Once Upon a Texas Train (1988 TV Movie) User Reviews

Will That John Henry Lee Ever Reform?

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 13 December 2005]

Director Burt Kennedy took the same foursome of Texas Rangers from the Over The Hill Gang of 1969 and now has given them a new quest. Captain Richard Widmark is on the trail of Willie Nelson, an old war buddy from the Confederate Army and now a bank robber, who's back to his old tricks again. Only this time some young guns led by former teen bubble gum idol Shaun Cassidy have stolen the loot that Nelson and his gang had stolen from the gang in Del Rio.

Widmark and his cronies, Chuck Connors, Jack Elam, and Stuart Whitman turn out to have a lot more in common with the old outlaws, Nelson, Dub Taylor, Ken Curtis, Royal Dano, and Gene Evans than they think.

This group of old character actors were what made the movies so enjoyable back then. They had faces and identities you couldn't miss. We should all thank Burt Kennedy for assembling this whole crew for a last roundup.

As Willie Nelson says they may be old, but they are professionals and that's what counts when the chips are down.

There's a romantic subplot here. Widmark has always suspected his wife Angie Dickinson of having a yen for Nelson back in the day. That's a good deal of the reason he's pursuing Nelson with such vehemence.

It's a treat to see all these old timers again and the film is worth seeing just to see Jack Elam trade in his horse for a bicycle to keep up with the times.

Third Ride For The Over The Hill Gang

[FightingWesterner · 7/10 · 2 May 2010]

After spending twenty years in prison, outlaw Willie Nelson gathers together his old gang, including brother Dub Taylor and Royal Dano, before returning to his old preoccupation with robbing a Texas train. Meanwhile retired Texas Ranger Richard Widmark gets his boys back together in order to capture them. They both end up tangling with a young gang, led by Shaun Cassidy.

A second, much belated sequel to the classic TV movie The Over The Hill Gang, this has Widmark, Chuck Conners, Jack Elam, and Stuart Whitman slipping into the roles previously held by Pat O'Brien, Walter Brennan, Edger Buchanan, and Chill Wills respectively, with Elam appearing as different characters in both films.

Well written, produced and directed by the great Burt Kennedy, this is reminiscent of his work on The War Wagon and The Train Robbers, all three being glib, fast-paced, and entertaining light-hearted western adventures, although this isn't as good as the other two.

Once Upon A Texas Train has a great cast of old-timers (mostly dead now), with nice cameos by Harry Carey Jr. and an especially frail-looking Hank Worden.

"Guess it's time to put on my gunfightin' glasses".

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 16 May 2009]

With that old familiar call to arms code word 'Brazos!', the Over the Hill Gang rides again in this late Eighties made for TV flick that fans of classic Westerns will be glad to catch for one last roundup. The story itself is probably secondary to seeing familiar favorites like Jack Elam, Royal Dano, Gene Evans and Dub Taylor all in one place. Maybe the biggest shocker for me was seeing how much the old Rifleman himself, Chuck Connors, had aged in appearance from his TV star days, but after all, he was sixty seven or so at the time of the picture. It got me to thinking how any of these guys might still be able to stay on a horse. All of the principals except Willie Nelson were in their sixties or seventies, with Dub Taylor around eighty one. Hard to imagine him riding the range as Cannonball Taylor as far back as the 1940's with the likes of Wild Bill Elliott, Jimmy Wakely and the Durango Kid.

The picture is built around crusty villain John Henry Lee, portrayed by Willie Nelson, who's first thought after getting out of prison after twenty years is to go and rob a bank with his old pardners. Hot on his trail is Richard Widmark's Captain Owen Hayes, harboring a personal grudge against his foe. That's where Angie Dickinson comes in as Mrs. Hayes, who in earlier times might have gone the other way with the red headed stranger.

The idea of Shaun Cassidy heading up a young passel of outlaws to go up against the old timers seemed a bit awkward. Even when they had the upper hand, you always had the idea that these guys were in way over their heads. Wouldn't it have been something if in the final showdown, the old geezers simply put the upstarts over their knees for a good old spanking?

Like I said earlier, catch this one for a bit of TV Western nostalgia. It's got generous amounts of humor mixed in with the shoot 'em up action, and fans of the players will appreciate that last ride into the sunset.

An interesting film with a "history" to two earlier TV-films

[Sea-Maid · 13 October 1999]

A pleasant, tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek western (with that Burt Kennedy touch) that gives up yet another adventure with some wonderful characters that were first introduced almost 20 years earlier. I speak of the ABC Movie-of-the-Week films "The Over-the-Hill Gang" and "The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again" (which was Fred Astaire's TV-film debut and ONLY western film--ever!) The character of Richard Widmark was earlier played by Pat O'Brien in the first film, with Chuck Connors taking over Walter Brennan's part and Jack Elam here "filling" in for Edgar Buchanan. Those earlier films (from 1969 & 1970 respectively) were light yet entertaining and this film does not fail in that genre. Some might argue that many of the actors are in their "golden years"--and that's to the viewer's advantage as you will soon realize that with age certainly comes style. Sit back, enjoy and find a smile creeping across your face as you discover that there ARE films out there that are made "like they used to be"!

Brazos! Snappy dialogue, nostalgic actors...not much else

[srlucado · 6/10 · 24 April 2008]

When I watched this movie I had no idea it followed the exploits of the characters of "The Over-the-Hill Gang", so that was a pleasant surprise, since I liked those two old corny TV movies.

This entry has some pretty good dialogue, at least in the first half. Then, unfortunately, the movie bogs down and kind of drags toward a silly ending. But what the heck. Can't expect "Gone With the Wind", can we? There are a lot of errors in the movie; geographic, anachronisms, that sort of thing. But I doubt that anyone watches a movie like this expecting to find a realistic portrayal of the Old West. At the very least, it beats the heck out of watching "reality" TV.

Old guns vs. young guns

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 4 December 2018]

Released to TV in 1988, "Once upon a Texas Train" is a Western about an aged outlaw who is paroled from prison after 20 years (Willie Nelson). After he brazenly robs a bank and reforms his old gang, his nemesis, a retired Texas Ranger (Richard Widmark), forms a posse to pursue them. But these two factions of withered men might have to join forces against a young gang of outlaws (led by Shaun Cassidy).

Writer/director Burt Kennedy was known for numerous Westerns, both theatrical and television, two of his best being "The War Wagon" (1967) and "The Train Robbers" (1973). This one isn't on that level because it was limited by a TV budget and included Willie Nelson, who's a charismatic guy but not the best actor. Nevertheless, it's a worthwhile Western featuring a can't-beat-it cast of Western stalwarts, like Chuck Connors, Stuart Whitman, Jack Elam and Angie Dickinson.

Also on the female front is the lovely Clare Carey, who was only 20 during shooting.

There's some effective comedy thrown in, mostly revolving around old age, not to mention a couple of laugh-out-loud jokes involving a bicycle. Lastly, you can't beat the superb Western locations of Arizona (Mescal, Old Tucson), Nevada (Ely) and California (Thousand Oaks).

The film runs 1 hour, 36 minutes and, while a standalone flick, was sort of the third movie in the "Over the Hill Gang" series, the first two being from 1969 and 1970 respectively.

GRADE: B-

These old men get that way by staying alive!

[hitchcockthelegend · 5/10 · 11 July 2018]

Written and directed by Burt Kennedy, Once Upon a Texas Train stars Willie Nelson, Richard Widmark, Shaun Cassidy and Chuck Connors. Music is by Arthur Rubinstein and cinematography Ken Lamkin.

A TV movie that Western fans can enjoy more for nostalgia value than anything bordering must see entertainment. Plot essentially has aged criminals led by Nelson's John Henry Lee, being pursued by aged law enforcers led by Widmark's Captain Oren Hayes. The passing of time a persistent theme as Kennedy throws in fun and sparky dialogue, narrative twists to make characters unlikely allies, while action flits in and out to off set the threat of impending boredom.

Made with love no doubt, and with the likes of Jack Elam and Royal Dano joining the Western roll call cast list, it's a passable Oater for lovers of such. 5/10

An amusing piece of nostalgia

[twoclippedwings · 6/10 · 20 August 2006]

I found this 1987 movie now out on DVD to be very charming. Especially endearing were the initial descriptions of the players, markedly different from reality due to the passing of 20 years. I thought Willie Nelson did a credible job. He may be a little out of his comfort zone but his wry observations of a long lived and full life ring true. Richard Widmark's appearance as the Captain was a good casting fit. The man in charge of his unit but unsure and jealous about his wife's feelings for Willie Nelson's character. Self deprecating supporting actors whose special skills have been quite dulled by age.

A bit like watching the Airplane movies and those of their genre and enjoying the appearances of those actors of an earlier generation. Beautiful cinematography and landscape. An enjoyable diversion for a couple of hours.

Director Burt Kennedy Delivers A Saddle Sore Oater

[zardoz-13 · 5/10 · 30 November 2009]

"The Train Robbers" writer & director Burt Kennedy is responsible for a couple of classic westerns, but his rugged looking made-for-television oater "Once Upon A Texas Train" is no classic. Okay, Kennedy hasn't lost his knack for writing catchy dialogue and there are several helping of quotable dialogue, but this sagebrusher is strictly a second-rate saga that not even his all-star oldster cast cannot salvage. Willie Nelson is cast as convicted train robber John Henry Lee and Richard Widmark plays opposite him as Texas Ranger Captain Owen Hayes. John Henry Lee receives a pardon twenty years after he tried to rob the eponymous Texas train and he has spent those twenty years figuring out where his gang and he took the wrong turn. Kennedy opens this western with long shots of the Texas train pulling into a depot where a brief gunfight ensues as John Henry and his men surrender. Although "Once Upon A Texas" starts out well, this 96-minute melodrama ends inconclusively. Kennedy leaves it wide open as to what course of action that John Henry will take. Aside from the leathery tough dialogue that intertwines metaphors with philosophy, there is little to look forward to in his western. Indeed, it is great to see old timers like Chuck Connors, Jack Elam, Ken Curtis, Dub Taylor, Stuart Whitman, Royal Dano, and Hank Worden in another dustraiser. The western town exteriors in Mescal, Arizona, and location shooting around Old Tucson give this western a rugged look that lenser Ken Lamkin of "Big Bad John" gives it.

After Captain Hayes arrests John Henry Lee and sends him to prison, "Once Upon A Texas Train" leaps forward twenty years into the future. John Henry Lee (a long-haired Willie Nelson of "The Electric Cowboy") leaves prison and catches a ride in a wagon driven by his brother Charlie Lee (Dub Taylor of "Bandolero!") and they head off to Del Rio. No sooner do they reach Del Rio than John Henry blows the front off the local bank and skedaddles with $20-thousand in two sacks. Naturally, Captain Hayes (Richard Widmark of "The Law and Jake Wade") is furious because he thought that John Henry would go straight. Hayes recruits a posse of his old time pals, among them ace tracker Jason Fitch (Jack Elam of "Support Your Local Gunfighter"), Nash Crawford (Chuck Connors of "The Deserter"), and George Asque (Stuart Whitman of "Rio Conchos"), to ride with him. Meanwhile, John Henry has assembled several hombres, among them Kelly Sutton (Ken Curtis of "Gunsmoke"), explosives expert Nitro Jones (Royal Dano of "Gunpoint"), and Fargo Parker (Gene Evans of "The Steel Helmet") to help him rob the Texas train. John Henry is confident that everything will work out until he learns that the Texas Train is no longer trundling down the railroad that he remembered from yesteryear.

A gang of young guns led by Cotton (Shaun Cassidy) get the drop on John Henry and company and disarm them and take them prisoner. They escort the old bad guys to a ghost town where Captain Hayes catches up with them and a brief gunfight erupts. Secretly, John Henry has a stick of dynamite that he threatens to heave into a burning stove if Cotton doesn't let them go. Reluctantly, Cotton and his gunmen surrender their guns and John Henry and company cross the street and meet Hayes and his guns. The next day our heroes deposit the arsenal of firearms that belonged to Cotton and his cronies and they have a showdown in the street in broad daylight. Of course, nobody dies. They are wounded. Nash is a bullet in the arm and John Henry helps Hayes arrest Cotton and company. Afterward, Nash offers Hayes a proposition. Nash believes if they let John Henry return the gold to the Del Rio Bank, the town citizens will let John Henry and company leave. Hayes observes that Canada is pretty this time of year before John Henry rides out.

"Young Billy Young" actress Angie Dickinson has a cameo as the wife of Captain Hayes who was briefly infatuated with John Henry. They reunite momentarily at a stage coach relay station where Hayes decides to let John Henry go. As the heroic villains are riding away, they hear the sounds of a nearby locomotive and the words "Texas train" slips from John Henry's lips. At this point, the end credits roll and we never know if John Henry will realize his life-long dream of robbing a Texas train. This unknown ending mars "Once Upon A Texas Train."

Big names Big scenery

[glengolf · 7/10 · 3 April 2020]

A TV movie with big screen actors coming towards the end of, for some of them, illustrious careers. Richard Widmark for one. Willie Nelson as lead due more to his Country music status rather than acting skills. The glorious Jack Elam always worth the price of admission and Chuck Connors. Shaun Cassidy showing a skill with a degree of cheek and bravado that he could only of inherited from his magnifcent actor father Jack Cassidy. Storyline and setting in Arizona went down the road toward the great film to come in the 1990s, Tombstone. I am certainly racking up a lot of daytime westerns during this lockdown of 2020!

A really cute western

[HotToastyRag · 8/10 · 17 October 2022]

When Willie Nelson gets arrested by sheriff Richard Widmark, he spends twenty years in jail. Upon his release, he immediately gathers his old gang together again and robs a bank. Dick feels particularly rotten, since he helped vouch for his character while on the parole board. It becomes a personal mission of his to follow and capture Willie again, so he sets about finding his old gang as well. This is such a cute sequence - one of many in this cute movie - where Chuck Connors, Stuart Whitman, Jack Elam, and Royal Dano get back up on their proverbial horses.

I just love seeing all these white-haired old-timers out in the Wild West again. Richard Widmark is an absolute cutie pie, and Stuart Whitman has a lot of fun pretending he's older than he is. Jack Elam, who made a career out of playing really bad villains, has the most adorable character by far. He's jovial and funny, and it's hard to believe he ever played a bad guy. I'm so happy for him!

I wish there were more backstage trivia on the production, since there were so many old timers put together again. I'm sure everyone had a blast during filming, and I'm also sure it warmed audiences' hearts to see a good old fashioned western again. Check out this tv western and get ready to laugh, smile, and have a great time. You'll also see Kevin McCarthy, Harry Carey Jr., Gene Evans, and Angie Dickinson.

Fairly good

[jewelch · 6/10 · 25 May 2022]

Was ok but I have seen way better. I did watch it all the way thru. But I would hesitate to recommend it. But there again if you have nothing better to do try it. James Welch 5/23/2022.

John Henry's adventure to adulthood

[tcwaterford · 7/10 · 11 April 2022]

As the saying goes some men just never grow up. Others do grow up, and regret it until their last day.

For an average TV movie, it's very much worth seeing, if for no other reason, but to see some of the greats of the past.

While the story and thought behind the movie is frankly delightful, the script somewhat let's it down.

To conclude, the original plan was a great idea. Only 10 minutes into the movie and you will forget how bad the script is, because you just can't help liking both the idea and the wonderful characters!. Not great but enjoyable!.

That good old over the hill gang is back again!

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 18 February 2023]

It's been nearly two decades since audiences got a glimpse of some old coots breaking the law in a series of TV movie westerns, and now they are back with actors who would have been considered young whippersnappers in 1969. Willie Nelson, Dub Taylor, Ken Curtis, Royal Dano, and Gene Evans are the faster than they look moving foursome, with Richard Widmark, Chuck Conners and Kevin McCarthy (among others) on their trail, and Angie Dickinson providing some glamour in a nice guest appearance, and Hardy boy Shaun Cassidy is the young pup taught some new tricks by the old dogs.

Beautifully filmed on location with colorful settings, this features a witty, action packed script that jumps into action immediately when Nelson is released from prison, saunters off with an old man Shuffle as the warden knows how they come in all fire and vinegar and leave like that. The next thing you know, he's already committed a serious felony, proving that he was far from the doughtering how old geezer he appeared to be. A great way to got old actors back onto the TV screen, and it's obvious that these characters are ripe for rediscovery for the current batch of octegenarian actors who were popular 40 years ago. Perhaps one day soon, the brat pack can step into these roles.

Pretty bad, pretty sad

[songwarrior52 · 25 June 2006]

Okay, Willie Nelson has to be one of the worst actors that ever opened his mouth in front of a camera. Can you say "self-conscious"??? How about also "stilted" (as in his delivery), "awkward" (as in his gestures), and "stiff as a board" (as in his demeanor). There's nothing nostalgic here either, just a bunch of old actors (and Willie, who is NOT an actor) trying' to make a buck, as far as I can see. Then there's Shaun Cassidy, who looks like his mother, Shirley Jones, with a cowboy hat on. Can you say, "out of his league"? If he attended the Willie Nelson School of Acting, he might actually be better than he is here. You can get about 5 minutes out of watching this film, then even an infomercial looks like a better option. Fuggedaboutit!

Old Timer's Comedy Western

[whpratt1 · 6/10 · 29 August 2008]

This film starts off with John Henry Lee, (Willie Nelsen) trying to rob a train of its gold and he is caught by Capt. Owen Hayes, (Richard Widmark) who was an old friend of John Henry, but they had a difference of feelings over a woman named Maggie Hayes, (Angie Dickinson). John Henry is sent to prison for twenty-years and as soon as he gets out, he rounds up some of his old old time gang and is bound and determined to rob a bank and maybe another train. The film goes around and around in circles with old time actors like Nash Crawford, (Chuck Connors) and many more who all have their own story to tell, and sometimes it is very boring. The only person in this film that seemed to keep their looks was Angie Dickinson and she played a very brief role.