The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)

A hobo accidentally stumbles onto a water spring, and creates a profitable way station in the middle of the desert.

Director:

Sam Peckinpah

Writers:

John Crawford, Edmund Penney

Stars:

Jason Robards, Stella Stevens, David Warner

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Robards	...	Cable Hogue
Stella Stevens	...	Hildy
David Warner	...	Joshua
Strother Martin	...	Bowen
Slim Pickens	...	Ben Fairchild
L.Q. Jones	...	Taggart
Peter Whitney	...	Cushing
R.G. Armstrong	...	Quittner
Gene Evans	...	Clete
William Mims	...	Jensen
Kathleen Freeman	...	Mrs. Jensen
Susan O'Connell	...	Claudia
Vaughn Taylor	...	Powell
Max Evans	...	Webb Seely
James Anderson	...	Preacher

Storyline

Double-crossed and left without water in the desert, Cable Hogue is saved when he finds a spring. It is in just the right spot for a much needed rest stop on the local stagecoach line, and Hogue uses this to his advantage. He builds a house and makes money off the stagecoach passengers. Hildy, a sex worker from the nearest town, moves in with him. Hogue has everything going his way until the advent of the automobile ends the era of the stagecoach.

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Plot Keywords:

water | stagecoach | desert | partner | prostitute | 

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Taglines:

Cable Hogue says..."Do unto others... as you would have others do unto you."

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 May 1970 (Finland)

Also Known As:

Balladen om Cable Hogue

Filming Locations:

Gold Canyon, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,716,946 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eaves Movie Ranch, Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Charlton Heston turned down the lead role, saying that it wasn't a great script.

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Goofs

When Hildy is giving Hogue a bath and he gets out. as he is wrapping the towel around him, you can see his underwear on both sides of the towel.

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Quotes

[Hogue points a rifle at his former partner]
Taggart: You ain't got the guts, Hogue.

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Connections

Referenced in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004)

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Soundtracks

Butterfly Mornin's
Written by Richard Gillis
Arranged by Jerry Goldsmith
Performed by Jason Robards and Stella Stevens

User Reviews

Stirring and lyrical Western marvelously performed and compellingly directed

This classic Western deal with Cable Hogue (Jason Robards) a roguish hustler who in search of good life discovers water and gets property some lands placed on a desert in remote part of the Old West . After getting its register in the Land Office , Cable meets a whore (Stella Stevens) and falls in love with her . Cable along with the prostitute and a lecherous priest (David Warner) care his stopover as resort-lodging of a line stage. Hogue's Castle was a real-life hotel which was acquired in Bishop, California. It was packed-up and transported along with its own furniture to its shooting location across the border in Nevada.

Interesting story about a loner who turns into successful entrepreneur is deliberately paced by Sam Peckinpah and the production base for the film was at Echo Bay, Nevada . A twilight story ,¨Ballad of Cable Hogue¨ is a director Sam Peckinpah's lovely effort, feeling look at the world of the Western. Jason Robards , engagingly easygoing but obstinate , is the title character, a drifter who strives to preserve his values in an often harsh modern world . Robards turns a magnificent acting as a hustler who is searching in a changing world for values that have long time disappeared . He also must deal with his two enemies well played by usual Peckinpah couple, L.Q. Jones and Strother Martin , and a lovely whore wonderfully performed by Stella Stevens in his best role ever acted . Sam Peckinpah started work on this film almost immediately after finishing work on the landmark ¨Wild bunch¨ that is why Strother Martin and L.Q. Jones were cast in similar roles in both films . David Warner is particularly fine as the raunchy priest and in his relationship to Jason Robards strike real sparks. Furthermore, it contains an emotive score by the master Jerry Goldsmith, adding various sensitive country-western songs . Colorful and glimmer cinematography by Lucien Ballard, Peckinpah's usual, make this one a winner. An agreeable western with marvelous interpretations and exciting , enjoyable images including split-frames and fast-motion . This outstanding motion picture is stunningly directed by Sam Peckinpah, creating a true classic . Restored and reissued various times with diverse running . ¨The Ballad of Cable Hogue ¨ is a real must see for fans of the genre . This is a much quieter movie than habitual from ¨Cross of Iron¨, ¨Straw dogs¨, ¨The getaway¨, ¨Wild bunch¨ , ¨Major Dundee¨ director Sam Peckinpah who has always a deft eye for period detail . Rating : Above average, well worth watching .