Review of Bite the Bullet (1975) by David F — 18 May 2011
Pretty good modern Western, based on a historic 700-mile horse race sponsored by a major newspaper around the turn of the century. Gene Hackman and James Coburn play old cowhands, former soldiers having served in Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders, but now fallen on hard times.
Candice Bergen, Jan Michael Vincent and other assorted characters also compete for the purse. Director Richard Brooks adopts a no-nonsense and almost lyrical directorial style, allowing the story to take its time to unfold and reveal each character's flaws and motivations.
Some beautifully shot set pieces highlight the beautiful horses seemingly pushed to the limits of their endurance - at times its hard to watch these fine animals worked so hard, but at least Hackman's character shows them some sympathy.
This review of Bite the Bullet (1975) was written by David F on 18 May 2011.
Bite the Bullet has generally received positive reviews.
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