Middle-aged Montana cowboy Charlton Heston (as Will Penny) and his two young partners, Lee Majors (as Blue) and Anthony Zerbe (as Dutchy), are attacked by maniacal preacher Donald Pleasence (as Quint) while hunting elk. A gunfight wounds Mr. Zerbe; but, when Mr. Heston kills one of Mr. Pleasence's brood, Pleasance and wacky son Bruce Dern (as Rafe) plan a terrifying revenge. Heston cools his heels with headstrong Joan Hackett (as Catherine Allen) and her preteen son Jon Francis (as Horace).
Gap-toothed young Francis is Jon Gries, the son of (then mostly) TV series writer/director Tom Gries, who does a fine job with Heston, outdoor photographer Lucien Ballard, and his cast. The film seems to be going somewhere special when focusing on the relationship between Ms. Hackett and Heston. When the villains arrive, the tone becomes more ordinary, though never completely a letdown. An conceptually interesting ending leaves too much unsaid, and "The Lonely Rider" song lyrics don't help.
****** Will Penny (2/16/68) Tom Gries ~ Charlton Heston, Joan Hackett, Donald Pleasence, Jon Gries
Gap-toothed young Francis is Jon Gries, the son of (then mostly) TV series writer/director Tom Gries, who does a fine job with Heston, outdoor photographer Lucien Ballard, and his cast. The film seems to be going somewhere special when focusing on the relationship between Ms. Hackett and Heston. When the villains arrive, the tone becomes more ordinary, though never completely a letdown. An conceptually interesting ending leaves too much unsaid, and "The Lonely Rider" song lyrics don't help.
****** Will Penny (2/16/68) Tom Gries ~ Charlton Heston, Joan Hackett, Donald Pleasence, Jon Gries