Tom Horn (1980)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

William Wiard

Writers:

Thomas McGuane (screenplay) and
Bud Shrake (screenplay)

Release Date:

28 March 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Western

Tagline:

See him before he sees you

Plot:

A renowned former army scout is hired by ranchers to hunt down rustlers but finds himself on trial for...

Plot Keywords:

Rancher | Trial | Rustler | Vigilantism | Horse Killed

Cast

Steve McQueen	...	Tom Horn
Linda Evans	...	Glendolene Kimmel
Richard Farnsworth	...	John C. Coble
Billy Green Bush	...	U.S. Marshal Joe Belle
Slim Pickens	...	Sheriff Sam Creedmore
Peter Canon	...	Assistant Prosecutor
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Stablehand (as Elisha Cook)
Roy Jenson	...	Lee Mendenhour
James Kline	...	Arlo Chance
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Walter Stoll
Harry Northup	...	Thomas Burke
Steve Oliver	...	'Gentleman' Jim Corbett
Bill Thurman	...	Ora Haley
Bert Williams	...	Judge
Bobby Bass	...	Corbett's Bodyguard

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Spain:13 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:15 (video rating) (cut) | UK:AA (original rating) (cut) | Singapore:PG | Iceland:12 | West Germany:12 (f) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Coronado National Forest, Arizona, USA

Company:

First Artists

Trivia:

The rifle Horn uses to such deadly effect in the film is an original Winchester Model 1876 in .45-60 caliber, fitted with a custom tang sight. Manufactured from 1877-1894, the Model '76 was an obsolete arm by the turn of the century, when the events of the story take place. All the available historical sources state that Horn actually used a .30-30 Winchester Model 1894 for his controversial activities as a "stock detective" in Wyoming. Horn gave this rifle to rancher C.B. Irwin not long before Horn's execution on November 20, 1903. It resides today in the collection of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City.

Quotes:

Glendolene Kimmel: Someday, you're going to have to pay for your way of life, Tom. You're a bad man and I know it. And if I let you talk me out of it, I'll be lost forever. So my adventures in this life won't mean anything because you will have seduced my soul...and drawn me into your world. Goodbye, Tom.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Times Square (1980)

Give Credit Where It's Due!

As a McQueen fan I was somewhat disappointed in the film, but at the same time McQueen was ill, but proved that he could stick with a project to the finish. At least this version was more realistic than the David Carradine version "Mr. Horn", which was released in 1979. McQueen's version had a little more historical integrity than the latter version, and was more committed to telling the truth.

McQueen was always a physical actor, and especially in private as one of Bruce Lee's favorite Jeet Kune Do students, the others being James Coburn and Kareem Abdul Jabar. During the scene when Tom Horn escapes and is running from the deputies, I felt that McQueen was giving it his all, and that he knew his time was short, "so why not show the fans I've still got it?" The way he was gasping for air, and just gave up running made me think he wasn't acting, and however he felt after that take hurt me just the same watching it.

So let's not totally ignore what McQueen was trying to do. Even in "The Hunter", which was to go out in a blaze of glory. At that time in 1980, and his condition maybe that was the best he could give us. Still he gave of himself as an actor, an artist, and a professional right when the average guy couldn't, but we all know he wasn't the average guy. So let's give credit to "Tom Horn" where it's due, to it's star, who didn't want to let us down; by simply showing us he could still get in front of the camera and grace us simply with his presence.