The Villain (1979)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Director:

Hal Needham

Writer:

Robert G. Kane (written by)

Release Date:

27 July 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Plot:

The cowboy Handsome Stranger will escort miss Charming Jones to get a large sum of money from her father...

Plot Keywords:

Cowboy | Train | West | Native American Chief | Fall From Height

Cast

Kirk Douglas	...	Cactus Jack
Ann-Margret	...	Charming Jones
Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	Handsome Stranger
Paul Lynde	...	Nervous Elk
Foster Brooks	...	Bank Clerk
Ruth Buzzi	...	Damsel in Distress
Jack Elam	...	Avery Simpson
Strother Martin	...	Parody Jones
Ray Bickel	...	Man
Robert Tessier	...	Mashing Finger
Mel Tillis	...	Telegraph Agent
Laura Lizer Sommers	...	Working Girl
Jan Eddy	...	Sheriff
Mel Todd	...	Conductor
Jim Anderson	...	Bartender

Also Known As:

Cactus Jack (UK)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | West Germany:6 (f) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Monument Valley, Utah, USA

Company:

Rastar Pictures

Trivia:

This is the last film project for Paul Lynde.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Horse stands available when Nervous Elk yells "charge" and all the horses race from out of the stands (only visible in open matte TV showings).

Quotes:

Cactus Jack: Take another step and I'll ventilate you!... Nobody outsmarts Cactus Jack Slade!
[Handsome Stranger and Cactus Jack are about to shoot it out]
Charming Jones: Hold it! Like the man says... just hold it.
[She walks up to Cactus Jack]
Charming Jones: [to Handsome Stranger] Ah, exactly *what* are your intentions?
Handsome Stranger: To see that justice is done!
Charming Jones: [to Cactus Jack] And yours?
Cactus Jack: Blow his head off! Steal the money!
Charming Jones: And...?
Cactus Jack: [laughs] ... And then I'm gonna ravish you!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Tatort: Märchenwald (#1.576)" (2004)

hilarious film, just like Roadrunner

Almost like a Roadrunner cartoon, but live action. Pretty much all the clichés you can think of, including names such as "Handsome Stranger" for the handsome stranger played by Ah-nold, and "Charming" for the beautiful heroine.

Frankly, IMHO, Kirk Douglas's horse was the star of the movie. While watching it with friends I said, "I love that horse." I think that animal should have won an Academy Award. (I think there is a "Patsy" award for animals, actually)

Probably best to see this one with friends. Probably pretty boring to see it alone, but where friends can feed upon each other it is wonderful.

None of Kirk Douglas's implements did come from the ACME company, though :-)