The Reivers (1969) User Reviews

"...the virgin's love of his rough and innocent heart."

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 10 April 2014]

This movie holds a special significance to me as it was one of my late father's favorites. It's a William Faulkner coming-of-age story about a boy named Lucius (Mitch Vogel) in early 1900s Mississippi. Lucius looks up to Boon (Steve McQueen), the immature handyman on his grandfather's plantation. Boon convinces Lucius to help him "borrow" the grandfather's brand new car and drive to Memphis to see Boon's prostitute girlfriend (Sharon Farrell). Tagging along for the ride is Lucius' older cousin Ned (Rupert Crosse), who's almost as irresponsible as Boon. Once in Memphis, a lot of things happen and they wind up needing to win a horse race to get the grandfather's car back.

McQueen is good in a role a little outside of his wheelhouse. Vogel, Farrell, and Crosse are all good as well. Will Geer plays the grandpa. Light-hearted but with some serious moments. In many ways it plays like a Disney film of the period, except with whores and people using the N-word. William Faulkner is probably my favorite Southern author but his work hasn't been considered easy to translate to screen. This is one of the better efforts.

Not Your Standard McQueen Car Flick

[slokes · 7/10 · 8 November 2014]

Steve McQueen tools around in a classy car, dodging bad guys, loving the ladies, and not giving a cuss. This may read like your typical 1960s effort from him, but that's something "The Reivers" ain't.

What is it? I guess it can be summed up as a broad coming-of-age comedy set in the American South in 1905, featuring a boy named Lucius (Mitch Vogel) who, against his better judgment, sets off with a couple of older-but-not-wiser friends in his grandfather's stolen automobile to visit the wicked city of Memphis. In no time he is holed up in a local bordello, trying to help win back his grandfather's car in a desperate horse race.

At the center of Lucius's worries is the man who talked him into the whole adventure, Boon Hoggenbeck, who wants the car to impress one of the pretty Memphis prostitutes he has set his cap on. "He knows no obstacles, counts no costs, fears no dangers," Grandpa (Will Geer) warns young Lucius of Boon.

Okay, that does sound like McQueen the way Gramps put it there. But McQueen's Boon is more of an overgrown boy than stolid icon. A bucolic coming-of-age comedy based on a William Faulkner novel, "The Reivers" seems McQueen's attempt at stretching out from action-hero mode. He's quite a bit of fun with his sometimes outsized comic reactions, a bit old for the part but certainly a capable center in what amounts to his first ensemble piece since "The Great Escape."

Director Mark Rydell made life-affirming American-heartland flicks that celebrate homey characters and downhome values, and "The Reivers" certainly fits his oeuvre. He is abetted wonderfully by the sunny lenswork of Richard Moore and a graceful, jaunty score by John Williams. In its elegiac, serio-comic tone, it is a lot like the film McQueen chose to make this over, "Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid."

More a situation than a story, "The Reivers" introduces us to a shifting cast of characters and lets each spend some time with the viewer. Some leave stronger marks than others.

Rupert Crosse leaves the deepest impression as Lucius' distant black relative Ned, who drives Boon crazy asserting his rights as a member of the McCaslin family by virtue of a great-grandfather who impregnated a slave. Ned is a proud man who likes to push his point beyond the bounds of reason, stowing away on Grandfather's car when Boon and Lucius make their Memphis trip.

"If I wait until I'm invited I'll never will go anywhere," Ned points out when Boon tries unsuccessfully to toss him. Ned is the agent provocateur in "The Reivers," somewhat dangerous in his ways but valuable, too, played with a vulnerable, humor-filled grandeur by Crosse, who got an Oscar nomination for his work. You laugh more with him than at him, but it's a bit of both.

Where "The Reivers" goes a little wrong is with some of the other characters. Sharon Farrell is the proverbial prostitute with a heart of gold who bonds with Lucius, while other smaller parts are filled by memorable character actors who get little to do. "We were a pleasant and courteous people, tending to our business," Burgess Meredith explains in the voice-over narration, and often they seem a bit too much of just that. Even the bad guys, like a racist sheriff played by Clifton James, seem a bit toothless and too-easily- handled.

Still, I enjoyed this film, if more around the margins than in the main. It's not unusual to see McQueen wielding a pistol, but it is to watch the target josh him about his lousy aim between shots. Aided especially by Crosse and Vogel, "The Reivers" isn't maybe as wise or knowing as it tries to be, but does leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling that doesn't stale with repeat viewings. A sleepy charmer, it shows even a king can make for a capable jester once in a while.

Mississippi Story

[whpratt1 · 7/10 · 9 April 2008]

This was a great film written by the famous writer William Faulkner dealing with an old man going back to his youth sixty years ago. Steve McQueen, (Boon Hogganbeck) along with a few of his friends decided to take a trip from Mississippi to Memphis in an old time car which was relatively new during this period of time and taking along a very young boy named Lucius, (Mitch Vogel). Boon takes Lucius into a brothel where he stays over night in Memphis and learns a great deal about the birds and the bees and especially from a sweet kind lady named Carrie, (Sharon Farrell) who is a gal very much in love with Boon. There is a horse race and lots of laughs and drama to go along with the rest of the picture. There was a great deal of problems between the director of this film Mark Rydell and Steve McQueen, but the film was finally completed but the producer would never direct another picture with McQueen.

An obscure gem from Steve McQueen

[lyle-12 · 12 March 2004]

I personally rank this film, based on William Faulkner's last novel, among my favorites. Not that I would rank it as a "great" film, but it's a lot of fun. It's true that McQueen may have been in fact older than his character was supposed to be, but his attitude and style seems to bring it off. Mitch Vogel, as the young boy Lucius, who is lured into stealing his grandfather's (Will Geer) new Winton Flyer automobile for a wild weekend in Memphis by Boone Hoggenbeck (McQueen) is completely believable as a kid who wants the adventure, but has to be drawn into it because he respects his grandfather so much. Rupert Crosse as McQueen's other reiver (thief) in this caper adds an extra comic relief as the one who gets them into a real fix in Memphis. Ordinarily I hate movies with running narration, but the narration in this by Burgess Meredith as the grown old Lucius, remembering his exciting weekend in Memphis, adds a real touch of poignancy to this tale of youth lost. Additionally, Sharon Farrell as McQueen's prostitute girlfriend, Clifton James as a vicious southern sheriff, and Juano Hernandez as a kindly old black farmer add real dimension to the film. Throw in a beautiful score by John Williams (his first film score) and you've got the makings of a warm, charming story, accurately drawn, from the turn of the century. The scene at the film's end, where the grandfather has a heart-to-heart talk with the boy, is wonderful, and very "authentic." The director, Mark Rydell, did a terrific job. I've seen this movie many times, and it never fails to entertain me.

Nice Ending Redeems Movie

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 13 February 2006]

This turned out to be a very nice story, almost an old-fashioned type of film, based on an old William Faulkner novel.

The only difference between this an an earlier classic movie of this nature was a bit of profanity, but it was 1969 and that stuff was now allowed in films. However, there wasn't a lot of it and the characters are decent people, anything but profane. However, the main character, played by Steve McQueen, wasn't exactly the best role model, teaching his young son how to lie and then taking him to a "house of ill repute." Other than that, he's a good guy and the film does end on a high note as the young boy (played well by Mitch Vogel) learns a hard lesson about lying.

I haven't seen this film in awhile but I remember the wonderful yellow automobile in here. Wow, what a beautiful car. There is an interesting horse race in here, too, with a different twist to it.

In all, a nice movie with good messages in the last half hour after what looked like a film that was a shaky morally. There's some nice photography in here, too. This film is decent enough for one viewing but probably not to purchase for multiple screenings.

Quaint, charming, an enjoyable ride

[ptl0168 · 7/10 · 14 February 2010]

MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS Sandwiched in between two big hits, 'Bullitt' and 'The Thomas Crown Affair' and the labours of love that followed - 'Le Mans' and 'On Any Sunday' - this is one of Steve McQueen's supposedly lesser efforts.

It is classed as lesser because a) it is not as popular as most of his movies b) It isn't seen that often.

However, this is a lovely, life-affirming coming of age movie. Mitch Vogel is perfect in the role of the innocent 12 year old boy taken on a journey of self discovery by his best friend Boon, expertly played by McQueen. Rupert Crosse was Oscar nominated for his role.

The best scene in the film is the climactic horse race, expertly photographed and full and excitement and tension. However my favourite scene is where Boon affirms his respect and admiration for his 12 year old charge, rather than vice versa.

Unfortunately this movie has been relegated to an afternoon filler on TV, and really deserves better.

Uneven

[kenjha · 6/10 · 28 September 2010]

Based on Faulkner's novel, this picaresque comedy-drama is set amid those carefree days of early 20th century when an 11-year-old boy could get his education at a cat house and it was OK to give a woman a black eye if she got out of line. It's meant to be a tender coming-of-age story and a genial comedy for the whole family, but this uneven film is too vulgar at times and the humor is forced and generally unfunny. McQueen does OK but appears to be too old for the role of an immature rabble rouser. Vogel is quite good as the young lad who is exposed to the seedy aspects of life at too early an age. Crosse's character is such an idiot that he's rather annoying.

It's climbing the charts

[pmtelefon · 7/10 · 18 March 2020]

The last time I watched "The Reivers" I thought it was okay. Today I watched it and I enjoyed it more. There is a lot of good stuff in this movie. It has a nice look and it tells its story at a nice pace. It has a very good cast but I have to admit I don't enjoy Steve McQueen as much as I used to. I grew up a big fan of McQueen but as I watch him now the bloom is off the rose. I often find McQueen as too self conscious a performer. Sometimes I see McQueen's ego more than I see a character. That said, there is a lot to like in "The Reivers". If I keep watching it, I might actually become a fan of it some day. Honorable mention: a dreamy Sharon Farrell.

A movie with special charm

[Shooturiout · 10/10 · 16 June 2002]

For a movie that starred one of the greatest box office stars of his time, based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by one America's greatest writers, "The Reivers" has continued to be something of an answer to a trivia question ("In what movie did Steve McQueen portray a semi-comic character involving a stolen automobile and a horse race?") I'm not sure of the reasons myself, but this movie has remained at the top of my "Favorite Movies" list since I first saw it in 1969. Maybe it was the out-of-character role of McQueen. Maybe it was the excellence of his supporting cast that includes Mitch Vogel, Rupert Crosse and Will Geer. Maybe it was the direction by Mark Rydell. Or maybe it was the outstanding score by John Williams (which has remained my favorite movie score of all time). Most likely, it is a combination of all the above. All I can say is that this movie has never lost its appeal for me. Watching the movie is like visiting an old friend with whom the passage of time will only strengthen the bonds of affection. This movie may not be for everybody, but I recommend it on the chance that you may be smitten by its special charm.

Risky Mississippi Business

[wes-connors · 7/10 · 30 March 2008]

"Oh, Reivers…that's an old-fashioned word from my childhood," explains narrator Burgess Meredith, "In plain English, I'm afraid it meant… thieves!"

The narrator is fondly recalling an adventure he had as an 11-year-old boy, "coming of age" in Mississippi. Young Mitch Vogel (as Lucius Priest) is the lad; he accompanies father-figure/handyman Steve McQueen (as Boon Hogganbeck), who steals the family's first automobile - a brand new, yellow-colored 1905 Winton Flyer. Rupert Crosse (as Ned McCaslin) makes "The Reivers" a trio by stowing away in the car's trunk. Their main destination is a bordello, where Mr. McQueen wants to hook up with prostitute girlfriend Sharon Farrell (as Corrie). Meanwhile, Mr. Crosse swaps the trio's prized vehicle for a slow horse named "Lightning"…

Mark Rydell's direction of William Faulkner's final novel is a qualified success. The principal cast members work very well together, with Vogel and Crosse exhibiting as much star presence as the more famous McQueen. The supporting cast is great; the participation of Will Geer, Burgess Meredith, and Juano Hernandez add to the film's old-world charm. Richard Moore's Mississippi photography is beautiful.

Although it doesn't ever go quite far enough, "The Reivers" main strength is in its depiction of real, flawed characters. Faulkner's portrayal of race and gender, as much as they show, are noteworthy. The most touching moments occur when young Vogel learns that women are not viewed the same way, after adolescence. His obvious difficulty accepting the degradation of women (through prostitution and beating) portends a different future for the younger generation.

******* The Reivers (12/25/69) Mark Rydell ~ Steve McQueen, Mitch Vogel, Rupert Crosse, Sharon Farrell

Tall tales from boyhood, circa 1905...

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 30 March 2008]

William Faulkner's story about an eleven-year old boy in Jefferson, Mississippi at the turn-of-the-century who tells his kin a string of lies in order to go on a stolen holiday with his father's handyman and a half-black relative. They travel into sinful Memphis, Tennessee in a yellow Winton Flyer, and initially their misadventures have the mud-spattered feel of an early-'60s Disney movie. Originally billed as rollicking family entertainment (though rated 'M' for mature), things take an odd, disquieting turn with an extended trip to a cathouse, where the kid's guardian (Steve McQueen) tussles with his favorite prostitute, who wants to go legit and get married (there's also a bloody fight between two youngsters that seems to come out of nowhere). Director Mark Rydell feasts on picturesque sunsets and auto-ride sing-a-longs, but he's got a penchant for vulgarity that undermines the comedy. It seems no one here wanted to make a strictly pictorial piece of scrapbook nostalgia, so the film ends up failing as both an American tall tale and as a boy-grows-up-fast character study. McQueen has some good, feisty scenes, but his character is rather hapless, and a Steve McQueen who does little but react to others is an automatic disappointment. The chief interests (the hazy, early-morning ambiance and cinematography, the quaint Winton Flyer which gets traded for a racehorse) nearly salvage the rest of the production, which was reportedly troubled after McQueen and director Rydell butted heads. The star later claimed this was a personal favorite of his films, but it is terribly uneven, occasionally perplexing and often sick-making. *1/2 from ****

What An Education

[bkoganbing · 10/10 · 9 October 2007]

My favorite Steve McQueen film has to be The Reivers. He was so right for the part of Boon Hogganbeck, handyman and general all around troublemaker, he should have been considered for an Oscar nomination. It's definitely by far his funniest film.

The Reivers is a posthumously published novel by William Faulkner and it's set in the Mississippi in the turn of the last century. The protagonist is a child Mitch Vogel, a most properly brought up child and grandson to the big kahuna in that delta county, Will Geer. Geer is a man who believes in progress, in fact he's brought the first automobile into his area, a brand new yellow Winton Flyer.

That car proves way too much temptation for McQueen who'd like to use it to go courting his girl friend, a hooker who works in Michael Constantine's and Ruth White's Memphis bordello, Sharon Farrell. But to hatch his scheme, McQueen entices Vogel to tell some well placed lies about which relative the young man might be staying with and then taking Vogel and the car to Memphis after McQueen's been left in his charge. Stowing away in the Winton Flyer is Rupert Crosse.

Crosse who did get an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor is a mixed racial cousin of Geer's family and it does entitle him to some perks in the racist society that was early 20th century Mississippi. But Crosse is as smart and resourceful as McQueen and knows how to play up to people and make the racism work his way. Unfortunately Crosse lost his Oscar bid to Gig Young for They Shoot Horses Don't They. And sad to say Crosse died a few years later at too young an age, very much like star Steve McQueen.

It's one rollicking ride our intrepid trio is on from the bordello to a horse race where Crosse swaps Geer's new automobile for a race horse that he discovers runs like lightning with a trick gimmick. Laughs mixed with some serious Faulkner social commentary.

One person who does not credit enough in this film is Sharon Farrell. Her role as McQueen's girlfriend is tender and touching and in the end she actually becomes an honest woman. But a great deal of the enjoyment of The Reivers is in how that is accomplished.

For any fan of Steve McQueen, The Reivers is an absolute must. And I guarantee you, one will become a fan of Steve McQueen after seeing this fascinating, tender, funny film.

A family film that isn't exactly family-friendly

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 9 February 2008]

Steve McQueen stars as a nice jerk in Northern Mississippi in 1905. However, the focus of the film really is on young Mitch Vogel and is about his initiation into the sluttier side of life. Odd that despite his prominence in the film he received such low billing. This is a coming of age story about the South from William Faulkner and while in many ways it is a family film, the themes that appear in it make it far from family-friendly. This is certainly not a Disney flick! Now for older kids, it's probably okay but with the sexual content, whore house setting and morally shaky lead characters, it's a bit problematic for the younger crowd.

Now if you ignore all the debauchery in this film and the cliché about "hookers with hearts of gold", then it is an excellent character study and does have some lovely performances and is finely crafted--just don't let your kids internalize the messages or you'll be sorry!

So so at best

[tdh57 · 3/10 · 6 January 2013]

It's hard to believe Steve McQueen turned down the roll of Sundance in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid simply because he would have been billed second behind Paul Newman. Oh the enormous egos of Hollywood. Instead, he accepted this film which is rather forgettable judging by the lack of reviews on IMDb.

He constantly fought with the director, walked off the set, and even demanded the director be fired from the project. The studio refused. Ego somewhat back in check Steve finished the film.

It's a simple coming of age story based on the Pulitzer prize winning novel by William Faulkner. Plenty of character actors do their best to carry the load but it's ruined by McQueen's constant overacting.

A couple of highlights were the early score by John Williams and the excellent photography, but neither were enough to give this anything better than a so-so rating. Best to read the book instead.

Mature fare good for the whole family

[zpzjones · 1 May 2006]

This is an enjoyable old fashion type of adventure they just wont make anymore outside of a Disney adaptation. It's based on a William Faulkner story, his last I believe, and may be slightly autobiographical. I always saw this movie on television in the 70s & 80s and didn't realize so much of the film was cut and watered down for TV. The video VHS/ or DVD is much more complete and has more uncensored dialogue as well as including excised TV scenes such as when the trio arrives at the 'bordello' and Lucius is introduced. While the movie takes on a Disney or Hallmark heritage type of look it is not that. It is much more mature with spicy dialogue as mentioned and mature scenes that round out a longer running time. One thing I noticed is that this movie hails from 1969 when certain sexual situations were now being allowed in American productions. This movie reflects this change, while being basically family fare it 'just' escaped an R rating presumably as the MPAA system was still new and unfamiliar with how to rate certain subject matter. If this movie had been made just four or five years before it no doubt would have captured the rural early 20th century innocence familiar to Faulkner but the sexual situations, which make the story more believable, wouldn't have been included. Alas this is a great movie to have in your collection to take out and view when you're lonely and want something to look at or if it's raining outside. ***1/2 stars and it deserves to be much more well known than it is.

An agreeable and mild enjoyment with great cast and wonderful score by the great John Williams

[ma-cortes · 7/10 · 24 November 2020]

A nostalgic and delightful rendition of William Faulkner's novel , set in the Deep South , about an unholy trío: haired hand called Boon , Steve McQueen, rogue black Rupert Crosse and teenager Vogel, all of them become involved in a number of adventures and illicit pleasures . As they borrow a 1905 Winston Flyer and driving it triumphantly off to Memphis for four days. Boon had just these days to teach young Lucius the facts of life like cheating, lying, brawling and womanizing. Along the way they visit a bordello where Boon meets an old flame : Sharon Farrell , after that , they lose the car and try to win a horse race .

A coming-of-age story about a little boy : Mitch Vogel and how his experiences help the small boy to grow up, as he joins a duo of adventurous , dimwitted young buck McQueen and wily African-American Rupert Crosse. Main starring and great support are frankly magnificent . Steve McQueen is very good as a roguish reiver , that's a cheat , a liar , a brawler and a womanizer . Along with the sympathetic, and naive adolescent Mitch Vogel, but newcomer Rupert Crosse manages to steal many of the scenes he's in .And oustanding brief appearances from secondaries as Clifton James , Michael Constantine, Juan Hernández, Dub Taylor , Burguess Meredith's narration ,among others .

Production design is excellent giving a strong sense of period , as well as sunny and brilliant cinematography by Richard Moore . Special mention for the lively and rousing musical score by incombustible John Williams .And directing by Mark Rydell is nice , drenching itself in his own style and avoiding the usual mawkish pitfalls . Rydell is a good professional who has directed successes enough . As he has made the following ones : The Fox, The Cowboys, Cinderella Liberty, Harry and Walter go to New York, The Rose, On Golden Pond, The River, For the Boys, Intersection, Crime of the century, among others. Rating 7/10. Better than average, an enjoyable movie full of the fun of being alive . The flick will appeal to Steve McQueen fans.

"I said, there's somewhere that the law stops and just people begin".

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 11 July 2016]

Following a string of successful movies in which Steve McQueen developed his brash, cool, loner persona, he decided to take an artistic leap of faith and portray a character going against type. The decision caused him much concern because he wasn't sure if he could do comedy well, and at times felt like the picture might have led to career suicide. In a way, McQueen felt he might have been letting down his fans, betraying the public for doing a comedy.

He needn't have worried. "The Reivers" was well received at the box office in this country, although the foreign market was not as receptive to the story, based on a slice of William Faulkner's Americana. Notwithstanding McQueen's starring role, the story has more to do with a young boy's coming of age, as eleven year old Lucius McCaslin (Mitch Young) embarks on an auto excursion from Jefferson, Mississippi to Memphis, Tennessee with rascally Boon Hogganbeck (McQueen) and his own woodpile cousin Ned McCaslin (Rupert Cross). This may be one of the very few times in movie history a familial relationship is suggested between a white boy and a black man, but it works for the story and isn't really a prevailing factor in the telling.

Probably the most effective scenes in the picture involve young Lucius as well. Particularly moving are his conversation with Corrie (Sharon Farrell), a hooker with a heart of gold, and later on with his granddad 'Boss' (Will Geer), after having learned a valuable life lesson about lying, cheating, brawling and womanizing. Those last two were traits of father figure Boon, but Lucius kept his eyes wide open and was a good student of the human condition.

According to Steve McQueen though, the real star of the picture was the yellow Winton Flyer that grandpa Boon bought, which was hijacked by the principal players on their merry journey. The car was made especially for the movie, and was kept by McQueen after filming as part of his personal collection until his death in 1980. It can still be seen and admired at the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California.

Pretty good translation to film

[zetes · 7/10 · 23 July 2000]

I don't read all that much because I'm a little dislexic, which makes reading take a lot longer for me than it does for others. That's why I am more of a film fanatic than a literature fanatic. But there is one author whose work keeps me thoroughly interested, and that author is William Faulkner. In my opinion (and it is an opinion that is well informed; despite not reading often, I would consider myself well read. Instead of wasting time reading weak entertainment like John Grisham, Tom Clancy, and Micheal Chrichton, when I do read, I always make sure it is something that is highly regarded among literature experts), there is no better author than William Faulkner. His style surpasses everything else that I've read.

And I have read _The Reivers_. While it doesn't match up with the rest of his work (in fact, I consider it the least of all those that I've read, and I've read all of his bona fide masterpieces), it is still a thoroughly enjoyable novel. It does not match up because its narrative style is greatly diminished when compared to _The Sound and the Fury_ or _Absalom, Absalom!_. _The Reivers_ is also very anticlimactic, which ends up harming the rest of the novel.

Well, _The Reivers_, with its unimpressive style, is the perfect Faulkner novel for the big screen. And the film version actually improves on the ending, removing the anticlimactic scenes (in the novel, Boss shows up after the first heat of the race, and then the second heat is postponed while Boss negotiates Boon out of jail (in addition to smacking Corrie, he also beat the heck out of Butch, the sheriff (or "shurf" in pure Faulknerian)). Also, the film actually adds some very well written dialogue that was not in the novel.

The film does miss one important thing, though. It never feels as if much time has passed. In the novel, several scenes are carried out a lot longer. Basically, we experience everything that happens to Lucius, and by cutting out some scenes, we don't feel as if we've not slept much. There is more to the Mr. Binford scene, there is a lot more to do with Otis (his character was perhaps the most severely excised in the film version), and there is an enormous episode involving the transportation of Lightning, the horse, to Possum. The subtraction of all this material results in the feeling that the events in this film go by too quickly.

I give the film the same grade that I give the novel, an 7/10. While the film fixes the anticlimax, it also goes faster than it should.

McQueen hams it up in Faulkner's early 1900's Southern misadventure

[Wuchakk · 6/10 · 7 November 2022]

In northern Mississippi, 1905, the first automobile is brought to town, a yellow Winton Flyer, bought by the patriarch of the McCaslin family (Will Geer). A likable rapscallion named Boon (Steve McQueen) talks the 11 year-old McCaslin grandson (Mitch Vogel) into going to Memphis in the "borrowed" vehicle for a few days while gramps is out of town for a funeral. Rupert Crosse joins the fun trip and Sharon Farrell plays a woman of ill repute in Memphis.

Based on William Faulkner's last novel, "The Reivers" (1969) is a picaresque tale that's worth seeing just for the primitive automobile. Steve called the vehicle "the real star of the picture" and acquired it after filming for his personal collection. Yet the exploits of the colorful protagonists are entertaining in a fun way.

However, the tone is initially jarring, combining the air of a Disney kid's flick from that era with adult bits, like staying overnight at a brothel and everything that goes with it. I should add that there's no nudity except for a full-bodied painting on the wall in the boy's bedroom, which he amusingly gazes at with fascination.

Being too adult-oriented for children and not meaty enough for adults, the movie unsurprisingly failed to connect with audiences at the box office, leading McQueen to later lament that it made him look like "the village idiot." While it is true that he comes across as an "Aw shucks" simpleton, the character of Boon IS a man-child, an adult who still behaves like an irresponsible child. Meanwhile the kid is the real star since it's his coming-of-age story.

On the female front, Sharon Farrell is reminiscent of Ann-Margret and was one of the most beautiful women to walk the earth in her prime. Meanwhile redhead Diane Shalet is on hand as Hannah.

If what I said interests you, check it out, but "Paper Moon" (1973) is a better choice for this kind o' flick. It lacks the curious hammy approach of McQueen (and a couple others, to lesser degree).

The film runs 1 hour, 47 minutes, and was shot in Greenwood & Carrolton, Mississippi, with the horse racing sequences (obviously) done at Walt Disney's Golden Oak Ranch in Newhall, California, which is located in the high country just north of Hollywood and east of Santa Clarita.

GRADE: B-/C+

a treasure

[rupie · 9/10 · 19 July 1999]

I have not read the Faulkner story on which this is based, so I can't comment on how much of this delightful film can be credited to him (doubtless Burgess Meredith's voiceovers are Faulkner's words), but this wonderful movie about the pain of growing up is laced with plenty of adventure and fun and deserves to become a classic. The John Williams score is superb. The acting is wonderful from all the leads, including the boy. This is one of the underrated Steve McQueen's best roles, and Will Geer is perfect in the small but rich part of Boss. The characters are all wonderfully and richly fleshed out, and there are many moments of human insight. To top it off, the cinematography makes the movie simply gorgeous to look at.

Considering the movie's manifold virtues it's interesting to note that one never sees it on any of the cable channels. The reason is obvious, and it's political correctness. The movie uses the "n" word multiple times, although always in the same way Mark Twain used it, i.e. to demonstrate the inhumanity behind the use of the word. Also Corrie has her eye blackened by Boone, and Ned explains to Lucius "what better sign can a woman want from a man that he has her on his mind." All this racism and sexual violence is of course abhorrent, but the forces of political correctness would rather pretend that it never existed than to look it square in the eye.

So to see this movie you'll have to buy it on DVD, which I strongly urge you to do.

Steve McQueen takes his coolness to the nth degree

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 15 January 2019]

I haven't read any of William Faulkner's works, and I got the feeling that the relationships between people of different races wouldn't have been this laid-back in 1905 Mississippi, but there's no doubt that "The Reivers" is one fun movie. It reminded me of "Smokey and the Bandit": the wild-mannered southerner who brings someone along with him, the slimy sheriff, and lots of trashing the rules. Adding a good dimension is Burgess Meredith's sonorous narration. This is one movie that they probably had a lot of fun filming.

Aside from Steve McQueen, Rupert Crosse (in an Oscar-nominated performance) and Mitch Vogel, the rest of the cast includes Sharon Farrell, Will Geer, Michael Constantine (the dad in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding") and Dub Taylor (the dad in "Bonnie and Clyde").

Reivers Means Thieves- The Reivers **1/2

[edwagreen · 5/10 · 24 August 2013]

I'd like to know why the motion picture academy felt that Rupert Crosse deserved an Oscar nomination in the supporting category for this 1968 film? There was nothing to him as a black member of a Mississippi family in 1905. If anything, acting honors should have gone to Mitch Vogel, as the young boy caught up in the mayhem that pursues when Steve McQueen and Crosse persuade the young man to take to them to Memphis to a house of ill repute.

The film, which is the typical coming of age movie, even for the period, tells the adventures that they encounter on their way and at Memphis.

There is plenty of racism. Ruth White as the head of the brothel? Come on. She, who was so good, as Rod Steiger's first victim in "No Way to Treat a Lady," is as sexy as an old prune.

Will Geer shines as an understanding grandfather,and Burgess Meredith recounts the story as the man the Vogel character was as a young boy. Vogel gave a very sensitive, restrained performance.

One of two good film versions of Faulkner

[coop-16 · 9/10 · 6 March 2000]

Together with Clarence Browns version of Intruder In The Dust, this must count as one of the few good film versions of Faulkner. The Reivers was his last, his tenderest, his funniest, and his most accessible book, and this is a tender, funny, and accessible film. McQueen gives yet another excellent performance, as does the little used Rupert Crosse.The narration by Burgess Meredith is wonderful. In short, a very good "Southern"

Only a few good moments

[nkardatzke · 2/10 · 27 April 2022]

I remembered some good scenes from seeing the movie long ago. But this time the movie was very slow, and the gaffs stood out. The old car sometimes started without being cranked. The soiled doves could not have dressed as they did in the movie. And there were other errors.

An underappreciated gem

[Moviemom · 8 August 2001]

A diverse group goes off on an adventure, each for his own reasons, and each comes back changed and much wiser. Romance, excitement, tough choices, new experiences, and a really great car -- what more can you ask for? In a just world, this would be considered a classic of the coming-of-age genre. It is one of McQueen's most complex and charming performances. Crosse, another actor who died much too young, is brilliant. It has some mature material, but it is a wonderful family movie to talk to kids 13 and up about what growing up really means.