Reviews

This is just a hell of a good movie. Many things left unsaid and implied. Builds a sense of uneasiness throughout. Winger is great as always, but the other actors are superb, too. More people need to know about it.

Because this is Paul Newman's signature role, a lot of people overlook Gleason's performance. Like Brando in "The Godfather" or Hopkins in "Silence of the Lambs," his screen time is very short but hangs over the entire film. After the first shoot-out, as the story progresses, you know in the back of your mind that he's back at Aames waiting. Newman's performance is one of the greatest, but he's young, still coming into his own and has a few awkward, heavy-handed moments--for example the "I'm the best you've ever seen" speech is done awkwardly in a Brooklynesque accent that's just weird. Having BEEN a hustler, Gleason's performance is massively confident, flawless. Iconic performances: Ralph Kramden, Minnesota Fats and Sheriff Beauford T. Justice (Bandit I, only)--this guy was a GREAT actor with the right material. At one point, in the late 50s I think, he was considering playing an old-time ward pol in a John O'Hara script. That would have been something to see and may have put him over the top as a dramatic actor. Recommended: the movie version of "Requiem for a Heavyweight" with Gleason as Maish Rennick, another top Gleason/late-noir turn.

OK, put down the film criticism texts and just watch this fun movie for what it is. Feels like a TV movie, but several cuts above one. The opening train robbery sequence is pretty damn breathtaking for a "bad" movie. Bet some action directors have studied that one. "Lobo" is collection of a lot of good Hawks-ian moments recycled, sort of like a retrospective of his bag of tricks ie. "Yer necks broken," etc. The Duke aging, beat up, but still The Duke. Sherry Lansing pretty hot looking in her one role. Jack Elam the scene stealer. Too bad they didn't have the money to cast the other parts better--Mitchum or Martin would have helped a lot. Duke looks a little lonely. Plot sorta strung together, but Hawks was concentrating more on characters in his Bravo/Dorado/Lobo "trilogy." "Smart" dialog, while not up to 30s & 40s banter, still has clever moments by today's standards. Clever rifle bit at the end shows old timers' practical knowledge of things, like weapons. If you like old westerns, you'll like this one. Not among his greatest, but low end Hawks is better than no Hawks. I've seen much thinner stuff win awards.