ComedyWesternAction

The Ballad of Cable Hogue

- Cable Hogue says … “Do unto others … as you would have others do unto you.”

Double-crossed and left without water in the desert, Cable Hogue is saved when he finds a spring. It is in just the right spot for a much needed rest stop on the local stagecoach line, and Hogue uses this to his advantage. He builds a house and makes money off the stagecoach passengers. Hildy, a prostitute from the nearest town, moves in with him. Hogue has everything going his way until the advent of the automobile ends the era of the stagecoach.

Release Date : 1970-03-18

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Warner Bros. Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Cable Hogue

Original Name : Jason Robards

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hildy

Original Name : Stella Stevens

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ben Fairchild

Original Name : Slim Pickens

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joshua

Original Name : David Warner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Taggart

Original Name : L.Q. Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bowen

Original Name : Strother Martin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Quittner

Original Name : R.G. Armstrong

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cushing

Original Name : Peter Whitney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clete

Original Name : Gene Evans

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jensen

Original Name : William Mims

Gender : Male

Character Name : Claudia

Original Name : Susan O'Connell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Powell

Original Name : Vaughn Taylor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Jensen

Original Name : Kathleen Freeman

Gender : Female

Character Name : Webb Seely

Original Name : Max Evans

Gender : Male

Character Name : Preacher

Original Name : James Anderson

Gender : Male

Character Name : William

Original Name : Felix Nelson

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Stranger

Original Name : Darwin Lamb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dot

Original Name : Mary Munday

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lucius

Original Name : William D. Faralla

Gender : Male

Character Name : Matthew

Original Name : Matthew Peckinpah

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stage Office Clerk

Original Name : Victor Izay

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Peckinpah's lyrical vision of the West provides humour and comfort to director and viewer alike. The Ballad Of Cable Hogue sees Sam Peckinpah in jolly form. There is nothing here to trouble the censors, a bit of violence here and there - and some nasty human traits seam through the story, but this is purely a funny and touching movie that again deals with a Peckinpah fave theme of the Old West passing. Only difference is here he has his tongue firmly in cheek as he observes the thirst for finance sweeping across the country. Cable Hogue is a prospector left for dead in the desert by his two double-crossing partners Bowen & Taggart. Wandering across the desert talking to god, Hogue collapses during a sandstorm and finds mud on his boot, after digging down for a while he finds the miracle of water (though Hogue badly misspells this on his advertisement). An encounter with preacher Joshua convinces Hogue to go patent his spring and make a killing selling water to the passing stagecoach trail that runs by his newly found oasis. After striking a deal in the town of Dead Dog, Hogue is set up nicely while into the bargain he falls for gorgeous prostitute Hildy. The film cheekily (just like Hogue) has established itself as a fine piece by the time it takes it's dark turn. It seems that revenge is the new found recipe on the Cable Springs Menu. This was Sam Peckinpah's favourite film from his own CV, it's his most personal, he apparently saw a lot of himself in Cable Hogue, and with that in mind the film does gain a bit more emotional heart. But strikingly, it's the humour in there that shouldn't be understated, this was the director at one with himself, and the result is lyrical deftness. The cast are great, Jason Robards is wonderful in the title role, Stella Stevens as Hildy shows a fine actress at work. So much so it only makes me lament that she didn't have a great and industrious career post Cable Hogue. Peckinpah faves Strother Martin, L.Q. Jones & Slim Pickens reward their loyal director with impacting shows, while David Warner as the confused sexual predator preacher Joshua practically steals the film with his hedonistic leanings. Don't go into this film expecting a blood and thunder Western and you will be pleasantly surprised at its thematic heartbeat. Different sort of Peckinpah, but it's also essential Peckinpah. 9/10