Cavalgando com a Morte

James Coburn stars in and dominates The Honkers the story of a veteran rodeo cowboy who really ought to settle down with his wife Lois Nettleton and son Teddy Eccles. But Coburn likes the life too much especially the partying and those rodeo bunnies. Something about those bowlegged cowboys gets to them I guess.

So Coburn makes one of his many pit stops at his home and he and Nettleton have their usual argument about that final divorce decree he won' t sign so she can marry steady and reliable Richard Anderson who has a used car dealership. But there's a nearby rodeo so he and best friend Slim Pickens who is a rodeo clown are off to it.

The Honkers takes an honored place beside such rodeo films as The Lusty Men and Junior Bonner. Steve Ihnat really captures the ambiance and feel of the rodeo as an American institution.

Before he went into films Slim Pickens was a rodeo clown and this is the only film he actually gets to play one. Like his buddy Coburn this is the life he knows though he's not the party animal that Coburn is. I guess someone has to be the designated driver and it seems to have fallen to Slim to be that for Coburn in all situations. Being a clown requires the same kind of reflexes it does when riding a bull or a bucking horse. Slim too has slowed up a might.

Anne Archer makes her film debut as a rodeo bunny whose father is a big oil millionaire. As a kind of Indian rodeo hippie, Archer makes a fine debut in The Honkers.

I did like the ending which was most vague and you have to decide for yourself what the future holds for Coburn. This one is really worth checking out.

Ebert was needlessly harsh in reference to Coburn's scene hogging, and gave the film 2 stars. He loved a few performances, and Picken's certainly played well the loyal "mascot" - a perfect term for his character. The performances are fine - and the rodeo scenes are well done and executed. Yes there are a few inserted pointless plot devices but overall, I think it a terribly underrated film. Coburn plays the "rake" well enough, and I found his character more sympathetic than most. Most of his downfall is attributable to making a stand for the sake of his wife's "honor". knowing full well he is not good enough for her. Another reason to watch would be Anne Archer. in what was her first role. She isn't much of an Indian of course, despite her head band (nice try) but oh so lovely in a De Tomaso Pantera nonetheless.

"The Honkers" is probably Slim Pickens best performance of all time. When we were shooting, everyone connected with the production figured that Slim was Academy Award material. Unfortunately, United Artists had a James Bond picture in release at the same time and did not devote much attention to "The Honkers". I personally feel this film was under-rated by most critics. Sam Peckinpaw's "Junior Bonner" was out at the same time and seemed to impress the critics more than our film. Also, Cliff Robertson had a rodeo film out a few months before our release and that might have hurt us, too. The picture is worth watching, if just for the rodeo footage--some of the best ever filmed--shot by James Crabbe. The director and my co-writer, Steve Ianat, died a few weeks after the picture's release, cutting short a promising career and leaving behind his lovely wife Sally, his daughter, Gaby, and newborn son, Stefan. Please give this movie a shot. I'm betting that you'll say it was well worth while. I thank anyone who has taken the time to read this. Stephen Lodge

I was living in Sri Lanka when I saw The Honkers (in 1975, three years after its release). Great rodeo movie. Pity it's not available on DVD or VHS. It had the same real-people feel as Sam Peckinpah's Junior Bonner (a movie I saw six times when it first came out). I remember Steve Ihnat's performance in Madigan and Fuzz. Too bad he passed away so young.

I saw the Honkers in the early 70s and loved it and remembered it. I also saw both JW.COOP & JUNIOR BONNER - both excellent. The reason I had to catch Honkers was that Mr.Inhat deeply impressed me in Madigan as Barney - an enduring psycho performance - which I can still quote verbatum. I also made a note of him in Hour of The Gun. I felt grim when he died (just after the Cannes screening?) But rest assured he, and the film, are recalled fondly. .