The Hunting Party

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The Hunting Party

R

1971

1h 48m

Western

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Popcornmeter

20%

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10 Reviews

54%

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1,000+ Ratings

Brandt Ruger (Gene Hackman) is a rich cattle rancher. He has a bad relationship with his wife, Melissa (Candice Bergen), whom he treats like a possession. While Brandt is away from home on a hunting trip, Frank Calder (Oliver Reed), a brazen outlaw, kidnaps Melissa and holds her for ransom. Frank, however, treats Melissa better than her own husband does, and before long she begins to develop feelings for him. When Brandt returns, he's enraged and vows to take violent revenge against Frank.

Derek Malcolm

Guardian

A savage and silly Western, wildly overcooked by Don Medford and glazedly played by Oliver Reed, Candice Bergen and Gene Hackman.

Mar 20, 2020

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Margaret Hinxman

Daily Telegraph (UK)

Relentlessly gruesome (not a body left intact by the end), but quite stylishly directed by Don Medford with good, strong performances from the two leads.

Mar 11, 2020

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Roger Greenspun

New York Times

Miss Bergen, mostly without tricks and without reservations, plainly succeeds with a part that is not so much a character as a test of character.

Nov 19, 2018

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Instead of the corrosive claustrophobia of rural rednecks, this blazingly violent revisionist Western bleeds out across the American frontier.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 8, 2020

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Tom Hutchinson

Radio Times

Not just tripe, but a production that is also lewd and crude.

Rated: 1/5

Nov 19, 2018

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TV Guide Staff

TV Guide

A very poor British attempt to imitate an Italian western by shooting it in Spain and splattering blood all over the countryside. A fine cast is totally wasted in this film.

Rated: 1/5

Nov 19, 2018

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Robert H

A vile story with vile characters and a vile director.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/28/23

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Audience Member

It was a good movie but with an unsatisfactory ending. I gave it a five to balance out the ridiculous one star rating. And to top it all the score was composed by probably one of the best - Ennio Morricone.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

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delysid d

this movie is awesome. this just shows how dumb these critics are

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/20/21

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Audience Member

Sub par Peckinpah Clone with only Riz Ortalanis score to recommend it.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/03/19

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laurent b

A la fois violent et romantique, sec et lyrique, The Hunting Party sort des sentiers battus par sa sensibilité extrême, sa superbe partition musicale et un casting d'acteurs incroyables. Surprenant, original, et inoubliable.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

I thought the movie was pretty good. It was not a comfortable movie to watch. I think much of that had to do with a wife falling for her kidnapper, which most people would find difficult to accept. Candace Bergen was wonderful, as I have never seen her, with an, almost transformative interpretation of such a relationship. Hackman was anything but a hero and Reed, on the fringes of being an antihero I could like. A solid three stars out of five for me!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

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Don Medford

Director

Oliver Reed

Frank Calder

Candice Bergen

Melissa Ruger

Gene Hackman

Brandt Ruger

Simon Oakland

Matthew Gunn

Ronald Howard

Watt Nelson

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Synopsis

Brandt Ruger (Gene Hackman) is a rich cattle rancher. He has a bad relationship with his wife, Melissa (Candice Bergen), whom he treats like a possession. While Brandt is away from home on a hunting trip, Frank Calder (Oliver Reed), a brazen outlaw, kidnaps Melissa and holds her for ransom. Frank, however, treats Melissa better than her own husband does, and before long she begins to develop feelings for him. When Brandt returns, he's enraged and vows to take violent revenge against Frank.

Director: Don Medford
Producer: Lou Morheim
Screenwriter: William W. Norton, Gilbert Ralston, Lou Morheim
Production Co: Levy-Gardner-Laven
Rating: R
Genre: Western
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Runtime: 1h 48m

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