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Top 100 films
seventh film
City Slickers (1991, Ron Underwood)
Thoughts: Here’s a comedy that I’ve loved from the age of 10, and I probably have watched it close to 50 times or more through my life. It’s probably right behind The Empire Strikes Back as the movie I’ve had the most viewings of. It’s not remembered among the great films, and it might not even be as funny as mid-top tier Woody Allen or Albert Brooks movie, but that’s OK. The writing team of Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel (Parenthood, Night Shift) script some great dialogue and update two of my other favorite films, Red River and The Cowboys. When on a cattle drive what else is there to do, but talk, and this movie has quite a bit of witty rapport between the characters. City Slickers is really my introduction to westerns, John Wayne, and other stuff I enjoy about movies. The movie isn’t really a western and even calling it a modern western might be a stretch.
I think with a lot of these buddy movies the casting has to be right. Here is it. The story is about three amigos from the Big Apple who are bored with their monotonous middle class lifestyles. They are all nearing 40 and stuck in a rut with jobs they don’t see much advancement in, and they need a life-affirming event to jump their engines. Where else to go but the West, to drive cattle, the place of their childhood icon cowboy heroes? As I said, the casting must be right and Billy Crystal plays ring leader to Bruno Kirby and Daniel Stern, and while Crystal is the only one of the three actors to enjoy a lot of mainstream success, they play off each other very well. Crystal is the cynical smartass negotiator, Kirby plays the man with something to prove – headstrong and eager, and Stern in his second greatest role (behind the “Wonder Years”) is the neurotic and depressed hen pecked husband.
I should also mention Jack Palance who won a supporting actor Oscar for the part of Curly. Curly is what makes the movie because he’s the perfect foil to the green, soft handed “city folk.” Without his character and authenticity, the movie may well be just above average. He bridges the gap between yesterday and the contemporary. Palance made his mark as the sinister Wilson in Shane and is no less stoic and towering as the mysterious badass in this movie. Some of the best scenes have the three New Yorkers share rumors about him, stories of men he may or may not have killed, and his shaving habbits. It’s a very good role and performance for the –at that time - 70 year old Palance and a beautiful sunset for his film career. In fact he went on to reprise the role in part with the sequel several years later. The sequel is not as original or singular, but it’s still humorous and enjoyable.
Well I’m going to wrap it up about this movie with just one last thought. Sometimes films have a way of being therapeutic, and City Slickers is that for me. No other film can put me in a good mood the way this one can. Watching it brings a smile to my face and is like a warm cat curling up next to me. Typically I don’t rate movies on sentimental or “feel good” value, but this one manages to transcend all of that, as I watch the bumbling characters on their journey from despair to happiness through the great American West on a cattle drive.
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Best scene: Easy for me. The moments when Crystal and Palance leave the other drivers and the herd to pick up some strays. During these tense moments the two actors shine their brightest in the film. Real tension is thick with Palance and Crystal’s characters having absolutely nothing in common or to talk about until Crystal finally man ups to the leathery old cowboy in a culminating camp fire scene among the best camp fire scenes and Palance breaks out into song.
seventh film
City Slickers (1991, Ron Underwood)
Thoughts: Here’s a comedy that I’ve loved from the age of 10, and I probably have watched it close to 50 times or more through my life. It’s probably right behind The Empire Strikes Back as the movie I’ve had the most viewings of. It’s not remembered among the great films, and it might not even be as funny as mid-top tier Woody Allen or Albert Brooks movie, but that’s OK. The writing team of Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel (Parenthood, Night Shift) script some great dialogue and update two of my other favorite films, Red River and The Cowboys. When on a cattle drive what else is there to do, but talk, and this movie has quite a bit of witty rapport between the characters. City Slickers is really my introduction to westerns, John Wayne, and other stuff I enjoy about movies. The movie isn’t really a western and even calling it a modern western might be a stretch.
I think with a lot of these buddy movies the casting has to be right. Here is it. The story is about three amigos from the Big Apple who are bored with their monotonous middle class lifestyles. They are all nearing 40 and stuck in a rut with jobs they don’t see much advancement in, and they need a life-affirming event to jump their engines. Where else to go but the West, to drive cattle, the place of their childhood icon cowboy heroes? As I said, the casting must be right and Billy Crystal plays ring leader to Bruno Kirby and Daniel Stern, and while Crystal is the only one of the three actors to enjoy a lot of mainstream success, they play off each other very well. Crystal is the cynical smartass negotiator, Kirby plays the man with something to prove – headstrong and eager, and Stern in his second greatest role (behind the “Wonder Years”) is the neurotic and depressed hen pecked husband.
I should also mention Jack Palance who won a supporting actor Oscar for the part of Curly. Curly is what makes the movie because he’s the perfect foil to the green, soft handed “city folk.” Without his character and authenticity, the movie may well be just above average. He bridges the gap between yesterday and the contemporary. Palance made his mark as the sinister Wilson in Shane and is no less stoic and towering as the mysterious badass in this movie. Some of the best scenes have the three New Yorkers share rumors about him, stories of men he may or may not have killed, and his shaving habbits. It’s a very good role and performance for the –at that time - 70 year old Palance and a beautiful sunset for his film career. In fact he went on to reprise the role in part with the sequel several years later. The sequel is not as original or singular, but it’s still humorous and enjoyable.
Well I’m going to wrap it up about this movie with just one last thought. Sometimes films have a way of being therapeutic, and City Slickers is that for me. No other film can put me in a good mood the way this one can. Watching it brings a smile to my face and is like a warm cat curling up next to me. Typically I don’t rate movies on sentimental or “feel good” value, but this one manages to transcend all of that, as I watch the bumbling characters on their journey from despair to happiness through the great American West on a cattle drive.
Best scene: Easy for me. The moments when Crystal and Palance leave the other drivers and the herd to pick up some strays. During these tense moments the two actors shine their brightest in the film. Real tension is thick with Palance and Crystal’s characters having absolutely nothing in common or to talk about until Crystal finally man ups to the leathery old cowboy in a culminating camp fire scene among the best camp fire scenes and Palance breaks out into song.