Der Ruf des Adlers

Little did I realize when I picked up the videotape of `Lonesome Dove' that I would be pitching a tent myself, camped out in front of the tube for most of my Saturday (6 hours, not including pauses for bathroom breaks, meals, letting the dog out, etc.). It certainly rearranged all my weekend priorities, but it was well worth the sacrifice after all the hoopola I've heard regarding this movie. It is a must experience.

Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones top-line an outstanding cast in this epic-proportioned western which should have been worthy of a cinematic release for it captures beautifully the look, the feel and the time of the Old West as never before.

In a nutshell, it relates the tale of two former Texas Rangers, Woodrow Call (Jones) and Gus McCrae (Duvall), both getting on in years, who manage a dusty but comfortable living running a cattle company just outside rundown Lonesome Dove, Texas. A third ranger, Jake Spoon (Robert Urich), returns from up north, on the lam for an accidental murder, and perks Woodrow's interest in being the first to take a herd into the mostly unsettled northern region of Montana, while laying claim to an area considered `perfect cattle territory.' He convinces relaxed old-timer Gus, who is content these days with a bottle of whiskey and a whore, to join him for one last thrill to recapture their old "Texas Ranger" glory days and shake up their too sedentary lives.

Re-stealing horses and a herd from Mexican bandidos, they sign on a team of men to undertake the arduous journey eventually braving about every type of adversity imaginable. When it's not windstorms and snake-infested waters threatening life, limb and livestock, they have murderous horse thieves and vengeful Indians to contend with.

What makes `Lonesome Dove' stand out proudly is not only its rich, panoramic beauty and intriguing story-lines, but its caring, sharply-defineated characters that keep this six-hour plus movie from ever wandering off. These are people you become fascinated with; people that you want to know as much as you can about – even minor characters stay with you here, such as the desponding, thick-accented bar-owner who carries the torch for one of his whores, or the spiritual cook who passes out whittled amulet-like carvings to the cattle team. When asked why he doesn't ride horses, he simply responds, `We are all animals. How would you like it if someone rode on you?'

An intricate, finely-tuned subplot weaves in and out of the main Woodrow/Gus narrative. A northern sheriff July Johnson (Chris Cooper), accompanied by his stepson, reluctantly takes off to Texas after Jake Spoon for the accidental murder of the town's mayor, but gets sidetracked halfway when he learns his new wife Elmira (Glenne Headley) has abandoned him and the boy in her obsession to find the no-account man she left behind.

The acting is superb all around, especially by those mentioned above. They give this movie such heart and scope. Also contributing greatly are Diane Lane as the town whore who seeks a better life; earnest Ricky Schroeder as the youngest member of the team whose family tree is questioned; Danny Glover, the wise and dedicated team scout; Barry Corbin as the slow-thinking undersheriff; Frederic Forrest as the murderous redskin Blue Duck; Angelica Huston as Duvall's kind-hearted former flame; Steve Buscemi and Frederick Coffin as a pair of lusty lowlifes; Nina Siemaszko as a scrappy backwoods waif, and others too numerous to name. But Tommy Lee Jones and, especially, Robert Duvall are the heart and soul of this piece. They limn characters so fascinating and complete, they just stand apart from the rest. Gus McCrae, in particular, will be remembered as one of Duvall's proudest creations.

So, if you are into all-day campouts that will make you feel you yourself have been on a trek, `Lonesome Dove' is your ticket. It is wondrous entertainment that now lies in the miniseries Hall of Fame along with "Roots."

As a boy, I never liked western films. My father loved them all, all the John Wayne classics, the Spaghetti Westerns, the whole lot.

I despised them all. They were all the same. Same plot. Same rotten cinematography. Same unbelievable characters. Couldn't understand the attraction.

Then I saw Lonesome Dove. This film (actually a mini-series) is an absolute masterpiece.

It starts with the cinematography and locations. It was not your stereotypical Utah-canyon photography, it was the great plains, the Texas deserts, the wide rivers, the mesquite groves. Not marvelous vistas, but simple, real, gritty scenery. You can taste the dust of the panhandle and smell the Kansas plains.

Then there's the action. There's lots of it. Flooding rivers, driving rains, realistic fights, thundering cattle drives, horrible scenes of rape and torture (just under TV censor radar), plenty of death and sadness. All of it believable. All of it heart-tugging. All of it amazing.

But above all of these great features are the characters and the writing. Augustus McCrae and Woodrow F. Call have become two icons of pop culture, polar opposites who work well together and, in the end, are incomplete without one another. The supporting cast as well is fabulous, well written, patently interesting, and tremendously played. Even the evil characters are fascinating.

This is what television and film should be. It is very, very rare for anything of this quality to ever appear on the small screen, and with today's "reality TV" craze, it is even rarer still.

Buy the DVD set. You won't be disappointed. 10 out of 10.

Barky

Lonesome Dove tells the story of friendship, love, tragedy, life, change, the frontier, the passing of generations.

Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call are retired Texan Rangers, holed up in the small, dusty south Texas town of Lonesome Dove, a town with less going on than the nearby Rio Grande. Some prodding by a former partner gets them off their front porch and up in the saddle again, guiding a herd of cattle and of horses, a passle of men, a boy, and a lady of the night. They off and go to Montana, along the way meeting death, life, former loves and new loves, and witnessing the closing of the American frontier.

This film is six hours long, if you think of things that way, but really, it's far too short. You want to stop the film and get on your own horse to ride along with Gus and Woodrow. Yeah, it would be tough, but you know that Gus and Woodrow would be faithful friend who'd have the gumption to tell you the truth, even if it hurt a bit or a lot.

You'd miss a lot if you think of this film as simply a `show' or even entertainment. It captures your imagination, and helps you see what life was like 120 years ago - in some cases nasty, brutish, and short, but in other cases full of love, wonder, tenderness, compassion, and hope. The film doesn't dwell on the gore, but it doesn't hide it. Life on the frontier was tough, wearing on the body and mind, and relentlessly unforgiving of the weak, mistaken, and mislead. You -died- on the frontier, and death wasn't always easy. But along the way you live in breathtaking beauty. You get to see the world your hands make - you build your life from the dirt on the ground and the trees on the hill.

Gus and Woodrow ARE Texas Rangers, two men as different from each other as can be. Gus enjoys life, and seeks to chase buffalo just for the fun of it. Woodrow sees life as something to fight, to prepare for its certain triumph, but still manages to be a loyal, faithful, and loving friend. They interact with each other and the grand sweep of people along the way to Montana.

As far as performances, Robert Duvall is an American treasure. I've seen him in many movies, but never knew he was Augustus McCrae until I watched this show. There are just some roles that are designed to fit a particular character. Tommy Lee Jones is cryptic, laconic, guarded, and yet completely tender. You believe he believes he's tough, and you know he knows he's not. Ricky Schroeder plays Newt, Woodrow's unacknowledged son. Diana Lane is Lorena, the 'lady of the night,' and does a good job with her limited role. Anjelica Huston is fine - but of the main players, she's the one I had the least empathy with, mostly because in her other roles she plays someone with a darker and richer voice - in this show she is a tight-voiced soprano with a twang. Had I not seen her in shows, I think I would have believed her better. Chris Cooper plays the dithering sheriff who grows up a bit through the film; his wife, played by Glenne Headley, is very guarded in whom she loves, and it's not Chris Cooper. Robert Urich is Jake, the former saddle-mate of Gus and Woodrow, and Danny Glover is Deets, another partner.

Sure, it's a sad film in some ways. Some major players die, and some other players do not rise to the level of their situation. You want to reach in and simply -shake- some of the characters. But they reflect more closely what real people are like, and not so much what people are like when forced to play along with a happy ending.

But even with its sadness, it's a film full of life. Gus McCrae simply enjoys- every bit of what he goes through.

Get the DVD so you can appreciate the backstory.

The Lonesome Dove mini-series contains every core element of a classic story of the mythic Old West: romance, tragedy, courageous and independent yet very human heroes, vicious yet believable villains, plenty of action, and the overall grit and determination of frontier life. These elements are all woven into an enthralling story centered on an epic journey across the American frontier--a cattle drive from Texas to Montana undertaken shortly after the Custer massacre. The movie is extremely faithful (in plot, dialogue, and characterizations) to the excellent novel by Larry McMurtry, and especially benefits from McMurtry's genius at narrative and story construction. What makes the film even better are the truly exceptional performances by the first rate cast, that includes Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Ulrich, and Anjelica Huston, and the great musical score, which won a well-deserved Emmy. This is the kind of film about the Old West that only comes along once in a blue moon, and lovers of Old West stories and movies (as well as real-life cowboys) watch it over and over. In my view, it ranks above even the classics of Western film, including Red River, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and Shane--and I love all of those films. Even though it is over six hours long, and technically a TV mini-series, it should be considered a great film.

In my opinion, this is the best motion picture of all time! While it's a mini-series, I believe it matches up favorably (and surpasses) the best movies...Shawshank Redemption, Seven Samurai, Star Wars, Citizen Kane, and so on. The story, sets, acting, character development, music,....all amazing.

The production is as if you were plopped on a horse in the middle of a cattle drive in the old American West. Every detail was as if it was 1880...including dialogue, character depth...and the utter chaos and randomness of life.

While there are a couple special effects that might have been a little better, this work of art adds to life. When you have a block of time, watch it.