The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky

This is a family movie, but not trite. The story, and especially the details, ring true, about Norman Maclean's young life in Montana in the early 20th C. There is a bit of scenery (actually British Columbia), all beautiful, and a story about a 17-year old who is full of himself, and who doesn't like the Forest Ranger's cook. We find out about the cook, and about the boy, and a lot about being a forest ranger in the Montana/Idaho wilderness of 1919. Not to be missed by anyone who loves the western mountains, and who was full of himself as a boy.

In the summer of 1919 young Mac joins the Forest Rangers. The summer that follows teaches him to be a man as he learns the meaning of hard work on the trail. He also clashes with the cook who turns out to have a secret talent beyond cooking and bonds with Ranger Bill Bell. During the summer he falls in love, experiences all types of weather and gets involved in a high stakes game of poker.

This is a very slow coming-of-age tale. Mac joins the Rangers and gets into several situations that help him grow up. Some of them are dull and meaningless, such as some of the walking scenes and the love interest, however some are very well done such as the relationships developing between the lead actors and the final poker game. The lessons he learns are not forced or overstated and there is something quite nice about a film with recognisable faces that is gentle with no violence, swearing or sex in it.

The main performances are good. Sam Elliot is good in his usual "weary" role, Jerry O'Connell is also good, he hasn't had much mainstream success yet but he can give good performances when necessary. The best performance (and best role) is by Ricky Jay. Always watchable in the surprising number of big films he's done, he not only gets to show off his card skills here but also his acting skills - he really is always interesting to watch and he's very good here. The worst performance is the off-screen narrator (an old Mac) who gives one of those traditional wise-old-American men things.

The film is very light on plot and it may be a bit boring for many. For me there were many bits that felt pointless. But overall it's an undemanding family film that has some good scenes, good performances, but you really wish that more actually happened during the film!

I liked this movie very much it is a must watch if you like westerns. No corners cut while making the film and is just a great product. The scenery is also amazing!

Jerry O'Connell gets a life changing experience when he does a summer, I guess you would call it an internship, as a forest ranger in the post World War I years in the Bitteroot mountains of Montana with British Columbia providing that background in the filming of The Ranger, The Cook, and The Hole in The Sky. O'Connell comes under the tutelage of Sam Elliott who is acknowledged to be the best when it came to the job of Forest Ranger.

Looking at the film which does convey some of the attitudes of the times I saw O'Connell as someone who as millions did admire the recently deceased Theodore Roosevelt. Remember it was TR who was our first conservationist president and many went into that profession because of him and his Chief of the Forestry Service Gifford Pinchot. TR was a proponent of 'the strenuous life' of which you see these guys are definitely living.

Except for the camp cook played by Ricky Jay who O'Connell feels is kind of a soft moocher and whom he develops a dislike for. There are a select in all our lives who rubbed us wrong at first meeting and we never change or minds. Jay is someone though that O'Connell learns to respect for at least one skill besides cooking he has.

Sam Elliott is also the kind of westerner that Theodore Roosevelt would have considered his ideal westerner. Sam was born 30 years too late what a cowboy hero he'd have made back in the day.

If you're a Theodore Roosevelt fan check this film out.

For a TV movie from the 90's, this one isn't too bad. You can tell as you watch it that the cast and crew were professionals. The cinematography really impressed me, and the acting was just superb. The other reviewers here seem to find Sam Elliott to be their favorite actor in this movie, and I understand that perfectly. However, I personally think Jerry O'Connell's performance was the best thing in the film. If you're looking for an entertaining family Western, this is a good option.

However, the film lacks on one major thing: the plot. Its first act is very good at drawing you into the characters and situations. Nonetheless, the movie seems to lose speed halfway through, changing from a film about respect and adolescence to a film about...uh...young love and gambling. If you don't know much about playing poker, there are about ten minutes of the film you probably won't get at all. The film returns to its first theme near the end, but you still might get the impression that the filmmakers just wanted their movie to be more than 90 minutes long. Also, don't let the "Hole in the Sky" within the title excite you much; it's just some gambling term.

In conclusion, "The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky" is a professional TV movie that will entertain its viewers at least most of the time. Whether you're a Sam Elliott fan, a Western fan, or just a parent who wants a clean film for their kids to watch, this movie is for you!