90 minutes of perfection!! I watched this in my history class not too long ago (the whole class stayed in through break to see the end!!). I spent ages looking for it. It's about a black farmer who must cope with frequent racism from the locals. At the very beginning we learn of Walter's sad past. The neighbour's son, Charlie, has a bitter heart but throughout the story we see how he learns that not everything is as he is told (especially by his father, Reuben, played by Don Swayze). I absolutely recommend this classical film. Apart from an excellent cast (the cast includes Kris Kristofferson and Don Swayze, Patrick Swazyes' little bro!), it will captivate you and leave you asking for more. But have the tissues near, it's a bit of a tearjerker. :)
7 Reviews
A heart warming tale of Guts over hatred!
cantufind16 November 2005
Set in the heart of America in the 1930s. Walter Osgood (Louis Gosset Jr) is the only black man left in the town of High Lonesome that has been cleared by the overwhelming white supremacist beliefs. Having lost his entire family to them and not knowing where his young Son is or whether he is alive is what sets this movie apart from others.
Predictably no-one in the town 'High Lonesome'gives a darn and this is cleverly shown when the Bank manager says "I only have to charge you 6% instead of the 3% I charge white-folk because of the stockholders". He seems so plausible that you just want to believe him as one who has to follow the pack of 'Black haters'. The Sheriff and star of the film little Charlie are support to this as the story revolves around the slow but sure dissolving of pure hatred to one of heart and admiration over the strength Gosset Jr shows in his character that won't be beaten by the racists.
The outcome is not overly predictable and to dismiss this as a 'same old story' would be wrong and might even show ones own racist views!? A cracking made for TV film that belongs in the Cinema and also the classrooms of the schools.
All in all a compelling drama that would not have been lost on the big screen.
To all the so called film critics out there who try to Judge 'Stars' on their other films, stop doing this, judge the actors on the films you write about as this is the only relevance people want to know. Opinions are varied but the story is not, this is a powerful and very well acted film where even Don Swayze looked at home!
Highly recommended.
Predictably no-one in the town 'High Lonesome'gives a darn and this is cleverly shown when the Bank manager says "I only have to charge you 6% instead of the 3% I charge white-folk because of the stockholders". He seems so plausible that you just want to believe him as one who has to follow the pack of 'Black haters'. The Sheriff and star of the film little Charlie are support to this as the story revolves around the slow but sure dissolving of pure hatred to one of heart and admiration over the strength Gosset Jr shows in his character that won't be beaten by the racists.
The outcome is not overly predictable and to dismiss this as a 'same old story' would be wrong and might even show ones own racist views!? A cracking made for TV film that belongs in the Cinema and also the classrooms of the schools.
All in all a compelling drama that would not have been lost on the big screen.
To all the so called film critics out there who try to Judge 'Stars' on their other films, stop doing this, judge the actors on the films you write about as this is the only relevance people want to know. Opinions are varied but the story is not, this is a powerful and very well acted film where even Don Swayze looked at home!
Highly recommended.
Love builds up slowly but surely
St_John3 March 1999
A must see for those out there who prefer watching movies which are touching or rather sensitive. I went everywhere to look for this film after watching it on TV. I knew i had to own it because it's one film that really showed me that LOVE is mystical. This movie is basically all about racial discrimination but to my point of view, I captured something even greater. A LOVE bond which could not possibly happen, really happened. I do not want to elaborate more on this film because it cannot be described unless you watch it. Believe me, it's really worth watching and if tears do not roll out of your eyes, sorry to say but, you've been cheated by nature!
High Lonesome Delivers A Powerful Message.
buckikris16 April 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I bought this film awhile back, and the first time I watched it I was amazed by how cruel people could be, thank GOD improvements/progress have been made. I watched it again last night with my mom, because she forgot some of the movie. The movie takes place in the early 1930's, some of the cast includes, Louis Gosset Jr, as Walter Osgood, Joseph Mazzello as Charlie, William Fichtner as The Sheriff, and Don Swayze. This is a very powerful movie with powerful message, prejudice gets you no where, it just leads you down the path of hate and bitterness. I think everyone should make a point to see this movie, it's a great film that leaves you with a great feeling, that some people can change for the better. The movie is about a town in Missouri who have run every other black family out, except Walter Osgood. Enter Charlie, a little boy who's father is anything but. Osgood befriends Charlie and their relationship grows from there. It takes a Klan gathering at Osgoods house where things begin to change. The Sheriff is suspicious that Chalie has taken up with Walter, even though Charlie deigns it he knows. In the end some become aware of their prejudices; and change while some never do or will. I am still trying to find out if this is a true story, because on the DVD, it says the true stories collection? Whether true or not it still sends a message that resonates. THX, -Kris L. CocKayne-
Click here for Many other great Joseph Mazzello reviews
famelovingboy6824 April 2004
I found this to be to my enthusiasm pretty gritty and disturbing from the first 20 minutes or so, with familiar racist slang, and the Ku Klux Klan beating the black man, Walter (Lou Gossit Jr.) who really shows no violence or racism, but faces it from the citizens of High Lonesome. Joseph Mazzello, as Charlie is a bold, Huck Finn-like lad, who needs to fend for himself and take care of his little sister, even when she's sick, and hunts with his rifle, and showing attitude firing it at Walter's farm. Patrick Swayze's brother (Don Swayze) plays Charlie's brutal drunk father bearing resemblance to Papa Finn. Mazzello's only role where his hair appears short. Joe just naturally exhibits, to this day, his supernatural emotions.
Powerful. Truly Moving.
p.newhouse@talk21.com30 July 2014
Warning: Spoilers
High Lonesome is one of the more accessible films I've seen on the matter of Southern United States racism and the Ku Klux Klan, but it is still not for the faint hearted, as it does not hide anything. It is, however, more three dimensional in its characterisation than many other treatises of the genre; It manages not to present the racist members of the community as one dimensional line drawings, but rather as misguided and sometimes damaged individuals, who are capable of thought. This film is therefore a lot more helpful to those of us who seek to combat racism. There is a small amount of humour, which makes the pathos more palatable, and the quality of the acting will hold you throughout. Louis Gossett jr. and Joseph Mazzello deserve recognition for the quality of their work here.
Unlikely And Predictable
Theo Robertson15 January 2006
Reading the back of the DVD case of HIGH LONESOME as it's known in Britain I knew how everything was going to work out in the end , but I didn't realise how unlikely it was all going to be . Walter Osgood is the only black man in the county ! I do know there was a lot of racism in the deep south , but the only black man in the county seems highly unlikely . Yeah I know the Deep South was highly racist at this time but to have only one single black man remaining in a whole county does seem highly unlikely indeed and I didn't care at all for all the tedious mawkishness but I guess that's only to be expected from this type of story featuring a young boy
I don't want to be totally negative because it is fairly well acted especially by William Fichtner as The Sheriff ( Though again another unlikely arc from his character ) but it's a shame seeing Louis Gosset Jr appearing in such forgettable films as this when he was the most critically acclaimed black actor of the 1980s . I doubt if he'll be getting any more great roles as he did with AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN and THE GUARDIAN
I don't want to be totally negative because it is fairly well acted especially by William Fichtner as The Sheriff ( Though again another unlikely arc from his character ) but it's a shame seeing Louis Gosset Jr appearing in such forgettable films as this when he was the most critically acclaimed black actor of the 1980s . I doubt if he'll be getting any more great roles as he did with AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN and THE GUARDIAN
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