Bite the Bullet the should had been a lighthearted romp like the Cannonball Run movies.
Writer/director Richard Brooks assembles an all star cast. However too often he aims to be serious even sluggish with too many stock characters.
Set is 1906, the aim is to compete a gruelling 700 miles cross country horse race with a prize of $2000 for the winner. Money put up by a newspaper.
Sam Clayton (Gene Hackman) is a former Rough Rider and animal lover. He is first seen saving a newly born foal. Luke Matthews (James Coburn) is another ex Rough Rider and a gamble who is an old friend of Clayton. Carbo (Jan-Michael Vincent) is a young rowdy cowboy who has a lot to learn. Sir Harry Norfolk (Ian Bannen) is an aristocratic sportsman.
Mister (Ben Johnson) is the old timer in poor health. There is a Mexican with toothache. Miss Jones (Candice Bergen) is the sole woman from a bordello who has her own closely guarded reasons to enter the contest.
Bite the Bullet examines the passing of the old west. Some of the backers follow the race on a train and person follows on a motorbike.
The film has a subtext about animal cruelty. Despite the treacherous terrain that needs to be covered. The veteran riders all care about the horses, Carbo learns a bitter lesson for mistreating his horse.
The film just does not come across as too original apart from a twist at the end. Given it is a race, the pacing is languid at times. The characters are underwritten and the movie takes itself too seriously.
There is nice cinematography. Hackman, Coburn and Johnson all have an easy charm.
Writer/director Richard Brooks assembles an all star cast. However too often he aims to be serious even sluggish with too many stock characters.
Set is 1906, the aim is to compete a gruelling 700 miles cross country horse race with a prize of $2000 for the winner. Money put up by a newspaper.
Sam Clayton (Gene Hackman) is a former Rough Rider and animal lover. He is first seen saving a newly born foal. Luke Matthews (James Coburn) is another ex Rough Rider and a gamble who is an old friend of Clayton. Carbo (Jan-Michael Vincent) is a young rowdy cowboy who has a lot to learn. Sir Harry Norfolk (Ian Bannen) is an aristocratic sportsman.
Mister (Ben Johnson) is the old timer in poor health. There is a Mexican with toothache. Miss Jones (Candice Bergen) is the sole woman from a bordello who has her own closely guarded reasons to enter the contest.
Bite the Bullet examines the passing of the old west. Some of the backers follow the race on a train and person follows on a motorbike.
The film has a subtext about animal cruelty. Despite the treacherous terrain that needs to be covered. The veteran riders all care about the horses, Carbo learns a bitter lesson for mistreating his horse.
The film just does not come across as too original apart from a twist at the end. Given it is a race, the pacing is languid at times. The characters are underwritten and the movie takes itself too seriously.
There is nice cinematography. Hackman, Coburn and Johnson all have an easy charm.