Image Courtesy of www.DVDsoon.com
Director:
Mark Rydell
Cast:
Steve McQueen……….Boon Hogganbeck
Sharon Farrell………Corrie
Ruth White………Miss Reba
Michael Constantine………Mr. Binford
Clifton James………Butch Lovemaiden
Juano Hernandez………Uncle Possum
Lonny Chapman………Maury
Will Geer………Boss
Rupert Crosse………Ned
Mitch Vogel………Lucius
Diane Shalet………Hannah
Pat Randall………May Ellen
Diane Ladd………Phoebe
Ellen Geer………Sally
Dub Taylor………Dr. Peabody
The Movie
There have been plenty of good looking leading men to grace the silver screen over the years. Most have a fleeting shot at fame and then disappear into the vast wilderness of cinema, some stick around for long enough to leave an impression, but very few are remembered after they stop being on the marquee. It takes a special sort of actor to be able to be remembered after he stops being a star, and a legend to be able to be fondly remembered long after his death.
Steve McQueen is that sort of actor. He never really was an actor per se, as he had minimal dialogue and an emphasis on action. He wasn’t an actor like his contemporaries (Robert Redford, Michael Caine, and Paul Newman amongst others), he was a movie star. He isn’t remembered for brilliant performances like Caine or for success on both sides of the camera like Redford, he’s remembered as being one thing they could never lay claim to be: Cool. McQueen was the alpha male of his generation, a man’s man that women wanted and men wanted to be like. He was, quite simply, The King of Cool.
It’s this sort of presence that shows up in The Reivers, as McQueen plays Boon Hogganbeck. Boon is the sort of guy McQueen was in real life. Boon likes to fight, drink and womanize his way through life. He’s a reiver, an old Scottish word for thief. Boon is a hired hand for Boss (Will Greer). Boss owns a 1905 Winston Flyer that Boon and Ned (Rupert Crosse) decide to take for a bit of a joyride. After convincing Boss’s grandson Lucius (Mitch Vogel) to go on a trek from their native Mississippi to Memphis, the trio wind up on a wild adventure featuring a brothel, a sheriff and a horse race, all adapted from the book of the same name by William Faulkner with an Oscar-nominated score.
What strikes out most in this movie is McQueen itself. In one of his few roles to not feature him in an action oriented character, McQueen relies on his oft-maligned acting skills and charisma to carry large portions of this movie. He has a comedic timing on display in The Reivers that is unmistakable.
Equally up for the task is Crosse. Nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Ned, Crosse and McQueen have a remarkable chemistry with one another. Ned has an goofy demeanor but a powerful strength of character that Crosse is able to put on display. It is hard to upstage McQueen but Crosse is able to chomp as munch scenery as the Bandito does throughout the movie.
But the movie’s strength is its’ sound without a doubt. The score was nominated for an Academy Award and is absolutely magnificent. For the goofy sort of fun The Reivers embodies, its score is set perfectly for the goofy side as well as the darker dramatic elements that abound.
This movie is a successful mix of both of these elements, as one of its’ strengths is the ability to embrace campy fun, coming of age, racing scenes and a tale of bonding on the road into one enjoyable movie.
Score : 8.5/10
The Video
The turn of the century in the South looks as plush and vibrant as the picture has been cleaned up for its release on DVD. Paramount pulled out all the stops in this release; the picture is clear and the colors are vibrant. This isn’t one of McQueen’s better know films, and it would be easy to skimp on the picture quality. But they didn’t and it shows.
Score : 9/10
The Audio
Much like the video, the audio in this first release of The Reivers is Dolby 5.1 and showcases the Oscar-nominated sound masterfully. For a film that isn’t as well-known as some of McQueen’s other movies, the audio is superb. While the score could be overwhelming or underdeveloped due to the nature of the film, the sound has been re-mastered to take full advantage of the 5.1.
Score :9.5/10
The Extras
There are no extras to be had on this release. Its’ quite shocking, being its first release on to DVD and all, that there wouldn’t be at least the original trailer to the movie at a minimum but the theatrical release is all there is to be had. While Paramount didn’t skimp on the video and audio quality of one of the lesser known McQueen vehicles, anything besides the movie would’ve been a welcome addition.
Score : 0/10
