ThiefHott
Too much of everything
Hayden Kane
There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes
Logan
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
Hitchcoc
A couple of saddle busters, Glenn Ford and Henry Fonda are getting tired of falling off horses. They have the most fruitless jobs and no sense of money or the future. The work for great character actor Chill Wills who knows just how to manipulate them and keep them broke. There are a couple women after them but matrimony isn't for them at this stage. Everything ends up depending on a horse that has incredible spirit. Take a look at the cast list with some of the best character actors of the time. Of course, the stars are no slouches either. It's such fun to see Henry Fonda in perpetual pain. A real sleeper of a movie.
Spikeopath
The Rounders is directed by Burt Kennedy and Kennedy adapts the screenplay from Max Evans' novel. Music is by Jeff Alexander and cinematography by Paul Vogel. It stars Glenn Ford, Henry Fonda, Sue Ane Langdon, Hope Holiday, Chill Wills and Edgar Buchanan.Two ageing bronco-busting rounders get into (mis)adventures with a crafty old equine along for the ride... It's one of those films that has amiable blood coursing through its veins. We are in very good company with Ford and Fonda, two likable and most reliable veterans of the silver screen, and crucially it looks like they are having fun - and it's infectious. Teamed up with a splendid comedy horse who gets up to mischief when ever possible, the boys also find some sexy lady love interests that puts a nice little risqué cheek on things, cheek actually being a very literal word at times.Technically it's a very good production. Filmed in Metrocolor/Panavision, the vistas are superbly photographed by Vogel, with Arizona locations including Coconino National Forest, Red Rock Crossing, San Francisco Peaks and Village of Oak Creek. The stunt work is high quality, well shot by the wily Western movie veteran Kennedy, while Alexander's musical compositions have the desired jolification. Rounding off is a splendid and comforting support cast that sees Denver Pyle joining Buchanan and Wills for further Western genre reassurance. 7/10
classicsoncall
I can't be the only one who noticed it, but I didn't see it mentioned by any other reviewers or find it in any of the trivia for this film, so here goes. Did you take a good look at the blaze faced roan each time it was ridden casually versus when it was a bucking bronco? I'm sure it was two different horses. The mild mannered horse was a solid brown color, and when it was going berserk, it always had a dusty gray look to it. At first I thought that was the idea, having him kick up enough dust to make it look like it was affecting his coloration. But then, about the middle of the story, Ben (Glenn Ford) and Howdy (Henry Fonda) are making their way up to the high country, and Howdy remarks how different the horse's disposition can be at different times, almost like two different animals. To which Ben replies "You could say that" with a wry smile. That's what clinched it for me.Well as for the rest of the story, this was a bit of a slow mover for me. Having been long time partners, I didn't get a real good sense of Ben and Howdy being buddies very much, any charisma between Fonda and Ford just didn't seem to come across. A lot of it seemed tired to me, making it appear more like a B Western with big names rather than an A list production. In fact it wasn't much of a Western either come to think of it, but a story about aging horsemen who use their skill and experience to make a buck before blowing it at the end of each season.Even more lamentable was that scene with the pair of valley girls the duo tries to help out when their car breaks down. I guess the script called for them to play it dumb because they sure played it dumb. Following that 'hats behind the behind' scene I'm kind of grateful the girls didn't get to do their Snakes of Love act; I can only imagine what that was all about.Well far be it for me to suggest you shouldn't watch this flick, because if you're a Fonda or Ford fan I guess you could find this somewhat entertaining. This is where I get to paraphrase Fonda's character when he'd say something like 'Whatever suits you would just tickle me plum to death". I'll have to leave it at that.
ccthemovieman-1
Wow, with a combination of "western" and "comedy," I expected this to be entertaining at the very least. Well, it wasn't, despite a cast that included Glenn Ford and Henry Fonda. Well, even with "big names," there is no guarantee a film will be enjoyable.The comedy was very weak and the storyline wasn't much: simply a bunch of aging cowboys ("bronco busters," to be exact) trying to tame horses, with one of the horses giving them a particularly hard time. Meanwhile, a couple of women harp on those guys to settle down. Halfway, through, I was bored silly. That's the main problem of this film: a weak story.At least there were some good visuals to enjoy, mainly the wonderful background scenery. Sue Anne Langdon ("Mary") was nice on the eyes, too.To be fair, if I could see this on 2.35:1 widecreen on DVD, I might change my opinion on the photography alone.
