Lonely Are the Brave

"Lonely Are the Brave" is a western from 1962, an era when this genre was suffering changes. If you are to judge the movie from the plot outline you might consider it to be an old fashioned western, but this is not the case here. This aspect can be noticed from the beginning, when the character of Jack Burns (Kirk Douglas) is introduced. He is a lone cowboy, traveling across the land on his horse, caring little about tomorrow. He seems to be out of place in the modern world and this modern world is hostile to him and his old ways.

One of the strengths of the movie is that it has a well developed central character. Kirk Douglas manages to create a believable cowboy, one that is stuck in the past refusing to acknowledge that the world has changed and he needs to adapt. Jack Burns is indeed a lonely cowboy because his way of seeing things is not shared by the others. The film also has the advantage of having a good screenplay, written by Dalton Trumbo ("Spartacus", "Papillon"), one of the best screenwriters of his time.

This was Kirk Douglas' favorite movie of his own and you can surely tell that because he gives here one of his best performances. The acting is generally good, the roles of Walter Matthau and Gena Rowlands being worth mentioning. You can also check out George Kennedy in one of his early roles, as the brutish deputy Guttierez.

The movie may have its flaws, but it is definitely worth seeing by everyone. Due to its style and content the film also marks a transition from classical westerns to modern ones, so fans of the genre should not miss it.

My rating: 7,5/10

Kirk Douglas shines in what is apparently his favorite role. Kirk plays John W. "Jack" Burns, a VERY independent minded cowboy who hears that an old friend, Paul Bondi (Michael Kane), is in prison for his efforts to help illegal immigrants. Jack works, and he works hard, to get himself locked up in the same prison. There he appeals to Paul to make like the wind, bringing along some hacksaws to saw through the bars of their cell. But he breaks out alone, spurring the local authorities to pursue him using modern methods of communication, transportation, and surveillance.

Right away this fine film struck this viewer as a time honored tale of an old fashioned man out of step with the changing times. The first we see of Jack, he's reclining in the wilderness while jets pass by overhead. He knows that he's something of a dinosaur in this current setting. And since he's far from being a hardcore criminal, our hearts do go out to him. We root for him all the while to make it to freedom, even as he's saddled with a temperamental horse named Whisky.

Kirk has some mighty fine moments with both Kane, and Gena Rowlands, who plays Pauls' wife. He just pours out his heart to this people. In this viewers' humble opinion, Kirk never has been better. And he's very well supported by a rich gallery of actors: Walter Matthau as a lawman, Carroll O'Connor as a trucker, the great William Schallert as a comedy relief deputy (he may remind you of Harry Dean Stanton in "Alien", the way that he keeps saying "Right." to requests), George Kennedy as a brutish prison guard, and Karl Swenson as a "reverend" doing time. A young Bill Bixby has an uncredited bit as an airman in a helicopter. Matthau plays the type of pursuer in this type of tale who has sympathy for his quarry but who knows that he still has a job to do.

There's a wonderful score by Jerry Goldsmith (one of his earlier ones), and plenty of hair raising moments along the way, especially when Jack & Whisky are trying to make their way up the mountain.

Played with real humor and heart, this is a delightful yarn about a man whose well developed sense of loyalty is something to admire.

Eight out of 10.

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.

If You have NOT seen this CLASSIC... You MUST Move it to the TOP of Your MUST SEE LIST!

BUT.... FIRST... Let us FOCUS on the Title´s Content and Context:

"Some things never change...and some things remain the same!" A college Philosophy professor of mine had a penchant for utilizing this quote(?) at, seemingly, the most inappropriate of times!

After watching Lonely Are the Brave, his words re-surfaced and, perhaps, I finally got it! How this early sixties masterpiece has flown under my radar, and just about everyone else's, for over half a century, I'll never know!

From the very opening scene, "Lonely" has a unique way of punctuating every detail, each occurrence, that was really too avant garde for 1962. The opening minutes are probably the most surprising of any "Western" I have ever seen, serving both to highlight the condition of dead-man-walking cultural anachronism of its protagonist and as a foreshadowing of events.

In the "Making of Lonely" special features 19 minute short,(Please, don't miss it!) both Kirk Douglas(Jack Burns) and son, Michael, agree that "LONELY" constitutes both Kirk's favorite film and characterization. And it REALLY shows!

It's hard to fathom why he was denied even the recognition of a nomination.... The film revolves around Jack's quest to save his best friend from serving a 2 year prison sentence for, of all things: smuggling, aiding and abetting "Wetbacks"! (Some things never change!..) But who is going to save Jack from himself?

Jack's horse, "Whiskey" co-stars. No flippancy, whatsoever, there, just simple fact! Gena Rolands (Decades younger here than in "Notebook") does a superb job in a supporting role as best friend's wife/suppressed love interest.

Most of the rest of the cast shines, especially a relatively young and unknown Walter Matthau as the very intense, but low key Sherriff. The B+W photography and editing are both artistic and extremely well-crafted. This film holds up, as few others, to the test of time. In fact, it is perhaps more relevant today than it was in 1962! And what a subtle, but resoundingly powerful message it delivers. 10**********

ENJOY! / DISFRUTELA!

Any Comments, Questions or Observations...In ENGLISH...o en ESPAÑOL... are most Welcome!

I pity those who cannot, even in a small way, identify with Douglas' character, Jack Burns in this ageless work of art. This is a self described 'lonely man,' of no use to his true love( who has married his old friend) because he cannot share his life with anyone. He acknowledges that he is of no use to anyone. Rather he is a constant threat to whatever social order he encounters. The one time he makes a commitment, to his horse no less, he loses his edge. And probably his freedom. What a wonderful movie this is.It steeps itself in the fading of the West. While much of it is seemingly allegorical, there is also a truthfulness, and a tenderness in Burns search for escape over the mountains. Someone else has commented on the similarities between Burns and Bogart's rendition of Roy Earle in HIGH SIERRA. Surely any thoughtful movie goer has experienced that rush to the mountains, that sense that time has passed you by and you are not of this place.