Reviewed by Brian M Downing
Directed by Martin Ritt and written by Elmore Leonard.
10/10
I had not seen this in fifty years until the other night. Memorable though it was in my youth, I wondered if it would hold up. It certainly does. Paul Newman plays John Russell, a white man raised by Apaches who does not not feel comfortable in the white world. Indeed, he is familiar with the white world’s hypocrisy and greed. He retains the taciturnity and resourcefulness of his Apache upbringing.
Newman is on a stagecoach that’s robbed by a gang of outlaws led by Richard Boone. The robbery doesn’t go well and Newman gets hold of money and water which sets the stage for an hour of tense negotiations and stalemate with the gang, followed by a final gunfight. Ritt’s direction offers great pacing and tension and gives a feel for the hilly, dry, unforgiving land that the drama takes place on. The dilemmas faced by both sides as the pursuit and standoff go on are well presented and gripping.
Remarkable supporting cast includes Richard Boone as the gang leader who squares off mentally and violently with Newman, Frederic March as a thieving Indian agent, Martin Balsam as the driver, Diane Cilento as one of the passengers, and several others. Most memorable is Frank Silvera as Boone’s idiosyncratic Mexican accomplice who delivers messages to Newman, calling him “Hombre.”
© 2021 Brian M Downing
Brian M Downing is a national security analyst who’s written for outlets across the political spectrum. He studied at Georgetown University and the University of Chicago, and did post-graduate work at Harvard’s Center for International Affairs. Thanks as ever to Susan Ganosellis.