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1.78 Anamorphic Wide Screen
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital 5.1
English
Region 2
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital 5.1
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Charlton Heston stars as Will Penny, an ageing cowpuncher down on his luck and practically broke. After finding a spot of work down on the Flat Iron, Penny falls foul of some outlaws led by maniacal preacher Quint {Donald Pleasence}. They rob him and leave him for dead but he manages to find his way to a lineman's cabin where he is cared for by Catherine {Joan Hackett}, who is heading west with her young son to be reunited with her husband. Here Penny comes to learn things about himself, as does Catherine, but their relationship is not the only thing of concern to them. For Quint and his brood are coming back to finish what they started.
As widely reported these days, this was one of Heston's favourite roles. Which is not hard to believe since it is one of his finest and most earnest performances from what was a long and successful career. Directed and written by Tom Gries {who refused to sell the rights to his story unless he could direct}, Will Penny is an understated Western {Re;cowboy movie for those that need to distinguish the two} that shines because it relies on strength of story over histrionics and a pandering to the norm. This is no ode to the wild west, a time of gunslingers fighting it out and riding off into the sunset with the dame. This is the nitty gritty west, where cowboys are actually that, cowboys, working with beef so that they can afford to eat and perhaps enjoy a jar of throat stripper by way of a reward for their graft.
It's also refreshing to find a romance within the genre that is believable and not thrust upon us like some form of necessity. The relationship, and in fact the three family dynamic at the core of the film, is expertly written, not rushed or underdeveloped, and, crucially, not hurt by the bold and correct ending that Gries delivers. Hackett gives a lovely subtle turn opposite Heston, in a role that was turned down by a host of prominent female actresses at the time. Fine support comes from Pleasence {rightly overacting the role}, Ben Johnson, Lee Majors, Bruce Dern, Anthony Zerbe and Slim Pickens. While Lucien Ballard's cinematography is lucid and adds splendour to the moving story. I can't say that David Raksin's score totally works, since it at times feels like it belongs in some Universal Pictures creature feature! But it's a minor issue in what is an elegant Western that deserves, no, demands, to be sought out by more people. 8/10
As widely reported these days, this was one of Heston's favourite roles. Which is not hard to believe since it is one of his finest and most earnest performances from what was a long and successful career. Directed and written by Tom Gries {who refused to sell the rights to his story unless he could direct}, Will Penny is an understated Western {Re;cowboy movie for those that need to distinguish the two} that shines because it relies on strength of story over histrionics and a pandering to the norm. This is no ode to the wild west, a time of gunslingers fighting it out and riding off into the sunset with the dame. This is the nitty gritty west, where cowboys are actually that, cowboys, working with beef so that they can afford to eat and perhaps enjoy a jar of throat stripper by way of a reward for their graft.
It's also refreshing to find a romance within the genre that is believable and not thrust upon us like some form of necessity. The relationship, and in fact the three family dynamic at the core of the film, is expertly written, not rushed or underdeveloped, and, crucially, not hurt by the bold and correct ending that Gries delivers. Hackett gives a lovely subtle turn opposite Heston, in a role that was turned down by a host of prominent female actresses at the time. Fine support comes from Pleasence {rightly overacting the role}, Ben Johnson, Lee Majors, Bruce Dern, Anthony Zerbe and Slim Pickens. While Lucien Ballard's cinematography is lucid and adds splendour to the moving story. I can't say that David Raksin's score totally works, since it at times feels like it belongs in some Universal Pictures creature feature! But it's a minor issue in what is an elegant Western that deserves, no, demands, to be sought out by more people. 8/10
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is Charlton Heston's best western. He does not over do the drama like he did in other films.
In Will Penny you experience the harshness and toughness of cowboy life. Cowboys are destined to roam the West going from one ranch to another to find work. If you injure yourself you're no good anymore.
The winning factor is the fact that the cast look like real cowboys and the places they go look like something from a Charles M. Russell painting.
The great cast include Joan Hackett, Lee Majors, Donald Pleasance, Bruce Dern, Ben Johnson and Slim Pickens. Will Penny ranks with Shane as one of the most realistic and well made Westerns of all time.
In Will Penny you experience the harshness and toughness of cowboy life. Cowboys are destined to roam the West going from one ranch to another to find work. If you injure yourself you're no good anymore.
The winning factor is the fact that the cast look like real cowboys and the places they go look like something from a Charles M. Russell painting.
The great cast include Joan Hackett, Lee Majors, Donald Pleasance, Bruce Dern, Ben Johnson and Slim Pickens. Will Penny ranks with Shane as one of the most realistic and well made Westerns of all time.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
"Will Penny" made in 1967 and directed by Tom Gries portrays the cowboy life warts and all. The film is based on an episode called "The Line Camp" from the cult TV series "The Westerner" which ran from 1959-1960, and was created and directed by the legendary Sam Peckinpah. Being a cowpoke is a tough unromantic way to make a living, and for once we get the truth in this film. It is very similar to "Monte Walsh"(70), a film that portrayed two obsolescent cowboys. That too showed the rigourous life of the American cowboy.
Charlton Heston makes a good fist of playing the aging Will whose bones are beginning to creak with the strain of the life. But he knows no other and it is hard for him to change. The dynamics of his ordered life are changed when he meets Joan Hackett in a line shack. She and her son have been deserted by their guide and due to bad weather they have settled in the shack. The winter weather sets in. Will then encounters the ever so slightly mad Preacher Quint and his similarly inclined lunatic sons. Donald Pleasance plays Quint with much relish. Just for fun they stab and torture Will. He manages to get back to the shack where Joan nurses him back to health and love begins to blossom. Unfortunately Quint and his sons turn up to put a large spanner in loves course. Joan has a rather difficult decision to make. Which of the sons should she marry. A sort of Hobsons choice, as neither would be considered a prize catch. Will love win out?
"Will Penny" is a beautiful looking film. Lucien Ballard that legendary cinematographer was largely responsible. He was vastly experienced and had worked with the likes of Stanley Kubrick. Heston gives an excellent suitably subdued performance as the ill educated cowpoke irrevocably stuck in his ways. It is a different, grittier slant on the Western and is refreshing for all that. No it cannot be considered a classic but it is a very good film and makes rewarding viewing.
Charlton Heston makes a good fist of playing the aging Will whose bones are beginning to creak with the strain of the life. But he knows no other and it is hard for him to change. The dynamics of his ordered life are changed when he meets Joan Hackett in a line shack. She and her son have been deserted by their guide and due to bad weather they have settled in the shack. The winter weather sets in. Will then encounters the ever so slightly mad Preacher Quint and his similarly inclined lunatic sons. Donald Pleasance plays Quint with much relish. Just for fun they stab and torture Will. He manages to get back to the shack where Joan nurses him back to health and love begins to blossom. Unfortunately Quint and his sons turn up to put a large spanner in loves course. Joan has a rather difficult decision to make. Which of the sons should she marry. A sort of Hobsons choice, as neither would be considered a prize catch. Will love win out?
"Will Penny" is a beautiful looking film. Lucien Ballard that legendary cinematographer was largely responsible. He was vastly experienced and had worked with the likes of Stanley Kubrick. Heston gives an excellent suitably subdued performance as the ill educated cowpoke irrevocably stuck in his ways. It is a different, grittier slant on the Western and is refreshing for all that. No it cannot be considered a classic but it is a very good film and makes rewarding viewing.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A must see western tour de force.
Will Penny is Charlton Heston's favourite movie role and for good reason. A great cast, script and cinematography combine under able direction to portray the itinerant lifestyle of... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Ctwilliams
Heston as always at his best
Wonderfully acted by Charlton Heston one of the worlds top actors and a great cast including our very own Donald Pleasance.
Published 9 months ago by June in Derbyshire
Will Penny - an unusual but very good western
Will Penny features Charlton Heston as an ageing cowboy down on his luck. For Heston fans used to seeing him as the larger than life hero (Ben Hur, El Cid etc), this is quite a... Read more
Published 16 months ago by Ken
Heston, as a simple man
A (forgotten) movie of the great Heston. It shows us that even he also can play non-heroic, humble man. It is often forgotten that Mr. Read more
Published on 20 Jan 2010 by Martial Vaneecke
Poor lonesome cowboy
As far as I know, Tom GRIES cut at least three western movies .This is probably the best one because it just tells some of cow boy's true life just as Delmer DAVES'"Cow boy" did... Read more
Published on 17 Nov 2009 by Casanova Claude
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