Urban Cowboy (1980)

Bud is a young man from the country who learns about life and love in a Houston bar.

Director:

James Bridges

Writers:

Aaron Latham (story "The Ballad of the Urban Cowboy"), James Bridges (screenplay)

Stars:

John Travolta, Debra Winger, Scott Glenn

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Travolta	...	Bud
Debra Winger	...	Sissy
Scott Glenn	...	Wes
Madolyn Smith Osborne	...	Pam (as Madolyn Smith)
Barry Corbin	...	Uncle Bob
Brooke Alderson	...	Aunt Corene
Cooper Huckabee	...	Marshall
James Gammon	...	Steve Strange
Mickey Gilley	...	Himself
Johnny Lee	...	Himself
Bonnie Raitt	...	Herself
Charlie Daniels	...	Himself (as Charlie Daniels Band)
Taz Di Gregorio	...	Himself (as Charlie Daniels Band)
Charlie Hayward	...	Himself (as Charlie Daniels Band)
Betty Murphy	...	Bud's Mom

Storyline

Bud Davis is a country boy who moves to the city to visit his uncle and his family. He starts hanging out at Gilley's, the popular nightclub owned by Mickey Gilley himself. He takes a job at the oil refinery where his uncle works, hoping to save enough money to buy some land. He also meets a cowgirl named Sissy, they dance together, fall in love and suddenly get married. And then their marriage is shattered when Bud sees Sissy allegedly seeing con man Wes, who teaches her how to ride the mechanical bull... and plans to rob Gilley's. When a bull-riding contest at Gilley's is announced, Bud decides to sign up. Can he win the contest and save his marriage to Sissy?

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Plot Keywords:

marriage | contest | mechanical bull | nightclub | infidelity | 

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Taglines:

Hard hat days and honky-tonk nights.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | Western

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 June 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Urban Cowboy

Filming Locations:

2213 Westside Drive, Deer Park, Texas, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Robert Evans Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During the production shoot of this movie, disco outfit The Bee Gees, who had provided much of the soundtrack for John Travolta's earlier hit disco movie Saturday Night Fever (1977), played in Houston, Texas, whereupon Travolta accompanied them on stage.

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Goofs

The terrain of Houston/Pasadena Texas is very flat, yet as Bud and other characters are seen driving down his street in the trailer park, a significant range of hills is easily noticed in the background. (These scenes were filmed in a trailer park in a suburb of Los Angeles called Pico Rivera, California, and the hills are the San Gabriel Mountains.)

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Quotes

Sissy: I got a thumb, I got a middle finger!

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Connections

Referenced in Searching for Debra Winger (2002)

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Soundtracks

Orange Blossom Special/Hoedown
Written by Ervin T. Rouse (as Ervin Rouse)
Performed by Gilley's 'Urban Cowboy' Band
MCA Inc. (ASCAP)

User Reviews

Like it or not, fiction it ain't

Okay, so I have come a long way from Houston by now, but whenever I see this movie, I am taken back to a little cowgirl's dream to one day ride the bull at Gilley's. (It burned down before I was of drinking age.)

If you grew up in in East Texas, then you know this movie is an accurate depiction of contemporary life at that time. If you didn't then trust me and watch the movie. Either you will join the many who love it (and at the same time strangely repulsed), or at the very least, you can make fun of the red-necks. (There is plenty material for poking fun.) This movie doesn't try to be P.C. (what was that in the 80's) or hide the white trash element and it is honest to the time and place.

Gotta be a 10 for me!