Ballad of Cable Hogue, The (1970)
“In all the long, wrought out, back-breakin’, kidney-shakin’, bladder-bustin’ miles from here to Lizard, there’s not one spot of wet relief for man or beast…”
Synopsis:
When robbed and left to die in the desert, an illiterate wanderer (Jason Robards) stumbles upon a spring which he proceeds to turn into a profitable way-station. Meanwhile, he falls for a feisty prostitute (Stella Stevens), receives assistance from a con-artist “preacher” (David Warner), and hopes to seek revenge on the men who abandoned him.
Genres:
Response to Peary’s Review:
Peary argues that this “simple, bawdy, lyrical film is one of [Sam] Peckinpah’s best” — but I disagree. While Robards is indeed “wonderful” (he alone makes the film worth watching), the story itself leaves much to be desired: after an inspired first half-hour or so — in which Hogue stakes his claim in town, and eyes a busty wench (Stevens) with hilariously unmitigated lust — the narrative devolves into slapstick, and it’s all downhill from there. Warner’s participation in Hogue’s venture is never clearly explained (his smooth-talking attempts to bed married women are irritating, not funny), and Stevens — while undeniably sexy (it’s easy to see why men would go gaga over her) — quickly loses sympathy the first time she throws a conniption fit; this is NOT how a slick business woman would react. Peckinpah’s use of both dated cinematic techniques (including sped-up running) and cloying flower-children songs throughout the soundtrack make matters worse. Jason Robards is really the only reason to sit through this disappointing sleeper.
Redeeming Qualities and Moments:
- Jason Robards as Cable Hogue
- Lucien Ballard’s fine cinematography
Must See?
No, but it’s worth a look simply for Robards’ winning performance.
Links:
Posted on December 2nd, 2007 by admin
Filed under: Response Reviews
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.