The Wild Bunch (1969)

Directed by Sam Peckinpah · Adventure, Western

Starring William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien, Warren Oates, Jaime Sánchez, Ben Johnson, Emilio Fernández, Strother Martin, L.Q. Jones, Albert Dekker, Bo Hopkins, Dub Taylor, Paul Harper, Jorge Russek, Alfonso Aráu, Bill Hart, Rayford Barnes, Stephen Ferry, Sonia Amelio, Chalo González, Chano Urueta, Elsa Cárdenas, Aurora Clavel, Enrique Lucero, Elizabeth Dupeyrón, José Chávez, René Dupeyrón, Pedro Galván, Graciela Doring, Fernando Wagner, Ivan J. Rado, Margarito Luna, Lilia Castillo, Archie Butler, Tap Canutt, Gordon T. Dawson, Mickey Gilbert, Robert 'Buzz' Henry, Buck Holland, Walt La Rue, Matthew Peckinpah, Jack Williams, Joe Yrigoyen

IHBM8.75Excellent

Aging outlaw Pike Bishop (William Holden) prepares to retire after one final robbery. Joined by his gang, which includes Dutch Engstrom (Ernest Borgnine) and brothers Lyle (Warren Oates) and Tector Gorch (Ben Johnson), Bishop discovers the heist is a setup orchestrated in part by his old partner, Deke Thornton (Robert Ryan). As the remaining gang takes refuge in Mexican territory, Thornton trails them, resulting in fierce gunfights with plenty of casualties.

My review · Reviewed 02/12/2010

I think one of the great misconceptions about westerns is that they are usually about a bunch of gunfights out in the old west. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, I find that westerns tend to have more interesting characters. In many movies you won't get a background on a character (Clint Eastwood in "The Man With No Name" triology). Instead, you just get a bunch of strangers and the film is about their interaciton. I would put this film into that category. While you do get some background, the theme of the movie is the similarities and differences between the characters.

best