Welp, this movie finished out as good as it started. (SPOILER ALERT-if you haven't seen it you might not want to read this)
Most of the good guys won,with the exception of poor Gilpin, who caught one full-on in the inevitable showdown you just KNEW was gonna happen.
Seeing Big Ears get his was most satisfying, especially the way it was dished out.
Tom Harte put his Winchester to good use, shooting straight and hard, and hitting what he was pointing at.
I must say, I was a bit puzzled at Duvall's decision to let his last chance at love fly on by and at the same time to send the girls on to SF, but in the end I guess it was right. I sorta figured figured they would all settle down into one Big Happy, but it war'nt in the cards, as they say. I got some satisfaction out of Sun's decision to climb off'n that stage, though. Overall, the movie left me with a good feeling inside and a new respect for Duvall as a bit-part actor and an executive producer. From now on I will devour every western I can find with him in it.
On the down-side, watching a flick like this makes you realize that even something as simple as driving a herd of horses 800 miles as a business venture back then was a LCE (life changing event) that would like to get you killed (or married) or otherwise mess up your well-laid plans.
And that sons-of-bitches like Big Ears and Capt. Billy Fender could be waiting around any ol' bend in the road to squash your dreams back then. You could have a beautiful spread like Moncrieffe with a beautiful, tranquil life and have four jackwagons ride in and shoot it up or burn it to the ground in the drop of a hat.
Sobering.....
Anyway, one of the great actors and one of the good westerns. Watch it. Hell, buy it!
