THE BALLAD OF CABLE HOGUE (1970, USA) Movie review, plot, trailer

After finishing the sixties with one of the best films of all time, “Wild Horde”, Sam Peckinpah stepped into the seventies with this atypical western, which is essentially the complete opposite of his predecessor. Although the plot is again set in an advanced stage of the Wild West period, while “The Wild Bunch” is a violent, realistic film about that era, “The Ballad of Cable Hogue” is almost a parody of classic cowboys, a true western comedy with the main character is almost a caricature of a classic western hero. Although “Cable Hogue” is aesthetically undoubtedly a cowboy, Peckinpah has prepared a handful of surprises here because he seems to be teasing the characters from classic westerns here.

That title character is a wanderer named Cable Hogue (Jason Robards). After his companions leave him to die in the desert somewhere in Arizona, with the last atoms of strength he will accidentally find a source of water exactly halfway between the two towns. Since water there is more valuable than gold, Cable will realize that finding water could be a lifeline for him, all the more so because he is on the path that the mail carriage passes. Soon he will build a well and a real small property there, and he will start to turn into a real entrepreneur. Initially a raw, dirty and ragged guy he will eventually become a respectable member of the community, but at heart Cable will still remain that same wild wanderer who will, of course, fall in love with a local prostitute from the salon.

Just like in The Wild Horde, Peckinpah’s fascination with this transitional period, in which the old Wild West and civilization almost clashed, is obvious. The conflict between wildlife and civilization is reflected not only in the main character, but also in the whole story, which in time will turn into a fluttering, even crazy not only comedy, but a somewhat strange fantasy about the people of that time. It was “The Ballad of Cable Hogue” a completely unconventional western that critics at the time called a film about the death of the West showing the transition from wilderness to civilization. As is often the case, after it appeared, the film did not go particularly well with critics or audiences, but in the meantime it gained cult status. At the same time, he confirmed not only Peckinpah’s well-known talent, but also his ability to make films that are the complete opposite of his usually dark, violent and realistic films.

The director himself later claimed for “The Ballad of Cable Hogue” that it was one of his favorite films he had ever made, and his greatness was confirmed by a great but often underestimated American actor Jason Robards. He is just one of 24 actors to have won a triple acting crown, namely an Oscar, a Tony and an Emmy, and in a career spanning more than half a century he has had a number of impressive roles. But apart from his genius, he was also connected to Peckinpah by his love for a glass. Just around the time of filming this film, both Robards and Peckinpah were dangerously beaten by alcohol, leading to serious conflicts between the director, who was already known for his tough character with the film crew, but also with the producers from Warner Bros.

After filming, mostly due to Peckinpah’s killing in alcohol, took much longer than planned, and by the way the budget was pretty much broken, Warner Bros. fired him. And that was just at the time when the recording of later big hits such as “Deliverance” and “Jeremiah Johnson” was being prepared, for which Peckinpah was the first choice. For the next film made by Peckinpah, he had to travel to England, where he directed the cult thriller “Straw Dogs”, which is also his definitely darkest film. But also “Cable Hogue” showed that he is a master of his craft and despite the fact that he was under serious steam throughout the filming, it is still a film with a clear directorial vision and he definitely achieved the effect he planned with this unconventional western comedy.

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