"I'm an old cowhand".....(with acknowledgements to Johnny Mercer.......)

ianlouisiana

Will Penny is what he is.An ageing,illiterate,dirt poor but brave and resourceful
cowboy.He is not given to introspection.He knows what he is good at and sticks to it.
After being paid off at the railhead for his latest cattle drive he decides to ride towards Kansas City ,allowing himself to follow his fates.
Joining two other drifters he makes a leisurely journey until they come across the homicidal Quint family who ambush them on the trail.
One of his companions - Dutchy - an impressive Mr A.Zerbe - is gutshot and Will and Dutchy's partner Blue - (Mr L.Majors - on the brink of superstardom) take him to the nearest settlement where they come across Miss J.Hackett who is travelling with her young son to meet her husband.
Leaving Blue and Dutchy at the doctor's,Will rides on and gets a job with the great Mr B.Johnson as a line rider.
He renews his acquaintance with Miss Hackett and is left for dead by the appalling Quints.
Unfortunately for Miss Hackett her knight in shining armour has come along 20 years too late for her to save him.
He knows this and after a bloody showdown with his nemesis Preacher Quint
he does what he considers to be the right thing and rides off again.
If this seems familiar enough stuff the devil is in the details here.
Mr C.Heston gives a sensitive portrayal of an inarticulate and damaged man
belatedly and unwillingly discovering his vulnerability.
The smaller parts are well - filled out,Mr S.Pickens is memorable as the archetypal trail - cook.Mr B.Dern frightening as Preacher Quint's older son.
Mad,as they used to say - as a sack of weasels.
As for Preacher Quint...well he is played in the approved eye - rolling preachifying,knee - slapping style by Mr D.Pleasance,often,as here,a stranger to restraint.
Fifty years after it's release "Will Penny" is a wildcard in Mr Heston's oeuvre.
I liked it a lot better than some of his more acclaimed roles.
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank my reader for his or her support over the years and wish all IMDB reviewers and readers a happy and safe 2018.

score 8/10

ianlouisiana 7 January 2018

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw4026288/