Review of The Cowboys (1972) by Tom M — 13 Jul 2009

It's tough if not impossible to be at all objective in regard to this movie. It was one of my favorites growing up, one of the ones that got watched time and again. And again. And some more. Like my sister with the first half of The Sound of Music.

Wayne is in top form here, more believable as the tough aging ol' leathery cattleman with a gentle spirit than in many of his other roles. He's always a rough number, but it's his softness that makes him endearing. It's strongly on display in his fatherly role here. In his final showdown with a creepy Bruce Dern, his toughness, stubbornness, and vulnerability influenced me a great deal as a boy wanting to be a man.

There are an unusual number of great lines to be found in this, from Wayne but from the supporting cast as well. As far as entertainment goes, this film leaves little wanting.

As I grow further from childhood and closer to fatherhood though, I find myself a bit more apprehensive about the final scenes of the movie in which the group of young boys shoot stab and otherwise kill the hell out of the band of thieves that took much from them along the course of the film. The whole thing is supposed to be a 'coming of age' flick, though some of the lessons and passages these boys learn and experience aren't those I'd necessarily wish upon the youth.

I love this movie. Wayne's performance is comforting. It reminds me of my childhood, and the type of men I used to be surrounded by then that are no longer around. It might not be totally appropriate as 'family fun' but it's fun nonetheless.