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The Cowboys

  • 1972
  • GP
  • 2h 14m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
15K
YOUR RATING
The Cowboys (1972)
Home Video Trailer from Warner Bros. Pictures
Play trailer3:08
1 Video
96 Photos
AdventureDramaWestern

Rancher Wil Andersen is forced to hire inexperienced boys as cowhands in order to get his herd to market on time but the rough drive is full of dangers and a gang of cattle rustlers is trail... Read allRancher Wil Andersen is forced to hire inexperienced boys as cowhands in order to get his herd to market on time but the rough drive is full of dangers and a gang of cattle rustlers is trailing them.Rancher Wil Andersen is forced to hire inexperienced boys as cowhands in order to get his herd to market on time but the rough drive is full of dangers and a gang of cattle rustlers is trailing them.

  • Director
    • Mark Rydell
  • Writers
    • William Dale Jennings
    • Irving Ravetch
    • Harriet Frank Jr.
  • Stars
    • John Wayne
    • Roscoe Lee Browne
    • Bruce Dern
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    15K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Mark Rydell
    • Writers
      • William Dale Jennings
      • Irving Ravetch
      • Harriet Frank Jr.
    • Stars
      • John Wayne
      • Roscoe Lee Browne
      • Bruce Dern
    • 111User reviews
    • 52Critic reviews
    • 52Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win

    Videos1

    The Cowboys
    Trailer 3:08
    Watch The Cowboys

    Photos96

    Robert Carradine, Roscoe Lee Browne, Alfred Barker Jr., Sean Kelly, and A Martinez in The Cowboys (1972)
    John Wayne, Robert Carradine, Roscoe Lee Browne, Alfred Barker Jr., Nicolas Beauvy, Steve Benedict, Norman Howell, Sean Kelly, A Martinez, Clay O'Brien, Sam O'Brien, and Mike Pyeatt in The Cowboys (1972)
    John Wayne in The Cowboys (1972)
    John Wayne in The Cowboys (1972)
    John Wayne in The Cowboys (1972)
    John Wayne in The Cowboys (1972)
    John Wayne, Robert Carradine, Alfred Barker Jr., Nicolas Beauvy, Steve Benedict, Sarah Cunningham, Norman Howell, Stephen R. Hudis, Sean Kelly, Clay O'Brien, Sam O'Brien, and Mike Pyeatt in The Cowboys (1972)
    John Wayne, Robert Carradine, Alfred Barker Jr., Nicolas Beauvy, Steve Benedict, Norman Howell, Sean Kelly, A Martinez, Clay O'Brien, Sam O'Brien, and Mike Pyeatt in The Cowboys (1972)
    John Wayne and Sean Kelly in The Cowboys (1972)
    "The Cowboys," Warner Bros. 1972.
    "The Cowboys," Warner Bros. 1971.
    "The Cowboys," Warner Bros. 1971.

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Wayne
    John Wayne
    • Wil Andersen
    Roscoe Lee Browne
    Roscoe Lee Browne
    • Jebediah Nightlinger
    Bruce Dern
    Bruce Dern
    • Long Hair…
    Colleen Dewhurst
    Colleen Dewhurst
    • Kate
    Alfred Barker Jr.
    Alfred Barker Jr.
    • Fats - Cowboy
    Nicolas Beauvy
    Nicolas Beauvy
    • Dan - Cowboy
    Steve Benedict
    • Steve - Cowboy
    Robert Carradine
    Robert Carradine
    • Slim Honeycutt - Cowboy
    Norman Howell
    Norman Howell
    • Weedy - Cowboy
    • (as Norman Howell Jr.)
    Stephen R. Hudis
    Stephen R. Hudis
    • Charlie Schwartz - Cowboy
    • (as Stephen Hudis)
    Sean Kelly
    • Stuttering Bob - Cowboy
    A Martinez
    A Martinez
    • Cimarron - Cowboy
    Clay O'Brien
    Clay O'Brien
    • Hardy Fimps - Cowboy
    Sam O'Brien
    • Jimmy Phillips - Cowboy
    Mike Pyeatt
    • Homer Weems - Cowboy
    Slim Pickens
    Slim Pickens
    • Anse Peterson
    Lonny Chapman
    Lonny Chapman
    • Homer's Father
    Charles Tyner
    Charles Tyner
    • Stonemason
    • Director
      • Mark Rydell
    • Writers
      • William Dale Jennings
      • Irving Ravetch
      • Harriet Frank Jr.
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Roscoe Lee Browne was urged by his friends not to work with the right-wing John Wayne. He ignored them and the two actors refrained from discussing politics during filming.
    • Goofs
      When Andersen sends one of the boys back to find Mr. Nightlinger, he is riding a pale Appaloosa. He rides ahead to talk to another boy, but is now riding a red sorrel.
    • Quotes

      Jebediah Nightlinger: [praying to God before he's about to hanged by Long Hair and his gang] I regret trifling with married women. I'm thoroughly ashamed at cheating at cards. I deplore my occasional departures from the truth. Forgive me for taking your name in vain, my Saturday drunkenness, my Sunday sloth. Above all, forgive me for the men I've killed in anger

      [eyes shifting to Long Hair]

      Jebediah Nightlinger: ... and those I am about to.

    • Alternate versions
      When the film was originally released in the UK it carried a 'AA' rating, preventing an under-14 year old audience from seeing the movie. When the distributors asked the UK censor if this could be changed he suggested removing the scene with the wagon full of prostitutes, thus deleting Colleen Dewhurst's entire role in the film, and in doing so the film was re-certified with an 'A' rating (suitable for all). Additionally cuts were made to tone down some of the more violent scenes including the fight between Wil and Long Hair, the shooting of Wil, and a man being dragged by his horse. Later cinema showings and all video versions restored the Colleen Dewhurst scene but retained the violence cuts (totalling 1 min 30 secs). For the upgraded 12-rated 2005 DVD the film was passed fully uncut.
    • Connections
      Featured in The Breaking of Boys and the Making of Men in 'the Cowboys' (1972)
    • Soundtracks
      The Star Spangled Banner
      (uncredited)

      Music by John Stafford Smith

      Lyrics by Francis Scott Key

      Sung by school children

    User reviews111

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    "We're Burning Daylight"
    I've always had a feeling that John Wayne had some kind of health crisis and deliberately chose The Cowboys to be his swan song film. When it didn't work out that way, he went on and did some more until The Shootist.

    Ever since his Oscar in True Grit, Wayne began playing men of his own age in his films and a common thread seemed to be imparting values to the next generations whether they wanted them or not. You can see that readily in films like Rio Lobo, Big Jake, Chisum, The Train Robbers, and Cahill, U.s. Marshal. Most especially in The Shootist with Ron Howard as his pupil.

    But in The Cowboys he had a mess of pupils. Wayne's a hardworking rancher whose hands have deserted him because of a rumored gold strike. He has to get his cattle to market, so out of desperation he hires a bunch pubescent and pre-pubescent youngsters from the town.

    The trail drive is quite the lesson for these kids. They learn about life that it is about hard work, responsibility, and keeping your given word. Wayne gets a second chance at fatherhood, he didn't do such a good job of it with his own two sons. More like grandfatherhood at his age, but the kids learn well.

    Along as a second role model is Roscoe Lee Browne. Possessor of one of the greatest speaking voices in the English speaking world, Browne is the first black man they've ever met. In fact one of the kids uses the "N" word when first meeting him, out of ignorance more than racism. Browne sets them straight by example more than preaching.

    The oldest two kids, A Martinez and Robert Carradine, have gone on to some considerable adult careers which they are still enjoying. All the kids are a winning bunch however.

    A couple of the Duke's later westerns like The Train Robbers and Cahill I found to be flawed. Not so here. Director Mark Rydell keeps this one going at a good pace and does wonders with his cast of all ages.
    helpful•79
    13
    • bkoganbing
    • Feb 7, 2006

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 13, 1972 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Kauboji
    • Filming locations
      • Castle Rock, Colorado, USA
    • Production company
      • Sanford Productions (III)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 14 minutes
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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