The Ballad of Cable Hogue

In my opinion, tough heroes, macho guys, and a completely different genre than comedy suit director Sam Peckinpah better, but he did more than a good job with this humorous story from a time when the Wild West stopped being wild and cowboys and adventurers were replaced by traders, businessmen, and their staff. It's not a crazy comedy where you laugh out loud, but rather a film where a light smile appears on your face every now and then. The film is not strong in plot, but rather in the atmosphere of a remote corner of the country, a desert where foxes say goodnight and where you damn well have to earn every bit of your livelihood. With its nostalgic mood, this film connects to a much more well-known film from Peckinpah's filmography, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. The end of an era is clearly defined by the arrival of the automobile, which means the end of a world where movement is governed by horses. Overall impression: 75%. (31/12/2012)

The title of the film makes it clear what mood it will be in and how it will end, but does it matter? Nope. The five stars are well deserved - Sam, no matter how much he may or may not have been stoned, managed to make an uncharacteristic, yet damn good film, and one that is not typical for him. Jason Robards is an incredibly likable dirt-bag who you just have to root for, David Warner is not so likable, but he's great just the same, and Stella Stevens, she's a beautiful ornament. The best scene, however, comes at the very beginning. The opening perfect title sequence, in which Cable is making his way across the desert with Jerry Goldsmith playing... Those who have not seen and heard should catch up. One of my top films, one of my top soundtracks. (16/10/2007)