My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

There isn't much to say about this rodeo 'Rocky' rip-off. In a nutshell: hard-drinkin', slow-talking', two-fisted bronco buster Scott Glenn has to ride the meanest bull on Earth to win the money needed to keep his ailing father out of a nursing home, and so forth and so on. The formula is copied right down to the inspirational training montage and sappy, uplifting music score, and there's even a little cowboy Zen philosophy from old wrangler Ben Johnson. Besides being sloppy and derivative, the film is also too influenced by the MTV aesthetic, hardly the appropriate style for a country-western ballad: the camera is too close to the actors, the scissors too handy in the editing room, and the volume of the soundtrack is cranked far too loud. Better talent has never been more wasted: Johnson and Gary Busey provide a measure of stability, but Tess Harper gives what has to be one of the most irritating performances of the year. Keep a sharp lookout for Mickey Rooney, playing Johnson's nursing home buddy…don't blink or you'll miss him.

H D Dalton (Scott Glenn) is a former rodeo champion with his career ruined by a bull that gored him. He returns in his hometown in Oklahoma only to discover that his father is in a nursing home, his sister is now a widow and the farm is now abandoned. After returning his dad in the farm, H D discovers that the ranch would be sold unless he obtains 100,000 $ after participating in a rodeo and ride a bull for 32 seconds. So H D has a gruesome training for winning the rodeo and save his ranch and dad.

While this is now an obscure movie available only on YouTube, it's still great. Scott Glenn gives a great performance as a former rodeo star that tries to win a bull riding context despite his past scars, and succedds. The other cast members (Clarence Williams III, Ben Johnson and Mickey Rooney) are very entertaining and the movie itself is inspiring and gives the message of never giving up on your past passions despite injuries or thoughts of the other people, I nearly cried towards the end when H D managed to ride the bull for 32 seconds.

If you stumble on this movie during a YouTube search, don't miss it because it's one of those films that goes for the say... they don't make 'em like this anymore!

Here's a modern Western gem from 1991 that's never been released on DVD.

Scott Glenn plays an injured ex-rodeo rider who returns home a Prodigal Son after years away.

The film follows his complicated relationships with his ex-girlfriend (Kate Capshaw), selfish wealthy brother (a surprisingly excellent Gary Busey playing against type), and aging father, a retired rodeo rider with dementia (real-life champion rodeo cowboy Ben Johnson in a touching performance).

As did many underdog movies of the era, the film awkwardly turns "Rocky"-like toward the end, when Scott Glenn's character mounts his rodeo steed once more for a chance at enough money to keep dad out of the nursing home.

And the end is jarringly abrupt, leaving several plot lines unresolved and questions unanswered.

But those are minor quibbles, when the rest of the movie is just pure joy, watching the characteristically taciturn Glenn navigate from one relationship to the other.

And the movie is peppered with old Western stars like Dub Taylor, to remind you that despite the soap opera drama, this here's a rodeo show at heart.

"MY Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" is a very good film due to the fine acting. As for the story, it clearly is secondary.

H. D. (Scott Glenn) is an aging rodeo cowboy who has just gotten beaten up pretty badly by a bull. As a result, he returns home to recuperate. However, his time back home is anything other than relaxing as he has to deal with an aging father (Ben Johnson) as well as renewing an old relationship with an old girlfriend.

The story is not the main focus in the film. Instead, it's much more a character study with some excellent acting, particularly by Glenn and Johnson...though they are provided some amazing support by Clarence Williams III, Tess Harper, Cate Capshaw, Dub Taylor and Clu Gulager. Mickey Rooney is also in the film...but his role is a bit bizarre and unnecessary...much like his role in "Babe: Pig in the City".

As far as the story goes, there are some pluses. I like how the film talks about aging and the subplot involving nursing homes. It's a topic most films completely ignore. But the part that left me cold was the ending...it just seemed a bit arbitrary and nothing really seemed settled by the time the credits rolled. Still, the acting is so good, I can look past this.

HD has led a life of rodeo-ing and honky tonkin. An injury while bull riding forces him to return home to recupperate. When he gets there he finds that his sister and her idiot husband have put HD's dad into a nursing home and are trying to take the farm. HD's old girlfriend from childhood also comes back into his life and soon HD has to return to bull riding to win the $100,000.00 prize, fend off his sister, keep his dad from the old folks home, and win the love of his life.

This has become one of my most favorite films. I love Scott Glenn and Ben Johnson and this story always brings a tear to my eyes. A must see. Its a bit corny and low budget but damn worth your time.