WesternDrama

Bad Company

- They're young, desperate, dangerous—a long way from home, but a short way from Hell.

After Drew Dixon, an upright young man, is sent west by his religious family to avoid being drafted into the Civil War, he drifts across the land with a loose confederation of young vagrants.

Release Date : 1972-10-08

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Jaffilms Inc.Paramount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Jake Rumsey

Original Name : Jeff Bridges

Gender : Male

Character Name : Drew Dixon

Original Name : Barry Brown

Gender : Male

Character Name : Big Joe

Original Name : David Huddleston

Gender : Male

Character Name : Arthur Simms

Original Name : Jerry Houser

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hobbs

Original Name : Geoffrey Lewis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Orin

Original Name : Ed Lauter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Loney

Original Name : John Savage

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marshal

Original Name : Jim Davis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jim Bob Logan

Original Name : Damon Douglas

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boog Bookin

Original Name : Joshua Hill Lewis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nolan

Original Name : John Quade

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Dixon

Original Name : Jean Allison

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mr. Dixon

Original Name : Ned Wertimer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jackson

Original Name : Raymond Guth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Min

Original Name : Monika Henreid

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Charles Tyner

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Ted Gehring

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Claudia Bryar

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Todd Martin

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Say, how'd that Jane Eyre turn out? Bad Company is directed by Robert Benton and Benton co-writes the screenplay with David Newman. It stars Jeff Bridges, Barry Brown, Jim Davis, David Huddleston and John Savage. Music is by Harvey Schmidt and cinematography by Gordon Willis. Young men dodging the Union Army draft for the Civil War escape to the West in the hope of finding fortune and freedom. What actually awaits them is something completely different. The 1970s saw a slew of Westerns released that were a far cry from the golden frothy production line of the 1950s. Film makers big into the genre were quick to latch onto more sombre stories or quirky non conformist pieces. The climate of the World was changing and so directors and writers were comfortable in portraying the Wild West as not being romantic or heroic at all. One such gem is Bad Company. Benton's film quickly sets out its stall with its opening salvo, as Union soldiers round up young boys in child snatching fashion, all that is missing is big chins and lollipops. Enter one young man named Drew Dixon (Brown), a God fearing youngster packed off by his Mum to the West to start a richer life. Soon enough he is falling in with bad company, company fronted by Jake Rumsey (Bridges), the main man for a ragtag band of young thieves. The West painted here is a dour place, Rumsey's gang think nothing of robbing young children of their pocket money, or tormenting a feral feline. We are often throughout the picture reminded that folk come West for fame and fortune etc, but have found nothing but misery. A man quickly spies an opportunity to solicit his wife out to the young gang for $10 a pop, an elder gang think nothing of robbing the younger upstarts. Weapons have to be traded just for a meal (slop really...), and of course there is no honour among thieves, doing each other over will come naturally. And naturally pain, death and rude awakening are just a heartbeat away. And yet the pic is not without humour, much needed humour as it bears out the naivety of youth, or misplaced cockiness, or just in fighting camaraderie. There are laughs to be had here, some choice dialogue or a put-down, but given the nature of the story, a shock or heartache scene is never far away. A Technicolor production, the colours are however stripped down to autumnal filters, this perfectly aids the naturalistic flavours of this particular Western broth. Schmidt offers up a range of piano dirges, flitting between perky and morose as per the scene it accompanies. Cast are great, Bridges and Brown hold court in believable fashion, the other youngsters guided well by their director. Big Joe's (Huddleston excellent) gang consists of reliable character actors who Western fans will be pleased to see, such as Geoffrey Lewis (The Culpepper Cattle Co. High Plains Drifter), Charles Tyner (Jeremiah Johnson, The Outlaw Josey Wales) and Ed Lauter (Breakhart Pass, Dirty Little Billy). Myths of the West debunked, Bad Company is a must see for Western fans seeking the more earthy approach to Western story telling. 8/10