Touches You

Pretty Good

Absolutely Fantastic

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

I will say this is a gripping movie. Kirk Douglas is a fantastic actor and this is certainly one of his greatest performances, but that doesn't redeem this frustrating and contradictory portrayal of "an old-time cowboy supplanted by modernity". When it comes to food, you don't criticize an Indian buffet for being lousy Chinese -- it's not trying to be Chinese. So when critiquing this work, it's important to separate out what the work is attempting from what it is not. It's NOT attempting to be a feel good story of redemption or good guy triumph. It IS trying to portray a rustic and cunning cowboy as he interacts with a modernizing world that can nary afford a glance backward on the society it is replacing. The biggest problem with this work is the fact that they're pretending to, but not actually, portraying a cowboy, when they're actually showing a Hollywood liberal-idealized version that renders an absurdist plot line. Douglas plays Jack Burns, a man who survives by his wits and grim determination in an unsettled wilderness with his horse while occasionally hiring himself out. Burns should be an icon of wilderness practicality, but basically the whole plot line is based on him being an idealistic buffoon. Examples:1) Jack knows nothing about jail, but gets himself condemned to a hear in prison just to see his friend (visitation hours won't do). He sneaks a hacksaw into his cell and starts sawing the first night without taking the lay-of-the-land, determining who might rat him out, the guard rotation, etc. 2) Upon escape, he knows the police will be after him, but takes an excruciating amount of time bidding adieu to his former lover (now wife of his friend) and wandering around pensively. Is this a cowboy or a romantic philosopher? 3) While escaping through the hills he takes a nice rest during the day without having first reached the ridge he needs to get to. 4) Along the way he meets up with the police officer/jail guard that a) he had previously threatened and b) had extra judicially beaten him while in jail -- knocking out a molar. Instead of killing this menace to society, Burns is content to knock him out. Is this a hard bitten cowboy or a wandering Buddhist monk we're dealing with? If he's a legit brave cowboy he shouldn't be making empty threats he doesn't plan on following through on or failing to mete out retribution for breaking the tacit laws of the West. That guard was previously taunting Burns' best friend Paul in jail. Sparing him will have consequences Burns' impracticality won't allow him to consider. "This one's for Paul, you SOB!" 5) All of Burns' impracticality and dawdling is required to set up a final break for the trees after he reaches the ridge where he is being fired at by not one, but three separate groups of officers simultaneously. Overall this adds up to lousy and lazy story telling. Don't pretend to portray a cowboy and then not do it. I know it's hard to mesh realistic acting characters with a gripping plot line. I know it's hard to try to understand cowboy culture and portray it vividly, but at least try. As it is it's modern-vs-modern critique where 1960's romantic ideals in the form of Jack Burns go head to head with 1960's modern realities. Weird.

The big, the biggest movie of Kirk Douglas, with a performance worthy of an Oscar. Jack Burns is a misfit, like so many of us. Has no address, no family, no job, and going from one place to another without obligation. Lives only this day, lives what happens now. The film is a true poetry dedicated to the lonely. Burns suddenly appears in the city where he lives the woman he loved but whom he could not devote precisely because it is a solitary being, can not live with someone. This woman married her best friend, making it clear that only married not to be so. And Burns does not measure sacrifices by his friend and his family. You can be arrested only to see him in prison. And flee when their mission is accomplished. Burns is a lot like Shane George Stevens. If it were possible to join the two films, Lonely Are the Brave could be the continuation of Shane, no doubt. It would need only put the two movies set around the same time. Both one and the other, when it comes to loneliness, hopelessness, what they do? They go to the mountains, the only place that can accommodate them. Are heroes out of your time. . Lonely Are the Brave is a powerful film. David Miller made his masterpiece. A wonderful moment in film history.

has Douglas watched too many B westerns and has an uncontrollable penchant to "act out" the players, in his real time? he is not a dumb person, not particularly smart, but very sincere, and convionced that "being a man" transcends any contemporary versions.He is Wayne and Rowlands is Angie Dickinson; but Wayne was a child like man, not a childish man, so ultimately, she does not want him, even with the physical desire.Matthew is excellent as the "Sheriff", but he is not prone to acting out fantasies.../he just wants to be home at 5:00pm. he chases Douglas with helicopters, not deputies.there are many Americans today who seem to enjoy roaming around with their loaded rifles, chip on their shoulder, and "right to carry" attitude. Second Amendment! why *can't* I go to McDonald's on a Saturday with my "Betsey"? no one will get hurt! Clive Bundy has a "showdown" with the Feds..he hasn't paid them for 20 years and he has his whole posse behind him, pointing guns. Douglas similarly engages those he thinks are takin' away his freedoms.great DVD..buy it now.

Kirk Douglas has said that "Lonely Are The Brave" is his absolute favorite of all the movies he has done. It doesn't take much thought to determine why he feels this way. The movie's central character, Jack Burns, is a non-conformist, someone who always does things his way no matter what society may tell him differently. There are few other movie protagonists like this one. Other merit found in the movie includes some tense moments while Jack is on the run, plus a gutsy and unconventional ending that you probably couldn't get away with today.If there is a flaw to be found in this good movie, it may be that some modern day viewers may object to the pacing. It takes about half of the movie before Jack is on the run, and some scenes do seem to run a little longer than they should. While every scene DOES provide some purpose, I think the movie would have been improved had several scenes been cut down in length slightly. But even without this correction, the movie is never boring and is always interesting.