Hombre (1967)

Director:

Martin Ritt

Writers:

Irving Ravetch (screenplay) and
Harriet Frank Jr. (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 March 1967 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

Hombre means MAN... Paul Newman is HOMBRE!

Plot:

John Russell, disdained by his "respectable" fellow stagecoach passengers because he was raised by Indians, becomes their only hope for survival when they are set upon by outlaws.

Plot Keywords:

Stagecoach | Lodging House | Apache | Outlaw | Journey

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Paul Newman	...	John Russell
Fredric March	...	Favor
Richard Boone	...	Grimes
Diane Cilento	...	Jessie
Cameron Mitchell	...	Braden
Barbara Rush	...	Audra Favor
Peter Lazer	...	Billy Lee
Margaret Blye	...	Doris
Martin Balsam	...	Mendez
Skip Ward	...	Steve Early
Frank Silvera	...	Mexican Bandit
David Canary	...	Lamar Dean
Val Avery	...	Delgado
Larry Ward	...	Soldier
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Linda Cordova	...	Mrs. Delgado (uncredited)
Pete Hernandez	...	Apache (uncredited)
Merrill C. Isbell	...	Apache (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Ritt

Writing credits
Irving Ravetch		(screenplay) and
Harriet Frank Jr.		(screenplay)
Elmore Leonard		(novel)

Produced by
Irving Ravetch	....	producer
Martin Ritt	....	producer

Original Music by
David Rose

Cinematography by
James Wong Howe		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Frank Bracht

Art Direction by
Jack Martin Smith
Robert Emmet Smith		(as Robert E. Smith)

Set Decoration by
Raphael Bretton		(set decorations)
Walter M. Scott		(set decorations)

Costume Design by
Donfeld		(costumes designed by)

Makeup Department
Margaret Donovan	....	hair stylist
Ben Nye	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Harry Caplan	....	unit production manager (as Harry A. Caplan)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William McGarry	....	assistant director
Christopher Seitz	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
John R. Carter	....	sound
David Dockendorf	....	sound

Stunts
Terry Leonard	....	stunts (uncredited)
Danny Sands	....	stunts (uncredited)
George P. Wilbur	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James Mitchell	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Music Department
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
David Rose	....	conductor
Leo Shuken	....	orchestrator

Other crew
Meta Rebner	....	script supervisor
Tim Burstall	....	attachment (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
• Hombre Productions (produced by) (as Hombre Productions, Inc.)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1967) (USA) (theatrical) (released by) (as Twentieth Century - Fox Film Corporation.)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1970) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Centfox (1967) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (19??) (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Anaconda Company, The  the Helvetia Mine owned by (as the Anaconda Company)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1988) | USA:Approved (certificate #21250) | West Germany:12 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (tv rating)

Filming Locations:

Bell Ranch, Santa Susana, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

David Canary's TV debut.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The horse the bandito is riding has a snap to connect the throatlatch. None of the bridles of that day would have used snaps as they had not been invented at that time.

Quotes:

Lamar Dean:[Russell has climbed to the top of the stage] What are you doin' up there?
John Russell:Gettin' my things.
Lamar Dean:You figurin' on going some place?
John Russell:Why stay here?
Lamar Dean:Just how far do you thin you're gonna get?
John Russell:That's to find out.
Lamar Dean:[takes one waterbag] Now how far did you say you were gonna get?
Henry Mendez:Leave us some water!
Lamar Dean:[shoots the remaining waterbag] Now how far?
John Russell:Oh about as far as Delgado's.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: Episode #22.69" (2005)

"Cause I Can Cut It."

Paul Newman did a whole bunch of films with Director Martin Ritt and Hombre, one lean and mean western ranks as one of the best.

Newman is John Russell, the ultimate in the Stockholm Syndrome in the western film. He's a man who was kidnapped by the Apaches as a child, raised among them, and then when he was rescued from the Apaches, turned his back on his rescuers and went back to live among them. The opening of the film has some closeup shots of Newman as an Apache and he does look like a figure of interest with those baby blue eyes of his. The viewer is already involved, this is a person of interest, there's a story here, let's find out about him.

Circumstance has put him on a coach with several other passengers, including the Indian agent at the San Carlos Reservation, Fredric March and his wife Barbara Rush. Unbeknownst to everyone else, March has embezzled a whole stash of money from the tribe and is on the run, like Berton Churchill in Stagecoach. Of course Churchill is not taking his young pretty wife along with him.

The outlaws led by Richard Boone know about the loot and they ambush the coach, but the holdup is unsuccessful. Nevertheless the passengers are left afoot with the loot, but limited water on the Arizona desert.

It falls to Newman to lead them to safety, a guy they had previously snubbed. Hombre gets deliciously ironic that way.

Next to Newman, I'd say the best performance in the film is easily that of Diane Cilento, the very wise and earthy boarding house keeper. She's one experienced with life woman who if everyone heeded it would have been better all around.

Why are they with Newman, cause he can cut it. And as a film, Hombre definitely cuts it.