Review of Junior Bonner (1972) by Stuart K — 19 Dec 2008

Sam Peckinpah returned from the out-and-out violence of Straw Dogs (1971) with this surprisingly gentle (while it lasts) modern-day Western set in and around the old American tradition of rodeos. It has aging rodeo pro Junior Bonner (Steve McQueen) returning to his home town of Prescott, Arizona for the July 4th Frontier Days.

There he discovers his family home has been sold by his property developer brother Curly (Joe Don Baker), his father Ace (Robert Preston) is in hospital, and dreams of silver prospecting in Australia, whilst his mother Elvira (Ida Lupino) has resigned herself to her husbands fantasies, family quarrelling and more erupts during the rodeo festivites.

It's a well made drama by Sam Peckinpah, and it does make for a quiet contrast to his more violent offerings, McQueen is brilliant as the aging rodeo star, uncertain of his future but still clinging on to what he knows he's good at, and the rodeo sequences are well filmed, putting Peckinpah's trademark slo-mo photography to good use!!