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IMDbPro

Something Big

  • 19711971
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
927
YOUR RATING
Brian Keith and Dean Martin in Something Big (1971)
A man kidnaps the wife of a cavalry commander in order to exchange her for a Gatling gun that's being sold by a gun runner.
Play trailer3:25
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Comedy
  • Western
A man kidnaps the wife of a cavalry commander in order to exchange her for a Gatling gun that's being sold by a gun runner.A man kidnaps the wife of a cavalry commander in order to exchange her for a Gatling gun that's being sold by a gun runner.A man kidnaps the wife of a cavalry commander in order to exchange her for a Gatling gun that's being sold by a gun runner.
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
927
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Andrew V. McLaglen
  • Writer
    • James Lee Barrett
  • Stars
    • Dean Martin
    • Brian Keith
    • Carol White
Top credits
  • Director
    • Andrew V. McLaglen
  • Writer
    • James Lee Barrett
  • Stars
    • Dean Martin
    • Brian Keith
    • Carol White
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 32User reviews
    • 13Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 3:25
    Trailer

    Photos107

    Honor Blackman, Brian Keith, Dean Martin, Shirleena Manchur, Judi Meredith, Joyce Van Patten, and Carol White in Something Big (1971)
    Something Big (1971)
    Something Big (1971)
    Something Big (1971)
    Something Big (1971)
    Honor Blackman and Brian Keith in Something Big (1971)
    Dean Martin in Something Big (1971)
    Dean Martin in Something Big (1971)
    Something Big (1971)
    Dean Martin in Something Big (1971)
    Honor Blackman and Brian Keith in Something Big (1971)
    Honor Blackman and Brian Keith in Something Big (1971)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Dean Martin
    Dean Martin
    • Joe Baker
    Brian Keith
    Brian Keith
    • Col. Morgan
    Carol White
    Carol White
    • Dover McBride
    Honor Blackman
    Honor Blackman
    • Mary Anna Morgan
    Ben Johnson
    Ben Johnson
    • Jesse Bookbinder
    Albert Salmi
    Albert Salmi
    • Jonny Cobb
    Don Knight
    Don Knight
    • Tommy McBride
    Joyce Van Patten
    Joyce Van Patten
    • Polly Standall
    Denver Pyle
    Denver Pyle
    • Junior Frisbee
    Merlin Olsen
    Merlin Olsen
    • Sgt. Fitzsimmons
    Robert Donner
    Robert Donner
    • Angel Moon
    Harry Carey Jr.
    Harry Carey Jr.
    • Joe Pickins
    Judi Meredith
    Judi Meredith
    • Carrie Standall
    Edward Faulkner
    Edward Faulkner
    • Capt. Tyler
    • (as Ed Faulkner)
    Paul Fix
    Paul Fix
    • Chief Yellow Sun
    Armand Alzamora
    Armand Alzamora
    • Luis Munos
    David Huddleston
    David Huddleston
    • Malachi Morton
    Bob Steele
    Bob Steele
    • Teamster #3
    • Director
      • Andrew V. McLaglen
    • Writer
      • James Lee Barrett
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      James Lee Barrett reportedly wrote this for Peter O'Toole.
    • Goofs
      [ at about 26 minutes into the movie ] When Tommy McBride is supposed to be playing the bagpipes, his blowing into the bagpipes does not match the music coming out, at all! Music comes out in between his breaths, when he is not blowing.

      Yes and the whole point of the bag-pipes is that the bag provides a reservoir so there's always air available and the piper doesn't have to breathe in time to the music.
    • Quotes

      [examining the corpse of Bill, Junior Frisbee's former partner]

      Colonel Morgan: Well, I'd say he looks healthier than the last time I saw him.

      Junior Frisbee: How can he look healthier when he's dead?

      Colonel Morgan: It must agree with him.

    • Crazy credits
      Paradoxically--considering its definition--the film's title is presented in all lower case letters, as can be seen in the poster.
    • Connections
      Referenced in My Husband, the Producer (1974)
    • Soundtracks
      Something Big
      Music by Burt Bacharach

      Lyrics by Hal David

      Performed by Mark Lindsay

    User reviews32

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    Old Fashioned Fun Western
    Whatever happened to light-hearted western movies like 'Something Big'? Now, whenever Hollywood manages to let a western slip out among the 'Die Hard' ripoffs and teen romances, they are always ponderous, grim, indictments of the murderous whiteman's persecution of indians or sombre stories about tormented gunslingers. By 90's movie standards, nobody in the Wild West seems to have ever cracked a smile. 'Something Big' is a movie from the good old days of politically incorrect westerns. Dean Martin plays a likeable outlaw with plans for something big to finish his career in the west. Plans involving a Gatling gun, a fortune in gold, a kidnapped wife of a cavalry officer, Apaches and Mexican bandidos galore. The movie has a cheerful adventurous mood to it, with all kinds of touches of atmosphere like Dean Martin's pet dog Scruffy, the skeleton propped up in the saloon, and the John Ford-like dialogue between Brian Keith as the cavalry officer and Ben Johnson as his scout. 'Something Big' has almost the same mood as a pirate movie, only set in the west. An exciting story with likeable scoundrels after a fabulous treasure. I remember seeing this on TV as a little kid and wishing my life could be like that of Dean Martin's character in this movie. If you love westerns and do not feel like watching a big important 'message' movie like Dances With Wolves or a revisionist gunfighter story like Unforgiven, you should try to find this film on TV. It is a shame that 'Something Big' never made it to video. Western fans need more fun, guilt-free entertainment. I disagree COMPLETELY with Leonard Maltin's review, and I am sure all other real western fans will too.
    helpful•32
    6
    • whynotwriteme
    • Dec 9, 1999

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 31, 1971 (Ireland)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • El Capitano
    • Filming locations
      • Durango, Mexico
    • Production companies
      • Cinema Center Films
      • Penbar Productions
      • Stanmore Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 48 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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