Terrific remake of a pretty good film in its own right.
Best known for the novel "Shane," Jack Schaefer also wrote the novel "Monte Walsh," a depiction of the life of the itinerant cowhand.There's not a lot of plot, but a hugely detailed and wonderfully described slice of life, tough, tender, and comedic.The first film of "Monte Walsh" was a great little picture, with a nice uncharacteristic role for Jack Palance as Monte's pal Chet.But this TV remake may in fact be a better film.Tom Selleck is just grand as Monte--getting a bit old for bronco-busting, but still full of piss-and-vinegar.And Keith Carradine is swell as Chet, the cowboy who gives it all up to marry the hardware widow.Everything about this film is done extremely well.The costumes are superb--colorful and mythic while at the same time obviously useful and well-used work clothes. This is not a clean-hat Western, one of my pet peeves.The music is really touching and classic and romantic, and the cinematography is, to coin a cliche', stunning.All the performances are really quite good, and the movie left me with the feeling that I'd really spent a few months with a bunch of cowhands.What plot there is is realistic and uncontrived, and is ultimately moving.But "Monte Walsh" really earns its spurs by showing a 21st century audience how wonderful and horrible life on the 19th century range could be.score 9/10
JimB-4 3 February 2003
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0890304/35722
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