Harry Tracy, Desperado (1982)

Director:

William A. Graham

Writers:

David Lee Henry (writer)
R. Lance Hill (writer)

Release Date:

January 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Western

Plot:

By the year 1900, Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, John Wesley Hardin, and virtually all of the West's...

Plot Keywords:

Outlaw | Manhunt | Prison Escape | Independent Film | Character Name In Title

Awards:

7 nominations

Cast

Bruce Dern	...	Harry Tracy
Helen Shaver	...	Catherine Tuttle
Michael C. Gwynne	...	David Merrill
Gordon Lightfoot	...	U.S. Marshal Morrie Nathan
Jacques Hubert	...	Indian
Daphne Goldrick	...	Mrs. Tuttle
Lynne Kolber	...	Judy Tuttle
Alex Willows	...	Aspen Times Reporter
Frank C. Turner	...	Eddie Hoyt
Fred Diehl	...	Gov. Raymond Millhouse
Charles Siegel	...	Prison Warden
Jack Ackroyd	...	Ely Porter
Suzie Payne	...	Helen Porter
Richard MacBride	...	Matt Porter
Kerry Salisbury	...	Glendoline Porter

Also Known As:

Harry Tracy
Harry Tracy: Dead or Alive (UK)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Barkerville, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The headlines on the newspaper Harry Tracy reads announcing Merril's betrayal misspells the word "Trail". It reads "150 Men Persue Bloody Tracy Trial" Surely they weren't talking about 150 newspapermen in a courtroom. It should have read "Bloody Tracy Trail".

Soundtrack:

My Love for You

Watch Out Harry! It's U.S. Marshall Gordon Lightfoot!

Safe to say I don't know much about the career or films of Bruce Dern.

I do however know all about the career of Canadian singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot,who plays the U.S. Marshall in the film,he's almost unrecognizable. He's the one in the picture to the left/right with the beard,mustache & hat.

(I'm a major fan of his with every album he's put out.) Most remembered for songs like 1974's "Sundown" and 1976's "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitrzgerald",this was his 1st and only foray into acting (except for an episode of ABC's "Hotel" in 1988). I can honestly say that he doesn't do too bad a job,although Mr. Lightfoot may tell you different. His character vows to hunt Harry down and bring him in.

Trouble is,Harry always seems to be able to embarrass him by escaping just the same or making him look foolish in other ways.

Still,I'm happy to say the now 67 year old (2005-2006) stayed in the music business and still draws a crowd. Besides,whoever said a Marshall had to be larger than life anyway? Hollywood?

As for the overall movie itself,its really good! Harry Tracey is a robber,a killer and "Desperado" as they were called back then. Still,when he goes from town to town,people greet him like he's a celebrity. Which is true of most outlaws back then. Harry doesn't however just shoot down folks in cold blood,he only shoots those who may be trying to get him first.

The sets fit perfectly with the era,making it historically accurate for 1899 to early 1900's. The cast does a great job at making this an exciting believable drama & love story. Although,I had a little trouble believing a man like Harry could have time to frolic on the beach with a woman he's fallen for though.

Overall,it's a truly great adventure,love story and western...right up to it's great climax,which I wont spoil it for you but I will say the closing song "My Love For You" (by Gordon Lightfoot),plays over the end credits and while not available on record,tape or CD...it's a beautiful coda to all that you'll have watched.

I have 2 copies of this on DVD,one open one not,re-titled: "Harry Tracy,Last Of The Wild Bunch" (Which he wasn't by the way) One star short of ten because there's no closed captioning/sub-titles on the DVD. (END)