Review of Hombre (1967) by Jay N — 08 Sep 2009
Paul Newman simply oozes screen presence as anti-hero John Russell, a white man raised by native Americans who becomes the reluctant protector of a group of stagecoach passengers after it is held up by bandits in this overlooked 1967 western.
This is no ordinary film of its genre, with director Martin Ritt staying true to the superb Elmore Leonard novel in deglamourizing the west - portraying the hard, rough, brutal, unforgiving terrain of 19th century untamed America.
He deftly allows space for the characters to grow without ever compromising on pace or tension, as Russell, who is at first shunned because of his fraternity with the Indians, must decide whether the people around him are worth saving.
A rare movie (specially for that time) to show the plight of Red Indians as a downtrodden, marginalized people, "Hombre" also touches on themes of greed, hypocrisy and the true value of life.
The film is sparse on action but the tension builds to a superb climax, with standout performances from Newman, Martin Balsam and a dastardly Richard Boone.
This review of Hombre (1967) was written by Jay N on 08 Sep 2009.
Hombre has generally received very positive reviews.
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