ThiefHott Too much of everything

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Steineded How sad is this?

Taha Avalos The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

skennedy-971-940003 There is a DVD PAL version available from the German manufacturer Schroder Media. Unfortunately the print they made it from appears to be a much-played 16mm print, complete with scratched-in cue marks, dust, grime, and the unsteadiest telecine work this side of Frankfurt. The footage itself is so de-saturated it looks like someone left the print out in sunlight. And the art work of the cover features a painting of a bunch of cowboys a' whoopin' n' hollarin' through town - but certainly doesn't come from this film. Save yourself the money and disappointment, and wait until Zoetrope Studios solves whatever copyright problems may be buzzing around it, and gives us a decent, ideally blu-ray, version of the film. And there's a "Making Of..." doc kicking around Vancouver somewhere.

lavatch Produced under the auspices of Zoetrope Studios in 1982, "The Grey Fox" offers an unforgettable character portray of the real-life Bill "The Gentleman Bandit" Miner. This is a rare instance of a film western that actually strives to recreate the historical West and the gritty people who inhabited it.Stunt man and character actor Richard Farnsworth is perfect as the historical Bill Miner, who, starting in 1863, robbed stage coaches for eighteen years, then spent thirty-three years incarcerated in San Quentin penitentiary. When he was released on June 17, 1901, he must have felt like Rip Van Winkle in awakening to a new world.A stroke of genius on the part of the filmmakers was to incorporate footage of Edwin Porter's silent film "The Great Train Robbery." The dawn of the railway era coincided with the time Miner spent in prison. After he serves his time, he is enthralled by the Porter's film that fills him with ideas for adapting his skills to the robbing of trains.As opposed to focusing on action scenes, the stroke of genius of the filmmakers is to develop extended placid scenes where Miner is hiding out in Canada, laying low after one of his train robberies. In a small community outside of Calgary, Miner becomes a fixture in the town and even strikes up a romantic relationship with a liberated woman, photographer Kate Flynn.Of the many detailed portraits of small characters, one of the most memorable is that of the local Mountie, who takes a liking to Miner and even shields him from the authorities, including the Jean Valjean of Pinkerton agents stalking Miner from the United States. Another touching relationship is that of a little boy who looks up to Miner and offers him an orange at the time of his arrest at Monte Creek.The film played loose with the historical facts of Miner's life, especially in the ending. But the greater achievement of the film was to capture a world in transition with an old way of life giving way to modernity."I've got ambitions in my that just won't quit," Miner quietly informs his sister before setting off on his new life as a railroad thief. Miner always had a way with words. After all, it was Gentleman Bill Miner who coined the expression "Hands Up!" prior to robbing poor, unsuspecting stagecoach passengers.

don dutton Bill Miner, the "Gentleman Robber" robbed stages and trains from Arizona to British Columbia. This is a beautifully photographed and lyrical telling of his later career, fighting the law and the law winning.... for a while at least. Richard Farnsworth handed in a great and totally credible performance as the laid back but cunning Miner and his love affair with most interesting woman in Kamloops. All the characters are the real thing... no Hollywood veneer here. Great pace and photography- get it with John Sayles' Matewan and have an authentic trip back into time. Its' a pity that Phillip Borsos didn't live long enough to put out a few more of these.

Agrippa328 Surely one of the most direct, honest and accurate depictions of life in the "Old West," the Grey Fox does not resort to violence, bluster or machismo to present its story. Instead, the film comes across as a story of a man whose life has gone wrong as the result of carefully thought out and well-reasoned choices, though nevertheless bad choices. This alone is particularly refreshing in a Western movie and makes the film a worthwhile experience.The late Richard Farnsworth relies on his considerable skills as an actor and makes his character sympathetic and heroic, never losing sight that he is in fact a thief. The costumes, setting, dialog and yes, even the miserable weather are true to the historical period and makes the viewer feel as if they were there alongside the characters in this elegant story.It's a wonderful film and a visual feast!