Based on an Elmore Leonard novel and directed by Martin Ritt (NORMA RAE), HOMBRE is the typical kind of Western of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Genre films were safe arenas to tackle political and social issues of the day without being directly obvious with the message.
Simply put the film is a stagecoach hold-up combined with a siege tale. John Russell (Paul Newman, THE STING) is a white man who was raised by Indians. He’s soft-spoken, but quick to use violence. He’s cold and distant. He doesn’t get involved in other people’s business, putting himself first. His dual ethnicity gives him an interesting perspective. He inherits a boarding house and decides to sell it. This puts its manager Jessie (Diane Cilento, THE WICKER MAN) out of work. This is the first bit of tension that is attached to the stagecoach ride.
Cicero Grimes (Richard Boone, 1960’s THE ALAMO) is a crusty, mean man who strong-arms himself a ride. Dr. Alex and Audra Favor (Fredric March, DR. JECKELL & MR. HYDE & Barbara Rush, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE) are rich white people, who have lived on an Indian reserve and don’t have a fond opinion of the people. Driving the coach is Henry Mendez (Martin Balsam, 12 ANGRY MEN) and also along for the ride is a young couple named Billy Lee and Doris Blake (Peter Lazer, MRS. MINIVER & Margaret Blye, 1969’s THE ITALIAN JOB).
John Russell can be seen as a black militant or an alienated white youth who has dropped out of society. Henry Mendez is an Uncle Tom, who wishes he were white. Jessie has seen it all and sees the good and bad in everyone. The plot is just a shell to present these characters and issues. Some of Russell’s motivation is supposed to be a surprise, but was never a surprise to me. The racial issues the film presents were probably more bold in 1967 than they are today.
Newman is great in the lead role, but his whiteness hurts the true potential strength of the film’s message. I kept imagining a black actor in the role and how much more powerful the film would have been. The characters are strong and hold the film together when it starts to wander. The sad ending is the correct tone for the film, but seemed a bit too abrupt.
Nonetheless, the film still works, probably now more as a solid siege flick than as a political statement. I kept thinking of ULZANA’S RAID throughout the film and how that film used the Western genre extremely well as a political and social metaphor. ULZANA’S has aged better, but HOMBRE is still an engaging and thought-provoking piece of cinema.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
