disinterested_spectator The theme of this movie is rape. Sarah Miles is running away from George Hamilton, her husband. She stumbles into a train robbery and is taken hostage by the bandits. Bo Hopkins tries to rape her first. Then Jack Warden wants in on it. Burt Reynolds stops them. Then some Native Americans come along and try to rape her. This may well be the last Western ever made in which Native Americans try to rape a white woman. Most of the Native Americans in the movie are good, however, as are pretty much all the Native Americans portrayed in movies afterwards, so this movie is transitional. Anyway, Warden finally gets his chance, and he succeeds in raping Miles. Then we find out that Burt Reynolds killed his wife, Cat Dancing, because a man had raped her. But that apparently does not bother Miles, because she and Reynolds end up living happily ever after. I wish I could say that Miles was running away from her husband because he raped her too, just to round out the story, but all we know is that he is an unpleasant character.

jain_daugh It amazes me how many people see this movie as a B grade western! I found it to be an excellent adaptation of a decent western genre book that happened to have been written by a WOMAN. The casting could not have been more perfect in that each person played their character so well. And the characters were a 'spoof' at the cliché of melodrama types that most westerns portray anyway. This is a story about how people LIE to themselves and end up not only ruining their own lives, but harming those near them too. And how honesty comes hard and maybe late, but can come before one dies. The only flaw of the movie is that it didn't tell the full tale of Cat Dancing and the tragedy that befell her, Burt's character and their children's lives. On the other hand, I liked the movie ending better than the book's.

wildwiltedrose will this ever be put out on DVD? Burt Reynolds best movie. Burt was so good looking in this movie. I love him as a cowboy. I have this on VHS and I would love to have it on DVD. They don't make many good westerns anymore. I wish they did. Burt was so good in this movie. I even love where its filmed looks rugged and so old west. Even the old mining town looks just like a very old mining town. The horse Sarah Miles rides such a pretty horse. She should have took more riding lessons before the movie and couldn't they have let her just ride instead of riding on the side like a girl. Burt riding his horse up in the snow till he breaks his leg is hard to watch that part.

kfisher-1 A western that is equal or better than others westerns of its era. A strong cast with excellent performances by Jack Warren and Lee J. Cobb, it is the only Burt Reynolds movie I like. The scenery is outstanding and all the characters fit nicely in the roles and are believable. It reminds me of McCabe and Mrs. Miller but with more action The plot although not unique has its moments as the dynamics of the "gang" are played out. Burt has never been better and clearly missed his calling as a western hero, he plays the strong silent type much better than road he went down in his career.