Nevada Smith (1966)

A half American Indian and half white teenager evolves into a hardened killer as he tracks down his parents' murderers.

Director:

Henry Hathaway

Writers:

Harold Robbins (based on the character in "The Carpetbaggers" created by), John Michael Hayes (screen story)

Stars:

Steve McQueen, Karl Malden, Brian Keith

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve McQueen	...	Max Sand aka Nevada Smith
Karl Malden	...	Tom Fitch
Brian Keith	...	Jonas Cord
Arthur Kennedy	...	Bill Bowdre
Suzanne Pleshette	...	Pilar
Raf Vallone	...	Father Zaccardi
Janet Margolin	...	Neesa
Pat Hingle	...	Big Foot
Howard Da Silva	...	Warden
Martin Landau	...	Jesse Coe
Paul Fix	...	Sheriff Bonnell
Gene Evans	...	Sam Sand
Josephine Hutchinson	...	Mrs. Elvira McCanles
John Doucette	...	Uncle Ben McCanles
Val Avery	...	Buck Mason

Storyline

Nevada Smith is the young son of an American-Indian mother and white father. When his father and mother are killed by three men over gold, Nevada sets out to find them and kill them. The boy is taken in by a gun merchant. The gun merchant shows him how to shoot, to shoot on time, and to shoot straight. Everything that Nevada does goes to killing those three men. He learns to read and write just to learn their location. He pays people to tell him where they're at. He even goes to prison to kill one of them. While the movie is a Western and has plenty of action, it also takes a deep look into vengeance and how one can change after a haunting incident.

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Plot Keywords:

revenge | steam engine | cowboy | gunfight | shootout | 

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Taglines:

Some called him savage- and some called him saint... some felt his hate- and one found his love... and three had to die...

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 September 1966 (France)

Also Known As:

Nevada Smith

Filming Locations:

Wolf Hole, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$14,170,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Solar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min 139 min (original length)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor) (uncredited)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Finnish visa # 74445 delivered on 23-8-1966.

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Goofs

When Smith opens the corral gate to empty the pen to get Coe, the gate post he is next to and the broken fence board attached to it are revealed to be of lightweight balsa wood breakaway construction. What appears to be a heavy solid wood post breaks apart along the laminated seams of glued up smaller bright white balsa wood pieces when a steer jumps through it.

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Quotes

Father Zaccardi: [referring to a crucifix] Did you ever see Him before?
Nevada Smith: Yeah, once. He was on the end of a little silver chain.
Father Zaccardi: He;s the son of God. He came to Earth to teach men love by example.
Nevada Smith: Well, he must have missed somebody. That looks worse than hangin'!

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Suzanne Pleshette/Dick Cavett (1981)

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Soundtracks

Careless Love
(uncredited)
Written by Tradidional

User Reviews

Harold Robbins Western sleaze saved by McQueen and Hathaway.

This sidebar story from Harold Robbins THE CARPETBAGGERS was given class treatment by Paramount as a vehicle for McQueen, who lends some authenticity to a rather routine character motivated by a quest to avenge the brutal slaying of his parents at the beginning of the picture. Henry Hathaway lends visual elegance to what's basically a drawn-out, seedy revenge tale. Alfred Newman provides the rousing music. Moderately engaging.