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ActionWestern

Wild Rovers

- They were damned good cowboys, until they robbed a bank.

Ross Bodine and Frank Post are cowhands on Walt Buckman's R-Bar-R ranch. Bodine is older and broods a bit about how he will get along when he's too old to cowboy. Post is young and rambunctious and ambitious for a better life than wrangling cows. When one of their fellow cowboys is killed in a corral accident, Post suggests a way into a better life for himself and his friend: robbing a bank. Bodine reluctantly joins in the plan and the two contrive to rob the local bank. They make good their escape initially, but Walt Buckman and his two sons, John and Paul, are incensed at this betrayal by their own trusted employees. John and Paul set out to bring Bodine and Post to justice.

Release Date : 1971-06-23

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

William Holden

Character Name : Ross Bodine

Original Name : William Holden

Gender : Male

Ryan O'Neal

Character Name : Frank Post

Original Name : Ryan O'Neal

Gender : Male

Karl Malden

Character Name : Walter Buckman

Original Name : Karl Malden

Gender : Male

Lynn Carlin

Character Name : Sada Billings

Original Name : Lynn Carlin

Gender : Female

Tom Skerritt

Character Name : John Buckman

Original Name : Tom Skerritt

Gender : Male

Joe Don Baker

Character Name : Paul Buckman

Original Name : Joe Don Baker

Gender : Male

Geoffrey Edwards

Character Name : Attendant's Son

Original Name : Geoffrey Edwards

Gender : Male

James Olson

Character Name : Joe Billings

Original Name : James Olson

Gender : Male

Leora Dana

Character Name : Nell Buckman

Original Name : Leora Dana

Gender : Female

Moses Gunn

Character Name : Ben

Original Name : Moses Gunn

Gender : Male

Victor French

Character Name : Sheriff

Original Name : Victor French

Gender : Male

Rachel Roberts

Character Name : Maybell

Original Name : Rachel Roberts

Gender : Female

Sam Gilman

Character Name : Hansen

Original Name : Sam Gilman

Gender : Male

Charles H. Gray

Character Name : Savage

Original Name : Charles H. Gray

Gender : Male

William Bryant

Character Name : Hereford

Original Name : William Bryant

Gender : Male

Jack Garner

Character Name : Cap Swilling

Original Name : Jack Garner

Gender : Male

Caitlin Wyles

Character Name : Bodine's Girl

Original Name : Caitlin Wyles

Gender : Male

Mary Jackson

Character Name : Sada's Mother

Original Name : Mary Jackson

Gender : Female

William Lucking

Character Name : Ruff

Original Name : William Lucking

Gender : Male

Ed Bakey

Character Name : Gambler

Original Name : Ed Bakey

Gender : Male

Ted Gehring

Character Name : Tucson Sheriff

Original Name : Ted Gehring

Gender : Male

Alan Carney

Character Name : Palace Bartender

Original Name : Alan Carney

Gender : Male

Ed Long

Character Name : Cassidy

Original Name : Ed Long

Gender : Male

Patrick Sullivan Burke

Character Name : Palace Tenor

Original Name : Patrick Sullivan Burke

Gender : Male

Lee de Broux

Character Name : Leaky

Original Name : Lee de Broux

Gender : Male

Hal Lynch

Character Name : Mack

Original Name : Hal Lynch

Gender : Male

Boyd 'Red' Morgan

Character Name : Sheepman

Original Name : Boyd 'Red' Morgan

Gender : Male

Bennie E. Dobbins

Character Name : Sheepman

Original Name : Bennie E. Dobbins

Gender : Male

Bob Beck

Character Name : Bathhouse Attendant

Original Name : Bob Beck

Gender : Male

Herb Tanney

Character Name : Piano Player

Original Name : Herb Tanney

Gender : Male

Bruno VeSota

Character Name : Cantina Bartender

Original Name : Bruno VeSota

Gender : Male

Dick Crockett

Character Name : Sheriff's Deputy

Original Name : Dick Crockett

Gender : Male

Barbara Baldavin

Character Name :

Original Name : Barbara Baldavin

Gender : Female

Phyllis Douglas

Character Name :

Original Name : Phyllis Douglas

Gender : Female

Gloria Hill

Character Name :

Original Name : Gloria Hill

Gender : Male

Jay W. MacIntosh

Character Name :

Original Name : Jay W. MacIntosh

Gender : Female

Beatriz Monteil

Character Name :

Original Name : Beatriz Monteil

Gender : Male

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

A reflective gem of an Oater. Wild Rovers is written and directed by Blake Edwards. It stars William Holden, Ryan O'Neal, Karl Malden, Joe Don Baker, Tom Skeritt and James Olsen. Music is scored by Jerry Goldsmith and the Panavision/Metrocolor cinematography is by Philip Lathrop. It's a Western that not only was butchered by cretinous execs at MGM, but has also proved to be divisive among the Western faithful - those that have seen the now thankfully available un-butchered version that is. Wild Rovers is one of those Oaters that is very much concerned with the changing of the West, where cowboys start to find themselves out of place with their era. Think Monte Walsh/Will Penny/Ride The High Country, with a bit of Wild Bunch/Butch & Sundance thrown in for good measure, and you get where Wild Rovers is at. Some critics were quick to accuse Edwards of merely copying Western films of past, but that is unfair. For this is a loving homage to those movies, also managing to be its own beast in the process. The tale is simply of two cowpokes, one aged and world weary, the other a young excitable buck, best friends who want more from life, so decide to rob the local bank and flee to Mexico to start afresh. Of course two men and destiny are quite often not the best of bed fellows... There's an elegiac beauty to Edwards' screenplay, with some of the scripted dialogue lyrical and poetic. And yet even though the harshness of the West, of the life of a cowboy, and the violence that is abound, is deftly pulsing within the story, there's plenty of dashes of humour as well. This is not a perpetually downbeat movie, slow moving? Absolutely, short on ripper action? Also correct. But as the themes of heroism and honour, of friendship and folly, are born out, and the many tender sequences draw you in, a pratfall is never far away. Technically it's high grade stuff. Holden is superb and he drags O'Neal along with him to avert what could have been a casting disaster. They make a fine and beguiling partnership and both men are turning in some of their best ever work here. The photography of the Arizona locations is outstanding, with Lathrop (Lonely Are the Brave) managing to add some ethereal beauty to the story. Goldsmith knocks out a triffic score, part blunderbuss Western excitement, part intimate pal to all and sundry. Skip any version that is under two hours, for that is an MGM crime. The MOD DVD comes complete with overture, intermission, entr'acte and exit music, while TCM shows the uncut version but minus the aforementioned roadshow segments. This is not a Western for those looking for a Magnificent Seven style actioner, for as fun as that great movie is, this is an altogether different and mature beast, and it deserves to be better known. 9/10