This is a great film

agreed.

Yes, I believe that its vastly underrated and uncelebrated but why this is so is beyond me. Steve McQueen was perfect at playing the stoic, tight-lipped victim, and Tom Horn is not much different from most of his other roles. But his character is given exceptional strength by an intelligent script which shows hypocrisy and betrayal in full light. I firmly believe that if this script were updated and set in 1940s San Francisco or sleazy 1980s New York, it would be hailed as a superb noir.

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Y'know, it's an interesting film, but it could have been a lot better. Curious, because they clearly put some major money into this thing. McQueen's own production company, Solar, produced it and you'd think they would have focused as keen an eye on making the story more clear, more compelling, as they seemed to have done on the production values. Beautifully shot in Panavision by John Alonzo (CHINATOWN, BLACK SUNDAY) but the director must have fallen asleep during pre-production as well as during the editing process (I see where Wiard basically was an episodic TV director which means shoot it quick and keep it under budget even if you don't get all the shots and takes that you need). It cuts around sloppily and illogically, making me think Wiard didn't get all the transition shots he needed to make the film flow as well as it should have. Also, not exactly sure what McGuane & Schrake's screenplay meant for us to take away in the end. Whatever they intended, it was extremely unsuccessful, but it seems that with just a few more rewrites they could really have zeroed in on a more compelling through-line for the story. In the end, yet another McQueen film that's ripe for a remake. Unfortunately, they can't make it with Steve. McQueen's fine performance is wasted here.

I absolutely love this movie. If I remember right it was the first or second McQueen film I ever watched. The Hunter being the other one. I remember HBO used to play these both in the early 80's and I would watch them all the time. Tom Horn is by far my favorite McQueen film. A man who is basically out of his element now. The modern era is catching up and his way of life (being a cowboy) those days a drawing to a close and he knows it. McQueen is as great as always. He plays the part perfectly. I can't picture anyone else in this role. No matter how many times I see this one I still get sad at the end. I think no matter how many times I see it I will always feel that way. Kinda like The Shootist with John Wayne. I don't want to give anything away for anyone who reads this and has never seen the film. For the ones that have you know what I mean.

My two favorite scenes in this film are when he goes to the barn of the guys who stole some cattle. The way he does the one guy inside the bard is friggin' priceless. The other scene is where he is practicing shooting his rifle. Why I like that scene so much is beyond me.

This is not a classic film by far but to me it is a classic. McQueen was such a great actor. He's been gone almost 30 years already. I was going on 8 when he died. Still cann't believe it's been that long. Unreal.

Tom Horn - check it out.

I very much like its understated ponderousness.

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LBJ's mistress on JFK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcXeutDmuRA