Maverick (1994)

Bret Maverick, needing money for a poker tournament, faces various comic mishaps and challenges, including a charming woman thief.

Director:

Richard Donner

Writers:

Roy Huggins (television series Maverick), William Goldman

Stars:

Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, James Garner

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mel Gibson	...	Bret Maverick
Jodie Foster	...	Annabelle Bransford
James Garner	...	Marshal Zane Cooper
Graham Greene	...	Joseph
Alfred Molina	...	Angel
James Coburn	...	Commodore Duvall
Dub Taylor	...	Room Clerk
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Matthew Wicker / Eugene, Banker
Paul L. Smith	...	The Archduke
Dan Hedaya	...	Twitchy, Riverboat Poker Player
Dennis Fimple	...	Stuttering
Denver Pyle	...	Old Gambler on Riverboat
Clint Black	...	Sweet-Faced Gambler
Max Perlich	...	Johnny Hardin
Art LaFleur	...	Poker Player (as Art La Fleur)

Storyline

Maverick is recreated from the character James Garner created in the 1950s TV program. Maverick is a gambler who would rather con someone than fight them. He needs an additional three thousand dollars in order to enter a Winner Take All poker game that begins in a few days. He tries to win some, tries to collect a few debts, and recover a little loot for the reward, all with a light hearted air. He joins forces with a woman gambler with a marvelous, though fake, southern accent as the two both try and enter the game.

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Plot Keywords:

yosemite national park | character name as title | playing card | bow the weapon | arrow | 

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Taglines:

In their hands, a deck of cards was the only thing more dangerous than a gun.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Thriller | Western

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild sensuality, language and some western action

Did You Know?

Trivia

The name of the gambler Angel is the same as that of Jim Rockford's ne'er-do-well associate Angel Martin in the Rockford Files series starring James Garner.

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Goofs

Guidewire visible on the arrow shot at Maverick.

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Quotes

Annabelle: You thought that was fast? I thought it was fast. Well, was it?

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Alternate Versions

Several unusual cases of overdubbing occur on the TV print to mask swear words. The term "son-of-a-bitch" is overdubbed "snake in the grass". At one point, Maverick says "I worked my hand off..." instead of the original "I worked my ass off..."

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Connections

Referenced in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015)

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Soundtracks

Renegades, Rebels, and Rogues
Written by Paul Nelson, Larry Boone and Earl Clark
Performed by Tracy Lawrence

User Reviews

Lots of fun

Always thought this was great. Makes me laugh no end. When he lets himself go, Mel Gibson is funny, and this pastiche of an almost forgotten TV cowboy show - complete with its original star cast in the main supporting role - is comedy gold. Better yet, this is Jodie Foster's only real brush with the comedy genre and she proves so adept at it that you can't help feeling this route would have been better than Nell and Anna And The King. The ending piles twist upon twist, and it's one of those movies where everyone involved is clearly having such a great time that you do too.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 May 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Maverick

Filming Locations:

Lee's Ferry, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$75,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$17,248,545, 22 May 1994

Gross USA:

$101,631,272

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$183,031,272

Company Credits

Production Co:

Donner/Shuler-Donner Productions, Icon Entertainment International, Icon Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1