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Streets of Laredo | Year: 1995 Directed: - Joseph Sargent Actors/Actresses: - James Garner - Sissy Spacek Very Good I own and have seen all the "Lonesome Dove" films at least three times. I have also given reviews on all except this one. I might as well give my opinion on "Streets of Laredo." Of all the "Lonesome Dove" series, this one probably takes the viewer away from the original story the most. One can pretty much forget "Lonesome Dove", "Return to Lonesome Dove" and "Dead Man's Walk" and go it alone with James Garner as Call. Once the viewer does this, he/she will find an excellent western. As in the other three,the harshness of the land, the people and the times are all here. The realism and authentic scenes makes us glad to be in the present time period. I gave this film only 4 stars for two reasons, one;-- it is recorded in EP, making for poor video quality. Two;-- for some reason the film maker chose to include a useless foray into a snippet of real life Judge Roy Bean's life and totally botched it. To say that the film maker didn't let Roy Bean facts get in the way of making the film is an understatement.The judge did not die the way depicted, we've known it for almost 100 years,it's probably written in 100 books, people in Pakistan know how the Judge died, don't these film makers look into the facts? Why do they do this? Aside from the above, I recommend the film to anyone who enjoyed Lonesome Dove for its realism, settings and harshness, because this film is "a la Lonesome Dove." I particularly liked Wes Studi's character, going about his life and ways, oblivious to the violence and harshness around him. I got myself fired up here, I think I'll view this film tonight. The Real Sequel to Lonesome Dove. This is the real, Larry McMurtry written, sequel to Lonesome Dove (not Lonesome Dove II), and it has all of McMurtry's specialities: well-drawn characters, absolutely viscious and unredeemable villains & murderers, and complex protagonists with a hell of a tale to tell. Tommy Lee Jones was the perfect physical embodiment of hard-bitten Texas Ranger Woodrow Call. A small man, ramrod straight with a ferocious temper and will of iron that made him SEEM like a bigger man. But TLJ didn't make this trip for whatever reason. Instead, we have James Garner taking over as Woodrow, and he IS a big man and inately likeable. No matter, Garner is too good an actor not to win you over, and we quickly adjust to him as an older, more tired, laconic, but still mean as hell Woodrow Call. Peaeye is now Sam Shepard and Lorena is Sissy Spacek and she has passed by all her would-be suitors and married the taciturn Ranger, become a school teacher, and together they have 5 children. Peaeye is called out of domesticity by Woodrow to chase down a teenage psychopathic killer, Joey Garza, with a sidetrip to chase down another bad bad man named Mox Mox whose specialty is burning men, women, children & animals alive for the fun of it. And so it begins, with much emphasis on character and wild "characters" and with a casual understanding of the hard lives and brutality of the Texas of that time. If you liked Lonesome Dove, you will like this. The cast changes were made with excellent people stepping into the familiar roles, and you will soon accept them and be caught up in the story. If you didn't like Lonesome Dove, too bad for you, and you definitely will want to skip this. A solid, if downbeat chapter in the magnificent series Granted,both the original Lonesome Dove novel and film were unique works of extremely fascinating classic story-telling. Streets of Laredo obviously has a great deal to live up to and, when viewed or read in conjunction with Dove it does suffer in the sense that our familiarity is slightly snubbed. Obviously this is something that cannot be helped so I must say that Streets of Laredo as a film stands firmly upon its own merits which are quite impressive. Firstly, the cast is sublime. James Garner, always a vastly underrated actor creates a stoic, yet tragic Call.His final scene (don't worry I won't give it all away)is at once heart breaking and filled with a quiet hope. His performance is all about what film acting aspires: he moves mountains without words. The rest of the cast is on equal footing with Garner (who deserved at least something of an Emmy nod) Playwright Sam Shepard's Pea Eye, although losing much of Tim Scott's Bentonesque forlorn rube, is filled with earthy heroism and poetry. Sissy Spacek as the whore re-encarnated as a schoolmarm Lorena produces the tough backbone needed to survive the Texas prairie. Comedian George Carlin's finely drawn panhandle scamp solidifies the theory that the border between comedy and tragedy is narrow at best. These are just a few of the excellent standouts in a sound ensemble. Secondly is the very narrative itself. It plays like a Sunday funeral dirge- ever aware of the passing of an era, yet peering on into a glimmering future of optimism and hope. In McMurtry's world everyone has a shot at redemption. Grace isn't free but it is availble to all willing to run the gauntlet who have at least a pure heart. The evil villians are evil and deserving of damnation and the good, although pure of h Buy Streets Of Laredo at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  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