Bite the Bullet (1975)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Richard Brooks

Writer:

Richard Brooks (writer)

Release Date:

26 September 1975 (Finland)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Western

Tagline:

A Western Classic in the tradition of 'Shane' and 'High Noon'.

Plot:

A group of ex-rough riders, an ex-prostitute and a gunfighter enter a horse race in the desert.

Plot Keywords:

Horse Race | Mexican | Endurance | Ex Prostitute | Desert

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win

Cast

Gene Hackman	...	Sam Clayton
Candice Bergen	...	Miss Jones
James Coburn	...	Luke Matthews
Ben Johnson	...	Mister
Ian Bannen	...	Sir Harry Norfolk
Jan-Michael Vincent	...	Carbo
Robert Donner	...	Reporter
Jean Willes	...	Rosie
Mario Arteaga	...	Mexican
Dabney Coleman	...	Jack Parker
John McLiam	...	Gebhardt
Robert F. Hoy	...	Lee Christie (as Robert Hoy)
Jerry Gatlin	...	The Wood Cutter
Sally Kirkland	...	Honey
Walter Scott Jr.	...	Steve

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (censored version) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Carson National Forest, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

In Jan. 1976, Columbia distributed this film theatrically on a double bill with White Line Fever (1975) starring Jan-Michael Vincent.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: The track tracks left by the filming are visible in the desert.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Gebhardt: I heard your newspaper is running an honest race.
Reporter: You heard right, Mr. Gebhardt.
Gebhardt: Who the hell handicapped this owlhead as the favorite?
J.B. Parker: The smart money!
Gebhardt: That's what we come to get.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Behind the Action: Stuntmen in the Movies (2002) (TV)

Perhaps the best Western made in the 1970s.

In my mind this is almost a perfect movie. Writer-Director Richard Brooks delivered in my mind his best work since his 1960 blockbusters ELMER GANTRY and THE PROFESSIONALS. We have Brook's trademark crisp dialogue driving the epic about an endurance race set in the waning days of the american west. In place of Burt Lancaster and Lee Marvin professionals we have James Coburn and Gene Hackman as the soldiers of fortune thrown into the circumstance of this race. They both give superior performances. Ably supporting them in what should have gotten him a second supporting actor Oscar is Ben Johnson. If there is any quibble at all with the film it is the casting of of Candice Bergen as the prostitute turned contestant. She simply looks too well preserved to have lived the life her character has placed before the audience. One interesting note about the film had the exchange of actors functioning in basically the same part over the course of the film. Paul Stewart who is uncredited starts the film out as the wealthy rancher Parker until about a quarter of the way through the film when with an ingenious use of a looped line Dabney Coleman appears as Parker's son taking over the character's function from that point on.I remember seeing this film in it's initial engagement at Radio City Music Hall and it is still a fresh and rewarding experience. It is a shame that the upcoming DVD release will have no special features. I know Mr Coburn recorded a commentary for THE MAGNIFICENT 7, Ms. Bergen did THE SAND PEBBLES, and Mr. Hackman did the FRENCH CONNECTION discs. It would have been great to hear stories from these fine actors about this shoot. At the very least it would be nice the have Alex North's Oscar nominated score isolated on the disc.