Excellent, Without a doubt!!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The acting in this movie is really good.

I can understand why this movie was Kirk's favorite. Lonely Are the Brave can easily take a place at the top of modern cowboy movies for many reasons. It shows the variation from the old western culture to the modern lifestyle through the dialogues and the close-up shots, it also manages to criticize the governmental work. And one of its strengths is the outstanding performance by Kirk, might even be his best, plus the always good work of Walter Matthau. Yet, Lonely Are the Brave is one of the most underrated films I've seen recently, and I highly recommend it.

Released in 1962 and directed by David Miller from a novel by Edward Abbey, "Lonely are the Brave" is a Western taking place in modern times (the early 60s, that is) starring Kirk Douglas as Jack Burns, an independent New Mexican cowhand who's a likable loner. He lands himself in jail in order to help his old friend, Paul (Michael Kane), who is doomed for the penitentiary for a couple of years; but Paul doesn't want to escape because it would add several years to his sentence if caught. So Burns breaks out on his own and is chased by Sheriff Johnson (Walter Matthau) and others (George Kennedy) with the aid of a military helicopter, etc. Will he get away? Gena Rowlands is on hand as Paul's wife.This modern Western cogently conveys how civilization with its corresponding government and never-ending laws naturally squelches personal independence and freedom. The bigger the populace means the bigger the governing regulations, and the less the liberty. One starts to suffocate in a world of borders, fences and laws. These are human-made inventions that don't even exist. Fly over the USA and you'll see no state or county borders or city limits. They're all human-made inventions that don't exist, except in a legal sense. Burns hearkens back to an earlier era where one didn't even need an ID. He doesn't fit into the mold of the modern world. All he has is his mare, Whiskey, the clothes on his back and his basic necessities. They're all a real cowboy needs, but the cowboy was a vanishing breed circa 1961.Director Miller wisely accentuates Gena's curvy beauty as Paul's wife, Jerri. The nature of her relationship with Burns is initially a mystery, but all is revealed before the final act and it's well done. Whether someone is married or not, it doesn't mean s/he can't love someone else who's single or married. But marriage itself is a border that cannot be lawfully crossed except by the person's spouse. The film acknowledges this and so do Burns and Jerri. They're people with feelings, but they're also wise and hence don't allow their passions to compel them to trespass marital fences.All these items amongst others (like the quality score) make "Lonely are the Brave" a minor near-masterpiece. Unfortunately, it's flawed by some tedious stretches, like the overlong jail sequence, and unconvincing or dumb elements; for instance, the idea that Burns wouldn't know enough to make sure there weren't any cars before crossing a highway on horseback (Seriously?). It's also marred by B&W photography, which would've really come alive if shot in color. The basic plot and theme were done later by the superior "First Blood" (1982) and "The Electric Horseman" (1979) respectively. The film runs 107 minutes and was shot in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, area.GRADE: B+

I will say this is a gripping movie. Kirk Douglas is a fantastic actor and this is certainly one of his greatest performances, but that doesn't redeem this frustrating and contradictory portrayal of "an old-time cowboy supplanted by modernity". When it comes to food, you don't criticize an Indian buffet for being lousy Chinese -- it's not trying to be Chinese. So when critiquing this work, it's important to separate out what the work is attempting from what it is not. It's NOT attempting to be a feel good story of redemption or good guy triumph. It IS trying to portray a rustic and cunning cowboy as he interacts with a modernizing world that can nary afford a glance backward on the society it is replacing. The biggest problem with this work is the fact that they're pretending to, but not actually, portraying a cowboy, when they're actually showing a Hollywood liberal-idealized version that renders an absurdist plot line. Douglas plays Jack Burns, a man who survives by his wits and grim determination in an unsettled wilderness with his horse while occasionally hiring himself out. Burns should be an icon of wilderness practicality, but basically the whole plot line is based on him being an idealistic buffoon. Examples:1) Jack knows nothing about jail, but gets himself condemned to a hear in prison just to see his friend (visitation hours won't do). He sneaks a hacksaw into his cell and starts sawing the first night without taking the lay-of-the-land, determining who might rat him out, the guard rotation, etc. 2) Upon escape, he knows the police will be after him, but takes an excruciating amount of time bidding adieu to his former lover (now wife of his friend) and wandering around pensively. Is this a cowboy or a romantic philosopher? 3) While escaping through the hills he takes a nice rest during the day without having first reached the ridge he needs to get to. 4) Along the way he meets up with the police officer/jail guard that a) he had previously threatened and b) had extra judicially beaten him while in jail -- knocking out a molar. Instead of killing this menace to society, Burns is content to knock him out. Is this a hard bitten cowboy or a wandering Buddhist monk we're dealing with? If he's a legit brave cowboy he shouldn't be making empty threats he doesn't plan on following through on or failing to mete out retribution for breaking the tacit laws of the West. That guard was previously taunting Burns' best friend Paul in jail. Sparing him will have consequences Burns' impracticality won't allow him to consider. "This one's for Paul, you SOB!" 5) All of Burns' impracticality and dawdling is required to set up a final break for the trees after he reaches the ridge where he is being fired at by not one, but three separate groups of officers simultaneously. Overall this adds up to lousy and lazy story telling. Don't pretend to portray a cowboy and then not do it. I know it's hard to mesh realistic acting characters with a gripping plot line. I know it's hard to try to understand cowboy culture and portray it vividly, but at least try. As it is it's modern-vs-modern critique where 1960's romantic ideals in the form of Jack Burns go head to head with 1960's modern realities. Weird.

Excellent movie. I had it downloaded long time a go but never watched it before. Tonight I was a bit bored and decided to watch this movie. What a treat! But how sad is the end, even if you know that the horse is not shot there, the magic of the movies puts that in your brain and you feel it is true. Other movies which "moved" me: The shooting of the wolf in "Dances with wolves" made me so angry at the shooters and so sad too that I cried, and I cry every time I watch the movie, basically I am a "victim" of the movie magic. Normally, after I watch a movie, I usually delete it to make space for more, and I have of course some movies that I do not delete and I keep them for my eternity. Well "Lonely are the brave" will not be deleted and will rejoin my favorite movie collection. And yes, at the end, I will certainly cry, but then I am not made out of wood and having my feelings so moved tells me the making of this movie was just incredibly great. My vote is not a 10 as I believe there is no perfect movie, but a 9 is well deserved. One more thing, the black and white for this movie gives so many different shades that it is also very nice. "RIP Whisky"...