolteacher Julie (Simmons). However, McKay, the intelligent outsider, sees through the feuding patriarchs (Bickford and Ives). What follows is, in my opinion, one of the most effective showdowns in Western cinema (forget "High Noon").

The characterization in this film is particularly strong. Gregory Peck is very good, as always, even though his McKay character has a level of integrity that may be just a BIT hard to swallow. Carroll Baker's role as the spoiled only child is sickeningly good. Jean Simmons is sweet and demure, but strong and self-sufficient, a perfect contrast to her friend, Pat. Charles Bickford's egotistical role as Major Henry Terrill is great, and his questionable relationship with his daughter raised my eyebrows. Charlton Heston's role is relatively small, but he provides the necessary tension and jealousy between himself, Baker, and Peck. In addition, his character's loyalty to Terrill, although misplaced, is touching. Chuck Connors' character as Buck Hannassey is vile, trashy, and degrading, but his performance is one of the most credible in the film. And, saving the best for last, Burl Ives is absolutely superb in the role of Rufus Hannassey, the overweight, bullying patriarch who simultaneously loves and hates his son Buck. He deserved the Best Supporting Actor Oscar that he won for this role.

There is one flaw to this film that stands out, and another reviewer mentioned it below: watch the canyon barricade scene near the end. The Terrill bunch HAD to see that coming, yet they acted surprised. Wyler missed it there, I think, but overall the film is a beautiful piece of cinema.

One last praise: the score. From the opening credits, this beautifully motivating music resounds throughout the film and is one of my favorites. Just beautiful. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Interesting but offbeat Western 3.5 Stars
Based quite rigidly on the best selling novel by Louis L'Amour, we find Sean Connery in the lead role here complete with Scottich brogue, that sits OK despite being a dusty, rough around the edges hero. Not often seen on reruns, and I don't know why this film didn't get much exposure, as many people I know haven't seen it, or even heard of it. I'm tempted to say at this point, that this is not a movie that will live long in the memory, but don't be put off - it has a strangely compelling quality and realistic feel, and a better than average script. There a number of violent scenes, most notably the grissly demise of one of the lead characters (I won't say who) at the hands of a vicious band of Indians, and you could draw some comparisons with the content of movies like "Soldier Blue" although that came along several years after this. On the whole this is a good solid western, with great acting pretty much all round, the 60's film style is evident in Ms Bardot's stunning appearance throughout, despite her supposedly being in the dusty back of beyondville, but this is nothing to get too upset about. I was pleased to see this come to the DVD market, and hope it will reach the wider audience it deserves. Enjoy

Bardot and Connery Rule!!Great Classic Western!!
Brigette Bardot and Sean Connery Rule in this great classic western.It's a must see!!

Connery better than expected
Sean Connery does a much better job in this western than I could have imagined. He plays his role in a Randoph Scott fashion. At this point of his career Connery is ruggedly handsome. He even speaks more clearly than he usually does. Bardot plays the role of a countess with grace and style. Her usual child-like qualties which set her apart from other screen beauties arn't apparent here.

The entire cast is excellent, however, the script is flawed and far fetched so while there are many good moments the picture ultimately doesn't click. This doesn't mean it is a poor movie. It simply is another run of mill western.

Pretty Good Western and a bit unique
Okay. Before we bought this I didn't know it existed. My wife did. Watching it on DVD my wife said that she was seeing parts of it that were totally new to her. When she saw it on TV it had many scenes cut (for time I imagine).
Speaking of time. It's NOT 113 minutes. More like 125 minutes.
Was Connery any good? Yes. His accent didn't bother me and he was the tough guy though not as proactive as some heroes. He used his instincts more than his gun. A plus in this film.
It was more fun though to see the length of Bardot's hair vary from scene to scene and be amazed at how heavy and PERFECT her eyemake-up always remained. If you've seen Pam Anderson lately in 'VIP' you'd think this was her mom or something. They are quite alike.
That said it's a pretty brutal western. There is a great deal of on-screen violence. Arrows fly. Flaming arrows hit more than wagons. The champagne isn't quite chilled to perfection either (you'll get this joke if you see the movie)

Honor Blackman's character has a tragic death scene (shocking for it's brutality and unexpected). It was one of the more unusual I have seen on screen (and in a western). This was Peter Van Eyck's last movie. He even looks ill for most of it.
Don't expect the calvary/U.S. Army to rescue anyone. They are talked about, but never appear. That can be a good thing.
The price is right and it's an obscure piece. You can show it to friends and say ....hey Sean Connery was in a Western!

007 & BB go way out West!
With the cast this movie has--Sean Connery, Brigitte Bardot, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd, Honor Blackman, Peter van Eyck, Valerie French, and Woody Strode--and based on a novel by Louis L'Amour (and with a foreword by him) this should have been a much better Western than it is! It's a slow moving tale of a hunting party that becomes the hunted party. Shalako (the name means "rain bringer" in Zuni Indian), played by Connery, rescues a group of European noblefolk on a hunting expedition in New Mexico in the 1880s after they run afoul of hostile Apaches, who like to hunt, too; they like to hunt the "white-eyes," whether European or home-grown, who invade their territory!

This DVD has no bonus features at all, not even the theatrical trailer! Just a scene selector menu. But the image quality is quite good and you have a choice of widescreen or full frame. Sean Connery looks good in his buckskins and six-shooter, in his prime before the gray beard and bald pate. Brigitte Bardot is simply gorgeous, as is Honor Blackman (GOLDFINGER, THE AVENGERS TV series.) I recommend this DVD as a novelty item mostly, for Connery fans (it's his only Western--if you don't count OUTLAND!) and Bardot fans (it's her only Western, too--if you don't count LES PETROLEUSES, a French-Italian oater!)

I first saw this movie at my favorite drive-in theater in '68, and the only thing I remembered about it was Bardot's modestly demure bare back scene, until I saw it again on this DVD edition. This movie is just rather forgettable! It was filmed on location in Spain, and Spain doesn't look anything at all like the American Southwest, a fact European "Western" makers should realize, and that any John Ford fan can attest to! ... Read more

Reviews (139)

Peckinpah's ode to the closing of the American West.....
It would be impossible for film fans to have a conversation about controversial movies throughout the years, and for the epic western, "The Wild Bunch" not to get a solid mention.

Since I first saw this film over twenty years ago, I have owned numerous versions on VHS and laser disc, and it is particularly satisfying to finally have the restored directors version, with the accompanying documentary "The Wild Bunch : An album in montage" available on DVD in true widescreen format.

Sam Peckinpah's blood and thunder tale of outlaws on the Texas/Mexican border with their own set of unique morals has been such a dynamic influence on many directors and future films since it's release way back in 1969. But what sets "The Wild Bunch" apart from it's many imitators is it's deep, almost mythical storytelling, the complex moral nature of the characters peopling the tale and the gritty passion & energy that Peckinpah infused into the entire production. William Holden and Ernest Borgnine are simply tremendous as Pike & Dutch, the leaders of the Bunch...each man with his own individuality. Ben Johnson & Warren Oates portray the crazy Gorch Brothers, Jaime Sanchez is the arrogant and fiercely partiotic Mexican, Angel...and Edmond O'Brien is the grizzly, old timer Sykes.

Additionally, Peckinpah's film features Emilio Fernandez as the bloated, evil dictator Mapache...Albert Dekker as the manipulative and remorseless railroad man, Harrigan....and Robert Ryan putting in another one of his strong performances as the ex-gang member turned reluctant bounty hunter, Deke Thornton. And a Peckinpah movie almost wouldn't be complete without the appearance of LQ Jones and Strother Martin as a pair of filthy, grave robbing bounty hunters out for the reward on the heads of the Wild Bunch.

The Wild Bunch pulls no punches in it's tale of desperado's who they themselves are desperately running out of time...as Holden reflects in the film "We've got to start thinking beyond our guns...those days are closing fast". Whilst "The Wild Bunch" is most notorious for it's two bloody shootouts that book end the film's 144 minute running time...there is so much excitement, passion, adventure and personal conflict within the movie that can be found upon each repeated viewing of this stunning work.

A film that can be treasured and enjoyed by any true film fan....The Wild Bunch will be continually looked upon as one of the most important contributions to American cinema.

Director's cut not needed, but great moments still abundant
The Wild Bunch is, without a doubt, one of the greatest westerns that has ever been thought up, but it is also quite controversial. The romantic view of the Old West is shattered in this 1969 film; no sign of John Wayne anywhere, and most of the cliches found in a typical western are nonexistant(not that I dislike typical western movies, they're actually quite entertaining). Sam Peckinpah, a master of improvisation, creates an unforgettable movie that is not only responsible for redefining cinematic violence, but also carries with it an engrossing story of friendship, betrayal, and the dying west. I didn't feel a Director's cut was needed for this film though, because the original version moved at such a lightning-fast pace. The restored scenes may interest some viewers, but I just wasn't interested. That is probably why I don't own this version of the movie. I'd prefer that other Sam Peckinpah flicks be restored, preferrably Major Dundee. Besides that, the DVD still captures all the explosive action and catchy dialogue. I particularly enjoyed the presentation of the credits, and Jerry Fielding's music adds to the realistic atmosphere, and that's not a bad thing. If you're looking for a great action flick with a plot, The Wild Bunch is a winner for a weekend rental, but RENT this version before you buy it.

One of the best westerns of all-time
The Wild Bunch-Restored Director's Cut is one of the best westerns ever made and also one of the best movies ever. In 1913 during the Mexican Revolution, times are changing as the Old West disappears into oblivion. After a botched robbery in the town of Starbuck, the Wild Bunch, a gang of aging outlaws must decide what their next move is. The remaining members of the gang decide to head south into Mexico where their services may be needed. The bunch robs a gun shipment for a Mexican general, hoping this will be their last job. At the same time, a posse is hunting them down with a former gang member at the posse's head. While this movie is most well known for its violence, it is ultimately a story about honor among men in a changing time. Knowing that the world they knew is changing, the bunch has to try and survive as their end closes in. Nonetheless, director Sam Peckinpah knows how to construct an action sequence. The Battle of Bloody Porch is a balletic, slow-motion, masterpiece of blood and guts as the Wild Bunch meets their end. Just as good is their final march through the streets knowing what awaits them. One of the best westerns, if not the best, ever made and highly recommended.

What makes this movie special, along with the groundbreaking filmmaking of Sam Peckinpah, is the cast. The whole cast gives excellent performances. William Holden stars as Pike Bishop, the leader of the Wild Bunch who knows time is running out for the bunch. His right hand man, Dutch Engstrom, is played by Ernest Borgnine in a perfect part for him. Robert Ryan plays Deke Thornton, a former member of the Wild Bunch and the unwilling leader of the posses following the gang. The rest of the gang includes Edmond O'Brien as Freddie Sykes, Warren Oates and Ben Johnson as brothers Lyle and Tector Gorch, and Jaime Sanchez as Angel. Emilio Fernandez plays Mapache, the Mexican general who pays the bunch to steal a shipment of guns. Strother Martin and L.Q. Jones are great as Coffer and TC, members of the posse. What is surprising about these characters is that as despicable as they are, they are still likable. The Restored Director's Cut DVD includes about ten minutes cut from the original version, a theatrical trailer, production notes, an excellent making of documentary, "The Wild Bunch: An Album in Montage", and a great-looking widescreen presentation. For a great western with incredible gunfights, a terrific cast, and a great story, check out the truly classic western, The Wild Bunch!

NOT ONE OF YOUR GRANDPA'S WESTERNS.
"The Wild Bunch" is not the typical western that tells the story of a bunch of good ol' cowboys versus the mean ol' Indians, this movie goes beyond the cliches of the earlier westerns, so in some way "The Wild Bunch" resembles more to a Spaghetti Western than a John Wayne-versus-the-indians western.

Sam Peckinpah took two steps forward the use of violence in the movies, he show the world how to use violence in a movie to produce visual art. Of course, some might complain about the cruel scenes in "The Wild Bunch", but open minded people know that the violence in the movies is not even close to the cruelty of the real world violence, plus, the violence in a movie can produce visual art if it's used in the right way, like Sam Peckinpah or Sergio Leone did in their movies.

"The Wild Bunch" has an excellent cast: the always efficient William Holden and Ernest Borgnine plus a great supporting cast that includes names like Robert Ryan, Warren Oates and Emilio Fernández. Also, the director Sam Peckinpah gave importance to each character, and that contributed to form a solid story. The cinematography is spectacular, "The Wild Bunch" has a lot of impressive camera angles that show the cruelty of the bullets and explosions, and the movie has some of the most impressive scenes ever put to film.

"The Wild Bunch" is in a very selected group of westerns. That list includes movies like "High Noon". "The Searchers", "Stagecoach", "The Good, The Bad And The Ugly" and "Once Upon A Time In The West", among few others. That list includes the best westerns, and "The Wild Bunch" belongs in the list.

A Grand Finale to the Old West - An American Classic
This is simply a rich, masterful, nostalgic story of the Old West, in all of its fading glory.

The charaters too, are fading in their own time - pursued relentlessly by forces reshaping the country, lives and landscape they ravaged, shared, and loved.

A long-in-the-tooth band of outlaws set out on one last job - to lighten the rich railroad barons of a few sacks of gold. Doublecross meets disaster and they're thrown back on their heels in a narrow escape. Then on to Mexico to trade a stolen shipment of rifles, stolen from under the government's nose, to a Mexican general who is a ruthless hombre in his own right.

Good guys and bad guys change roles and the moral lines of right and wrong shift beneath their feet as they make a last stand for honor among men.

This is a fun, exciting, warm movie which is excellent in every respect. Beautifully filmed, extraordinarily acted, and a terrific story, wonderfully told.

Five stars for a truly American Classic. ... Read more

Reviews (55)

For A Few Dollars More - An outstanding sequel!
For A Few Dollars More is, in my opinion, by far the best of the "Man With No Name" trilogy! In "A Fistful of Dollars," director Sergio Leone bowled the viewers over with Clint Eastwood's character being a gruff gunslinger of few words and lots of action. In this sequel Eastwood's character has a lot more depth and even a little bit of humor. I am highly impressed with the script and acting in this particular film, especially in comparison with its predecessor. One can even consider it funny but useful that a few of the villains from the first film that were quite dead at the end of that one, are back now with new names! Magnificent performances by both Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef serve to enhance this movie's style.

The premise:

This movie has a wonderful beginning as we are introduced to Lee Van Cleef's character while he's in the performance of his role of a bounty killer. We are then treated to the reintroduction of Clint Eastwood's character, which actually does have the name of Monco, while he is taking care of his business as a bounty killer as well. Once the director has shown these two acts, he deftly shows how they end up on the same path as they both find out that they can score it big by killing Gian Maria Volonte's character, Indio and his gang. From there, we're taken to El Paso where the film's intrigue and suspense kick into high gear as both Eastwood and Van Cleef's characters meet.

If you've never seen this movie or its predecessor, I highly suggest you check these movies out as they're basically the mold for many of the westerns that followed. Prior to this movie and "A Fistful of Dollars," westerns were much tamer, which lends to the popularity of these movies which have a lot more grit and realism to them.

Special Features:

Just like "A Fistful of Dollars" this movie is jam packed with hours and hours of special features, documentaries etc... This DVD is all about what it's supposed to be, the movie! It does include a great theatrical trailer and an exceptional 8 page booklet that gives a lot of great information about the movie and the people involved. {ssintrepid}

A great sequel to A Fistful of Dollars
I liked this movie mainly because of the pairing of Eastwood and Van Cleef. Eastwood reprises his role as the "The Man with No Name" and this time he partners with Colonel Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef), a fellow bounty hunter who has a personal reason for tracking down the notorious bankrobber Indio, who is worth $10,000 dead or alive. It is interesting that many of the actors who played the villains in "A Fistful of Dollars" are seen again here (e.g. Gian Maria Volonte as Indio)and the location seems to be very similar to that of the first movie. I liked the character of Colonel Mortimer because not only is he a great sharpshooter but he displays himself as a man of principle, in contrast to Eastwood's character, who is only in it for the money. Lee Van Cleef steals many of the scenes. In this movie he plays a good character while in the sequel, "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," Van Cleef plays the "Bad" guy. The music by Ennio Morricone is classic. The only drawback in this movie is that much of the gun battles seem cartoonish and many of the people who are shot have no sign of blood to show for their wounds! However, if you are a fan of Eastwood and of Spaghetti Westerns, you'll like this movie a lot.

great story
This time for a few dollars more,the story revolves around a new bounty hunter called angel eyes,CLint returns and is not as comical as he was in the first.I think he's showing us that he has become more of a serious bounty hunter since he got messed up in fistful.LEE van Cleef is on a revenge mission while eastwood is playing angel eyes and the bandits for a few dollars more.It's worth owning,so is the score.thanks

MGM gets a few dollars more from me
Most people reading these reviews already know how great these Eastwood - Leone spaghetti westerns are, so I won't talk about the film itself here. I enjoyed this movie when I first bought it on VHS in 1989 but always hated the brittle, tinny sound, the opening theme music was excrutiating, when we all know that Morricone's soundtracks for these movies was excellent. So here it is in 2004 and I've got the $10 DVD and nothing has improved in the sound. Also the torture scene is missing a few seconds at the end where one of the gang asks Indio: "Why let 'em live?" and he replies: "All in due time". Hmm, let me make a wild guess here: MGM will finally fix this movie the way they should have for the first DVD but it will come out in a "Special Edition" 2-disc set with a bunch of extras for $25 (think The Great Escape here). You know those "Proof of Purchase" UPC's you see on the back of the DVD case? Just once I'd like to see MGM offer a rebate on a new "Special Edition" via a P.O.P. from an earlier DVD version. That's why I'm glad I don't have the first DVD of "The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly" already and that's why I won't yet buy John Wayne's "The Alamo". Unfortunately I already bought MGM's DVD of "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", another sub-standard MGM DVD release.

One Of the Three Best Westerns Ever
Along with The Good The Bad and The Ugly, and Once Upon A Time In The West, this is a western masterpiece and one of the best ever made. While not as polished as the above mentioned, For A Few Dollars More contains some of the best scenes in the history of westerns. Col. Mortimer gunning down Guy Callaway, Clint riding in to Aqua Caliente alone, and my favorite, Mortimer lighting a match on Wild's suspenders. Like GBU, I have seen this movie at least a hundred times, and have enjoyed it since I was a 7th grader. A classic western in the Italian style, boasts a superb soundtrack to boot. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Western!!
This is a great western starring Peter Fonda and Brooke Shields searching for gold.It's a must see flick!!! ... Read more

Reviews (72)

Unforgettable Masterpiece From Director Sydney Pollack!
Robert Redford and Sydney Pollack, the Academy Award-winning director of Out of Africa team up (the 2nd of their 6 films together) for this powerful saga of a man whose determined search for contentment leads to back-breaking, even mind-breaking hardship, and to constant battle with hostile native Americans. This absolutely unforgettable and spectacularly beautiful, yet haunting adventure film captures both the epic scale of an unconquered Nature and the small, frustrating, hard scrabbling struggles of a lone man desperately trying to start a fire during a gale-force blizzard, cross a meadow knee-deep in snow or catch something, anything, to eat.

Filmed entirely on location in winter-time Utah, this movie captures on film Jeremiah Johnson's (Robert Redford) attempt in the mid 1800s to become a mountain man, seeking solitude in a wilderness whose purity he never questioned. This film is sure to find it's way into the private library of every connoisseur of superb movie making, and is one of those very rare films you can enjoy again and again! Masterpiece!

Robert Redford's personal favorite film role
I had the pleasure of seeing "Jeremiah Johnson" in the theatre soon after it first came out at Christmas 1972. On the big screen you could really appreciate the magnificent cinematography and the majestic scenery. It loses something when transferred to the small screen. So I recommend watching the letterboxed version on a larger screen TV(at least 27inches or larger.)It has fine direction by Sydney Pollack whom Robert Redford has worked with in more than a half dozen films. The movie takes place in Redford's own neck of the woods,the mountains of Utah.The late Will Geer,(the grandfather on the television series "The Walton's" back in the '70's),is very enjoyable as a bear trapping mountain man named Bear Claw. And,Delle Bolton is impressive in her movie debut as Jeremiah's young indian maiden bride named Swan. I don't believe I've seen Ms. Bolton in anything since this film.The film also has an atmospheric music score by John Rubinstein.

I haven't read the two books this movie is based on "Crow Killer" by Raymond W. Thorp and Robert Bunker and "Mountain Man" by Vardis Fisher and I hear the books are much more intense and graphic and if the screenplay had followed them more closely the film would have generated a more adult R rating instead of the family friendly PG rating that it has. Redford said in an interview back in the '80's that of all the films he has done that "Jeremiah Johnson" was his personal favorite.

I think that's really saying something considering all the fine films Mr. Redford has done.This is one of his best along with "Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid" from 1969, "The Sting",(the OscarTM winner for Best Picture of 1973),"The Great Waldo Pepper" from 1975,"Three Days of The Condor",(also directed by Sydney Pollack),"All The President's Men" from 1976,"Brubaker" from 1980, "Ordinary People"(which was his directorial debut and was the OscarTM winner for Best Picture of 1980 and he won Best Director honors),"The Natural" from 1984,"A River Runs Through It" from 1992,which Redford directed and was the narrator,"Quiz Show" nominated for Best Picture of 1994,(it didn't win), and "The Horse Whisperer" from 1998(which he both directed and starred in. Among Director Sydney Pollack's best are "The Way We Were" from 1973,"The Yakuza" from 1975,"Tootsie" from 1982 and "Out of Africa",the OscarTM winner for Best Picture of 1985,with Mr.Pollack winning Best Director honors). Robert Redford and Sydney Pollack are two of America's finest filmmakers.

"The day that you tarry is the day that you lose ..."
He was a big man, maybe even growing in physical stature with the growth of his myth; deadly with his Bowie knife and his gun alike. He'd been a fighter in the U.S.-Mexican war, but left the lowland's ways behind in favor of a mountain man's: the lonesome hunt, the wild outdoors, and the confrontation with nature rather than his fellow men. And he came to be known as "Crow Killer" and "Liver Eating Johns(t)on" when he took war to the Crow nation after they killed his wife.

Based on Raymond Thorp/Robert Bunker's "Crow Killer" and Vardis Fisher's "Mountain Man" and scripted by John Milius and Edward Anhalt - with input from frequent Redford/Pollack cooperator David Rayfiel - Sydney Pollack's and Robert Redford's 1972 movie loosely traces the mythical hunter's legend, opening with his arrival at the fort where he buys his first horse and gun. "Ride due west as the sun sets. Turn left at the Rocky Mountains," is a trader's goodnatured answer to Johnson's naive inquiry where to find "bear, beaver and other critters worth cash money when skinned." But soon he finds that his lowland skills no longer do him any good, almost starving in the freezing mountainous winter before being taken in by old "griz" hunter Bear Claw Chris Lapp (Will Geer in a stand-out role - his and Redford's deadpan exchanges alone make this movie worth its price).

Setting out on his own again the following year Johnson fares better, even gaining the respect of a Crow warrior prosaically named Paints His Shirt Red (Joaquin Martinez), the first person he encountered in the mountains. After assisting a settler's wife who had to watch her family massacred by Indians (Allyn Ann McLerie) and reluctantly agreeing to take charge of her son (Josh Albee) - a boy grown mute by the horrors he witnessed, whom he names Caleb - he comes across white hunter Del Gue (Stefan Gierasch), buried up to his head in sand by a band of Blackfeet. Revenging that act unwittingly leaves Johnson with a wife, in exchange for bestowing the Blackfeet's ponies and guns on Flathead chief Two-Tongues-Lebeaux (Richard Angarola): the chief's daughter Swan (Delle Bolton). Although neither embraces the match enthusiastically, over time Jeremiah and Swan learn to appreciate and, eventually, love each other. But then fate strikes: Against better judgment pressured into guiding a cavalry company through Crow burial ground, Johnson finds Swan and Caleb murdered upon his return. He sets out after the Crow who invaded his home ... and plants the seeds of his myth.

"Jeremiah Johnson" was Redford's and Pollack's second of seven collaborations after 1966's "This Property is Condemned." What most obviously characterizes this movie is the breathtaking manner in which its cinematography uses Utah's mountains (doubling for the story's actual Montana setting): despite studio budgetary limits shot entirely on location, the film had Redford acting as a virtual tour guide to the magnificent Wasatch, which he had recently made his home himself.

But the movie also shows enormous restraint, particularly given its violent underlying story. There's no blood-gushing "Braveheart"-style, no dramatic score; fights are mostly one-on-one, occurring as they would in real life - silently, with only the opponents' grunts being heard - and despite his fearsome epithet we never actually see Johnson eat a dead Crow warrior's liver. (Reportedly a script change on which Redford insisted: wisely so.) Similarly, Johnson's and Swan's relationship builds on small symbolic gestures, moving from his coarse attempts to teach her English and refusal to learn her language to conversations in Salish (Flathead); and from her submissive expectation of his exercising his marital rights on their wedding night (which rather repulses him) to later-exchanged tender glances and smiles: Thus, we only learn about their marriage's belated consummation when one morning Swan points to his beard in response to his question about her reddish cheeks. - Further, there's no dramatic conclusion; no final battle: as Johnson's myth begins to grow and he withdraws deeper and deeper into the mountains, he retraces his steps and meets in reverse order the people he encountered after his arrival: Del Gue, the settler now living in Caleb's mother's cabin, Bear Claw Chris Lapp; and finally Paints His Shirt Red who, although a Crow, created a monument in Johnson's honor and sends him off with a last salute, which Johnson reciprocates; ending the movie in an immortalizing freeze-frame shot - again, a feature insisted on by Redford, doubtlessly reminiscent of "Butch and Sundance" (and repeated one way or another in several subsequent movies).

Despite its languid pace and although just under two hours long, "Jeremiah Johnson" formally takes an epic approach, complete with overture, entr'acte and narrator (uncredited, but I think Willie Nelson), whose subtle voiceovers and brief songs provide key narrative bridges. While the latter match the movie's overall style and the overture at least corresponds with Johnson's mythical stature - albeit also setting up ultimately unfulfilled expectations of a dramatic finale - adding an entr'acte may have been a bit much, particularly in the middle of the ride through the Crow burial ground (incidentally a screenplay addition designed to give the Indians a reason to punish Johnson and not make them appear as mindless killers). In my view this breaks the dramatic tension rather than enhancing it; problematic insofar as virtually all that remains thereafter is Johnson's gradual withdrawal into the mountains and fights with the Crow. But no matter. This is a terrific movie, featuring great banter with Johnson's fellow hunters as well as some wonderfully delicate scenes with Swan, showcasing some of North America's most dramatically beautiful scenery, and growing on you more and more the more often you watch it.

And some say he's up there still ...

"The way that you wander is the way that you choose. The day that you tarry is the day that you lose. Sunshine or thunder, a man will always wonder where the fair wind blows ..."
(Lyrics, Jeremiah Johnson's theme.)

Jeremiah Johnson: a note on the theater
Just a note about this wonderful movie. I saw it when it first came out. JEREMIAH JOHNSON the title page screamed, "with Robert Redford" next in small fonts. A few years later I was back at the theater to watch it again. ROBERT REDFORD the title page screamed, "in Jeremiah Johnson" next in small fonts. This movie (and a few others) had introduced Robert Redford to the world.
This movie should be appreciated by every movie lover. Among other things, it demonstrates how words, if chosen carefully, can be memorable in their sparseness.

The best of any Mountain Man Movies
My very favorite Mountain Man movie. ... Read more

Reviews (185)

A few scenes more
Sergio Leone proudly served up his finest spaghetti Western to a Roman audience in the final days of 1966. The premiere print of "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" sprawled over three hours in telling its tale of three desperados in search of gold amid the chaos of the Civil War.

The men from United Artists also were on the trail of treasure. American audiences, they knew, would not sit for a 178-minute Western, especially not an import starring a TV actor (Clint Eastwood).

Out came 17 minutes, and so was breach-born the version of "Good, Bad, Ugly" that has endured as a male-bonding touchstone for four decades. Looking to make things right (and to mine more gold), MGM a few years ago decided to re-create the storied film that unspooled in Rome that night. The restored, full-length English version of Leone's epic is worth every dollar in this two-disc DVD Collector's Set.

Sure, Leone's film loses much on the small screen -- its borderline-surrealistic vistas shot in Spain are legendary -- but the DVD's visuals are clean, with decent contrasts (anamorphic widescreen, 2.35:1). Compared to MGM's 1998 release, there's a dramatic reduction in flatness, speckling and miscellaneous wear. The 5.1 Dolby Digital audio has its moments but isn't up to the standards of the imagery.

The DVD medium is, of course, unrivaled at presenting the history of complicated productions like these. MGM's set gets that job done, for the most part. Eastwood biographer Richard Schickel does the heavy lifting in a commentary that, amazingly, runs on fumes only near the end of three hours. The 2002 restoration project is covered in an 11-minute docu that goes over the added/restored scenes. They mostly just smooth out the narrative, but it's hard to reimagine the film without them.

"Good, Bad, Ugly" is as closely associated with composer Ennio Morricone as with Leone. Film music historian Jon Burlingame talks about the maestro in a short featurette and in a more-detailed audio lecture. No explanation is given for Morricone's lack of participation on the DVD, and you get the feeling he's been downplayed for not playing along.

There are two types of people, my friend......
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is the classic spaghetti western that completes Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy. This is personally my favorite over the other two, although all three are great. The movie follows three men in their pursuit of $200,000 in gold. The story is set in the Civil War in southern Texas. The adventures of the three characters include a Union prison camp, a huge battle reminiscent of World War I, and of course the famous showdown in the Sad Hill Cemetery with Tuco running frantically around the graves looking for the one marked "Arch Stanton."

All three main characters give excellent performances here. Clint Eastwood stars as Blondie, Eli Wallach as Tuco, and Lee Van Cleef as Angel Eyes. The fourth star has to be Ennio Morricone's soundtrack. The music is fabulous throughout and well worth buying the soundtrack. Also starring are Mario Brega, Luigi Pistilli, and Aldo Sambrell. Leone's use of extreme close-ups and epic landscapes are excellent throughout.

The DVD is awesome and well worth the purchase. It contains the widescreen presentation, excellent color and sound, theatrical trailer, and 14 minutes of never-before-seen footage with English subtitles. This footage includes scenes that help explain how Angel Eyes ends up in a Union prison camp and also how Blondie later joins up with Angel Eyes' gang. After seeing the movie so many times without this footage, it was odd to see it, but still very entertaining. A must have for Spaghetti western fans!

Brilliant Restoration!
"The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" is Sergio Leone's magnum opus. An audacious undertaking, it would have flopped miserably in any other director's hands. Only someone so commited to his artistic vision as Leone could have pulled off this bombastic pageantry of human nature in all its facets, its capacity for cynicism, greed, bloodlust, revenge, heroism, redemption and honour.

This movie must be *experienced.* Put the DVD in, turn the stereo all the way up and let it pummel you