Fightin Joe Hooker, the cowboy riding fence says he rode with Joseph Hooker when he led the Army of the Cumberland at the battle of Lookout Mountain during the Civil War.
General Joseph Hooker did not lead the Army of the Cumberland.
He was in command of the XI and XII Corps of the Army of the Potomac and was sent west to reinforce the Army of the Cumberland, which was under the command of general George H.
Thomas at the battle of Chattanooga, of which the battle of Lookout Mountain was part.
Already made in 1970 with Lee Marvin in the title role (directed by William Fraker), here for the TV remake we have Tom Selleck as Walsh and it's directed by Simon Wincer. Based on the novel written by Jack Schaefer (writer of Shane no less), story is a lament for the passing of the Old West and the dying out of the cowboy as a viable living.
Very little action or drama, more of a character study looking at the disappearing cowboy in a time of change.Its a bit bleak in many places with the majority of characters feeling despondent and hopeless as things change.
This film shows you what life was like for cowboys in a world where there is less and less of their kind and shows the story of a cowboy who is living in a world that he hardly recognizes anymore in a rise of big business coming to ranching and trying to survive where there isn't a place for people like him.
The claim in the opening credits that this film is based on the Jack Schaefer novel is something of a white lie, as it actually follows the 1970 film in almost every detail, often word-for-word, just adding a couple of scenes and one additional supporting character (the company man). That's a hard act to follow and while Selleck is decent enough he can't match Lee Marvin.
I'm a sucker for death-of-the-west westerns and this is right up there with the all time greats. Put it this way: It wouldn't look at all out of place if you put it in alongside Peckinpah's westerns it has the same kind of look, the same kind of feel, it breathes the same air.
Lee Marvin and Jack Palance were known for playing villains in westerns.Palance was the baddie in Shane.
If you like this kind of stuff youll like this. Honestly probably some of Toms best work.
Selleck and Carradine are members of the cowboy subculture of post-war Wyoming and, boy, do they have fun when they're not working. They have the esprit and solidarity of the U.
Not much I can say how good this movie is that hasn't been said , It is the best Western that I have ever seen , It is well thought out and scripted . It has everything that a western should have drama , humour , death and sadness .
