Main Cast: John Travolta, Debra Winger, Scott Glenn, Madolyn Smith, Barry Corbin
Release Year: 1980
Country: US
Run Time: 135 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
"You a real cowboy?" John Travolta traded disco for a mechanical bull in this adaptation by James Bridges and Aaron Latham of Latham's article on Western nightlife. Texas country boy Bud (Travolta) moves to Houston to work on an oil rig with his Uncle Bob (Barry Corbin), and he swiftly becomes indoctrinated in the nighttime rituals of drinking, dancing, and showing off cowboy duds at Gilley's, the enormous local honkytonk. There he meets and marries the sassy Sissy (Debra Winger), but the honeymoon quickly ends when Sissy starts spending too much time learning the men-only skill of mechanical bull-riding from ex-con Wes (Scott Glenn); Bud throws her out and hooks up with slumming Pam (Madolyn Smith). Under the paternal tutelage of Uncle Bob, Bud then learns not only how to master the bull but also what it takes to be a real man rather than just an ersatz cowboy. With a story, cast, and setting that were essentially Saturday Night Fever country-style, Urban Cowboy was poised to be a summer 1980 hit. Although its box office did not live up to Fever's legacy, Urban Cowboy did spawn a soundtrack album of country-and-western hits and helped spur a Western fashion vogue; people from all regions began sporting cowboy boots, and mechanical bulls started replacing passé disco floors. The first of Travolta's many comebacks, Urban Cowboy provided the star with a more "manly" image after his Moment by Moment (1978) fiasco, but it was neophyte co-star Winger who got even better notices. With its Western milieu and retro view of relationships, Urban Cowboy stands as a sign of the nascent Reagan era, as '70s icon Travolta learned bull-riding himself and replaced his white polyester with a black Stetson. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide
Review
Urban Cowboy is probably best-remembered for its examination of late-1970s honky-tonk kitsch -- in particular, the mechanical bull -- but the film is also an interesting, perceptive romantic drama. Love, jealousy, lust, and blue-collar ennui are all fodder for the knowing eye of writer-director James Bridges. Produced at the height of John Travolta's early popularity, Cowboy is essentially his star vehicle, but the supporting work of Debra Winger and Scott Glenn packs much of the film's punch. In her first mainstream role, Winger is quite a revelation: smart, brassy, and unconventionally beautiful. For his part, Glenn turns in a captivatingly rude performance as the cocksure ex-con who comes between Winger and Travolta. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide
Brooke Alderson - Aunt Corene; Bonnie Raitt - Musical Appearance; Cooper Huckabee - Marshall; James Gammon - Steve Strange; Mickey Gilley - Musical Appearance; Johnny Lee - Musical Appearance; Charlie Daniels - Musical Appearance; Sheryl Briedel - Lou Sue, Bud's Cousin; Steve Chambers - Truck Driver in Parking Lot; Keith Clemons - Bud's Brother; Gator Conley - Gator; Ed Geldart - Bud's Dad; Leah Geldart - Bud's Sister; Jim Gough - Sissy's Dad; James Harrell - Minister at Gravesite; Sean Lawler - Willie, Bud's Cousin; Betty Murphy - Bud's Mom; Howard Norman - Bud's Brother; David Ogle - Killer; Ann Travolta - Wedding Party; Jerry Hall - Sexy Sister; Anson Downes - Wedding Party; Lucky Mosley - Plant Supervisor; Robert Bush - Dwight; Ellen March - Becky (Stoney's Waitress); Christopher Saylors - Bubba
Credit
W. Stewart Campbell - Art Director, Patsy Swayze - Choreography, James Bridges - Director, David Rawlins - Editor, C.O. Erickson - Executive Producer, Ralph Burns - Composer (Music Score), Stephen B. Grimes - Production Designer, Reynaldo Villalobos - Cinematographer, Jack Larson - Producer, C.O. Erickson - Producer, Robert Evans - Producer, Irving Azoff - Producer, Jimmy Buffett - Singer, George R. Nelson - Set Designer, Willie D. Burton - Sound/Sound Designer, James Bridges - Screenwriter, Aaron Latham - Screenwriter
The movie starts out with Bud Davis moving to Houston, Texas from Spur, Texas.[1] He soon finds work at an oil refinery with his uncle Bob. Bud quickly discovers and embraces the city's nightlife, which is centered around a bar called Gilley's (once a real country bar co-owned by singer Mickey Gilley and his record producer Sherwood Cryer) located in Pasadena, Texas.
Bud meets Sissy in Gilley's, and after a quick courtship, the two get married. It isn't long after the wedding that they visit the bar, and they learn that a mechanical bull has been recently installed. Bud finds himself excelling at the mechanical rodeo, but feels both protective and perhaps a bit threatened by Sissy's desire to learn to ride. Bud forbids Sissy to ride it, causing a rift in their still-new relationship.
While Bud is working at the refinery, Sissy decides she is going to learn how to ride the mechanical bull to impress her over-protective husband. She goes back to the bar and rides the bull during the day, keeping her lessons a secret from Bud.
Debra Winger and John Travolta with Gilley's real-life head bartender William (Pat) Perkins Wright III
Once Sissy has perfected her bull riding technique with the help of an ex-convict (Wes Hightower, portrayed by Scott Glenn) that has begun working at the bar, she decides to reveal her new talent to her husband. Sissy rides and the crowd marvels at how well she does. Jealous of the attention, Bud decides he is going to show her up despite the back injury he had sustained at work that day. Operating the mechanical bull is the ex-convict Wes, who has developed an attraction to Sissy during their daily lessons. Wes sees Bud's attempt to ride as an opportunity to move in on Sissy because of the obvious fight that is escalating between her and Bud at the bar. Bud is thrown from the bull and Wes knocks the bull into him, breaking his arm. They have a very heated argument at home and Bud slaps Sissy. The next night after getting off of work Bud goes to Gilleys only to find Sissy with Wes. They have another argument and Bud finds a girl to make Sissy jealous. Sissy then dances with Wes to make Bud jealous. Bud leaves with a girl he met at Gilley's, Pam (Madolyn Smith) and sleeps with her. The next day, Sissy returns to the trailer and finds it empty. When Bud does finally get home he is greeted by Sissy and her packed suitcase. Sissy and Bud do not talk but Sissy moves out and in with Wes.
Bud's uncle dies during a work accident. The rift between Bud and Sissy continues and the affairs continue. Sissy finally tries to reconcile with Bud, but is intercepted by Pam. Bud continues to train for the bull riding contest at Gilley's.
Finally, the day of the contest arrives, with Bud and Wes pitted against several other contestants for the $5,000 grand prize. Both Bud and Wes make it to the final round with three other contestants, with Bud eventually emerging victorious by one point. Meanwhile, Wes hits Sissy after she refuses to go to Mexico with him. After accepting his award, Bud's girlfriend Pam urges him to reconcile with Sissy, since she believes he trained and won for Sissy and not for her. Bud goes looking for Sissy and sees her in the parking lot, apologizes to her and they reconcile. After seeing that Sissy has been beaten, he goes looking for Wes to fight him, not realizing that Wes had just robbed Gilley's. After finding him at the entrance to Gilley's, Bud punches Wes and all of the money that Wes stole falls out from his jacket. The Gilley's manager, discovering the attempted robbery, detains Wes at gunpoint. Bud and Sissy leave Gilley's together and later embrace in Bud's truck.
Influences
The movie's screenplay was adapted by Aaron Latham and James Bridges from an article in a men's magazine on Western nightlife written by Latham. The movie was directed by Bridges. The movie spawned a hit soundtrack album featuring such songs as Johnny Lee's "Lookin' for Love", Mickey Gilley's "Stand by Me", "Look What You've Done to Me" by Boz Scaggs, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" sung by the Charlie Daniels Band, the mega Anne Murray hit "Could I Have This Dance"(#3 A/C) and the top 5 hit "Love The World Away" by pop-country superstar Kenny Rogers. The film is said to have started the 80's boom in pop-country music, known as the "Urban Cowboy Movement". Some film critics referred to the movie as a country music version of Saturday Night Fever. The film grossed almost $54 million in the United States alone, more than Saturday Night Fever (plus a further $24,000,000 in video rentals) and is considered to be John Travolta's last major hit before a series of flops in the upcoming decade.
