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Released by: Kino Lorber
Released on: July 28th, 2015.
Director: William A. Fraker
Cast: Lee Marvin, Jeanne Moreau, Jack Palance, Mitchell Ryan, Bo Hopkins
Year: 1970
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The Movie:
1970's MONTE WALSH is both an affectionate love letter to America's Old West on its deathbed as well as a lament. Thematically, its kissing cousin is Sam Peckinpah's violent and confrontational THE WILD BUNCH, but this film, despite its third act darkness, is a gentler and more contemplative affair than Bloody Sam's epic. MONTE WALSH is also one of actor Lee Marvin's strongest later period films because it gives him a chance to shine in a complex character role that has more a few more angles to it than the stone faced killers and tightly coiled authoritarian figures he spent a large part of his career portraying.
Lee Marvin is the title character - a cowboy about town who spends most of his time with another aging cowpoke named Chet (the usually malevolent Jack Palance stretching out dramatically in a laid back role). They pick up some work at a local ranch run by Cal Brennan (Dallas icon Jim Davis) that pays enough to keep them in oats and grits but both men are looking down the barrel of a cold hard truth: their way of life is coming to an end as big business swoops in and uses technology to take away the need for men like Monte and Chet. The two men soon reconnect with their old buddy Shorty (Mitch Ryan), who is now a cowhand on the ranch. There is also a bit of a romance to contend with between Monte and the town's local prostitute Martine (Jeanne Moreau).
While the early part of the film plays mostly like a wistful comedy, one Ryan's Shorty screws up spectacularly things take a decidedly darker and tragic turn. Monte has to face his demons and the inevitability of the end of his way of life as well as seek justice for a deep personal wound. One of the film's best metaphors uses an untamed horse and this entire work gas quite a bit of emotional depth. The real strength of MONTE WALSH is in its dramatic complexity and outstanding performances on all fronts however. Marvin isn't alone in excellence - Palance shows an admirable willingness to display vulnerability bordering on the pathetic and Moreau gives a rich portrayal of a potentially lame trope (the whore with the heart of gold). Davis and Ryan (LETHAL WEAPON) do solid work as well.
Video/Audio/Extras:
Kino's virtually barebones Blu of MONTE WALSH at least looks good: the 2.35.1 AVC 1080p encoded image shows good color balance, nicely rendered black levels and an organic looking grain field. Fine detail is good and though the print itself has seen better days with some very minor speckling and general damage, it is hardly in bad shape. This is a classic upper mid level Kino job. Eyeball the screencaps. Audio? A serviceable DTS-HD Mono track that gets done what needs to be done. It has a tendency towards flatness and limited range at its worst but nothing is noticeably deficient soundwise. There are no subtitles of any kind. The only extra is a theatrical trailer.
The Final Word:
Dramatically satisfying and beautifully shot with sweeping Western vistas, William A. Fraker's film is highly recommended. Fraker achieved initial success as a cinematographer and MONTE WALSH is a great mix of solid visuals and terrific acting and an engrossing story. Kino's Blu may be light on trimmings but the sandwich meat is grade A beef. This is a title well worth picking up for fans of the genre.
Click on the images below for full sized Blu-ray screencaps!
