MOVIES - Rough Riders

[J Miller]

Rough Riders:

In my thread of last week: MOVIES - Looking for an adventure / western I had a particular idea in mind. This movie is exactly what I was looking for.

Rough Riders with Sam Elliott as Yavapai County Sheriff Bucky O'Neil (sp) and Tom Berringer as Teddy Roosevelt. I believe it was made in 97.
This movie has every thing a lever gunner, six gunner, western movie / adventure lover could want.

Lots of action, lots of camaraderie, and lots of emotional moments.

I give it two leverguns up. Buy it, rent it, you'll enjoy it.

My wife found it in a Sam Elliott 3 movie Western Collection set at Walmart.

Joe

[Ysabel Kid]

May have to take a trip to Wally-World today!

"Two Leverguns Up" - I love it!!!

[C. Cash]

Thanks Joe...I'll be looking for that one. General Wheeler is a neat figure, if you google him. I believe he is played by Gary Busey in the movie. He was a leader of Confederate Cavalry in the Western Theatre(as in TN, GA) during the Civil War. The sheer number of battles he and his men were in is amazing. He is also the only guy to have been both a Confederate and later a US General. Wheeler gave much deserved praise to the Black American Buffalo Soldiers and their actions on San Juan Hill, that he commanded...few others doing so. He is also one of a few ex Confederates buried at Arlington.

[airedaleman]

Even has a C96 Mauser and one of my favorite movie lines: "Indian Bob, kill that German!"

An aging and very ill Brian Keith plays President McKinley in "Rough Riders." 22 years earlier, in "The Wind and the Lion," a robust Brian Keith played Theodore Roosevelt.

[KirkD]

I give it two leverguns up.

Joe, is that a two leverguns out of five? Or is it the same as a two thumbs up?

[J Miller]

I give it two leverguns up.

Joe, is that a two leverguns out of five? Or is it the same as a two thumbs up?

Same as two thumbs up.

Joe

[JohndeFresno]

Joe -

I'm riding the couch at home this week, so I'll rent it now via Netflix. Great review. Many thanks.

Here at the home front, I visited with Barry McGuire's daughter a few minutes ago. She's a friend of both of my daughters. Barry sang the Viet Nam era mega-hit, "Eve of Destruction," "Cloudy Summer Afternoon (Raindrops)," "Green, Green" when with the New Christy Minstrels, and so on. He became a born again Christian, by the way. He is apparently still going strong on concerts - at 75 - and currently on tour overseas. Like many celebrities that I never hear of who quietly settle here, he calls home the Central San Joaquin Valley at a place not far from my diggin's.

Now, I'll move from old VN memories and prepare to relive the Rough Rider days with Sam Elliott. Along with Tom Selleck and Robert Duval, he is one of my three favorite Western actors of this generation (I consider John Wayne and Gary Cooper within another generation).

[BigSky56]

Joe, another good western is Bite the Bullet with Gene Hackman , James Colburn and Ben Johnson about a 700 mile horse race plenty of shooting. danny

[J Miller]

Joe, another good western is Bite the Bullet with Gene Hackman , James Colburn and Ben Johnson about a 700 mile horse race plenty of shooting. danny

Got that one on DVD. You are right about it being very good.

Joe

[Gun Smith]

A bit of trivia. The Rough Riders charged up Kettle Hill to the San Jaun Heights. But the newspapers of the time felt "San Jaun Hill" was more dramtic than "Kettle Hill".
The Spanish soldiers were equipped with Model 1893 Mauser bolt action rifles. The U.S. Army had Springfield Model 1889 "Trapdoor" rifles as well as Krag Jorgenson bolt action rifles. Some U.S. officers also had purchased a few Winchester Model 1895 rifles for their own use. The Navy had Model 1895 Lee rifles.

[DixieBoy]

Here's another hearty "two leverguns up" for Rough Riders. I just finished showing this film to my students in our American History classes. Figure it will help counteract some of the nonsense they've been shown in school, previous to my class.

This is a GREAT John Milius film. I remember when it was first released in the 90's Guns and Ammo magazine did a cover story on the Guns of the Rough Riders. Milius is perhaps hollyweird's only pro gun guy. And he's roaring pro gun.

Good history in this film, and one of the more accurate portrayals of Teddy Roosevelt. Tom Berenger, who plays TR, even had a set of false teeth fitted to do justice to Teddy's trademark wide grin. Milius and company called this film "a labor of love." I agree. Buy it, you'll watch it way more than once. - DixieBoy

[JohndeFresno]

Thanks for the additional perspectives, Gun Smith and Dixie Boy.

Providing that the film as viewed is as good as it sounds, this might be one to purchase for my limited library of "keeper" movies. The rental DVD arrives Monday or Tuesday!

[Nate C.]

I'm a big fan of this one myself. Oddly, I really enjoy the scene where the gal (actually John Milius' wife) is singing 'Garry Owen' during their going away party.

[CaptainFinn]

Great movie ! My wife bought me the Sam Elliot three-pack a few weeks back as well as the Tom Selleck 3-pack. Tom and Sam are her #1 and #2 favorite stars (and favorite moustaches).

I believe Gary Busey's wife is the senorita riding the stagecoach that Buck Taylor and Brad Johnson rob at the opening of the film.

Great performances all around. Busey was a hoot, Tom Berenger was simply fantastic, and the supporting cast--Brian Keith, Lee Ermey, even George Hamilton--were great.

Sadly, Brian Keith's last film.

[765x53]

Don't miss George Hamiltom's presentation grade 1891 Mauser.

[JohndeFresno]

Watchin' the first Disc of 2 Discs, and will purchase this one -

From the opening speech by Teddy, the movie grabs you and fills you with pride, if you ever served (probably even if you just love what used to be America, in the 20th Century) -

Dedicated to those soldiers "who climbed the hill," and then that great speech in which Tom Berenger literally becomes that tough warrior in his excellent portrayal -

“The time has arrived for this great nation of ours to step out upon the world stage. So, let the spotlight fall upon us.

I am reminded, today of the words of George Washington, who said, 'To be prepared for war is the most effectual means to promote the peace.'

We ask for a great navy, because no national life is worth having, if we are not willing to defend it.

All the great masterful races have been fighting races and to lose the fighting virtues is to lose the right to stand, at all.

There are higher things in life than the soft enjoyment of material comforts and it is through strife and the readiness for strife that a man or a nation must win greatness.

So, let the world know that we are here and willing to pour out our blood, our treasure, our tears…and that America is ready…and if need be, desirous of battle.”

---U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt
Naval War College May 9, 1898

YEAH - YEAH! AMEN!

Great movie. Thanks for the recommendation - a real keeper. It reminds me that some things are worth "bitterly clinging to [my] guns and religion" over. And of course - the great display of firearms. I noted that both R. Lee Ermey and Dale Dye were also in the flick - seasoned warriors and advisors in their own right, among several great actors.

[C. Cash]

Just picked up the Sam Elliott 3 pack at Wally. Thanks for the tip!

[jd45]

I have this on two VHS tapes, pirating it (copying) from a rental outfit. There are points in it that I still shed tears..........of sorrow AND joy!!! VERY WELL DONE!!! jd45

[Rusty]

Well worth the watchin time. I can't even begin to count how many times I've watched it. Every time I do I get a hankerin for a '95 like the one Bucky had.

We actually have two of them on DVD because we had it before we bought the Sam Elliot 3 Pak.