The Cowboy Way (1994)

As they visit New York City, a pair of cowboys have to become unlikely heroes when their friend is kidnapped.

Director:

Gregg Champion

Writers:

Robert C. Thompson (story) (as Rob Thompson), William D. Wittliff (story) (as Bill Wittliff)

Stars:

Woody Harrelson, Kiefer Sutherland, Dylan McDermott

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Woody Harrelson	...	Pepper Lewis
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Sonny Gilstrap
Dylan McDermott	...	John Stark
Ernie Hudson	...	Officer Sam 'Mad Dog' Shaw
Cara Buono	...	Teresa Salazar
Marg Helgenberger	...	Margarette
Tomas Milian	...	Manny Huerta
Luis Guzmán	...	Chango
Angel Caban	...	Boca
Matthew Cowles	...	Pop Fly
Joaquín Martínez	...	Nacho Salazar
Kristin Baer	...	Melba
Christian Aubert	...	Jacques
Emmanuel Xuereb	...	Gaston
Francie Swift	...	Desk Clerk at Waldorf Astoria

Storyline

Buddies Pepper Lewis (Woody Harrelson) and Sonny Gilstrap (Kiefer Sutherland) who are championship rodeo partners travel to New York to find their missing friend, Nacho Salazar Joaquín Martínez after he disappears in New York City to pick up his daughter, Theresa (Cara Buono). When Pepper and Sonny find that neither is anywhere to be found, they go about the wacky adventure of finding Nacho and Theresa, and in the process, test the foundation of their friendship. Along the way, they find themselves entwined in the inner workings of a New York sweat shop where Theresa has been enslaved after traveling to the U.S.A. from Cuba. Going about doing things in a cowboy way, Pepper and Sonny put their small town skills to the test in a big city kind of way and rescue Theresa from the thugs.

---

Plot Keywords:

cowboy | buddy comedy | new york | rodeo | friendship | 

---

Taglines:

How the East was won.

---

Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller | Western

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for violence, some language and comic sensuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 June 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Deux cow-boys à New York

Filming Locations:

Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$20,277,185

Company Credits

Production Co:

Imagine Entertainment,Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Charlie Sheen turned down the role of Pepper Lewis, making this the second of two movies with the word "way" in the title. The first was Carlito's Way (1993).

---

Goofs

When they are driving away in the pickup truck after escaping the shooters down the fire escape, a bullet 'stars' the windshield (no bullet hole). A few moments later, the bullet hole appears.

---

Quotes

Chango: What's a baby cow gonna do to me?
[Sonny shrugs and pulls down Chango's pants]
Chango: Hey come on man!, what you doing?
Sonny: I am embarrassed, our friend here isn't wearing any underpants.
Pepper: [pulls a baby calf out of the barn and the calf starts snorting] He sees it!
Sonny: Damn, that hungry devil thinks your little wee-wee is his mama's teat.
Chango: Hey hey man, you guys can't do this.
Sonny: I'll ask you one more time asshole, where's Teresa?
Chango: I ain't telling you shit!
Sonny: It's your call stubby, let him go Pepper!.
[...]

---

Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: The Cowboy Way/Beverly Hills Cop III/Renaissance Man/The Flintstones/Little Buddha (1994)

---

Soundtracks

Days Gone By
Written by James House, Dean Miller, Holly House
Performed by James House
Produced by Don Cook
Courtesy of Epic Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

Very entertaining movie

I have always enjoyed watching this movie. This and a couple of others pay homage to Kiefer's interest in ranching. In real life, he is a real life cowboy, owning a fairly large ranch. He is truly a multifaceted individual, and this film takes most of its humor from the culture clash between the Ranch lifestyle and the New York City lifestyle. It is the type of conflict you see in more light hearted films such as the City Mouse and the Country Mouse. Interestingly, the country, cowboy lifestyle, while first out of place, ends up dominating those who adhere to the city ethos, and results in unique solutions to bad situations. There is a definite chemistry between Harrelson and Sutherland. One would hope Harrelson would be asked to star in future episodes of "24".