Ride in the Whirlwind (1965)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Monte Hellman

Writer:

Jack Nicholson (writer)

Release Date:

24 March 1978 (Finland)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

Three cowboys, mistaken for members of an outlaw gang, are relentlessly pursued by a posse.

Plot Keywords:

Posse | Outlaw | Cowboy | Chase | Vigilante

Cast

Cameron Mitchell	...	Vern
Millie Perkins	...	Abigail
Jack Nicholson	...	Wes
Katherine Squire	...	Catherine
George Mitchell	...	Evan
Rupert Crosse	...	Indian Joe
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Blind Dick (as Dean Stanton)
John Hackett	...	Winslow
Tom Filer	...	Otis
B.J. Merholz	...	Edgar
Brandon Carroll	...	Quint Mapes
Peter Cannon	...	Hagerman
William A. Keller	...	Roy
Neil Summers		(as Neil Summer)
James Campbell

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-16 | UK:PG | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Kanab, Utah, USA

Company:

Proteus Films

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first shot of the film, Joe appears on the left side of the screen and Dick on the right, both seen from their back. The subsequent long shot, from the front, shows them switched.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Braccati (2001)

No romantic adventure, but a struggle for survival

If you are looking for a romantic Western with traditional good guys battling against the forces of evil, then you have come to the wrong place. There are no heroes and no villains, just ordinary men and women struggling against the elements for survival. No one has an easy life, neither homesteader nor outlaw. The drudgery of the former is shown by the farmer hacking away endlessly at the stubborn stump that refuses to give up its hold. The folly of the latter comes into focus when the vigilante posse catches up with its quarry. Knowing that a life of punching cows will get them nowhere, three cowboys, played excellently by Jack Nicholson, Cameron Mitchell and Tom Filer, briefly consider joining up with the outlaw gang they've been forced to spend the night with. Not having the outlaw nature, the cowboys reject that option and determine that they best separate themselves at first light. However, by then it is too late. The vigilantes have both the outlaws and them surrounded and open fire. If they surrender, they will be hanged, no questions asked. If they try to ride out, they will be shot down. They can only climb out of the valley up the mountains, leaving their horses behind. However, as stated by one of the cowboys, it is no country to be set afoot. Thus, their enemy becomes not only the men tracking them down but also the harsh environment into which they are thrust and must overcome. That struggle is the essence of what this marvelous film is all about.