Movielogr

Rating: 7 stars

Tags

left for dead desert stagecoach water waystop double cross robbery preacher prostitute outsider

All movies seen on 03/21/2025

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The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)

Directed by Sam Peckinpah

Western | Comedy | Drama

Overview

Double-crossed and left without water in the desert, Cable Hogue is saved when he finds a spring. It is in just the right spot for a much needed rest stop on the local stagecoach line, and Hogue uses this to his advantage. He builds a house and makes money off the stagecoach passengers. Hildy, a prostitute from the nearest town, moves in with him. Hogue has everything going his way until the advent of the automobile ends the era of the stagecoach.

Rated R | Length 121 minutes

Actors

Jason Robards | Stella Stevens | Slim Pickens | David Warner | L.Q. Jones | Strother Martin | R.G. Armstrong | Peter Whitney | Gene Evans | William Mims | Susan O'Connell | Vaughn Taylor | Kathleen Freeman | Max Evans | James Anderson | Felix Nelson | Darwin Lamb | Mary Munday | William D. Faralla | Matthew Peckinpah | Victor Izay

Viewing History (seen 1 time)

Viewing Notes

In stark contrast to THE WILD BUNCH, which came out the year before, this film is smaller in scope while still dealing with an idiosyncratic individual who just doesn’t fit into society and forges his own path by his own rules. Jason Robards is great in the titular role but Stella Stevens steals the light in every scene she’s in as a prostitute. David Warner shows up as a wandering preacher (in a very loose sense of the word) and they’re all backed by some of the greatest character actors to ever grace a western including Stother Martin, Slim Pickens, L.Q. Jones, R.J. Armstrong and Gene Evans. Most of these guys show up in supporting roles in many of Peckinpah’s films. And they’re always great!

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