A wonderful Western that rejects the usual clichés

MartinHafer

Charlton Heston stars as the title character--an aging, lonely and illiterate cow-puncher who simply knows no other way of life. However, into his rather dull and routine existence comes Joan Hackett and her son (the director's real-life son). Winter in approaching and they are tossed together in the wilderness--leading to some great dialog, touching scenes and a burgeoning romance. Unfortunately, into this nice little world come Donald Pleasance (as "the Preacher") and his insane children who are hell-bent on revenge and terrorizing Heston and company.

This is an exceptional Western because it is unique and defies the usual silly clichés associated with the genre (such as a "perfect" happy ending). As for me, I hate these fictional images--especially since I am an American History teacher and I know the Roy Rogers and Gene Autry style versions of cowboys are all a lot of hooey. Instead of a ridiculous Hollywood image of the West with shootouts in the street, Indian attacks and a bigger-than-life hero, this film features characters that really could have existed back then. No, these characters were not superheroes but real people placed in situations that draw us in thanks to the wonderful script by the director. Also, the script is generally easy-going and stresses some of the mundane realities of life in the mountains long ago. Despite this, the film never gets boring because the characters are written so well and the acting (with one exception) is superb and understated.

My only complaint, and it's a small one, is the character of the Preacher. He seemed rather silly and hard to believe--an odd anomaly into this otherwise perfect picture. And, the idea of a Bible-quoting nut is a silly and overused stereotype. Still, he's not a huge part of the film and the overall effort makes this a must-see film and a great departure from the norm.

By the way, the DVD includes a few extras--including a nice little featurette where you learn some great details about the film. The director and writer of the film had no idea that his own son would be cast in the film in a very important part (despite inexplicably getting such low billing). How all this occurred was a really neat accident. Plus the interviews with him, Heston and others really helped make the film come alive.

score 8/10

MartinHafer 23 August 2007

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1717517/