Monte Walsh
Monte Walsh is a 1970 western film starring Lee Marvin and Jack Palance. The film got its title from a novel by Jack Schaefer, though the title is about all it got. Set in Arizona, it tells the tale of three aging cowboys at the end the age when the west was wild. Monte Walsh (Marvin) and Chet Rollins (Palance) have spent their lives working open range from the back of a horse. Work grows scarce as ranching changes with the end of an era coming into sight.
They land a job on one last spread where they encounter old friend and fellow cowboy, Shorty Austin. Together they face the question, what next? Their answers lead in different directions. Chet falls in love with Mary Eagle, a widow and hardware store owner. They marry and Chet takes up shop keeping. He tells Monte the old way is disappearing, time to move on. Shorty gets fired and takes up rustling, killing a lawman in a gun scrape.
Faced with the fact his cowboy days are done, Monte turns to his longtime lover, saloon girl and prostitute, Martine who suffers from tuberculosis. He proposes and they marry, though soon after his beloved Martine succumbs to her illness. Monte spirals down from the life he loves, drinking heavily. Seeking some excitement, he rides a wild horse through town causing considerable disturbance and damage. A rodeo owner notices the riding exhibition and offers Monte a job. The pay is good. The work looks like a Wild West show. Monte says no.
Shorty robs the hardware store, killing Chet. Distraught at the loss of his wife, Monte determines to go after Shorty. They meet to a showdown in a slaughterhouse. Monte is wounded in their gunfight but manages to get the drop on Shorty. Shorty surrenders and drops his gun. Monte kills him. So much for musical comedy.
The film received positive reviews. Roger Ebert thought it beautifully done. A made for TV remake was done starring Tom Selleck.
Next Week: Blazing Saddles
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Ride easy,
Paul
They land a job on one last spread where they encounter old friend and fellow cowboy, Shorty Austin. Together they face the question, what next? Their answers lead in different directions. Chet falls in love with Mary Eagle, a widow and hardware store owner. They marry and Chet takes up shop keeping. He tells Monte the old way is disappearing, time to move on. Shorty gets fired and takes up rustling, killing a lawman in a gun scrape.
Faced with the fact his cowboy days are done, Monte turns to his longtime lover, saloon girl and prostitute, Martine who suffers from tuberculosis. He proposes and they marry, though soon after his beloved Martine succumbs to her illness. Monte spirals down from the life he loves, drinking heavily. Seeking some excitement, he rides a wild horse through town causing considerable disturbance and damage. A rodeo owner notices the riding exhibition and offers Monte a job. The pay is good. The work looks like a Wild West show. Monte says no.
Shorty robs the hardware store, killing Chet. Distraught at the loss of his wife, Monte determines to go after Shorty. They meet to a showdown in a slaughterhouse. Monte is wounded in their gunfight but manages to get the drop on Shorty. Shorty surrenders and drops his gun. Monte kills him. So much for musical comedy.
The film received positive reviews. Roger Ebert thought it beautifully done. A made for TV remake was done starring Tom Selleck.
Next Week: Blazing Saddles
Return to Facebook to comment
Ride easy,
Paul
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