Deux Hommes dans l'Ouest

I saw WILD ROVERS when it first came out - in the early 70s. It had been butchered by the powers that be at MGM. Still there was a lot to recommend the western: William Holden at his post-WILD BUNCH grizzled best, Jerry Goldsmith's classic, Copelandesque score that somehow manages to be lyrical, evocative but not a bit cloying (learn something, James Horner and Hans Zimmer), and the stunning cinematography. I saw it again in the late 80s restored to its original length (on a double bill with the restored PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID, also butchered by MGM in the early 70s). I found more to like about the movie: the unexpected spurts of humor, the observations of the connectedness between cowboy and animal life, and Blake Edward's staging of the scenes of violence - he never does the same thing twice, and the barroom shootout is an object lesson in blocking and editing. (If there is any complaint one can level against Clint Eastwood's UNFORGIVEN was how uninterestingly the action scenes were staged.) Anyway, I just caught WILD ROVERS again on HD.Net Movies during 4th of July weekend, and its virtues have actually grown with age. And it looks gorgeous on a 16:9 Hi-Def screen. Give it a few more years and it might attain classic status.

I was very surprised when I saw that "Wild Rovers" was written and directed by Blake Edwards. Edwards is more known for his comedies and occasional dramas...not westerns. Was he up to the task? Well, considering what sort of film it is, having a non-western writer/director is actually a very good thing!

Why would I say this? Because "Wild Rovers" is a totally deconstructed view of cowboys. Instead of the usual macho theatrics you see in a western, this one is much more like the lives of REAL cowboys....their dull and somewhat pointless lives. In the film, the guys work hard, get paid little, visit prostitutes, fight because they are bored, puke, and die young...like a real cowboy of the era. There's nothing romanticized about the men in this film and, if anything, they are a bit sad and pitiful.

In the story, two of these drifting cow punchers, Ross and Frank (William Holden and Ryan O'Neal) begin to question their lives and their futures. To escape this, they consider robbing a bank. After all, better to die this way than to die on the job. But if they follow through with their plan, it's pretty certain that it won't be easy and some folks will come gunning for them.

In order to maintain the realistic style of the film, Edwards does not rush the film at all. Instead, it's slow and deliberate. Additionally, the cinematography often helps to convey a sense of loneliness--with wide screen shots of the lonely prairie. It's lovely...but stark. This could make for a dull film (like "Heaven's Gate") but the writer/director seemed to maintain the proper balance of dullness, scope and the story itself.

So is it any good? Well, it's difficult to judge based on the IMDB reviews. They run the gamut...from those hating it, the indifferent as well as those who think it's a masterpiece. As for me, I really appreciated "Wild Rovers" because I used to be an American History teacher...and know Edwards' view of the west is far more realistic than 99% of the movies in this genre. Thoroughly exciting? No...but neither was life in the old west. Overall, very well made and well worth seeing provided you have an open mind and don't demand the usual western cliches and plot twists.

Skip it – There are a lot of positives that make this a unique western that's worth a watch. There's good dialogue, a rousing musical score, beautiful cinematography, and a great acting job by William Holden. Unfortunately, this is more of a buddy movie than a good old-fashioned western. I've even heard some comparisons drawn to "Brokeback Mountain," although I personally would disagree. The story is about two ranch hands who decide on a whim to rob a bank, and the chain of events that unfold as a result. It is part "Sundowners" and part "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." The two men are an unlikely pair, but they become close friends as a result of their desperate situation. The first half of the movie feels like a comedy. The second half gets a lot better, with a couple gunfights and some Peckinpah-esque slow motion violence. Unfortunately, this western is too long and just too sluggish to keep an action buff entertained. But I believe that it is good enough to be considered a classic. 2 action rating

Sensitive Western with satisfying and impressive directorial by Blake Edwards , in his Western debut , being based on his own screenplay . The film starts at the ending XIX century when appears railway , big companies buy ranches and new technologies put difficult things for traditional cowboys who are yearning the freedom of the open prairie and attempt to go on their hard jobs . Cowboys lives are divided between months on the range and the occasional trip into town . It deals with an aging Montana cowboy called Ross (William Holden) who finds himself a dinosaur in an old West that's dying out , he befriends a younger colleague named Frank (Ryan O'Neal) and both of whom turn to bank robbing . Both of them tired of cow-punching for a living , carry out rob a bank and flee but they are relentlessly pursued by a posse formed by two deputies and the employer's (Karl Malden) sons (Tom Skerritt , Joe Don Baker) . Declining the Old West and with the stolen stash they attempt to make a new upright start in Mexico .

Sad , melancholic and dusty-looking Western , worthy of genre , with lots of shootouts in Peckimpah style , and adding a phenomenal duo protagonist , though the pace is too slow . Moving and sensitive Western where two cowboys must say goodbye to their old lives and embark a way to crime , while a bunch chases after them . Stands out great performances for all the casting with top-drawing main roles from William Holden and Ryan O'Neal . This melancholic picture is acclaimed like one of the best twilight Westerns and has a nice nostalgic feeling . It's an excellent Western with thrills , wars between cattlemen and shepherd people , shoot'em up , gorgeous scenarios , emotion ; but also melancholy , competition , unlovable camaraderie and emotionalism . And a magnificent soundtrack by the great maestro Jerry Goldsmith , providing a rich, vibrant , and sometimes stark score to accompany the story . Interesting but uneven script and too much referential baggage , including faint shades of ¨Wild Bunch¨ by Sam Peckimpah , ¨Monte Walsh¨ by William A. Fraker and ¨Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid¨ by George Roy Hill . Marvelous slow-moving scenes when Ross/William Holden is riding a wild horse under an impressive musical background , wonderfully composed by Jerry Goldsmith . Moving Western , elegiac , subdued and worthwhile for genre lovers , including great acting by two big stars hanging right in there all the way . Perhaps one of the greatest Westerns of the sixties -as well as unknown- and certainly one of the most likable with Holden and O'Neal in their charismatic acting as cowboys turned into outlaws . And it still looks good more the 40 years on . The dialogue shines with constant wit , the noisy action is spot-on and the photography is best-ever . Even the supporting cast are beautifully drawn , such as : Karl Malden , James Olson , Joe Don Baker , Tom Skerritt , William Bryant , Victor French , Rachel Roberts , Charles Gray and a glimpse of the secondaries : Moses Gunn and William Lucking as a card player . Cinematographer Philip H. Lathrop proves himself a proficient cameraman in this awesome yarn . Special mention for the breathtaking musical score , wonderfully heard when the two pals try to take some wild horses , including a thrilling and exciting leitmotif .

This wacky Western-comedy-adventure motion picture was compellingly directed by Blake Edwards . The excessively twilight tone and overlong runtime doom this brave effort and achieved limited success at box-office . Blake's first venture Western has a nice nostalgic feel , but the pace is too slow to keep a long as well as good grip on the interest . Blake had some hit smashes with ¨Pink Panther¨ series who became him a world-wide celebrity , such as ¨A shot in dark¨ , ¨Return of pink panther , ¨Revenge of pink panther¨ , ¨Curse of Pink Panther¨ , ¨Pink Panther strikes again¨ , ¨Trail of Pink Panther¨ , ¨Son of Pink Panther¨ , among others . Since then , there have been many more hit-and-miss comedies , some wildly unsuitable vehicles for his second wife Julie Andrews as ¨The Tamarind seed¨ , ¨Darling Lili¨, ¨SOB¨ , ¨10¨ , ¨That's life¨ . His greatest hits were ¨The party¨ , the tranvestite comedy ¨Victor/Victoria¨ and of course the joyously ¨Breakfast at Tiffany's ¨. The flick will appeal to Western fans . This is arguably one of the Blake Edwards' best . This consistently entertaining Western titled ¨Wild Rovers¨ or ¨Frank and Ross¨or ¨Dos Hombres Contra El Oeste¨ deserves 'Two thumbs up' .

This is not a film about which you hear a great deal, which is a shame because it is one of the most enjoyable westerns I have seen for a long time. I think the problem lies in the fact that it tries to be too many different things and cover too many bases. It is funny, but not as funny as BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID; it is elegaic, but not as elegaic as PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID; it is violent, but not as violent as THE WILD BUNCH; and it is beautiful, but not as beautiful as JEREMIAH JOHNSON.

It may sound odd but the film it most resembles, in as much as it combines all these elements, is THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT. We have a mismatched pairing of a wise man and a headstrong youth who combine to pull off a major robbery. They are pursued relentlessly by an almost psychotic adversary. They meet a tragic end. This may sound like high praise and indeed it should because this is a fine movie and I never thought I'd say that about a Blake Edwards movie.

There are moments within this film which you rarely get in a run of the mill western. For instance I never see a western which deals so well with the equivocal relationship between a cowboy and animals. This film is full of them: sheep, cows, horses, mules, cougars, cats and dogs. And not just in passing either. All the best westerns have a snowbound sequence but not many of them combine it with a horse-breaking scene, as this movie does to breathtaking effect.