VividSimon Simply Perfect

CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Sexyloutak Absolutely the worst movie.

Voxitype Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Michael O'Keefe This is an overlooked classic Western that helps cement director Sam Peckinpah's career. Down and out, strapped for cash, two former lawmen Steve Judd (Joel McCrea) and Gil Westrum (Randolph Scott) are hired by a bank to deliver a huge amount of gold from a mining camp in the high Sierras down to the bank. More or less swan songs for McCrea and Scott as their long lasting careers wane. To be exact, this is the final effort of Scott. The two old friends wrestle with ethics as one wants to take the proceeds and run, while the other intends to finish the assignment agreed to. The action scenes are full of realism and the two stars turn in memorable performances. The sweeping vistas are terrific.Rounding out the cast: Mariette Hartley, R.G. Armstrong, Ron Starr, James Drury, L.Q. Jones and Warren Oates.

Grrr8 This is an important western because the subplot of a young woman's life in the remote west is addressed. At this time many women were looked upon as chattel. Here a young woman escapes farm life with an overbearing religious father who beats her, to flee into marriage with a redneck miner who beats her and plans to share her with his brothers and father. The lead character played by veteran Joel McCrea is trying to earn an honorable living because there is no pension or social security benefits for him to rely on. Randolph Scott is trying to score some easy dough to last during his retirement. A fine movie about morality, honor, and duty.

dworldeater Ride The High Country is an early film by Sam Pechinpah. Starring two old school western stars from the 30's, 40's and 50's Randolf Scott and Joel Mc Rea, who have never worked together, but have excellent chemistry here. Even though Ride The High Country was made fairly cheap, the film looks awesome. Plus performances are solid and Sam's tight direction and attention to detail bring this production well above average. There is great dialogue, shootouts and fistfights to be had. Rounding out this production is a great support cast of Pechinpah regulars that would work with Sam in the future, that includes Warren Oates, RG Armstrong and LQ Jones. Much of Sam's personal philosophy and moral code is played out here in the great open American frontier. While The Wild Bunch is Sam's masterpiece, Ride The High Country shows his unique vision and talents early on, plus Ride The High Country is solid and a great and highly enjoyable western in its own right.

punkrawkcowboy This movie is very slow to get started. I found the latter half of the movie to be quite compelling, but you have to wade through a boring initial story line, unbelievable situations, and horribly awkward faux romance scenes that would be considered sexual assault these days. Joel Mcrae and Randall Scott's relationship with Ron Starr (Heck aka the boy) is a bit outlandish. It would be one thing for Starr (who's character looks at least 25) to defer to Mcrae and Scott's (both in their late 50s) wisdom and experience it's another thing for his character to be completely physically dominated by the two senior cowboys. I found Starr's character to be quite unbelievable in general, as his lines seem as if they are trying to portray a 15 year old when he could easily be 27. Starr's romance with Hartley is equally annoying and the movie picks up when the focus turns away from their romance (which is a shame because good romance is sorely lacking in the genre) to center back on Scott and Mcrae. There are some great camera shots and plot twists towards the end of the movie as well. I can appreciate the brilliance of Mcrae and Scott as actors and can see where Peckinpah was beginning to develop as a director, but as a whole the movie feels hit or miss. I suppose that if you grew up during this era you might really like this movie but I don't think I'll watch it again.