A Raposa Cinzenta

Bill Miner, the "Gentleman Robber" robbed stages and trains from Arizona to British Columbia. This is a beautifully photographed and lyrical telling of his later career, fighting the law and the law winning.... for a while at least. Richard Farnsworth handed in a great and totally credible performance as the laid back but cunning Miner and his love affair with most interesting woman in Kamloops. All the characters are the real thing... no Hollywood veneer here. Great pace and photography- get it with John Sayles' Matewan and have an authentic trip back into time. Its' a pity that Phillip Borsos didn't live long enough to put out a few more of these.

This is the only movie I have ever purchased. There are so many awesome things about this movie. The plot is unusual. The characters are originals. The music by the Chieftains is rich and adds so much to the movie itself. The photography of the Canadian countryside is outstanding. Be sure to notice the little boy who wants an orange. You will see him again. I love the Canadian small town settings. Best of all is just watching Richard Farnsworth. His character is so appealing. Mr Farnsworth is so natural that he doesn't appear to be acting at all. I just love this movie. It is my all time favorite. The combination of the unusual characters, the time and place, the appealing Mr. Farnsworth, along with music by the Chieftains creates a very special movie.

What's not to like about Richard Farnsworth? He was one of the few actors that received nothing but compliments during his acting days, an extremely likable "old man." Hey, few people every remember seeing this guy as anything but old, since he spent his younger days as a stuntman, rather than as an actor.

So, he was a very good choice to portray a likable thief: Bill Miner, the last of the stagecoach and train robbers. "The Gentleman Bandit," I believe, was his label. This is a nice low-key adventure, with almost no bad language and the British Columbia and Washington state scenery is absolutely gorgeous. It would look great on widescreen DVD. What's the holdup? (pun intended)

The only bad news of this tale is the usual filmmakers' twisted message to root for a man who simply was a crook, nothing else. The film also - especially to get the younger audience - needs more action. It will be too slow for them, but I liked it, if for no other reason that I can listen to Farnsworth's voice all night. What a "cool" guy he was, and it''s always a pleasure to see him on screen.

A very different kind of Western, "The Grey Fox" is set mostly in Canada, moves at an unhurried pace, and stars a senior citizen. Richard Farnsworth didn't make the jump from stunt man to actor until he was well past leading man age, but he was wonderful in films like "The Natural", "Misery", and "The Straight Story". This, however, has to be his best performance. He exudes subtle grace as gentleman train robber Bill Miner, who gets out of prison and is forced to adapt to a world that has passed him by. There's also a very sweet romance between Miner and a feminist photographer. My favorite part of the film is a montage of their courtship set to Miner singing "Betsy From Pike". I also loved the Irish music by the Chieftains, which seemed to fit perfectly with the lovely Canadian scenery. It will be too slow for most audiences, but if you love small independent films that don't pander to teenage moviegoers, this gem will be right up your alley.

Bill Miner (Richard Farnsworth) is a 19th century stagecoach robber known as The Gentleman Bandit. After 33 years in San Quentin, he is released in 1901 into the modern world. He tries to go straight but can't escape his own nature. After watching 'The Great Train Robbery', he starts robbing trains and ends up in Canada where he falls in love with photographer Kate Flynn (Jackie Burroughs).

It's a slow leisurely crime spree noted for Farnsworth's congenial nature. The story is a little disjointed. I'd like a smoother flow but the movie is more interested in its easy tone. It ends in a rather fun enjoyable third act. It could have been improved with a better sidekick. A bit of fictionalization could give him an admiring young fan as his companion in crime. That would be a better gang than his actual gang. At last, the movie insists on using the real characters.