The Wild Bunch (1969)

Director:

Sam Peckinpah

Writers:

Walon Green (screenplay) and
Sam Peckinpah (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 June 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Western

Tagline:

The land had changed. They hadn't. The earth had cooled. They couldn't.

Plot:

An aging group of outlaws look for one last big score as the "traditional" American West is disappearing around them.

Plot Keywords:

Outlaw | Bounty | Mexico | Mexican | Texas

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

William Holden	...	Pike Bishop
Ernest Borgnine	...	Dutch Engstrom
Robert Ryan	...	Deke Thornton
Edmond O'Brien	...	Freddie Sykes
Warren Oates	...	Lyle Gorch
Jaime Sánchez	...	Angel (as Jaime Sanchez)
Ben Johnson	...	Tector Gorch
Emilio Fernández	...	Gen. Mapache (as Emilio Fernandez)
Strother Martin	...	Coffer
L.Q. Jones	...	T.C
Albert Dekker	...	Pat Harrigan
Bo Hopkins	...	Clarence 'Crazy' Lee
Dub Taylor	...	Rev. Wainscoat
Paul Harper	...	Ross
Jorge Russek	...	Maj. Zamorra
Alfonso Arau	...	Lt. Herrera
Chano Urueta	...	Don Jose
Elsa Cárdenas	...	Elsa (as Elsa Cardenas)
Bill Hart	...	Jess
Rayford Barnes	...	Buck
Stephen Ferry	...	Sgt. McHale (as Steve Ferry)
Sonia Amelio	...	Teresa
Aurora Clavel	...	Aurora
Enrique Lucero	...	Ignacio
Elizabeth Dupeyrón	...	Rocio (as Elizabeth Dupeyron)
Yolanda Ponce	...	Yolis
José Chávez	...	Juan Jose (as Jose Chavez)
René Dupeyrón	...	Juan (as Rene Dupeyron)
Pedro Galván	...	Mr. Benson (as Pedro Galvan)
Graciela Doring	...	Emma
Major Perez	...	Perez
Fernando Wagner	...	Cmdr. Frederick Mohr
Jorge Rado	...	Ernst
Ivan Scott	...	Paymaster
Señora Madero	...	Margaret (as Sra. Madero)
Margarito Luna	...	Luna
Chalo González	...	Gonzalez (as Chalo Gonzalez)
Lilia Castillo	...	Lilia
Elizabeth Unda	...	Carmen
Julio Corona	...	Julio
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gordon T. Dawson	...	Pinkerton Man (uncredited)
'Chico' Hernandez	...	Boy on Town (uncredited)
Buck Holland	...	Thornton Posse Rider (uncredited)
Matthew Peckinpah	...	Boy Watching Robber Scoop Up Moneybag (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Peckinpah

Writing credits
Walon Green		(screenplay) and
Sam Peckinpah		(screenplay)
Walon Green		(story) and
Roy N. Sickner		(story)

Produced by
Phil Feldman	....	producer
Roy N. Sickner	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Jerry Fielding

Cinematography by
Lucien Ballard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Lou Lombardo		(as Louis Lombardo)

Art Direction by
Edward Carrere

Costume Design by
James R. Silke		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Al Greenway	....	makeup artist
Keester Sweeney	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
William D. Faralla	....	production manager (as William Faralla)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Clifford C. Coleman	....	assistant director (as Cliff Coleman)
Fred Gammon	....	assistant director
Robert 'Buzz' Henry	....	second unit director (as Buzz Henry)
John 'Bud' Cardos	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Howard G. Kazanjian	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Phil Rawlins	....	first assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Phil A. Ankrom	....	property master (uncredited)
John Barton	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Arnold Losey	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert J. Miller	....	sound
Joe Kavigan	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Stanley Martin	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Billy Mauch	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Bill Rivol	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Ed Scheid	....	supervising sound effects editor (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
John O. Young	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Bud Hulburd	....	special effects
Ralph Ayres	....	special effects (uncredited)
James Rugg	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Denny Arnold	....	stunts (uncredited)
Norman Bishop	....	stunts (uncredited)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Archie Butler	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Joe Canutt	....	stunt double: "Lyle" (uncredited)
Tap Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)
John 'Bud' Cardos	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary Combs	....	stunts (uncredited)
Louie Elias	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chad Evans	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jim Feazell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Finnegan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Hart	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert 'Buzz' Henry	....	stunts (uncredited)
'Chema' Hernandez	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron	....	stunt double: "Dutch" (uncredited)
Billy E. Hughes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Whitey Hughes	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary McLarty	....	stunts (uncredited)
Erwin Neal	....	stunt double: "Pike" (uncredited)
Bob Orrison	....	stunts (uncredited)
Danny Sands	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Shannon	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jim Sheppard	....	stunts (uncredited)
Roy N. Sickner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jack Williams	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Yrigoyen	....	stunt double: "Angel" and "Sykes" (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bud Gaunt	....	key grip
Bernie Abramson	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Dave Friedman	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Reggie Jones	....	grip (uncredited)
Thomas Laughridge	....	camera operator (uncredited)
James F. Reber	....	generator operator (uncredited)
Don Stott	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Richard Tim Vanik	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gordon T. Dawson	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Gordon Dawson)

Editorial Department
Robert L. Wolfe	....	associate film editor
Joel Cox	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Sonny Burke	....	music supervisor
Donald Harris	....	music film editor (uncredited)
Richard C. Harris	....	supervising music film editor (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)
Jimmy Wyble	....	musician: guitarist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bud Dawson	....	transportation gaffer (uncredited)
Joe Lessner	....	driver (uncredited)
Charles Misere	....	driver (uncredited)
Frank Olmstead	....	driver (uncredited)
Earl Pierson	....	driver (uncredited)
Rex Schroetter	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Crayton Smith	....	script supervisor
Elizabeth Burnette	....	voice-over (uncredited)
Tony Faehnle	....	ramrod (uncredited)
Stanley Feldman	....	production coordinator (uncredited)
Anthony Goldschmidt	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)
Gay Hayden	....	secretary (uncredited)
'Chema' Hernandez	....	head wrangler (uncredited)
Robert Joseph	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Alyce S. Miller	....	secretary (uncredited)
Morrie Nierenberg	....	location auditor (uncredited)
Greta Shepherd	....	secretary to executive producer (uncredited)
Branko Wohlfahrt	....	weapon specialist (uncredited)

Thanks
General de Brigada E.E. Procopio Ortiz R.	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts (as Warner Bros.- Seven Arts presents)

Distributors

• Warner Brothers/Seven Arts (1969) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1969) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1969) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner-Tonefilm (1969) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (1986) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• Lucernafilm - Alfa (1991) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen director's cut)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-edited)
• Warner Bros. (1999) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Germany) (DVD) (special edition)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (original director's cut)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Prem'er Video Fil'm (????) (Russia) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (????) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1980) (UK) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

"Wild Bunch" - Japan (English title) (imdb display title)

Runtime:

USA:145 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish | German

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | DTS (1995 re-release) | Dolby Digital (1995 re-release) | Mono (35 mm prints) | SDDS (1995 re-release)

Certification:

Australia:MA (director's cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | France:-12 (director's cut) | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 (director's cut) | Norway:16 (cut) | Norway:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:R (original rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating, cut version) | Ireland:18 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1995) | Canada:AA (Ontario) (re-rating) (1995) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) (original rating) | UK:18 (re-rating) (1988) (also director's cut) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | France:-18 (original rating) | Brazil:14 | Finland:K-16 (1988) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (1998) (uncut) (director's cut) | Finland:K-18 (1969) (uncut) | South Korea:18 | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:U (director's cut) | USA:R (re-rating on appeal) | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) (1999) | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Japan:G (2009) | Argentina:18 | Peru:18 | Italy:T (DVD release) | Italy:VM14 | Germany:12 (2006, single DVD rating) | USA:NC-17 (1993) | South Africa:16LV

Filming Locations:

Durango, Mexico

Company:

Warner Brothers/Seven Arts

Trivia:

"Mapache" means "raccoon", in Spanish.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the opening shootout, a bald bounty hunter wearing a dark orange shirt and brown vest is killed with a shotgun blast. At the end of the scene, he can be seen exiting the hotel with the other bounty hunters, alive and well.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[indistinct voices]
Rev. Wainscoat:Do not drink wine or strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, least ye shall die. Look not though upon the wine when it is red, and when it bringeth his color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright at the last, it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder. Now folks, that's from the Good Book, but in this here town it's five cents a glass. Five cents a glass, now does anyone think that that is a price of a drink?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema (2002)

Soundtrack:

Polly Wolly Doodle

"Let's go."

There comes a point at which every man reaches the end of the road and is forced to make a decision. Fade away, or go out in a blaze of glory. It goes without saying that the main characters of this film chose the latter. Sam Peckinpah's classic western is the tale of a gang of outlaws who see the world they know slipping away all around them. Scores are getting more dangerous. Technology is making killing too easy. Still they fight on, because they simply wouldn't have it any other way.

William Holden plays a man named Pike Bishop. He and his gang of outlaws hit banks, trains, you name it. They stick together no matter how thick things get. After a failed attempt at a bank robbery in which nearly an entire town is gunned down, the gang sets out to steal a shipment of new guns from the US Army and sell them to a Mexican general. But this will not be an easy score. Not only will they have to fend of US soldiers, but the railroad has hired a former member of their gang named Deke Thornton and a bunch of sloppy bounty hunters to stop them. Also, the Mexican general is a dangerous man with hundreds of men at his disposal. Pancho Villa and his army are also in the area. Bullets are going to fly, and fly they do.

From the opening shot of children torturing a couple scorpions to death by feeding them to a colony of ants, this film makes its point very thoroughly about violence. In this shot we see efficient killers overwhelmed by an army of a weaker species of animal. The scorpions are a metaphor for Pike and his gang. Outnumbered at every turn, they are still a handful for those who would try to hunt them down.

Pike and his men are able to pull off the score and deliver the guns to the general. But they don't go riding off happily into the sunset like the heroes of a traditional western. Their story could never end that way. Knowing that their way of life is coming to an end, and knowing that one of the gang is being tortured by the general, Pike calls the remaining members together. "Let's go," he simply tells them. Each man knows what this means. They grab every gun they own and all the ammunition they can carry. Then they take a nice stroll down the main street of the general's compound to pay him and his army a little visit. The resulting gun battle has to be seen to be believed.

Once the shooting stops, there is an odd; sad feeling that settles over the compound. The bounty hunters show up when the vultures do. The sight of his former companions' dead bodies slumped over the backs of horses is too much for Thornton to bear. You know he would have rather been there by their side during the battle, and now he cannot bring himself to claim the reward for their hides. He simply sits down in the dirt as the survivors of the compound quietly file out and an ominous wind begins blowing through the dusty streets. Moments later it's his turn to make a choice. You can't help but feel he made the right one.

The Wild Bunch is an incredible film. If ever a film was ahead of it's time, this is it. See it! 10 of 10 stars.

The Hound.