What a beautiful movie!

Am I Missing Something?

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

In the early 20th century, a bandit named Zach Provo, a half Indian, (Provo well played by James Coburn , who was sent to prison during the latter part of the 19th century) leads a band of outlaw convicts on a jailbreak . Provo (Sean Connery and Robert Shaw were considered for the role) along with with 6 others to exact vengeance on Sam Burgade (a tough-guy splendidly performed by Charlton Heston) , an upright lawman , whose daughter (a very young Barbara Hershey) is abducted and threatening to gang-rape her . Provo seeks vendetta on Burgade because he not only captured him but was also responsible for the death of Provo's wife, at least in Provo's mind . At the beginning , the wild bunch holds up a train and attempt a bank until a bloody vengeance . The misfit group is formed by cutthroat guys (Jorge Rivero , Larry Wilcox , Thalmus Rasulala , Morgan Paull , John Quade ,Robert Donner) who kidnap the daughter and threat to rape but it goes wrong . This is the story about some men making their last stand and carrying out a merciless revenge . This decent Western packs lots of action , shootouts, and explosive violence , including some tasteless images . Go riding , crossfire and fights provide some welcome distraction . Taut excitement throughout , beautifully photographed and spectacular bloodletting filmed in slow moving ; it was shot "in the style of Sam Peckinpah" . Rich in texture and including intelligent screenplay full of incredibly violent scenes . However , it has some appalling and disgusting rape frames entirely out of place . This motion picture is set in 1909 Arizona which is arguably right at the end of the old wild American western frontier era period if not it already having ended by the 1890s , as there is an occasional elegiac tone lamenting the passing of the West . This Western picture was based on the novel "Gun Down" by Brian Garfield ; and it was made and released about five years after its source book that had been first published in 1971 . Vibrant as well as brilliant all-star-cast displays exceptional performances . Charlton Heston is perfect as a veteran ex-sheriff with his own ethic codes . This is Charlton Heston's last name rhymes with Western , four years after this 1976 film, Heston would co-star in 1980's Mountain Men , another good western . James Coburn is terrific as a convict sets into motion plan of revenge on old Marshall . Furthermore , good secondaries such as and Jorge Rivero , Larry Wilcox , Thalmus Rasulala , Morgan Paull , John Quade , Robert Donner and Michael Parks as reform-minded Marshal. Enjoyable musical score , Jerry Goldsmith is credited with "Music" on the film's credits, the credit is misleading as he composed no original score for the film, instead it was tracked with cues from four other westerns he scored: 100 rifles (1969) ; Río Conchos (1964); Morituri (1965) and Stagecoach (1966) , which is why he did not receive a credit like "Original Music composed & Conducted by". Colorful and evocative cinematography in Panavisión by Duke Callaghan , Peckinpah's usual , and portions of this film were photographed at Old Tucson Studios, Tucson, Arizona . This actioner motion picture was professionally directed by the veteran director of Westerns Andrew V. McLaglen , though Jack Smight and possibly Stuart Rosenberg were considered for the director . This was final cinema movie western directed by Andrew V. McLaglen who was a veteran of the genre . McLaglen though continued to direct a few more westerns for television. Andrew V. McLaglen, the veteran director of Westerns, is son of great actor Victor McLagen and known John Ford's disciple . Andrew holds the distinction of directing the most episodes of "Gunsmoke" . Furthermore , he holds the honor of filmmaking the most episodes of ¨Have gun , Will travel" (1957). And is one of the few directors to have directed both Clint Eastwood and John Wayne . He's a Western expert (McLintock, Shenandoah, Bandolero, Chisum, Cahill, Way west) and warlike specialist , such as proved in several films ( Return to Kwai, Wild Geese , Dirtdozen: the next mission, Sea wolves, Breakthrough ) . The Last Hard Men is a real must see for fans of the genre in Peckinpah style . Rating : Nice , acceptable and passable , 6 .

A Movie so Derivative and Dull that without Shame. So much of this Film had come before that this Rip-Off is in Violation of any respect due its Predecessors. The Action is presented in an Unremarkable, Unrestrained, Mirror image of a paint by numbers New Violence kit.The Star Cast is uninspired and seem Uninterested, probably because they feel a Sense of detached, diluted Deja-Vu. It tries to have a Hard Edge with a Soulful Protagonist but delivers a Dud and a Soulless Villain with absolutely Amoral Behavior, but presents a Pathological Bore.The Editing and Exposition is Hackneyed and intrusive and the Movie seems to be quickly stuffed into the can and shipped before anyone Notices that there is Nothing Present beneath the wrapping.The Western, after its explosive Ten Year run from Leone to Peckinpah, didn't need anymore of this type Imitative fodder for its Unfortunate Demise, as the Genre quickly Fell Out of Favor.

A gang of savage convicts led by vicious half-breed Zach Provo (a marvelously nasty portrayal by James Coburn) escape from custody. Provo plans on exacting revenge on crafty retired lawman Sam Burgade (an excellent performance by Charlton Heston), who's the man responsible for putting him in jail. Provo kidnaps Burgade's sweet and fetching daughter Susan (a charming turn by the lovely Barbara Hershey) in order to ensure that Burgade will come after him. Director Andrew V. McLaglen relates the engrossing story at a steady pace, stages the shoot-outs with skill and flair (the big climactic confrontation between Provo and Burgade is especially tense and exciting), maintains an appropriately gritty no-nonsense tone throughout, and doesn't hold back on the often jolting moments of bloody'n'brutal violence. Guerdon Trueblood's tough, yet thoughtful script uses the early 20th century period setting to offer some interesting commentary about changing times and the passing of the Old West. Moreover, the villains are a truly hateful and dangerous bunch, with Provo in particular standing out as a supremely cruel and cunning main villain. The sound acting from the capable cast rates as another substantial asset: Coburn and Heston both do sterling work in their meaty roles, with sturdy support from Jorge Rivero as Provo's loyal partner Menendez, Michael Parks as the laid-back and ineffectual Sheriff Noel Nye, Larry Wilcox as soft wimp Shelby, Christopher Mitchum as gutsy greenhorn Hal Brickman, John Quade as the vile Gant, and Robert Donner as ornery racist troublemaker Lee Roy. Duke Callaghan's handsome widescreen cinematography gives the picture a sumptuous look. Jerry Goldsmith's robust and flavorsome score hits the stirring spot. A worthwhile and satisfying sagebrush saga.

I don't know why I'm taking the time to review this waste-of-time movie. If you stick with it long enough in hopes of a satisfying conclusion – good, bad, or surprising – don't. It finally fizzles out after stiff, formulaic, predictable dialogue and acting. Indoor scenes are so harshly lit you think if the camera were zoomed out one millimeter further you'd see the klieg lights. Costumes, hair-do's, and sets are starched, pressed, and immaculate. Are we supposed to imagine common people really lived like that in early 20th-century Arizona? Other reviews' comparisons to Sam Peckinpah are an insult to Peckinpah: at least that director wove his violence into the context of chaos and mayhem. HARD MEN's gore is gratuitous exploding squibs from wooden impersonations of bad guys with manicured fingernails. Huh?!? I can believe Heston thought he might have been making something of worth with this film. (He does get to clutch his gun in his cold fingers.) But Coburn? I'll never guess why he signed up for this travesty. Want to see a movie about the end of the West as we knew it, the end of Westerns as we knew them? Watch THE SHOOTIST or UNFORGIVEN again. THE LAST HARD MEN is a mockery of an obituary to the Western.