The Cowboys
When his cattle drivers abandon him for the gold fields, rancher Wil Andersen is forced to take on a…
- Director: Mark Rydell
- Genre:Drama / Western
- Runtime:135 minutes
Cast
John Wayne : Wil Andersen
Roscoe Lee Browne: Jebediah Nightlinger
Bruce Dern : Long Hair
Colleen Dewhurst: Kate
Alfred Barker Jr.: Fats – Cowboy
When his hired men abandon him for the lure of the gold on the Ruby River, near where it meets the Beaverhead River, in the mid 1870s, Wil Andersen (John Wayne), a central Montana cattle rancher near the town of Bozeman, faces the prospect of financial disaster. He is forced to find cowboys for his yearly 400-mile (640 km) long cattle drive to the railhead at Belle Fourche, South Dakota.
Andersen goes looking for help at the other ranches in the area, but no cowboys are available. He rides into a deserted Bozeman and goes to the saloon and provisions store of Anse Peterson (Slim Pickens). Anse seems to be the only soul left in Bozeman, as the “gold fever” has taken every able bodied man. Anse suggests that Wil put off the drive until next year and take credit from stores. Andersen, a stubborn man, refuses to “go on take.” As the two men pass the local schoolhouse, Anse thoughtfully suggests that Andersen hire the students as cowboys. He convinces Wil to go to the school to inspect the young boys. They observe for a few minutes but, after Homer (Mike Pyeatt) scares a young girl with a frog, Wil leaves the school unconvinced.
Much to Andersen’s surprise, and thanks in no small part to Anse, the school boys show up at daybreak one morning. They admit to not being true cowboys, but say they can ride, some can rope, and a couple are pretty good shots. To test the boys, Andersen says that if they can stay on his green-broke filly horse Crazy Alice to a count of ten, he’ll keep that in mind come hiring time.
As the boys successfully take turns on Alice, Cimarron (A Martinez), another young man slightly older than the school boys, rides up. A cocky and mean-spirited half breed, Cimarron doesn’t go to school. He rides the fight out of Alice, and insultingly hands the reins to Charlie Schwartz (Stephen R. Hudis). Cimarron soon gets into a fight with Slim Honeycutt (Robert Carradine), the oldest of the students. Andersen, impressed by Cimarron’s abilities, has to think about hiring him because of his angry nature and the chip on his shoulder. Read more
