The Ballad of Cable Hogue

Play trailer

The Ballad of Cable Hogue

R

Released May 13, 1970

2h 1m

Comedy

Western

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

17 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

After he is abandoned in the desert without water, Cable Hogue (Jason Robards) wanders for days until he finds a supply of water in a muddy ditch. Determining that the spot is the only spring in the area, Cable decides to start a business offering water to passing stagecoaches. Aided by his new friend, Joshua (David Warner), and a prostitute named Hildy (Stella Stevens), Cable builds a successful business. However, when motorcars start to pass, Cable realizes his trade is down to its last days.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

A fine movie, a wonderfully comic tale we didn't quite expect from a director who seems more at home with violence than with humor.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Roger Greenspun

New York Times

Peckinpah's gentlest, boldest, and perhaps most likable film to date.

Rated: 4.5/5

May 21, 2003

Full Review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Austin Chronicle

Jason Robards shines in one of his most touching and humorous performances, and David Warner is memorable as a sinning preacher man.

Mar 10, 2003

Full Review

Justine Smith

Vague Visages

Hildy is not the broad stereotype you’d expect her to be either, she is strong willed and independent: she is the closest thing to a Hawksian heroine you’ll find in Peckinpah’s career...

Nov 21, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

A wryly humorous, leisurely paced, and often overlooked Western.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 8, 2021

Full Review

Michael Ross

Los Angeles Free Press

Gentle, affecting, balanced and very funny.

Jan 15, 2020

Full Review

Read all reviews

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 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 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 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One should see the Video.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One of the best movies ever ever

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

delysid d

this is a ridiculously cute western

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/17/18

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Sam Peckinpah

Director

Jason Robards

Cable Hogue

Stella Stevens

Hildy

David Warner

Rev. Joshua Douglas Sloan

Strother Martin

Bowen

Slim Pickens

Ben Fairchild

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Blazing Saddles

89%

91%

Blazing Saddles

Watchlist

McCabe & Mrs. Miller

85%

86%

McCabe & Mrs. Miller

Watchlist

The Wild Bunch

91%

90%

The Wild Bunch

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Wild Bunch

A Clockwork Orange

86%

93%

A Clockwork Orange

Watchlist

Lust in the Dust

25%

79%

Lust in the Dust

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

After he is abandoned in the desert without water, Cable Hogue (Jason Robards) wanders for days until he finds a supply of water in a muddy ditch. Determining that the spot is the only spring in the area, Cable decides to start a business offering water to passing stagecoaches. Aided by his new friend, Joshua (David Warner), and a prostitute named Hildy (Stella Stevens), Cable builds a successful business. However, when motorcars start to pass, Cable realizes his trade is down to its last days.

Director: Sam Peckinpah
Producer: Sam Peckinpah
Screenwriter: John Crawford, Edmund Penney
Distributor: Warner Home Vídeo, Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Brothers
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 13, 1970, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2008
Runtime: 2h 1m
Sound Mix: Mono

Most Popular at Home Now