The Ballad of Cable Hogue

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Blu B All Time Classic. It's a cross between a Western with a golden era feel to it and a New Hollywood character study. It's such a unique story here of building a water hole which is well done but it's the characters that truly bring this to life especially Robards & Stevens who are amazing. Pretty much the whole cast is. It's very charming, suprisingly sincere for a New Hollywood film, and just very well executed. It's funny also. You'd never guess this was Peckinpah but it really speaks to the talent as a director at his peak. The man could do comedies, war, and everything in between. Everything follows a logical flow and although it's a small scale film, it's truly the characters that make this soar. It's not really dark or violent at all even though it is bittersweet. Everyone should give this a try once. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/02/25 Full Review Audience Member One of the many earliest westerners of the 1970s The late Jason Robards, the late Stella Stevens, and the late David Warner directed by Sam Peckinpah Robards plays Cable Hogue He’s a man left for dead in the Arizona desert He then finds water deciding to establish a spring water business to passing stagecoaches during the closing of the frontier in 1905 Cable then has the aid of his newfound friend Joshua and local prostitute Hildy Unfortunately motor cars become the way of the future of transportation so his business looks like it’s dwindling down to its last days Some of the sped up frame rates are just silly during certain scenes All 3 actors are really good learning to see where they belong in a time when you can be something or nothing Hildy is very strong willed and independent while Joshua is a man of the cloth just not in the most orthodox of ways while still sinning Robards gives a truly sincere, gentle performance as this former prospector Hogue only wants the one thing he feels he can call his own Will he stay forever or realize the world is far too vast to pass up? A man can make his own cathedral without ever going to church making an empire A more relaxed parable viewing in this genre that doesn’t contain too many shootouts or deep revenge plots centered on a man that wants to go out on his own terms whether good nor bad Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/19/25 Full Review Ravenswood R Great entertaining movie with well assembled memorable scenes, humorous dialogue, good characterizations, scenic shots, good story with a rewarding plot, many heartfelt moments, and a message about the passing of time and progress whether good or bad. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review dave s Sandwiched between two of Sam Peckinpah's most controversial films (The Wild Bunch, Straw Dogs), The Ballad of Cable Hogue comes across as a sweet and often silly diversion. Cable Hogue (Jason Robards) is left alone to die in the unforgiving desert by two colleagues, only to find his fortune when he discovers water in an area where none was thought to exist. The first third and the final act of the movie are actually quite good, but the film loses its way in the middle portion as it often devolves into silly slapstick humor, including some fast-motion bits that are more likely to induce eye-rolling than laughs, making the whole thing feel like an apology for the intense violence that filled The Wild Bunch. One thing is certain – Peckinpah and comedy don't work well together. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Nice tale in which Peckimpah forgets violence and talks about humour and tenderness. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member One should see the Video. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Ballad of Cable Hogue

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