The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky

I liked this movie very much it is a must watch if you like westerns. No corners cut while making the film and is just a great product. The scenery is also amazing!

This film realistically captures the mood and tempo of the time in the Idaho-Montana forest wilderness. The emphasis on social relationships and hard work in remote settings is amazingly accurate. I was surprised how close the film story-line replicates the true story of my grandfather as Selway NF Ranger from 1927-1942 and that of my father growing up in the Selway forest at that time, including his assignment to run a telegraph line solo on horseback along the Lolo Trail to Missoula, MT. In 1930 my grandfather, also a WWI Army Chaplain, married my parents at Lowell, ID. In 1933 the Selway forest was burned out and my grandfather reassigned to the Forest Supervisor's office in Grangeville, ID. Notes from his diary reflect the scenes of the movie.

This is a family movie, but not trite. The story, and especially the details, ring true, about Norman Maclean's young life in Montana in the early 20th C. There is a bit of scenery (actually British Columbia), all beautiful, and a story about a 17-year old who is full of himself, and who doesn't like the Forest Ranger's cook. We find out about the cook, and about the boy, and a lot about being a forest ranger in the Montana/Idaho wilderness of 1919. Not to be missed by anyone who loves the western mountains, and who was full of himself as a boy.

For a TV movie from the 90's, this one isn't too bad. You can tell as you watch it that the cast and crew were professionals. The cinematography really impressed me, and the acting was just superb. The other reviewers here seem to find Sam Elliott to be their favorite actor in this movie, and I understand that perfectly. However, I personally think Jerry O'Connell's performance was the best thing in the film. If you're looking for an entertaining family Western, this is a good option.

However, the film lacks on one major thing: the plot. Its first act is very good at drawing you into the characters and situations. Nonetheless, the movie seems to lose speed halfway through, changing from a film about respect and adolescence to a film about...uh...young love and gambling. If you don't know much about playing poker, there are about ten minutes of the film you probably won't get at all. The film returns to its first theme near the end, but you still might get the impression that the filmmakers just wanted their movie to be more than 90 minutes long. Also, don't let the "Hole in the Sky" within the title excite you much; it's just some gambling term.

In conclusion, "The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky" is a professional TV movie that will entertain its viewers at least most of the time. Whether you're a Sam Elliott fan, a Western fan, or just a parent who wants a clean film for their kids to watch, this movie is for you!

In the summer of 1919 young Mac joins the Forest Rangers. The summer that follows teaches him to be a man as he learns the meaning of hard work on the trail. He also clashes with the cook who turns out to have a secret talent beyond cooking and bonds with Ranger Bill Bell. During the summer he falls in love, experiences all types of weather and gets involved in a high stakes game of poker.

This is a very slow coming-of-age tale. Mac joins the Rangers and gets into several situations that help him grow up. Some of them are dull and meaningless, such as some of the walking scenes and the love interest, however some are very well done such as the relationships developing between the lead actors and the final poker game. The lessons he learns are not forced or overstated and there is something quite nice about a film with recognisable faces that is gentle with no violence, swearing or sex in it.

The main performances are good. Sam Elliot is good in his usual "weary" role, Jerry O'Connell is also good, he hasn't had much mainstream success yet but he can give good performances when necessary. The best performance (and best role) is by Ricky Jay. Always watchable in the surprising number of big films he's done, he not only gets to show off his card skills here but also his acting skills - he really is always interesting to watch and he's very good here. The worst performance is the off-screen narrator (an old Mac) who gives one of those traditional wise-old-American men things.

The film is very light on plot and it may be a bit boring for many. For me there were many bits that felt pointless. But overall it's an undemanding family film that has some good scenes, good performances, but you really wish that more actually happened during the film!