Customer Reviews

Hombre (Widescreen)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The blue-eyed Paul Newman as a half-breed Apache? Weren't there quite a few folks a-waiting on a stage considering that the stagecoach company was practically defunct, presumably because of a lack of customers? Why didn't most of them, 'ceptin' the women folk, ride horses rather than take the stage? Why did they leave the water in the mine shaft? If you're sure the nasty bandito is going to shoot at you, why tell the kid to "wait 'til he reaches for his gun" before shooting him?
I asked a lot of questions while watching HOMBRE, and that usually ain't a good thing. Considering this was taken from a novel written by the usually reliable Elmore Leonard, it's a little mystifying as well.
A cynic would say these plot pimples were necessary to make things work. Look, you ain't gonna put brown contacts on Paul Newman's eyes, for criminy sake, and in 1967 there weren't many stars with stronger box office than Newman. We had to get the folks together on a stagecoach so Barbara Rush, the wife of corrupt Indian agent Frederic March, could get the vapors and see to it that half-breed John Russell (Newman) would be asked to ride on the roof. We had to keep the boys off the horses and on the benches because we needed to see bad guy Grimes (Richard Boone, excellent as usual) stink up the coach with his boorish manners and his cigars. They had to leave the water in the mine shaft so that the corrupt Indian agent Dr. Alex Favor (March) could reunite his venal self with the group.
That said, with all its question, HOMBRE is a good movie. In a beautiful opening scene a boss horse leads a group of wild horses into a corral. Director Martin Ritt is a master at sustained scenes that build with little or no dialogue.
HOMBRE belongs in that herd of movies that came out in the 60s and 70s that cast a critical eye on American culture. They reflected the tensions in society - hawks versus doves, pacifists versus Joe hardhats, the silent majority versus the vocal minority. Like other movies of that ilk, HOMBRE has a quasi-religious outsider at the center of the movie, and that central character is used to reflect and magnify the failures of society. In HOMBRE the white men are venal, immature, corrupt, evil and impotent.
The transitional figure, the one that links the hero to the dominant society, is the Mexican Henry Mendez (Martin Balsam.) That a movie attacking racism should cast the anything-but-latino Balsam is one of the sweet ironies of the time. Balsam is good, though, and in a pivotal scene with Russell he lays it out for him. Russell's adoptive uncle has died and leaves him a boarding house and some land. Leaves him a stake in society. He tells Russell, who is living on the reservation at the time, to get his haircut. Look like a white man. Make it easier on yourself. "A Mexican," Mendez says, " is closer to a white man than an Apache. I'll tell you that." Tune out, turn off and drop in, Hombre.
Well, quasi-religious figures in a Judeo- Christian culture haven't got a lot of options left by the time they reach the end of the last reel. For some strange reason we find ritual bloodletting deeply satisfying and a road sign to Higher Meaning. So be it. Many people will love HOMBRE for its passion. For my part, I'll remember with fondest pleasure watching Richard Boone guffaw, threaten, and intimidate his bad bad self through an otherwise okay western.
The only extras on this dvd are a clutch of theatrical trailers for Paul Newman movies. The trailer for THE HUSTLER has a snazzy, jazzy feel to it and I recommend it.

An Apache policeman John Russell (Paul Newman) inherits a boarding house and is off to sell it. He must travel by the last stage coach out of town. Naturedly we are introduces to each of his traveling companions and given the general background of their life stories. We have the standard mix of exadurated stereotypes.

You guessed it the stage is held up. Luckily for the other passengers John Russell, also know as Hombre was raised by the Indians. He is cool, calm, and decisive. The others are just a tad too pansy for reality. However it makes for a good story as they start to learn or not from John what it takes to survive. What they do not realize before it is too late is that John is doing more than just surviving. What on the surface seems like John is changing his ways in reality is an extension of what he was always about.

Classic tale with no surprises. But well told and well acted. There are plenty of "one liner's", quasi philosophy, and a fair amount of gun play. In all a very satisfying movie. Richard Boone's characterization of Cicero Grimes was better port raid than in his characterization "Have Gun Will Travel" series.

Some actors get type cast and all I could think of when watching Margaret Blye was her character in "Waterhole #3" (1967).

This movies has most elements of a good Western. It has cowboys and Indians, a stagecoach robbery, a shootout, the man (and woman) against nature theme, and much much more. Most of all, it has a great script, strong directing, and outstanding acting. Just about all of the characters are memorable for their performances but the soul of this movie is Paul Newman. His character is that of the quiet yet strong man who shares his thoughts with no one and takes no guff from anyone. The bad guy in this movie is nearly as memorable in the person of Richard Boone. He is about as evil a character as you will find in a G rated movie.

Then story is that of a man (Mr. Randall) who was raised on an Apache reservation in the Arizona Territory. He inherits some money and property and sets off to check out a different life style. On the way, he meets up with a diverse group of people on a stagecoach leaving town. Bad things happen but the only man who seemed equipped to handle things is Mr. Randall, played by Paul Newman. The movie explores the nature of good and evil which recalls the old Woody Guthrie line, "Some will rob you with a six-gun and some with a fountain pen". The movie also contrasts the values of the "savage" with that of civilization and you can probably guess who comes out ahead. This movie does not have a happy ending which is not unusual for a modern Western. Yet there is a true feeling that Good has prevailed.

This movie mixes plenty of action and thought-provoking situations and is a good movie for the whole family to enjoy.

Hombre is a very good western. Newman is cool, Boone is a great Villian, the action is well done, and there are some pretty good lines of dialoge.

However, its a 60s movie and full of liberal attitudes. Paul Newman (Hombre) is the most noble, intelligent, capable native-american who ever existed on planet earth. And every white person in the movie is immoral, stupid, racist, and cowardly. (Except for Richard Boone who is brave but a murderous criminal.) Which is pretty amazing considering that the Old West was a dangerous place where almost everyone had to self-relient and know how to handle a gun.

Anyone who watches the movie has to wonder why Hombre (Newman) doesn't leave these horrible honkeys to their own fate. I guess it because he's the most the noble native-american ever.

"Hombre," one of Paul Newman's "H" movies of the 1960s, meanders along for its first two reels before things kick into overdrive with the introduction of Richard Boone's villain. From his first moment on screen, Boone projects a very believable image of evil, a study of bullying, intimidation and ruthlessness, and his performance is only matched by the film's star.

Newman, as a cynical white man who has been raised by Native Americans, takes a cold and calculated approach to the threat Boone represents, one entirely at odds with the one preferred by the woman who wants to love him, Diane Cilento. For much of the film, Newman seems never to make a move that comes from sentiment or gallantry, and the film asks a number of pointed questions about sacrifice, manhood and chivalry, at a time when America was reconsidering these and other ideals.

Any DVD worth buying is one that rewards repeated viewings, and "Hombre" definitely meets that standard. For a fine example of the Western as it began to redefine itself in the late '60s, you can't go wrong with this one.

Paul Newman in an unusual role in a western with a super cast. A tale of class, race, attitude and the human condition. It's a great movie. It also has a really stupid graphic painted over somebody when they get shot in the face.. watch for it. :)

Anyway, My favorite western and I love westerns. Top Ten list for me.

This is a flat-out great western, even though often it is overlooked on many "Best" lists. It is existential, yet spiritual. It has action, but not too much. It focuses more on the interaction of its characters; the human condition. The cinematography by James Wong Howe, one of his last efforts, is crisp and expansive; shown magnificently on the DVD version. The score, by David Rose, is energetic and melodic. Director Martin Ritt made the most out of an unconventional plot with his powerhouse of a cast; and ultimately he filmed a picture that delivers a message without preaching.

Paul Newman, a giant among actors, found something in his character, John Russell; a stillness, an incredible strength buried deep within honed survival skills, a quiet confidence, and ultimately a compassion for others. It is a very layered, compex, and brilliant portrayal.

The supporting cast was excellent, surrounding Newman with talented adversaries and cronies. Diane Cilento, as Jesse, was willful, pragmatic, outgoing, yet still sexy; the earth mother of the piece. Richard Boone was the bad-to-the-bone Cicero Grimes; adding a new dimension to villiany. Yes he was mean, was a bully, was hard-as-nails, yet Boone still was able to show us an interesting man with deep shadows on his past; a gem of a performance. Fredric March, as the San Carlos Indian Agent, Mr. Favor, allowed us to dislike him, then pity him. He managed to dredge up a form of redemption out of the shoals of a potentially one-dimensional character. Martin Balsam found an odd humanity within his Mexican character, the stage driver Mendez; a man prone to compromise, a survivor. And in a small flashy part of a Mexican bandit, Frank Silvera made a tremendous impact. He helped us to like this brigand, and he shined with every gesture and line.

Barbara Rush as Mrs. Favor, and Margaret Blye as the young Mrs. Blake, were both quite competent. One false note in the casting was Peter Lazer as Billy Lee Blake. Even with repeated viewings, his performance never improves. There is no real substance to it. He never managed to rev up his character to the level of those around him; like a Shetland pony competing in race with thoroughbreds. Cameron Mitchell and David Canary had great energy and smooth professionalism fused into their supporting roles.

The most haunting moment of the film, what stays with you, is the death of John Russell. Newman had carefully established that this Hombre would not "bleed" for others. He was like a coyote bedding down with domestic dogs; an outcast. Yet it was his strength that all the others clung to in a crisis. So why, in the last gasp of the plot, would this hardened pariah suddenly sacrifice himself to save a woman who had demonstrated contempt for him ? We are left without a real answer, just a sweet sadness, and the awesome realization that we have witnessed some level of greatness.

Whenever Paul Newman and Director Martin Ritt("Hud", "The Outrage") team up for a western it's pure magic. "Hombre" is a shining example of that.Western lovers will love this film. And if you already know you love it, you'll be thrilled with the DVD.
As the story opens we see an Apache Indian, quiet, crouching behind a rock,eyeing the horses that will soon be his. This Apache though is different from the rest. He is a blue eyed Indian. A white man raised by the Apache, outcast from the world he was born to. He is HOMBRE! He is his own man.
After word comes to him that he has inherited a boarding house from the man who once tried to raise him and gave him his name, John Russell, he sells it. cuts his hair and embarks on a stagecoach trip. Some of the other passengers are outraged when they learn of his upbringing, and don't even want him inside the coach with them. But the stagecoach runs into trouble,overtaken by outlaws.
They are left in the desert to fend for themselves against the outlaws and the elements. He may be their only salvation. Will he help the people that outcast him, and if he does at what cost to him?
The cinematography gives that pure western feeling.The music score by David Rose is moving.The story based on a novel by Elmore Leonard is gripping.Paul Newman IS HOMBRE! Richard Boone is the baddest of the bad guys as only he can portray it. The cast also includes, the great Fredric March as the theiving Indian Agent, Barbara Rush as his biggoted wife,and Martin Balsam as Russell's only allie, and the driver.
The DVD is a real treat.Beautiful widescreen, sharp clear pictures of the rugged terrain.Vivid colors. The sound is surprisingly crisp(I love the sound of horses hooves) in the Dolby Surround 2.0 stereo. The muscial score terrific. Dialouge was clear although a little low at times.The special features include a Still Gallery of photos taken during the shoot, some theatrical trailers for other Newman movies, and there are subtitles in English or Spanish if needed. There is also a French version.
For a great western, great drama,and well just plain great Newman,check this one out!.........Laurie

A magnificent dramatization of a self-reliant egoist struggling to exist in a world of altruists, parasites, racists and pragmatists. The parasites (Grimes and the other outlaws) try to kill Hombre (also known as John Russell) physically; the pragmatist (Mendez) tries to convert him into a go-along-to-get-along, subservient type, trying to kill his ambition; the racists (the Favors, who are also parasites, and a couple of the minor outlaw characters) treat him like dirt, assaulting his self-esteem; and the altruists (Jessie Brown, and the young married couple) try to load him with a guilty conscience for the unforgivable sin of pursuing his own self-interest, his own happiness, to kill his spirit.

None of them succeed in changing him one iota. He goes down fighting, uncompromising. ...

Some great lines from the movie:

After not intervening on behalf of a victim of Grimes, and being berated for it by Jessie, Hombre says: "If it's all right with you, lady, I just didn't feel liking bleeding for him. And even if it isn't all right with you."

Jessie: "You mean you'd just let that (hostage) woman die?"
Hombre: "That's up to Grimes (the outlaw who held the woman hostage)." Hombre refuses to accept guilt for what is clearly Grimes' responsibility: the life of the hostage.

Jessie, after the stagecoach passengers are robbed, and are in a state of helplessness, speaking to Hombre: "Why do we keep trotting after you?"
Hombre: "Because I can cut it, lady."

Finally, Grimes comes up to "parley" with Hombre and the others trapped in an old mining shack. Hombre determines that Grimes has no right to any parley, as he was holding them there at the point of a gun. He therefore lets Grimes come out into the open and talk, and when he finishes talking, Hombre says:

"I got a question. How you gonna get back down that hill?" I leave it to your imagination as to what happens next. It was directly after that encounter when Jessie made this comment: "Cicero Grimes, meet John Russell."

Okay, I admit it. I love a great western movie. This is one of them. It fits neatly within my collection that includes "The 3:10 to Yuma," "The Wild Bunch" and my perhaps my all time favorite, "The Grey Fox."

One of the things I love about this film is its European-like pace. Certainly not in the Sergio Leoni context but rather more like "Manon of the Spring." And that suits me fine. Newman's first encounter with Richard Boone sends chills down the spine.

The liberal tone can seem a bit preachy yet, as a proud liberal myself, I like the message. Americans are not always at ease facing the truth about our government's role in the horrifice demise of Native American life and culture. So a dose of enlightenment works here.

And this film is about enlightenment as is "Little Big Man" and "Dances with Wolves." "Hombre" will remain a classic and kudos to Paul Newman for playing the role so beautifully as a not-particularly likeable character who still demands, and gets, a lot of respect as a human being.