700 Meilen westwärts (1975)

700 Meilen westwärts: Directed by Richard Brooks. With Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen, James Coburn, Ben Johnson. A pair of ex-Rough Riders, a former prostitute, a gunfighter, an aging cowboy and an English gentleman enter a 700-mile horse race through the Southwest desert in 1908.

“u0026quot;Bite the Bulletu0026quot; is not just a 70u0026#39;s western, it is the showcase for the closing of the American West. We see a dying breed, the cowboys, and their sense of loss as the world moves beyond.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe performances are great across the board, particularly Gene Hackman, James Coburn, Ben Johnson, and Ian Bannen. Gene Hackman is the former Rough Rider and cowboy, who seems lost in a world he doesnu0026#39;t understand. He canu0026#39;t abide cruelty to an animal, two or four-legged. Coburn is Hackmanu0026#39;s friend and former compatriot in the Rough Riders. Heu0026#39;s a gambler, but with a sense of honor. Ben Johnson is the old man, who has been on the losing side all of his life. He is looking for his last chance to come out a winner, before he fades away. Bannen is the English sportsman, in awe of the west and the men and women who lived there.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere are great character performances and beautiful scenery. The story is both inspiring and sad. If I were to fault it, I would say it needed the perspective of the black man. We see prejudices against Mexicans, Native Americans, and, to a lesser extent, women. What about the rest of the oppressed?u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAs far as the cruelty to animals, yes, it is a central part of the story, from the reckless and brutal actions of Jan Michael Vincentu0026#39;s character, to the dead mare that Hackman comes across. Hackman says it best: u0026quot;What does the horse get?….Broken bones….u0026quot; The look in Hackmanu0026#39;s eyes as he sees what he has done to his horse at the end of the race says it all.”