Little Fauss and Big Halsy (1970)

The friendship between two Arizona dirt bike racers is tested when they both lust for an attractive runaway young woman who joins them on the racing circuit.

Director:

Sidney J. Furie

Writer:

Charles Eastman

Stars:

Robert Redford, Michael J. Pollard, Lauren Hutton

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Robert Redford	...	Halsy Knox
Michael J. Pollard	...	Little Fauss
Lauren Hutton	...	Rita Nebraska
Noah Beery Jr.	...	Seally Fauss (as Noah Beery)
Lucille Benson	...	'Mom' Fauss
Ray Ballard	...	The Photographer
Linda Gaye Scott	...	Moneth
Erin O'Reilly	...	Sylvene McFall
Ben Archibek	...	Rick Nifty (as Benjamin Archibek)

Storyline

A story of two motorcycle racers, the inept, unsuspecting Little Fauss (Michael J. Pollard) and the opportunistic, womanizing Halsey Knox (Redford).

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Plot Keywords:

bare chested male | hairy chest | homosexual subtext | 1970s | pregnancy | 

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Taglines:

He's mean, rotten, thieving, a womanizer. You're going to love Big Halsy.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

In Robert Redford's biography, he called Little Fauss and Big Halsy "the best script of any film I've ever done." He was, however, somewhat less than thrilled with the film when it did not live up to its expectations at the box-office. However, when the film premiered on television around the time Redford was shooting All the President's Men (1976), he confided in Alan J. Pakula that he resented its television broadcast because, after years of successful films, he was less than enthusiastic about Little Fauss and Big Halsy, which he considered a stain on his filmography. Pakula told Redford that the film showcases one of the best performances the star had ever given, stating that his performance in it was "the last unself-conscious revelation of the actor's real-life edge." The film is also Redford's son Jamie's favorite of all his father's films.

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Goofs

When they are broken down and they are chatting at the back of the pickup, they are shown in profile with Halsey in the background. Past Halsey, deeper in the background, there is a constant stream of vehicles on what is obviously a major thoroughfare. Then the camera pans to a long shot showing them sitting in the rain. This long shot also shows the surrounding countryside and they are on an isolated dirt road with no major thoroughfare around.

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Quotes

Halsy Knox: It ain't how you do, babe. It's where you been. Ain't you learned that yet?
Little Fauss: It's how you do, Halsy.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Master Ninja II (1992)

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Soundtracks

Rollin' Free
Composed and Sung by Johnny Cash

User Reviews

Blu ray version is now available

I just got this movie on Blu ray from Blu ray.com/amazon and it looks fantastic! For a low budget movie in 1970, the transfer is amazing, crystal clear and the audio is great. It's funny because Redford wears sun glasses in about 60% of the film and you can see the reflection of the movie lights and even film crew in a number of scenes. You'd think they would have noticed this when filming. The movie isn't the greatest, but it is a cult classic. It's weird seeing Redford playing such a jerk of a character. He was actually really good at it in this movie. I found it interesting that Redford and Michael Pollard couldn't stand each other while filming this movie. I wonder what caused it?

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 October 1970 (USA)

Also Known As:

Little Fauss and Big Halsy

Filming Locations:

Ascot Park Speedway - 18601 S. Vermont Avenue, Gardena, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$1,755,485

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alfran Productions, Furie Productions, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1