Hombre (1967)

Director: Martin Ritt

Writers: Elmore Leonard, Irving Ravetch, Harriet Frank Jr.

Composer: David Rose

Starring: Paul Newman, Fredric March, Richard Boone, Diane Cilento, Cameron Mitchell, Barbara Rush, Peter Lazar, Margaret Blye, Martin Balsam, Skip Ward, Frank Silvera, David Canary, Val Avery, Larry Ward, Linda Cordova, Pete Hernandez, Merrill C. Isbell

More info: IMDb

Tagline: Hombre means MAN... Paul Newman is HOMBRE!

Plot: John 'Hombre' Russell is a white man raised by the Apaches on an Indian reservation and later by a white man in town. As an adult he prefers to live on the reservation. He is informed that he has inherited a lodging-house in the town. He goes to the town and decides to trade the place for a herd. He has to go to another city. The only stagecoach is one being hired for a special trip paid by Faver and his wife Audra. As there are several seats others join the stagecoach making seven very different passengers in all. During the journey they are robbed. With the leadership of John Russell they escape with little water and the money that the bandits want. They are pursued by the bandits. As they try to evade the bandits they reveal their true nature in a life threatening situation.

My rating: 8.5/10

Will I watch it again? Yes.

I've got to say, I'm getting more and more impressed with Netflix and their instant selection.  It's getting better and I'm finding more older (pre-1980) titles.  When it comes to classic movies the service is still bad but it is improving.  HOMBRE is fantastic!  Paul Newman plays the character with much reserve and he doesn't waver for one moment through to the exciting conclusion.  And he's not the only one doing some 'acting'. The rest of the cast does a fine job, too, especially Richard Boone as Grimes, a reeeeeeal asshole.  It's remarkable to see him go from supreme-o super cool good guy in HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL (1957-1963) (an outstanding TV show, by the way) to this scumbag just a few short years later.  What an actor he was.  After Elmore Leonard's recent passing a buddy of mine wanted to check out one of his film adaptations he hadn't seen yet and this one fit the bill.  HOMBRE's social commentary is just as valid today is it was nearly 50 years ago.  Don't overlook it.