Brothers Mac (an excellent and engaging performance by Tom Selleck) and Dal Traven (the always fine Sam Elliott) return home after fighting in the Civil War only to discover that their home town has been ravaged by a gang of renegade Confederate soldiers. Assisted by their wayward Uncle Jack (a wonderfully rascally Ben Johnson), the Travens go after the soldiers who have kidnapped their younger sisters as well as Dal's feisty sweetheart Kate (well played with considerable spunk by Katherine Ross).
Director Andrew V. McLaglen keeps the engrossing and entertaining story moving along at a brisk pace, offers a flavorsome evocation of the period, maintains an amiable good-natured tone throughout, takes time to develop the characters, and stages the shoot outs with aplomb. Selleck and Elliott display an extremely winning and natural chemistry in the leads. The tip-top cast keeps this picture humming: Geoffrey Lewis as the fanatical Major Cooper Ashbury, Gene Evans as wicked slave trader Colonel Holiday Hammond, Jeffrey Osteridge as the brave Jesse, Dominique Dunn as the spirited Sissy, R.G. Armstrong as the vengeful Sheriff Miles Gillette, and Jane Greer and Harry Carey Jr. as Ma and Pa Traven. Both Jack Whitman's polished cinematography and Jerrold Immel's lively honky tonk country score are up to speed. An immensely fun film.
Director Andrew V. McLaglen keeps the engrossing and entertaining story moving along at a brisk pace, offers a flavorsome evocation of the period, maintains an amiable good-natured tone throughout, takes time to develop the characters, and stages the shoot outs with aplomb. Selleck and Elliott display an extremely winning and natural chemistry in the leads. The tip-top cast keeps this picture humming: Geoffrey Lewis as the fanatical Major Cooper Ashbury, Gene Evans as wicked slave trader Colonel Holiday Hammond, Jeffrey Osteridge as the brave Jesse, Dominique Dunn as the spirited Sissy, R.G. Armstrong as the vengeful Sheriff Miles Gillette, and Jane Greer and Harry Carey Jr. as Ma and Pa Traven. Both Jack Whitman's polished cinematography and Jerrold Immel's lively honky tonk country score are up to speed. An immensely fun film.