User reviews

I saw it when it first came out in the 1970's and thought it deserved more praise than it got. It is mostly an entertainment comedy with such lines as "You weren't that hard to find. You were standing in the middle of town with a rope around your neck." I read someplace where Mary Steenburgen had been working as a waitress in an Arizona dinner and Nicholson stopped in and thought she would be perfect for the part. I think there is some very touching scenes between Nicholson and Steenburgen that are well written and acted. Except for Christopher Lloyd the rest of the cast is wasted. I think the only reason John Belushi is in the movie is because Nicholson wanted to meet him. At that time Saturday Night Live was considered radical chic.

Released in 1978 and directed by Jack Nicholson, "Goin' South" is a Western comedy/romance starring Nicholson as a two-bit outlaw saved from hanging to marry a prim virgin (Mary Steenburgen) who uses him to (try to) strike gold on the mine located on her remote ranch, inherited from her dad. But the ex-outlaw's former gang might not let him strike it rich, whether with gold or love. The wannabe outlaws are played by Veronica Cartwright, Tracey Walter, Danny DeVito and Jeff Morris.

The tone is akin to 1976's "The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox," but the movie's not as good. It's generally amusing, but sometimes a little boring; the script needed more work to further draw out its potential. Yet it's still worth catching if you like the cast. There are some chuckles. The best parts are the sequences in the town involving two deputies (Christopher Lloyd & John Belushi), the sheriff (Richard Bradford) and others.

This was one of only three films directed by Jack (if you don't count "The Terror," where he got his initial experience). It also marked the film debut of Steenburgen and was one of Belushi's first theatrical films (he did this and "Animal House" around the same time).

The film runs 108 minutes and was shot in Durango, Mexico.

GRADE: Borderline B-/C+

My late father and I always referred to this as the movie we "accidentally" watched on HBO late one night. We were hooked when the posse rode right across the Rio Grande into Mexico and "Ol' Speed" fainted! For the rest of his life he always greeted me in the morning with "Good mornin' Spot!" In much the same vein as another of his favorites (Evil Roy Slade), it is difficult to find two lines together from this movie that can be taken seriously ("Please wipe your feet." . . "I always do!")("I'll be outside running a reference test." . . "Why don't you run one on your skull while you're at it?"). I have watched my home-recorded VHS upwards of 25-30 times and now that the DVD has been released, I look forward to adding it to my collection once again because . . . . "I can do this all day long! I'm talking about . . All Day Long!" Give it a spin and give it a chance.

This movie is one of my all time favorites. I saw it when it first came out in the 1970's and thought it deserved more praise than it got. It is mostly an entertainment comedy with such lines as "You weren't that hard to find. You were standing in the middle of town with a rope around your neck." I read someplace where Mary Steenburgen had been working as a waitress in an Arizona dinner and Nicholson stopped in and thought she would be perfect for the part. I think there is some very touching scenes between Nicholson and Steenburgen that are well written and acted. Except for Christopher Lloyd the rest of the cast is wasted. I think the only reason John Belushi is in the movie is because Nicholson wanted to meet him. At that time Saturday Night Live was considered radical chic.

Henry Moon (Jack Nicholson) is captured for a capital offense by a posse when his horse quits while trying to escape to Mexico . Henry saving himself from lynching by marrying a spinster (Mary Steenburgen , though Meryl Streep and Jessica Lange considered the role) . Moon/Nicholson saved from the hangman , for a fate worse than death . There , then appears his refreshingly offbeat Old Gang (Veronica Cartwright , Tracey Walter , Jeff Morris and Danny DeVito)

This Western comedy contains laughters , action , shootouts , brawls and amusement . Lots of attempts at comedy but it falls flat . Entertaining and funny Western , not for all tastes , with touches of humor here and there . Overacting by Jack Nicholson at an outlandish character attempting to like , including jokes and silly laughs , but only a few work . Feature film debut for Mary Steenburgen , whose role Jane Fonda and Anne Bancroft turned down ; furthermore , a small role for John Belushi as a gunfighter Deputy . Very good support cast such as Christopher Lloyd as Deputy Towfield , Veronica Cartwright as Hermine , Richard Bradford as Sheriff Andrew , Jeff Morris as Abe, Moon's Old Gang , Danny DeVito as Hog , Ed Begley Jr as Haber , Anne Ramsey as Spinster , Tracey Walter as Coogan and Luana Anders as Lorette Anderson. Colorful as well as evocative cinematography by the great Spanish cameraman Nestor Almendros .

The motion picture was middlingly directed by Jack Nicholson , though the studio originally intended for Elliott Gould and Candice Bergen to star in the film, with Mike Nichols directing . However , Nicholson didn't want to star in the film , he insisted the movie was logistically too ambitious for him to divide his attention between acting and directing . Nicholson had previously directed his first film in 1971 titled ¨Drive he said¨ played by his friends Bruce Dern and Karen Black ; he subsequently co-produced and semi-directed with Monte Hellman two strange Westerns titled ¨The shooting ¨and ¨Ride in the whirlwind¨ ; after that , he played ¨Missouri¨ another Western directed by Arthur Penn with Marlon Brando . Nicholson's final filmmaking was ¨The two Jakes¨ .¨Goin' South" rating : Mediocre but entertaining . The picture will appeal to Jack Nicholson hardcore fans .

Going' South is directed by Jack Nicholson who also stars. It's co- written by John Herman Schneider, Al Ramrus, Charles Shyer and Alan Mandel. Co-starring with Nicholson is Mary Steenburgen and Christopher Lloyd. Music is by Perry Botkin Junior and cinematography by Nestor Almendros.

1866, Longhorn, Texas and plot finds Nicholson as Henry Lloyd Moon, a small time outlaw who is captured and sentenced to hang. But a strange ordinance from Civil War days allows a condemned man to escape the gallows if an unmarried lady of the town is prepared to take him as a husband. Enter Julie Tate (Steenburgen), a virginal lady who is poles apart from the crude and scruffy Moon, who takes him in purely to help her work in the mine on her land that she insists contains gold. Could these two opposites actually develop a relationship? Can there be trust there? Will Moon survive the wrath of vengeful deputy Towfield (Lloyd) who believes Moon stole his gal?

Barely noticed upon release, where few critics of the day were prepared to give it some credit, Jack Nicholson's second film as a director found a firm fan base down in the cult basement. The advent of DVD has seen it get more exposure to film fans and critics and its stock has risen. Yes! It's still a bit too off-beat for some, the quirky comedy Western has always struggled to get mainstream praise anyway, but viewing these days it plays out as enjoyable fare whilst simultaneously giving us early glimpses of future stars of film.

In truth the film's comedic high points come in the first quarter and Nicholson strains to reach those heights again. Once the odd couple retreat to the genteel out of the way matrimonial home, the simple premise takes over and the couple engage in a battle of wills between horny beast and angelic being. On the edges of the frame popping in to view from time to time are hostile railroad officials putting the squeeze on Julia as they want her land, deputy Towfield and his cronies and Moon's old gang, the latter of which provides the catalyst for chaos. Sometimes crude, sometimes silly, the film does retain amusing worth throughout, with some zippy lines that remain quotable. Nicholson and Steenburgen are perfect foil for each other, so it's well performed and it also looks nice thanks to Almendros' photography.

The likes of John Belushi, Danny DeVito, Veronica Cartwright and Tracey Walter are in the support slots, none of whom get time enough to really impact upon the proceedings as their fans would like. It's interesting to see Lloyd and Steenburgen working together in the genre this early, because they would reteam in the Western themed third part of the Back to the Future trilogy 12 years later. While further continuation novelty sees Lloyd, DeVito and Nicholson back together after working on One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in 75. DeVito would swap chairs with Nicholson and direct the star in Hoffa in 1992.

More a amiable smile inducer than a side splitter, Going' South is worth seeking out if you have a kink for off-beat Oaters. 7/10

This is typical Jack Nicholson of the 1970s, which means good news and bad news, at least for me. I usually find the characters he plays interesting and with a decided edge, but along with that comes a profane mouth with a penchant for using the Lord's name in vain. Here, he blasphemes three times in the first five minutes. (Where is nurse Rathet when you need her?)

That's the case here, too, in this offbeat western in which co-stars with the pretty and soft- spoken Mary Steenburgen. Nicholson also directed this film.

The movie is more interesting that the description of it. If language, as mentioned above, doesn't bother you then I would recommend this as a "sleeper" film, one that isn't well- known but will surprise you with the entertainment. It has a deep cast, too, of veteran actors and newcomers who became well-known.

I knew that going in and watching "Goin' South" that it wouldn't be anything great or special and it certainly is not one of Nicholson's better works even though he directed. Clearly the western genre is not Jack's trademark type of film and his character is out of place at least appearance wise. It just looked so uncommon seeing Nicholson looking rugged with a hairy beard and listening to him talk in a slang country western drawl sounded so out of place. Anyway this little western try which was directed by Nicholson himself has himself as outlaw Henry Moon set in the 1860's. Moon is about to be hanged only to be saved by a lovely young gal who promises to marry him and take charge. Her name is Julia Tate(Mary Steenburgen)who's headstrong and smart yet her character is very sheltered and plain as a Southern virgin. Yet Julia's smart plan is to make Moon work the apparent gold mine that supposedly exist on her property. Really this film is nothing great, it's just so out of place for a genre of Jack's and the film is paced as a slapstick style comedy making it a very amusing western with no drama found that's so common in western films. Still it has it's good points to watch mainly the growing and transformation of the Steenburgen character into a molding lady of experience and her screen chemistry with Jack was good. Also appearances from John Belushi, Ed Begley Jr., and Christopher Lyold are worth mention, and any film with Jack in it especially if your a fan is worth a watch at least once.

It's post-war Texas. Petty criminal Henry Lloyd Moon (Jack Nicholson) is set to hang. Due to the lack of men, there is a local law allowing a woman to marry and take responsibility for such a criminal. Julia Tate (Mary Steenburgen) volunteers to marry him. She needs help to work on a secret gold mine and plans to move away to Philadelphia before being evicted by the approaching railroad.

This law seems problematic. There are unexplored unintended consequences. Nicholson has such a prankster personality that he doesn't accentuates his criminal's threatening personality. Steenburgen doesn't help to heighten the romance. That is this movie's major issue. At no point do I buy this couple loving or even liking each other. Jack Nicholson is trying his hand in directing and he doesn't show much great skills. It's not visually arresting and he seems to just let the actors go. The movie never convinces me of the couple's love and I could never buy any cooperation in the gold. It's almost a relief that he takes a turn but I never believed it. This movie has some central flaws and can't work its way out of them.

This movie has a great cast, many of whom are inter-related in various ways. First, there is Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito and Christopher Lloyd, all of whom were in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest together three years earlier in 1975. Needless to say, Nicholson must have had some influence in casting DeVito and Lloyd, as he directed this picture. DeVito and Lloyd were still relatively unknown until they were cast the following year in TAXI. Next, we have Veronica Cartwright, who would be cast in ALIEN the very next year in 1979. Then we have the lovely Luana Anders, who looked just as fabulous as she did 17 years earlier in her signature role as Don'a Medina in The Pit and the Pendulum, in 1961. There is John Belushi in his first film role, which ironically was in the same year that he would appear in Animal House. Finally, Mary Steenburgen appears here in her first film, as well. She would later go on to make some fabulously successful appearances in films like Parenthood and Back to the Future Part 3. As for the movie, it was an under-rated and relatively unknown independent film made by Nicholson on a lark. It's one of those magnificent sleepers that was just great fun to watch - it's a happy movie with lots of laughs and lessons in loyalty and kindness. It remains one of my favorite comedies, westerns, and casts nearly 40 years later.

Texas, shortly after the Civil War. Henry Moon is an outlaw, on the run from the law. He is captured trying to escape to Mexico and taken back to town to be hanged. The town has a special law that a condemned man can walk free if one of the single women of the town offer to marry him. Henry is in luck - at the last moment Julia Tate offers to marry him, and pretty soon they are married. However, Henry soon discovers that Julia's motives are purely business-orientated - she needs someone to work the mine on her property. This makes for a very cold marriage...

Ostensibly a comedy-western, but not overly funny. Has its moments, but many of the attempts at humour are of a slapstick nature and end up rather silly. Had some potential as a drama, exploring and developing the relationship between Henry and Julia, but this is pretty basic and predictable.

Some pretty big names in the cast: Jack Nicholson, Mary Steenburgen (in her first movie), John Belushi, Christopher Lloyd, Ed Begley Jr and Danny DeVito (in a minor role). Unfortunately the movie does not come close to making full use of their talents. Even Nicholson seems unconvincing, even hammy at times.

Why John Belushi was even in the movie was beyond me - he doesn't have much screen time and his performance mostly consists of insane laughter and ramblings. Considering how he tended to find inspiration, I reckon that, during the filming of the movie, he did more lines off-screen than had lines on-screen...

Belushi's presence might also explain Nicholson's persistent nasally way of talking in the movie...

The critics slammed this movie when it came out, as I recall. Exceedingly lofty expectations for Jack the director or something, I don't know. I just know that 25 years has made this movie better. I liked it from the start, and it seems that the rest of the world is coming around.

There are slow sections of this film, to be sure. But the great lines! "I wouldn't take you to a dog fight if you was the defendin' champion!" "We were just sayin' how much we needed a figurine." "Good mornin', ladies! I SHORE ENJOYED them CANNED APRICOTS LAST NIGHT!!!"

It bears up well to repeated watchings. What higher rating can a movie have?

Going' South is probably most famous as being a film directed by Jack Nicholson. It's a western about an outlaw called Henry Moon who is saved from execution by a sexually repressed woman who owns a gold mine. To his chagrin she immediately sets him to work there, needless to say they don't get along at first but then they do later on.

This is essentially an odd couple film. It plays things consistently for laughs but like the majority of comedy westerns it really isn't too funny. Nicholson may be a great actor but he isn't a very good director. The pacing lags badly in the second half but the story isn't terribly engaging overall. It also stars a host of actors who would go on to become stars in the 80's such as Danny Devito, John Belushi and Christopher Lloyd. But despite the potential that this cast suggests, most have very under-developed roles and it feels suspiciously like Nicholson invited them along just so that he could have a laugh on set. The western itself was in decline by the late 70's in any case and Going' South didn't bring anything new to the table to help change that. It's a film that seems to have a minor cult reputation but I didn't think it was too good and it's certainly one of Nicholson's lesser film outings.

"Goin' South" is a watchable comedy directed by and starring Jack Nicholson. Filmed cheaply with a local crew down in Mexico, the film wasn't received well upon release. "Star Wars" had rendered westerns obsolete and screwball comedies were long out of date.

Still, "Goin' South" holds up pretty well. Nichsolson's performance is amazing and cinematographer Néstor Almendros equals his work on Terrence Malick's "Days of Heaven".

The film works more as a bizarre insight into Jack Nicholson, than a comedy. He turns what should be light slapstick, into a pretty nasty and mean spirited R rated comedy-drama. Watching his filmography from end to end, I'm surprised how consistently wicked and misogynistic his characters are. Here he players an outlaw who's hired by a sexually repressed woman to work in her gold mines. After tying her to a bed and giving her the hump of her life, she renounces her repressed ways and gradually begins to appreciate his animalistic masculinity.

The Jack Nicholson persona seems to constantly be seeking to dominate women. If he can't have his way, he breaks down. "Goin South" is like a happy version of his "Carnal Knowledge", only here he finally gets a girl who submits to his primal charm.

In terms of comedy, the film is similar in tone to the Coen Brothers' "O Brother Where Art Thou?" It's not as visually stylish, but the emphasis on wacky accents is the same. The cast includes Danny Devito, John Belushi and Christopher Lloyd, and many other comic faces pop up.

But it's Jack Nicholson's face that keeps us watching. He's manic, cartoonish, sadistic and riveting. Take a look at the IMDb photo of this film (the DVD cover). The guy looks like a bearded Saddam Hussein, laughing at his hang man's noose like a psychopath. Nicholson's face is a work of art. His eyebrows are constantly twitching, his eyes constantly mischievous, his teeth lighting up his face. Whether you enjoy the film will depend on whether you love his scenery chewing. He puts so much energy and skill into his performance here that he transcends everything else about this film.

6/10- Worth one viewing. I recommend fast forwarding all the exposition and simply watching Jack act. The guy's a pleasure to watch.

Great directing by Jack Nicholson himself. And his role as a crazed cowboy, who "falls in love" with Mary Steenburgen, is fun and energetic.

The story: Jack Nicholson is about to be hanged as a thief, but Mary Steenburgen saves him from the gallows and they become husband and wife. But not out of love, but out of necessity, because Mary needs a husband for hard labour to dig for gold in her mine. Will love blossom anyway?

Seen many seventies movies with Jack Nicholson and this is one of the most charming, funniest and energetic. It aint a western classic, but it is undeniably a charming western comedy story to watch, with good acting and funny plot turns. Suited for young and old.

The best thing about Going' South is the fact that Jack Nicholson gives us the force of his full blown personality in the lead role. And it's completely in character with the role he's enacting. Which is natural enough since the project was created for Jack Nicholson and directed by Jack Nicholson.

He's a rogue of an outlaw and sad to say that he gets caught when he least expects by a posse in hot pursuit to Mexico. They've got Jack for horse stealing and back in those days that was a capital crime in the old west.

Sheriff Richard Bradford and Deputy Christopher Lloyd, the latter who has a special grudge against Jack are ready to hang him legal and proper when a special law is invoked. It seems as though the aftermath of the Civil War left a shortage of men. So unless you've committed murder, if any widow wants to claim you for whatever reason, you can be married.

He's in luck when young Mary Steenburgen claims him, but she's far more interested in getting him to work a gold mine on her property. But she's a widow with other needs and even Jack the rogue has a charming way about him, if a direct one at times.

Going' South was Mary Steenburgen's first feature film and she matches Nicholson in her own way guile for guile. The Civil War left her a bride nearly intact shall we say, but she does accomplish her objectives with Jack.

Two really great gags that I liked was the posse's flagrant disregard for international law to bring Jack in. Second was an unfortunate encounter Christopher Lloyd had at an outhouse with some equine waste product, courtesy of Nicholson.

Going' South is a nice rollicking comedy where Jack Nicholson goes full blast with his quirky personality. For some reason it didn't catch on, but I think Nicholson fans and others will really like it.

"Goin' South" is an unusual picture, as it's a comedy western. Now such a film isn't unheard of...with prior films like "Cat Balou", "Blazing Saddles" and "Dirty Dingus Magee"...but it is a genre in which there just aren't that many movies. Plus, "Goin' South" is a comedy but compared to these others, it's a heck of a lot more normal! It's unusual for a few other reasons...it stars AND is directed by Jack Nicholson, many of the co-stars are late 70s TV comedy actors (with Danny DeVito, Christopher Lloyd and John Belushi) and it's the screen debut for Mary Steenburgen. It's also unusual for a Niicholson because it was a box office failure.

The film begins in 1866 with Henry Moon (Nicholson) riding like mad towards the Mexican border. He's a horse thief and a posse is chasing him. Unfortunately for Moon, they catch him and soon he's sentenced to hang. But just before he is to die, he gets a reprieve. Apparently this town has a strange law...that if a woman wants to, she can marry any man sentenced to hang provided he's not a murderer. And, at the very last moment, Julia (Steenburgen) volunteers to marry him. But it's certainly NOT done for romantic reasons...she just needs a hand to help her with her mine. What's next? See the film.

Nicholson and Steenburgen are quite good in this movie. As for the comic relief, although John Belushi is in the film, he doesn't say or do much. According to IMDB, this could be because he and Nicholson did NOT get along at all...and so much of Belushi's part was removed. Christopher Lloyd makes a lot of goofy faces...and is more prominent in the movie and Danny Devito is there...but says and does very little.

So is it worth seeing? Yes. While it's not a rollicking comedy, it is cute and clever and plot-driven...and also features a bit of romance, albeit rather odd romance! However, be forewarned...the consummation of this marriage is a bit problematic when seen today, as it would probably be seen as a bit 'rapey'.

First half of the movie was really funny, enjoyable and fast but only negative thing about the movie is second half was some slow. It is easy to predict the end of the movie maybe this one also makes you get bored before the movie's end is coming.

Most of the movie watchers accept that Jack Nickholson's acting is great but especially I surprised in this movie that he is also very good at comedy acting. He acted in some dark and not funny characters at the past but he could choose comedy acting more. Other actors were also very good in the movie.

Finally this movie is worth watching, enjoyable but also predictable. This is a western comedy but it includes also lots of romance. If you like to watch romantic-comedies, give this movie a try.

If you realize that a movie critique represents an INDIVIDUAL'S opinion which may be very different from your own, you probably also don't take these comments too seriously. But - for what it's worth - here's mine re: Goin' South: I found it very entertaining (and I'm probably fussier than most when it comes to movies). That's what I value most in a film: entertainment. Any negative comments about this flick come from the more erudite crowd which knows or looks deeper for such things. I was even able to get past Nicholson's character's need for a good nose-blowin', which usually really bothers me, but, in this case, I found it utterly hilarious. We're gonna leave out recapping the plot - THAT'S pretty well taken care of not too far from here. But I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to write something good about this picture because I think that it richly deserves it.

You can see it in his eyes. When Jack Nicholson signed up to direct this movie, you can tell that he had his ideas set on who he wanted where, in casting and in the film. The movie's setting is a man who's captured for a capital offence, and just before being hanged, a woman offers her hand in marriage to save him from death. This is the story of the two of them, striking gold, and relationships. And though it seemed very long in some parts (especially the scenes with Nicholson/Steenburgen), the basis of the story and how it worked was decent, especially on some of the camera-work (cinematography). It was the kind of movie, I felt, that you'd see in the afternoon on A&E and get enthralled by it for the time being, but you'd otherwise not go out to rent it if you knew any better, kind of like watching Columbo when you start in the middle of the episode. Fun, but not too hard on the brain kind of thing.

I never thought a movie could make me regret the fact that I subscribe to the HBO service. Now I know better! Jack is usually one of my favorite actors but not even he could rescue this part. Not that he tried. Jack plays his usual Wiitches of Eastwick type character. Unfortunately it doesn't transfer over to the American southwest. He is about as believable a cowboy desperado as Pee Wee Herman. There is no edge to the performance and for that reason the comedy fails. He is almost to goofy. The remainder of the cast was worse. Timing in delivering lines is apparently something that the leading lady had not perfected as of 1978 and the others appeared to be just happy to be there. My recommendation to those of you interested in seeing this movie is that you save your valuable time for something like watching paint dry.