This is an odd movie. It's a western, but also is like a film noir where few people, if any, do the right things and the usual Hollywood happy ending is non-existent. It almost leaves you depressed. In fact, it does. Yet, I was glad to have finally seen this movie, however, even if it was so long overdue, and think that many of the poor reviews (not here) are unjustified.
This movie is SO Steve McQueen: a tough guy with few words, a likeble man ("Tom Horn,"the title character) who gets the job done no matter how tough the assignment; a guy the prettiest woman in town goes for and a man who gets respect of the other (good) men in town. However, unlike many of his roles, the last 20-30 minutes reveals a totally unique character, and one that is puzzling.
Viewers of this would not be blamed for yelling at the screen, imploring "Tom" to "say something in your defense! Speak up!! Tell everyone you are innocent!"
McQueen's "Horn" either is resigned to leaving the world perhaps the way he thought he should, with a shrug of his shoulders as if saying "that's the way it goes" or he's imitating Jesus Christ, who did similar when he spent his last day in kangaroo courts. He, too, wouldn't answer questions and state the obvious. To paraphrase McQueen in this story, it's like, "Hey, if you don't know who I am and what I'm all about I am by now, well....do what you gotta do."
Anyway, much of the film is a good western, nicely photographed and uniquely low-key with McQueen hired by a bunch of ranchers (an "Association") to put a stop to all the rustling that has been going on in the area recently. He does just that. In fact, he apparently does his job TOO well.
Depsite this being a quiet movie, the action scenes are quick and very violent. Yet, McQueen and many of his friends in here are so low-key it makes for a strange western....and oddly fascinating, I thought. A pity this isn't better known, especially since it was McQueen's second-to-last film before dying of cancer. He looks different, too. He doesn't look well and it must have taken some courage to make this film feeling as he did. Despite the haggard looks, underneath, it's the same old Steve.
This movie is SO Steve McQueen: a tough guy with few words, a likeble man ("Tom Horn,"the title character) who gets the job done no matter how tough the assignment; a guy the prettiest woman in town goes for and a man who gets respect of the other (good) men in town. However, unlike many of his roles, the last 20-30 minutes reveals a totally unique character, and one that is puzzling.
Viewers of this would not be blamed for yelling at the screen, imploring "Tom" to "say something in your defense! Speak up!! Tell everyone you are innocent!"
McQueen's "Horn" either is resigned to leaving the world perhaps the way he thought he should, with a shrug of his shoulders as if saying "that's the way it goes" or he's imitating Jesus Christ, who did similar when he spent his last day in kangaroo courts. He, too, wouldn't answer questions and state the obvious. To paraphrase McQueen in this story, it's like, "Hey, if you don't know who I am and what I'm all about I am by now, well....do what you gotta do."
Anyway, much of the film is a good western, nicely photographed and uniquely low-key with McQueen hired by a bunch of ranchers (an "Association") to put a stop to all the rustling that has been going on in the area recently. He does just that. In fact, he apparently does his job TOO well.
Depsite this being a quiet movie, the action scenes are quick and very violent. Yet, McQueen and many of his friends in here are so low-key it makes for a strange western....and oddly fascinating, I thought. A pity this isn't better known, especially since it was McQueen's second-to-last film before dying of cancer. He looks different, too. He doesn't look well and it must have taken some courage to make this film feeling as he did. Despite the haggard looks, underneath, it's the same old Steve.