Tall Tale (1995)

Written by Steve Bloom and Robert Rodat, and directed by Ornie Orsatti, Tall Tale stars Nick Stahl, Patrick Swayze, and Scott Glenn. Released in 1995 this Action/Adventure film takes place in an old western town at the start of the twentieth century and focuses on the modernization of America.In 1905, Daniel Hackett (Nick Stahl) lives with his mother and father on the farmlands of Paradise Valley. As the film progresses the audience learns that Daniel is growing sick of his life on the farm and expresses his bitterness to his father, Jonas. Daniel's father tells him repetitive stories of folk heroes, Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan, and John Henry, in whom Daniel no longer believes. Meanwhile, J.P. Stiles (Scott Glen) enters town with his gang of wealthy men and his modern machinery with intent of buying the land in order to develop it. When Jonas stands up to stiles and refuses to sell his land he ends up being shot, but not before he hands the deed to his land to Daniel. Jonas survives but is badly injured, Daniel meanwhile runs and hides in his boat, where he falls asleep. When he wakes he finds himself in a dried up lake bed in Texas, where two men try to rob and kill him, only to be rescued by legendary cowboy Pecos Bill (Patrick Swayze). The two of them later meet up with famous lumberjack Paul Bunyan and ex-slave John Henry. The team gets into a tough battle with Stiles, whose greediness threatens the strength of the folk tales and the livelihood of the farmers.The acting by the Stahl, Swayze, and Glen was very impressive. They were able to capture the feel of the early Midwest and made the audience feel as if they were part of the story. The compelling acting brought out the excitement of the folk lures that every child reads when growing up. Gender clearly played a large part in casting actors for the film because men play all of the dominant roles. This can be attributed to the fact that women didn't have a large role outside of the home during this time period and unfortunately there are not many women folk heroes.The costume design and set design also played large roles in creating a convincing story. The costumes were dead on for what viewers would imagine Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan, and John Henry to look and dress like. The costumes really brought out the feeling that this film was based in the early Midwest and the set was designed perfectly to give the feeling that the audience is involved in a folk story. For example Paul Bunyan's log home was exactly what you would imagine it to be, along with his blue ox, Babe.I would highly recommend this film, as I have loved it since I was a child. It is a great movie for children and for families, and should be watched by anyone who enjoys adventure films.

i've always felt this movie was far better than it's critical and overall reputation. even the Disney studio and Disney fans seem to neglect and ignore it. too bad because it's so well made and intelligent that it should be appreciated more than it is.a almost virtually unrecognizable Patrick Swayze gives a powerful and memorable performance that i think is one of the best of his career and one of the best Pecos Bill interpretations. all the performances here are well done, but it is Swayze's "Pecos" that stands out.director Jeremiah Chechik gives the film a elegant look that is unusually refined for family films of this kind. not to mention a effective sense of history. the photography and set design are imaginative and stylized and convey American wild west history with good authenticity. especially notable is the design of Scott Glen's villain's ominous looking train.the film also amusingly and accurately, conveys these early American legend stories fear of progress and the machine/industrial age, that was such a common theme with stories like 'Paul Bunyan' and 'John Henry'.so much of this is so well done that you almost hate to quibble about it but i feel it does have a basic flaw. i think the film is probably too refined and intelligent. because of that, somehow they forgot to breathe a little more life into the whole thing. the film feels a bit more cold and detached than a wild western adventure really should. i can't believe i'm saying this, but the film should have been a little more "dumbed down". it could use a little more silliness to it because of it's fanciful subject matter. Walt Disney himself wasn't always worried about seeming anti-intellectual or using common slap stick which is evident from the approach often given earlier Disney live action films.but i am glad for the intelligent approach here and the film definitely captures the spirit and essence of American frontier legends.

Just saw this with my daughter on cable. I'd never heard of it until now, but it is an interesting parable.I'm surprised nobody has mentioned it.It's about as subtle sometimes as an anvil on the head sometimes (Paradise Valley, the train from a Harper's Weekly nightmare), but it is an interesting take on the co-opting of traditions and symbols, the taming of the American West and the loss of the traditional, independent, potentially dangerous but exciting traditional American lifestyle in order to provide a predictable, comfortable, boring existence serving the greed of a rising industrial system. It is pretty ironic that it comes from Disney.

I am only commenting on this "movie" because of previous criticisms listed above. This "film" was never in cinema houses because it was produced as a children's special for HBO. It's really too bad that others can't manage to see it through the eyes of its intended audience: a seven-year-old who is enthralled by the likes of Patrick Swayze, Oliver Platt, Scott Glenn, Catherine O'Hara, Roger Aaron Brown, Scott Wilson, William H. Macy and Burgess Meredith acting out his/her favorite childhood stories. Come on! Who WOULDN'T have fun watching this cast? I, for one, am glad that there is still mindless, FUN entertainment for children to watch in between the movies we adults view that are full of explosions, blood, gore and full frontal nudity. I'm certainly no prude, and I don't even HAVE children -- I just remember fully what it was like to be a child!