Main Cast: Sally Kirkland, Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen, James Coburn, Ben Johnson, Ian Bannen, Jan-Michael Vincent, Dabney Coleman
Release Year: 1975
Country: US
Run Time: 131 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
An excellent cast, featuring Gene Hackman, Ben Johnson, and James Coburn, highlights this entertaining Western that came and went at the box office, barely noticed by audiences. That doesn't stop the exciting story from capturing the viewer's attention as a disparate group of riders assembles to participate in a marathon 700-mile horse race across the American West at the turn of the century. The standard mutual feelings of distrust give way to respect and grudging admiration as each rider is put to the test. Stunning cinematography and locations, plus a gripping pace set by director Richard Brooks, set this Western apart at a time when the genre was in decline. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
Review
This unique fusion of the western and the race movie is a grand, old-fashioned epic that offers some surprising food for thought. Richard Brooks' script deftly balances adventure and racing-oriented setpieces with nuanced characterizations and thoughtful dialogue that explores how "winning" is a central part of the American ideal. Brooks directs his narrative with a judicious eye, making effective use of sharp cinematography by Harry Stradling, Jr. to convey both the beauty of the landscape and the grueling toll it takes on the racers. Brooks also gets strong performances from a diverse, likeable cast: Gene Hackman excels as the rugged but big-hearted hero - the emblem of the best American qualities that Brooks is using his film to praise - but there is also skillful work from James Coburn as an amusingly roguish racer and Jan-Michael Vincent as a callow young rider who is forced into maturity by the challenges of the race. That said, it is Ben Johnson who captures the heart of the film with his finely-tuned performance as an over-the-hill drifter who pursues the race despite his poor health. His campfire monologue about how one must be a "winner" to be noticed in America is quietly devastating stuff. Finally, it is worth noting that the film boasts a lavish musical score by Alex North that has a sense of grandeur reminiscent of the work of Aaron Copeland. All in all, Bite The Bullet is majestic, rousing entertainment that appeals to both the heart and the mind. It is well worth the time for anyone who wants to enjoy a uniquely American epic. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Robert F. Boyle - Art Director, Rita Riggs - Costume Designer, Tom Shaw - First Assistant Director, Richard Brooks - Director, George Grenville - Editor, Alex North - Composer (Music Score), Harry Stradling, Jr. - Cinematographer, Richard Brooks - Producer, Robert Signorelli - Set Designer, Chuck Gasper - Special Effects, Richard Tyler - Sound/Sound Designer, Les Fresholtz - Sound/Sound Designer, Arthur Piantadosi - Sound/Sound Designer, Al Overton, Jr. - Sound/Sound Designer, Kay Rose - Sound Editor, Richard Brooks - Screenwriter
Based on actual events of the early twentieth century, the story concerns a grueling 700-mile cross-country horse race in 1906 and the way it affects the lives of its various participants.
The colorful contestants include two former Rough Riders (Hackman and Coburn) who can't let friendship come between them if they intend to win, a lady of little virtue (Bergen) with an ulterior motive, a punk kid (Vincent), an old cowhand in poor health (Johnson), an English gentleman (Bannen) who's competing just for the sheer sport of it all, and a Mexican with a toothache (Mario Artaega) who literally needs to bite the bullet. All must race against a thoroughbred of championship pedigree owned by a wealthy man (Coleman) who has no intention of seeing his entry lose.
The film touches on the themes of sportsmanship, animal cruelty, the yellow press, racism, the end of the West and the bonds of marriage and friendship. As the race progresses, the conditions test not only the endurance of horses and riders but also their philosophies of life and the meaning of victory and defeat.
Production Notes
Charles Bronson turned down the lead role of Sam Clayton before Gene Hackman was eventually cast. The movie was filmed on location in New Mexico and Nevada, and begins in a church in the small town of La Puente, New Mexico. There are numerous scenes of steam locomotives at work, shot along the Cumbres and Toltec (formerly Rio Grande) narrow gauge railway between Chama, New Mexico and Antonito, Colorado.
Mister: "God, what ain't I tried. Pony express rider, Overland Stage driver, lawman, gambler, riverman, rancher, rodeo hand, barman, spittoon man... old man. Never much to remember. Of course, there ain't much to forget, either. Nobody's got much use for an old man. I can't blame 'em much. That's why I'm going to win this here newspaper race. When I cross the finish line, I get to be a big man. Top man. A man to remember."
Mister: "I've never saw a man who could hold his liquor like a bottle."
Clayton: "The people some people marry."
Miss Jones: "Killing a man don't prove you're a man".
