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The Cowboys

Play trailer Poster for The Cowboys PG Released Jan 13, 1972 2h 8m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 16 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
A grizzled veteran rancher, Wil Andersen (John Wayne) is almost ready to embark on a big cattle drive when his crew abruptly quits to join in a gold rush. Left with no alternative, Anderson enlists the help of a group of local schoolboys. Training the youngsters to be cowboys, Andersen manages to get the drive underway, but their long journey is placed in jeopardy when the devious bandit Long Hair (Bruce Dern) sets his sights on stealing the herd.
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The Cowboys

Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker The Cowboys which features one of the most torpid cattle drives since the invention of motion pictures, is an incomparable index to the confusion of values in the movie business right now. Sep 29, 2023 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times The scenes along the way of the kids learning to be cowboys are good, warm fun, and it's a shame they had to go for the unlikely, violent, and totally contrived last thirty minutes. Rated: 2.5/4 Oct 23, 2004 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...a better-than-average Wayne vehicle... Rated: 3/4 Aug 20, 2021 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins Dern certainly has no difficulty donning the guise of a villain. Rated: 10/10 Aug 27, 2020 Full Review Mark Jackson Epoch Times A summer of brutally hard work, hunger, camping in the elements, and rattlesnake danger will certainly turn boys into men. In this case, however, it appears to supernaturally turn boys into a seasoned platoon of modern-day special operations warriors. Rated: 3/5 Jun 10, 2020 Full Review Barbara Shulgasser Common Sense Media Classic action-packed Western has lots of cursing, violence Rated: 4/5 Jan 3, 2017 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C Success in 2 hours and 8 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/20/25 Full Review Jacob B One of the best performances John Wayne ever gave. While not as poignant as his final role in “The Shootist”, there is a bittersweet sadness watching him play a man who you know from the very beginning is going on what will probably be his very last ride. The child actors are effective but the real co-stars of the film are the terrifically villainous Bruce Dern, Roscoe Lee Brown as the endearing and wise cook and the legendary Colleen Dewhurst making an all too brief appearance as a “Madame” to an band of happy hookers. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/05/25 Full Review Lanfranco C A real "Bildungsmovie"! Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/04/24 Full Review Rick S Of course I'm a little prejudiced to John Wayne because he is my favorite actor Ever of all time. But the Cowboys when I watched it as a child this is what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a cowboy and I tried to convince my parents to send me to a dude ranch because of this movie. Yes the last 30 minutes had violence the kids should never have to endure but unfortunately it is the reality of life and probably the reality of life back in the day. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/27/24 Full Review Audience Member To appreciate Westerns as a genre you have to watch this movie. It's a John Wayne title hit, but the supporting cast of Brown, Dewhurst, and Bruce Dern steal the show. There are so many quality cinematic moments here. As a period piece it is a true telling of the era and the cheapness of life in the west. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 09/06/24 Full Review Stu B One of the great westerns. John Wayne and a remarkable cast of young people. A cure for stuttering! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/30/24 Full Review Read all reviews
The Cowboys

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Cast & Crew

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Mark Rydell

Director

John Wayne

Wil Andersen

Roscoe Lee Browne

Jebediah Nightlinger

Bruce Dern

Long Hair

Colleen Dewhurst

Kate

Slim Pickens

Anse

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The Cowboys

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Movie Info

Synopsis A grizzled veteran rancher, Wil Andersen (John Wayne) is almost ready to embark on a big cattle drive when his crew abruptly quits to join in a gold rush. Left with no alternative, Anderson enlists the help of a group of local schoolboys. Training the youngsters to be cowboys, Andersen manages to get the drive underway, but their long journey is placed in jeopardy when the devious bandit Long Hair (Bruce Dern) sets his sights on stealing the herd.
Director
Mark Rydell
Producer
Mark Rydell
Screenwriter
Irving Ravetch, Harriet Frank Jr., William Dale Jennings
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Rating
PG
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 13, 1972, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2008
Runtime
2h 8m
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