The Hired Hand

I had never heard of this film until very recently when it was recommended by a friend of mine. It's quite obscure and difficult to find streaming online so I decided to buy the Blu-ray. This was Fonda’s next movie after Easy Rider, when he was able to use his newly found high profile to talk Universal into letting him direct. There are some very good things in the movie. Fonda is such a unique presence onscreen and Warren Oates largely carries the film. The cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond is unusually good and it is cut well, even if the editor relies on some very stylized dissolves and transitions between scenes. Fonda as a director sees a lot, and his director's commentary is essential. I recommend you watch the film through once (it's only 90 minutes long) and then watch it again listening to the Fonda commentary. I think the weakness of the film is mostly in the script. Without venturing into spoilers, the characters are deliberately two-dimensional and there are a number of potential subplots which are not explored at all.If you are a fan of early 1970s New Hollywood films I'd say this is an essential watch. And definitely listen to the commentary in which Fonda talks a great deal about his career at that point, his quarrels with the studio, and how making this film and the others that he directed afterward affected his relationship with his father. Fascinating stuff.

While certain elements of this film are typical of early 70's movies, Peter Fonda and Warren Oates are terrific as they travel a long way so that Fonda can see the woman he married and deserted. Fonda is great, as well as his Direction. The best aspect of this film to me was the slow pacing that lets the story take time to unwind while enjoying some terrific cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond. Just a magical mix of talent herein.

This is a review for THE HIRED HAND (1971) directed by Peter Fonda. THE HIRED HAND was made as a result of the success of EASY RIDER.Unfortunately, THE HIRED HAND did not turn out to be a big hit, in fact I guess that it was considered a failure.A financial failure, certainly not an artistic failure.In THE HIRED HAND Peter Fonda plays Harry Collings, a cowboy who has drifted from his wife , daughter and small ranch to roam the country with the drifting cowboy Arch Harris, played by Warren Oates. After a while they return to the small ranch seemingly because there's nothing else much better to do. After a while Hannah, played by Verna Bloom, allows Harry to stay indoors with her as he has regained her trust.But when Arch hits the trail again Harry is forced to make a life changing deciscion regarding loyalty to family or friend.THE HIRED HAND is a lyrically told, poetically filmed tale of abandonment, redemption and the finality of unexpressable feelings from the rather inarticualate main characters. In fact, the most articulateelement of THE HIRED HAND is the truly expresssive cinematography by Vilmos Zigismonds, and in my opinion that's what makes THE HIRED HAND so memorable.THE HIRED HAND, some forty years after its first release, remains an unusualvisual feast framed with a patina of melancholy about its sure enough solemnlife events.Five Stars.

It was a good western; I liked the story line.

Adding my 2 cents to all the praise for this film from other customers, I want to mention its authenticity and realism. Instead of the noise and fast action of the typical western, we get what the experience of living on the frontier was surely like for most men and women. Time moved slowly, the quiet was mostly uninterrupted, distances were vast and isolation profound. Death was more likely to come from accident and disease than violence (e.g., the drowned body of a child discovered in the first scene). Life was devoted to hard physical labor, and much of it was lived in the outdoors.Fonda uses all that as a context for a tale of loyalty and retribution that puts a lonely woman between two fellow drifters who are bonded to each other in a way that excludes her and finally breaks her heart. Fonda's intention, as he explains in the commentary, was to get the viewer to simply slow down and pay attention to the play of emotions among these three characters and the carefully detailed settings in which their story takes place. There is gunplay and a death toll before it's all over, but the violence is not romanticized, and it's not what you're likely to remember. "The Hired Hand" is a beautifully photographed film, well acted, with a lovely acoustic soundtrack. Images and scenes linger with you long afterward.

For a western, it's really different, to say the least. It appears to be somewhat mystical, with some very soft, and simple images, but still has a gritty, side. It shows Peter Fonda really does have some talent, being director and star, does an excellent job. He does not portray a tough guy, or even a very clever man. Just a plain, simple, young man who, in a state of wonder lust, left his wife, and daughter to just be a drifter. After years of that, he feels a desire to return to his wife, and daughter, not knowing what has even happened with them during his absence. He brings his friend, Warren Oates, to tag along, and it evolves into an interesting character study of those three. It's a dated move, but that doesn't really detract from the artfulness of the film, the dialogue, soft camera, and very interesting music. It's a movie worth seeing.

Classic I am a fan

If you like westerns this show is great, especially the first time you see it. I saw it on TV originally, then ordered it from a video store in 1989. The movie is in great condition but the drawback for me is it isn't the same as the TV version. In the TV version there are more scenes and actors (Larry Hagman is the sheriff of the town). Several scenes from the TV version are gone, a disappointment. Ideally, taping it off television would be the best. Still a good show, but TV version has everything in the movie and more. Sad show but you know that's how it's going to end up. At least you're prepared.

Here we have a western like no other. The film was directed and acted by Peter Fonda in 1971, just two years after he starred Easy Rider. There are several features that make this film unique, yet not for any western fan I guess. The story is simple, yet original on its details to keep everything moving. After wondering for years with his pall Arch (played nicely by Warren Oates), Harry (Peter Fonda) simply decides to come back where he left a wife and a daughter. During this trip, they met McVey, a filthy and sadistic man ready to take advantage of everyone. The guy makes a story to justify the killing of Dan (who was riding with Harry and Arch) and get his hands on his horse. Harry and Arch found this out and managed to wound McVey vary badly on his feet. From there, we see a sincere attempt by Harry to recover his wife and daughter. Back in town he faces gossip about how his former wife hired men to provide multiple services. I will stop the story here to prevent spoilers.Through this simple story, the movie touches themes like strong male-male friendship, revival of male-female love, but also some of the worst human misery. The movie has a beautiful, melancholic sound track, with a superb photography. If nothing of these matters to you, I suggest skipping this one. This is not your classic, multiple body counts western either.As usual, Arrow Films made a good job upgrading this film to high definition. I must say that some scenes still look grainy to me though. This is a PAL, region B, Blu-ray release that comes in nice widescreen format. The movie runs for 90 minutes. The pack comes with abundant and interesting extras so most will be pleased I guess.

Warren Oates may not be the star of The Hired Hand, but both he and Verna Bloom outshine director Peter Fonda's quiet performance. A lot of that's down to the writing, with screenwriter Alan Sharp giving both supporting players excellent parts - indeed, Bloom's is one of the best women's roles ever written for a Western - and part of it seems to be down to the gentle generosity of spirit that Fonda imbues his cut of the film with. While never quite as affecting as it could be, and at times over-egging the artistry with not always successful montages or camera techniques in Vilmos Zsigmond's otherwise marvellous cinematography, it's still a satisfying and rewarding character piece that just happens to be set out WestTartan's 2-disc DVD edition comes with a plethora of extras, including ample deleted scenes that were restored for the NBC television version that eventually supplanted the theatrical version. They're interesting, and highlight Larry Hagman's nice performance as a very diplomatic sheriff, but their deletion does make the film much stronger, placing the emphasis on the interplay of the three central characters and, most crucially, allowing Oates' character to make his own decision towards the film's resolution. It's a shame that screenwriter Alan Sharp isn't among the interviewees on the one-hour documentary on the disc, but perhaps that's because, ever the realist, he always regarded his fine Western scripts as pastiches where everyone else is arguing in favor of the film's realism and revisionism. But most bizarre among the extras are Universal's original trailers and radio spots, marketing it as an all-action revenge Western for the Easy Rider crowd - `Peter Fonda is riding again - back to the woman he loves and the revenge he craves!'

Warren Oates may not be the star of The Hired Hand, but both he and Verna Bloom outshine director Peter Fonda's quiet performance. A lot of that's down to the writing, with screenwriter Alan Sharp giving both supporting players excellent parts - indeed, Bloom's is one of the best women's roles ever written for a Western - and part of it seems to be down to the gentle generosity of spirit that Fonda imbues his cut of the film with. While never quite as affecting as it could be, and at times over-egging the artistry with not always successful montages or camera techniques in Vilmos Zsigmond's otherwise marvellous cinematography, it's still a satisfying and rewarding character piece that just happens to be set out WestThis single-disc DVD only boasts the restored director's cut edition of the film (which loses all of Larry Hagman's part from the theatrical version) and the trailer, marketing it as an all-action revenge Western for the Easy Rider crowd - `Peter Fonda is riding again - back to the woman he loves and the revenge he craves!' However, if you can find a copy, Tartan's 2-disc DVD edition comes with a plethora of excellent extras, and is well worth tracking down instead.

It was a delight to catch up on this movie. It is as good as I remembered first time around, 30 years ago.A fine "Western" that broke the mould. Years ahead of its time. Not much "happens," but it easily stands repeated viewing.Tired cowboy goes home after 7 years on the horse. The post-gunfight ending is not as "down" as you might think.Verna Bloom and Warren Oates shine. Peter Fonda is not quite up to their performance, but he was directing the movie. His first behind the camera.The music alone is worth the price. (But you can buy the soundtrack alone.) The cinematograpy and editing are superb. As Fonda says in the film of the movie, it was a criminal act not to nominate them for Oscars.There is a particularly good set of extra material on the 2-DVD set. The comments about Universal's failure to appreciate what it had bought are an indictment of the studio system.A cult classic that deserves this treatment.Four stars because nothing deserves five.

worth a watch