Steinesongo Too many fans seem to be blown away

StunnaKrypto Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Beystiman It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Leofwine_draca MONTE WALSH is one of the many 'death of the Old West' westerns to have come out over the years, with the most notable examples of the genre being THE WILD BUNCH and UNFORGIVEN. This one's lower key, lower budgeted, and more gritty than those movies; it's not really an action film either, although it has a handful of the shoot-outs you'd expect.The film belongs to a typically larger-than-life Lee Marvin, playing the grizzled old gunslinger who comes to realise that his way of life belongs in the distant past. He brings pathos and humour to the part, although I found the film's most valuable performer to be Jack Palance, cast against type as Marvin's buddy. Palance is a lot of fun in the role, and it's nice to see him as other than the sneering villain. The rest of the film is non-clichéd, a bit slow at times, but otherwise engrossing and unusual.

nedeljkodjukic88 This is really a top western. The thematic is similar to the one in Man Without a Star, but here - there's nowhere left to run. The sad twilight of the wild west is everywhere in this one. It depicts wonderfully the end of the cowboys, open plains, saloons of the time (saloon girls especially)- the end of The Old West. It is also pretty much the end of Marvin's and Palance's careers in western (with exceptions of very good 'The Spikes Gang' and 'Chato's Land') and the golden era of western genre. The only thing that starts is the career of Fraker as a director! The horse taming scene is simply incredible, the only one close to it is Yul Brynner's rampage in 'Invitation to a Gunfighter'.

Spikeopath Monte Walsh is the debut feature of cameraman-turned-director William A.Fraker. It stars Lee Marvin (Monte Walsh) & Jack Palance (Chet Rollins) as two ageing cowboys who find that the era of the cowpoke is coming to an end; and that work for them is now very hard to come by. Adapted by David Zelag Goodman & Lukas Heller from Jack Schaefer's novel, Monte Walsh is a gentle but astute telling of men who have outlived their time (think Will Penny/Ride The High Country). Though very sedate in pacing, and almost elegiac in tone, the film constantly remains interesting because the characters are so well written. That they are given quality portrayals by Marvin & Palance, the latter of which is nicely cast against type, is possibly of no surprise to most genre fans. But both actors push themselves to really make the film work, even exuding believability in the process. Thus when the story takes its potent laced turns we are with them all the way, for better or worse.John Barry provides the music and the film opens with a delightful and ironic tune called "The Good Times Are Comin" sung by Mama Cass. The cinematography is by David M. Walsh, where he nicely manages to make the Tuscon part of the shoot blend with the emotional state of our protagonists. And decent support comes from Mitch Ryan too. There's also much humour in the piece, such as a cooks revenge that is laugh out loud funny. While there's action moments like a taming a bronco sequence to ensure the story is not solely interested in playing out as a sad atmospheric tale. But it's really all about Marvin and the character he plays, with Fraker guiding him to emotional depth, Marvin makes Monte Walsh an essential viewing for fans and interested newcomers alike. 7/10

wes-connors Gray-haired cowboy Lee Marvin (as Monte Walsh) and sidekick Jack Palance (as Chet Rollins) arrive in the western town of "Harmony", looking for honest work. After "a long winter," Mr. Marvin spends some quality time under the sheets with mistress Jeanne Moreau (as Martine Bernard). Marvin has a hard time getting his cigarette rolled, but manages to fire up Ms. Moreau. He and Mr. Palance meet ill-tempered Mitchell Ryan (as Shorty Austin), a younger rancher pal; "introduced" to feature films herein, Mr. Ryan was familiar to daytime TV viewers as the missing "Burke Devlin" from "Dark Shadows"."Nobody gets to be a cowboy forever," Palance observes. First-time director, and capable cinematographer, William A. Fraker takes "Monte Walsh" on a sometimes too leisurely pace; the film takes its sweet time, but pleases if you've got the patience. The theme is the disappearance of the old west (and, of course, the Western genre). That it's a post peak period western is ironically obvious as "Mama" Cass Elliott sings John Barry's theme "The Good Times Are Coming" (a minor "Easy Listening" hit). Mr. Fraker, Marvin, Ryan, and Palance are at career peaks. If this is any indication, westerns didn't need to fade away as much as they needed to grow old gracefully.********* Monte Walsh (10/2/70) William A. Fraker ~ Lee Marvin, Jack Palance, Jeanne Moreau, Mitchell Ryan