Cowboy (1958)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Delmer Daves

Writers (WGA):

Frank Harris (book) and
Edmund H. North (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 March 1958 (Japan)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

THE REAL, TRUE STORY OF THE WEST! (original print ad - all caps)

Plot:

Chicago hotel clerk Frank Harris dreams of life as a cowboy, and he gets his chance when, jilted by the father of the woman he loves...

Plot Keywords:

Cowboy | Male In Bathtub | Beautiful Woman | Based On Book

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Glenn Ford	...	Tom Reese
Jack Lemmon	...	Frank Harris
Anna Kashfi	...	Maria Vidal / Arriega
Brian Donlevy	...	Doc Bender, Trailhand
Dick York	...	Charlie, Trailhand
Víctor Manuel Mendoza	...	Paco Mendoza, Ramrod
Richard Jaeckel	...	Paul Curtis
King Donovan	...	Joe Capper, Trailhand
Vaughn Taylor	...	Mr. Fowler, Chicago Hotel Manager
Donald Randolph	...	Senor Vidal, Maria's Father
James Westerfield	...	Mike Adams
Eugene Iglesias	...	Don Manuel Arriega
Frank DeKova	...	Alcaide (as Frank de Kova)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

UK:U (tv rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Bonanza Creek Ranch - 15 Bonanza Creek Lane, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: While Don Manuel Arriega and Tom Reese are attempting to place the ring on the bull's horns, it is obvious the horns, which bend and flop, are made of rubber.

Quotes:

Tom Reese: How's the arm, Charlie?
Charlie, Trailhand: All right, boss. It's my drinking arm, not my loving arm.

Entertaining, light-duty western, worth watching

Not high drama or deep, meaningful material here, but still a good bit of fun with an excellent cast who seemed to have fun while making it. Somewhat reminiscent of John Wayne's fabulous movie of a similar name (THE COWBOYS, if I recall right), and CITY SLICKERS, this tale of a tenderfoot who rapidly turns into a hardened trail hand would have flopped with a lesser cast, but Glenn Ford and Jack Lemmon rip on through at a nice pace with a nice group of supporting players: Strother Martin, Brian Donlevy, Dick York and a number of other familiar faces. Don't rush out to pay rental money on this one, particularly, but it's certainly no waste of time on cable.