Warren Oates: Across the Border

A serviceable documentary about the beloved character actor who succumbed to a heart attack at the relatively young age of 53 in 1982. Though we are given a lot of detail about his youth (there are interjections from family members and childhood pals), we get little insight into his acting style per se. That said, a number of his colleagues (some, like Robert Culp, dating from his very early years in TV and others, like fellow Southerner Stacy Keach, who had just played alongside him) offer their fond recollections of Oates, who never quite became a star name but did occasionally land leading roles – notably Monte Hellman's COCKFIGHTER (on whose DVD this was actually included) and Sam Peckinpah's BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA (both 1974) – which he carried off with assurance and depth (for an actor often associated with uncouth/simpleton/comical figures). He appeared four times in all for each director and, yet, the best film he made with either – TWO-LANE BLACKTOP (1971) and THE WILD BUNCH (1969) respectively – are barely touched upon and, crucially, no footage from them is shown here! His relationship with the volatile Peckinpah is treated at length (he died in 1984), while Hellman appears in person to speak of his friend (poignantly, he recounts how the actor contacted him the day before he passed away complaining of chest pains, but which he had shrugged off as indigestion: in retrospect, the director felt angry – yet helpless – at Oates for refusing to see a doctor!). His immediate family (ex-wife and three children) also contribute to the documentary, as do actors Ned Beatty, Peter Fonda (another touching moment has the actor recalling he was expecting to receive news of his even more renowned, and by this time gravely ill, father Henry's death but not that of his co-star in no less than 3 films!) and Harry Dean Stanton, as well as writer-director Thomas McGuane.

This is a documentary portrait of actor Warren Oates. Oates is a bit of an unsung hero, never a real star but lauded as one of the best character actors ever. He has some cultstatus for the films he did with Sam Peckinpah (notably "The Wild Bunch" and "Bring me the head of Alfredo Garcia") and another maverick director Monte Hellman (The Shooting, Two-lane Backtop). But is probably best remembered for John Milius' "Dilinger" or maybe as the drill-sergeant in Ivan Reitman's "Stripes". Problem with this documentary is it's anecdotal style. You never really get an idea of what kind of person Oates really was. In the beginning of the film he is characterized as someone who kept himself to himself and that picture doesn't change. His relationships to people (especially Peckinpah) is hinted at but never in-depth. At the end of the film suddenly two children pop up who were never mentioned before and it is never clear where when and how he met his (second?) last wife who is featured but never tells us much. As for the fellow artists who appear, Robert Culp only rants against Peckinpah, Hellman only talks about his own films and some professor only talks about the mythological Oates (whom he obviously never met). If the aim was to center on Oates' acting, it falters there too because it doesn't show the versatility he is lauded for. It is lovingly made but you get the feeling the director either didn't get to talk to everyone he wanted, or had to bring in a short film and had to cut everything that went to deep. Or it could just be that there wasn't much to tell about an actor who never made a fuss of himself and is he up there with Peckinpah drinking in that big Cantina in the sky and wondering what the hell the fuss is all about.

Warren Oates wasn't simply an actor, he was personality and he made all his characters relatable personalities. His acting was always monumental. He was admired by many great directors of his era and to whom he worked together several times. Always sidekick, character actor, but never quite the movie star, although he had plenty of material to become one. The man still have devoted fans from film-goers and film directors (Quentin Tarantino and Richard Linklater).

'Across the Border' is warm documentary, but when you're a huge fan of Warren Oates, then you might not find out much new about him, but there are some recollections by fellow actors and movie directors (especially Monte Hellman) how express only warm admiration towards the man, who looked always menacing and evil on the screen but was friendly and easygoing in real life. Unfortunately he went too soon, and listening Peter Fonda and Monte Hellman talking about his death can give chills.

* Richard Linklater