Film Snail

Tom Horn
Tom Horn

6.4

Tom Horn

R·1980·94m

Summary

A renowned former army scout is hired by ranchers to hunt down rustlers but finds himself on trial for the murder of a boy when he carries out his job too well. Tom Horn finds that the simple skills he knows are of no help in dealing with the ambitions of ranchers and corrupt officials as progress marches over him and the old west.

Cast

Steve McQueen

Steve McQueen

Tom Horn

Linda Evans

Linda Evans

Glendolene Kimmel

Richard Farnsworth

Richard Farnsworth

John Coble

Billy Green Bush

Billy Green Bush

Joe Belle

Slim Pickens

Slim Pickens

Sam Creedmore

Peter Canon

Assistant Prosecutor

Elisha Cook Jr.

Elisha Cook Jr.

Stable Hand

Roy Jenson

Roy Jenson

Mendenhour

James Kline

Arlo Chance

Geoffrey Lewis

Geoffrey Lewis

Walter Stoll

Harry Northup

Harry Northup

Burke

Steve Oliver

"Gentleman" Jim Corbett

Bill Thurman

Bill Thurman

Ora Haley

Bobby Bass

Corbett's Bodyguard

Mickey Jones

Mickey Jones

Brown's Hole Rustler

B.J. Ward

B.J. Ward

Cattle Baron

Richard Brewer

Corbett's Bodyguard

Mel Novak

Mel Novak

Corbett's Bodyguard

Tom Tarpey

Tom Tarpey

Corbett's Bodyguard

Bob West

Corbett's Bodyguard

Richard Kennedy

John Cleveland

Larry Strawbridge

MacGregor

Pat Johnson

Ora Haley's Bodyguard

Jim Burgdorf

Dart

Jerry Wills

Rash

Walter Wyatt

Isam

Bob Orrison

Bob Orrison

Matt

Fargo Graham

Auctioneer

Leo Hohler

Auction Deputy

Erik Owens

Boy at Auction

Tom Ferguson

Brown's Hole Rustlers

Joe Massangale

Brown's Hole Rustlers

Dave Moordigian

Brown's Hole Rustlers

Michael E. Perry

Brown's Hole Rustlers

Jimmy H. Burk

Slaughter House Man

Bill Hart

Bill Hart

Slaughter House Man

Dan Corry

Windmill Man

Jeffrey Meyer

Gunfighter

Clarke Coleman

Jimmy Nolt

Mike Chambers

Man in Feed Store

Bob Kern

Man in Feed Store

W. H. Manooch

Man in Feed Store

Fred O'Dell

Man in Feed Store

Drummond Barclay

Charlie Ohnhouse

Chuck Hayward

Deputy Proctor

Tom Runyon

Bartender

John L. Hallett

Reporter

Jerry L. Jackson

Reporter

Larry Hollister

Bailiff

Victor Spelta

Man in Bar

Jack Webster

Kid Deputy

Alan L. Brown

Guard

Robert Elliot

Guard

Gilbert B. Combs

Gilbert B. Combs

Horn's Capturer

Mike H. McGaughy

Horn's Capturer

Rock A. Walker

Horn's Capturer

J. P. S. Brown

Padre

Lee Barton

Cowboy

Roe Henson

Cowboy

Paul Pinnt

Cowboy

Chuck Henson

Steer Roping Sequence

Claude Henson

Steer Roping Sequence

H.P. Evetts

Horse Breaking Sequence

Jeff Ramsey

Jeff Ramsey

Horse Breaking Sequence

Bud Stout

Horse Breaking Sequence

Gary Combs

Gary Combs

Horse Breaking Sequence

Walter Scott

Walter Scott

Horn's Capturer

Bert Williams

Judge

Jimmy Medearis

Trick Rider

Crew

Director

William Wiard

Screenplay

Bud Shrake

Screenplay

Thomas McGuane

Reviews

John Chard

John Chard

September 22, 2019

7

Someday, you're going to have to pay for your way of life, Tom.

Tom Horn is directed by William Wiard and adapted to screenplay by Thomas McGuane and Bud Schrake from Horn's own autobiography. It stars Steve McQueen, Linda Evans, Richard Farnsworth, Billy Green Bush and Slim Pickens. Music is by Ernest Gold and cinematography by John A. Alonzo.

Plot finds McQueen as legendary army tracker - turned hired gun - Tom Horn, who is hired by Wyoming ranchers to see off cattle rustlers, only to see them turn against him when his methods threaten their reputation.

As a big fan of both Westerns as a genre and McQueen (in the process of getting the cancer that would kill him) the actor, it's tricky trying to review Tom Horn (and his final film "The Hunter") without the heart ruling the head. Fact is, is that Tom Horn is not the glorious hard hitting Tom Horn picture that the character demands. It looks fabulous, is very melancholic, and McQueen is genuinely affecting in his performance, but the production problems (various attached directors, rewrites etc) are evident and give us a film of what might have been.

Nonetheless, this is no stinker, in fact, it's a very reflective piece dealing with a man out of his time - and he knows it. The narrative is strong on the end of the so called Wild West, a changing of the times, where law and order is about to finally become the dominant force. Horn was the man who helped bring in the mighty Geronimo, which gives the makers a chance to not only nod towards respect for the great Apache chief as a plot device, but to also let Horn, in McQueen's hands, show us a resignation of time being up for his kind.

One dodgy "special effect" aside, when the violence is required for the story it is an adrenaline jolt, this is because the tone of the piece is ultimately sombre. The hazy romantic thread between Horn and Glendolene Kimmel (Evans is fine in a thankless role) is suffering from flashback overkill, but the tender feel to it sits comfortably within the pic's earnest intention. The political aspects strike the required chord for narrative worth, and the key aspect of Horn's ultimate fate being based on fact or otherwise? is deftly handled.

Poor editing and a number of "time filling shots" grate a little, and if not prepared for a sombre pic then this will disappoint. Yet there's a lot of beauty here and if you be a fan of McQueen or not, his turn is brave, committed and very engaging. 7/10

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$0.00

Revenue:

$9,000,000.00

Keywords

hero
ranch
trial
shootout
one man army
brutality
justice
rustler