Lonely Are the Brave

Like great poetry, the film "Lonely are the Brave" must be savored several times, it's taste acquired, it's ideas earned through thought and contemplation. Quite simply, the film is one of the finest westerns ever made.

A simple tale, though with crisp dialogue and underlying substance, "Lonely are the Brave" tells the story of the modern-day loner cowboy Jack Burns, brilliantly played by Kirk Douglas. Upon his horse, Burns rides into a dusty New Mexico town to visit old friends, dodging speeding cars on a highway. He soon discovers his best friend, a childhood chum he used to carouse with, has been jailed for transporting illegal immigrants from Mexico. In the blink of an eye, Douglas has himself arrested in an attempt to help his buddy break out of jail.

But his friend refuses, instead choosing the life of a family man, wishing to return to his wife and child as soon as possible. Douglas promptly breaks out of jail, deciding to cross the mountains into Mexico and wait for "things to blow over." A chase ensues, with a relaxed sheriff (superbly played by a young Walter Matthau) trying to cut off "the cowboy." The chase contrasts the loner (Douglas) on horseback in the mountains versus the modern-day technology of radios, helicopters, the U.S. military and jeeps.

But it is the small scenes in "Lonely are the Brave" that truly give the film its depth and status. A quiet moment as Douglas pauses at the bedroom door of his friend's son, perhaps imagining what his life could have been under different circumstances; a firm hug and kiss with his friend's wife (Gena Rowlands in one of her earliest roles) insinuating past love; a conversation with a mountain squirrel while waiting for a helicopter to fly past; a humorous soliloquy while washing his hands discussing the variety of signs hanging from a barbed wire fence; and other telling, comfortable scenes creating a character of fierce independence trapped within a shrinking land of convention.

"Lonely are the Brave" harkens back to a time of literate drama and well-written dialogue born of the theater and literature. It is also a film that, like its protagonist, slowly moves along the trail until its inevitable, heartbreaking conclusion. But that's the way it should be. Kirk Douglas' character wouldn't have it any other way.

"Lonely are the Brave" is an unforgettable film. If you have not seen this gem before, you are in for a western treat.


Individuality Can Be Lonely   January 2, 2003
James Steve Robles (Mora, New Mexico, USA)
47 out of 49 found this review helpful

I grew up in N.M., where the story takes place (Albuquerque), and my dad took me to the Route 66 Old Town Bridge where we watched the filming of Kirk crossing the Rio Grande on horseback. At that time, it was just neat to see a movie star.
I didn't truly appreciate the film until I grew up. Now, I see in it an individual very much like cowboys who were around in my childhood; fiercely independent, hard-drinking, hard-working men who, because of their disdain for fences, rules, and conformity, are themselves responsible for being alone. They are men who were born too late, who are old fashioned cowboys in a West where round-ups are now by helicoptor and ATR vehicles. A man on horseback, as a way of life, is rapidly fading away. You can see that sadness and loneliness in this film. That the hero in the film could actually believe that he could out-run modern police pursuit on horseback only adds poignancy; he is really trying to out-run modern times and loss of individuality. That is truly a lonely effort.
This film is wonderful; I agree with the reviewer who said this was kirk's best film, and his favorite. It is , for me, one of the best American films ever made. Discover this gem.


A great adaptation of Edward Abbey's novel   May 21, 2003
bixodoido (Utah, USA)
19 out of 20 found this review helpful

I decided to watch this movie after reading the book "The Brave Cowboy." I had heard that it was a good adaptation, but what I was not prepared for was the emotionally-charged way in which Kirk Douglas acted the part of Jack Burns. Douglas has repeatedly called this his favorite movie, and in fact it was one which the studio was not going to produce, but which a clause in Douglas's contract allowed him to make. In watching the film, you can definitely see Douglas's love for the part.

Jack Burns is a man from a dying era. Caught in a world of highways, steel-barred prisons, and barbed-wire fences, Burns is unable to adapt himself to modern life, and pays for his failure to compromise his cowboy ideals. Burns is a true cowboy--tough, uncompromising, and good-hearted--but this movie shows that there isn't always a place for such people in today's society. In the ultimate showdown between horse and horsepower, there is little question of which will win.

This movie is splendidly done. The directing and acting is great, and the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. Seeing all that rugged terrain really brings Abbey's novel to life. This is not only one of the few movies that remains true to the book on which it is based, it is also one of the great underrated classics in film.


If there was ever an under-rated classic, this is it.   December 28, 2000
John Jodauga (La Verne, Calif.)
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

I saw this movie at a drive-in theatre with my mom and sister in late summer of 1962. It was the second bill for a feature that I have long forgotten. I was already a big Kirk Douglas fan, having seen him in 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Spartacus, and other big-budget projects. What impacted me most was not only the spartan effects of the effective black and white photogrphy, but how Douglas' charcter, Burns, could have escaped if he had chosen to abandon his horse. The early scenes of the horse getting skittish while trying to cross the highway and an early appearance of Carroll O'Connor driving his 18-wheeler are seemingly inconsequential at first, but set up the dramatic ending, highlighted by Walter Matthau's compassionate refusal to identify the subject of his pursuit. In this day and age of high-salaried actors, directors, and extensive computer-generated special effects, I have yet to see a movie that impacted me more than this one.


To Whom It May Concern   April 12, 2005
Mad Mau (Oklahoma City)
16 out of 16 found this review helpful

This is getting ridiculous. They constantly put out crap like Knight Rider, but can't get it together for a classic film like "Lonely Are The Brave". Kirk Douglas himself, called this his proudest acheivement and I'd hate to argue with that.

This movie has a great script, vivid characterizations and wonderful cinematography. Black and white was such a wonderful medium and when well done, evidenced more grit and realism than any technocolor film could impart.

I hate to beg, but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE..... let's get this great film out on widescreen DVD!