JOE KIDD

When you think of it, being a bounty hunter isn't such a strange profession. Just like other people in the ‘justice game’, the bounty hunter is there to keep the peace and maintain a level of order among the planes of the Wild West. Want to know more? Then please check out the following 88-minute film released in 1972. It was directed by John Sturges and stars Clint Eastwood, Robert Duvall, John Saxon, and Don Stroud.


Joe Kidd


THE STORY:
I am sorry to say that soiled prairie tracker, Joe Kidd (Clint Eastwood), is having a very bad day.

For a start, due to an act of insobriety, Joe has been sentenced to spend ten days in jail at a court of law. Next, whilst his sentence is being posed, Mexican revolutionary, Luis Chama (John Saxon) storms the courthouse, and demands penance for the mistreatment of his people. Plus, on top of that, this strained turn of events prompts Joe and Charma to get into a right kerfuffle - resulting in Joe to schlep back into jail - and Charma to ride off into the distance.

Oh! And if all that wasn't weird enough, weirder still, the very next day, Joe is contacted by wealthy landowner, Frank Harlan (Robert Duvall), to help him track down Charma, due to a bounty placed on his revolutionary head.

Still, do you think that Joe will accept this offer with open arms? As Frank did pay for him to get out of jail. No, not straight away, as Joe does not really want to get involved. However, later that same day, when Joe discovers that Charma has attacked his stable-hand, that's what prompts him to accept Frank's offer, and they ride off over the plains to ‘get their man’.

Although, you have to remember that tracking down Charma is by no means an easy feat. You see, for them to be able to accomplish this tactical task, they: (1) Shoot down a crowd of Charmas compatriots when they approach them on the planes. (2) Intimidate Charmas female companion, Helen, when they come across her domicile. And (3) Come unstuck when they finally track Charma down, only to find out that he is hiding somewhere within a mountainside that looms over a rustic region.

To rectify this situation, Frank and his men kidnap the residents of this region and then threaten Chama at a distance that if he does not come out into the open, they will systematically shoot everyone in the vicinity within a twenty-four-hour time span. Quietly, Joe isn’t too happy when he hears this declaration, and after a night's sleep, he instigates a plan that causes havoc amongst Frank and his men – before delving into the mountainside and suggesting to Chama another plan.

So what is this plan? And will it be able to provide a reasonable outcome for all involved? Hmm? Maybe – depending on your perspective, that is. As it is a long, drawn-out, and suspenseful plan, involving a lot of shooting – a lot of riding – but ultimately a lot of luck, CHOO-CHOO!

THE REVIEW:
First off, let me just say that 'Joe Kidd' was an Elmore Leonard novel that was adapted into filmic form - just like 'Jackie Brown', 'Get Shorty', and 'Out Of Sight'. So for this alone, you know what type of things to expect, right? A lot of voice-over narration – parallel plot points – and a twist at the end – correct? Nope. In addition to this, we have to factor in the director of this film, John Sturges, the man who brought us 'The Magnificent Seven', 'The Great Escape', and 'The Gunfight at the OK Coral'. Therefore, you should also get a lot of dramatic tension – a lot of pathos – and a lot of coy remarks too – correct? Nope again.

Oh! And let’s not forget about Clint Eastwood, as... err... I think that I have made my point by now – don’t you?

And please don’t say ‘nope’.

OK, I am sure that you can gather from what I have said so far that ‘Joe Kidd’ is a somewhat unpredictable movie. But is that a good thing or a bad thing? Hmm? Depends on what floats your boat, I suppose. Personally speaking, I'd say it was a ‘so-so’ film – Clint’s in it – and he does his best to make this film enjoyable. However, enjoyable is a relative term when it comes to this film.

On the whole, it's just a bit too simple in its approach, with all the actors – who are great by the way – restrained by the linear storyline and the rigid structure that this film brings along with it.

In many ways, it is a ‘paint it by numbers’ kind of a film, relayed as: (1) Set up the pretext – Clint and Saxon in the courthouse. (2) Set up the protagonist – Duval comes into town with his men, and gauges Clint as an ally. (3) Track down the protagonist – Clint and Co. ride along the Wild West. (4) Instigate the conclusion – kidnap a small village. And (5) Conclude – yawn, can I sleep now?

Now try to understand that I am a big Clint Eastwood fan, and I do like everything he does – even if he starred in a poxy soap commercial. It’s just that I found this movie to be a bit mannered in places, and contextually, it did not really float my boat.

To juxtapose this stance, there are several things about this film that I did like. Firstly, as I have said before, all the actors put on a great show as they splashed a bit of charm onto these proceedings. Secondly, it is a very pretty film, with some scenes picture perfect to put on anybody’s computer screen. Thirdly, there is a message in this film, one pertaining to land rights and the injustice of the few to the detriment of the many. And fourthly, Lalo Schifrin's musical score is very similar to his latter work on ‘Enter the Dragon’, which is a good thing in my book.

Overall, though, ‘Joe Kidd’ isn't a bad early seventies western, and it's well worth a watch if you like Clint Eastwood, Robert Duvall, John Saxon, or westerns in general.

So-so movie – needs a remake.

THE RATING: B-