The Hired Hand (1971)

Peter Fonda stars in and directs "The Hired Hand", acting with his frequent co-star and real- life good friend Warren Oates. Peter plays Harry Collings, a cowboy who abandoned his wife Hannah (Verna Bloom) and daughter (Megan Denver) years ago. For a long time he's been roaming the West with Arch (Oates) and Dan Griffen (Robert Pratt). But now he gets it into his head to return to the family homestead and work at mending his relationship. This he wants to do by doing odd jobs around the farm.Alan Sharp, who also wrote "Night Moves", one of the great gems of the 1970s, concocted this narrative. As directed by Peter Fonda, it's done in a lyrical, beautiful way, but some viewers can just see certain things as pure self-indulgence on Fondas' part. However, there's no denying that this Western drama / character study, in its best moments, is a gentle, sensitive film. Granted, there is some ugliness and violence in the first act that will be paid off with a melodramatic finish to the third act. But it's so lovingly shot (by cinematography legend Vilmos Zsigmond) and wonderfully acted (especially by Bloom), that viewers can fall under its spell. There's an effectively odious supporting performance by folksy character actor Severn Darden as a dubious lawman named McVey.At its core, it's a sober, thoughtful look at a man who must make a tough decision regarding loyalty.Seven out of 10.

The Plot:Harry Collings returns home to his farm after drifting with his friend, Arch. His wife, who had given up on him, reluctantly allows him to stay, and soon believes that all will be well again. But then Harry has to make a difficult decision regarding his loyalties and priorities.OO, so this is a VERY 60s/70s movie. It was billed as a hippie western before it was re-discovered. The version I saw was Fonda's version which is about a half hour shorter than the TV version. Interestingly, for some reason Fonda cut this film twice. First time i know of where the director wanted his movie shorter than the Man did!It's probably a good thing too because it's a very slow plodding atmospheric film that would likely be very boring with a 2 hour running time!It's a very slow movie and it doesn't really built. Further, lot's of it contains some scene that are rather laughable.I just don't think this is a classic western. It's more of a curio piece for the late 60s/early 70s. I was rather bored watching it.

The early 1970s certainly were a time when Hollywood took some big chances, and "The Hired Hand" is one example of this. While westerns before it had been fast-paced and action-packed, that is not the case with this movie. It is quite slow at times; for example, it takes more than a third of the movie before Fonda's character first arrives at his wife and daughter's home. But while the movie is slow, it is very captivating all the same. The cinematography is beautiful; shot after shot looks gorgeous. And you can feel the run- down and primitive environment these characters are living in. There is also some good acting, primarily Oates and Bloom. Fonda is only adequate, though that may be that being also in the director's chair, he had to concentrate more on that instead of his performance. Another flaw is that I don't think there are enough scenes between Fonda and Bloom to explain how their relationship is rekindled after so many years of being apart. But the good stuff manages to outweigh the flaws, in my opinion. As for you, dear reader, I don't know for sure what you would think of the movie. If you like westerns and are in a patient mood, the odds are better that you'll like this sleeper of a movie.

A visually splendid western by Peter Fonda who uses the marvelous landscapes with great skills ;his characters move in a very precise space and the fade in fade outs are worthy of George Stevens ;the three leads (the director ,Warren Oates and Verna Bloom),sparing of gestures and words ,give impressive restrained performances ;except for the "prologue" and the "epilogue" ,violence is almost absent -Peckinpah's fans should move on- and you could almost call "the hired hand" (a very adequate title)a pastoral western ,where nature itself becomes a true character (it predates " Jeremiah Johnson" ).Verna Bloom is a very modern woman in the macho world of western (compare her to the girl who gives water to the prisoner);she acts like a man ,without overlooking her daughter's education .She is much older than her husband ,which is almost incredible in a western.And for once the gossips in town are accurate .Peter Fonda would like to settle down and live a peaceful life between his wife and his daughter,not just be a "hired hand" .But the hand on fate is on him again;it's a character who reacts to events but is not able to initiate them.In a way ,he is still a teenager who needs to be part of a pack. Restored in 2001,the pictures are a feast for the eye.