The Wild Bunch: The Director’s Cut
1969, R, 144 min.
Directed by Sam Peckinpah, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O’Brien, Warren Oates, Ben Johnson, Jaime Sanchez, Strother Martin, L.Q. Jones.

One of the great – and instant – American classics, Peckinpah’s treatise on the codes of honor by which men live speaks across the ages: covering the film’s 1913 pre-WWI setting, the controversy regarding its stylized depiction of violence at the time of its release, and the enduring lessons the film passes on regarding morality, professionalism, and loyalty. A brilliant script, cinematography, editing, and performances complement the whole picture. To quote the movie, “Let’s go!”

This article appears in July 9 • 1999 (Cover).

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

Marjorie Baumgarten is a film critic and contributing writer at The Austin Chronicle, where she has worked in many capacities since the paper's founding in 1981. She served as the Chronicle's Film Reviews editor for 25 years.