Monte Walsh

I ain't spitting on my whole life.

Monte Walsh is the debut feature of cameraman-turned-director William A.Fraker. It stars Lee Marvin (Monte Walsh) & Jack Palance (Chet Rollins) as two ageing cowboys who find that the era of the cowpoke is coming to an end - and that work for them is now very hard to come by. Adapted by David Zelag Goodman & Lukas Heller from Jack Schaefer's novel, Monte Walsh is a gentle but astute telling of men who have outlived their time (think Will Penny/Ride The High Country). Though very sedate in pacing, and almost elegiac in tone, the film constantly remains interesting because the characters are so well written. That they are given quality portrayals by Marvin & Palance, the latter of which is nicely cast aga...

The fun and challenges of the dwindling cowboy way-of-life

As the open-range West dies in the 1890s with corporations taking over the ranches, two aging cowhands try to survive in the new era of fenced-in land (Lee Marvin and Jack Palance). While they set their eyes on women and possible marriage (e.g. Jeanne Moreau), out-of-work cowboys become desperate (e.g. Mitchell Ryan).

"Monte Walsh" (1970) is similar to Charlton Hestons Will Penny from 2.5 years earlier, but it cost almost four times as much and yet Penny is arguably the better Western. Theyre at least on par, although Penny is hampered by its subplot of cartoony villains and an ending that leaves a sour taste.

This was remade in 2003 with Tom Selleck, Keith Carradine...