Wild Bill [DVD]

At least in this DVD Jeff Bridges looks the part. However, this DVD is to the real story as the Ben Affleck "Pearl Harbor" film is to "Tora! Tora! Tora! A Hollywood version of events.

That is not to say that Wild Bill is not a very good film. It starts off as an entertaining look at the life and times of Wild Bill Hickok from a factual point of view. It then changes track and introduces a fictional story about his eventual killer being the son of a woman that he once loved and looks at the relationship between Wild Bill and his killer.The film kicks off showing some of Hickok's gunfights and how he obtained his reputation. These are beautifully directed by Walter Hill, with great attention to detail - showing the gunfights exactly how they were suppossed to have happened.It then shows Hickok as a man troubled with his past and looking at a bleak future, with the impending loss of his vision. Up until this point the film stays very true to the facts, giving an accurate and entertaining portrayal of Hickok and his life and times. Bridges is amazing in the role of Hickok, looking exactly like old pictures of Wild Bill and conveying the man as a killer, but living by his own set of rules. As I have mentioned, the Director Hill also deserves great credit for showing the Old West with amazing realism, grubby muddy steets, dimly lit bars etc.The film then chages track as soon as his eventual murderer appears in the film, Jack McCall. Historic fact then goes out the window and shows McCall telling Hickok on numerous occassions that he is going to kill him, and, having cornered Wild Bill with men who also want Hickok dead, they all decide they are not able to shoot him. Later McCall eventually shoots Wild Bill in the back of the head, after Hickok generously offers him this view of himself, despite his stated intention to kill him.That is not to say that the film is not entertaining, as it has some amazing set piece gunfights and captures the feel of the times perfectly. I just wish the writer had decided to stick to the factual story of Hickok, which would of been even more entertaining than the fiction.

This is a hard film to assess. The quality of the acting is good, the sets and photography are grimly realistic and the anecdotal story telling holds your attention for most of the running time. But the emotional crescendo of the film lacks credibility and bears little relation to historical events. To its credit the movie features Hickok's battle with glaucoma and his increasing disillusion with life, the ageing process and the rootless existence of a gambler, drinker and fighter. Jeff Bridges makes these elements seem very convincing while at the same time showing what a unique man Bill Hickok actually was. Ellen Barkin is equally realistic as a devoted Calamity Jane. Various commentators within the movie demonstrate how the mythology of the west was nurtured, amplified and eventually exaggerated out of all proportion. The motive to kill Wild Bill is invented, implausible and the main weakness of the production. There is a brilliant film to be made about Wild Bill Hickok but this isn't it. I think this was an ambitious, theatrical bake of the Hickok legend for which the director could not quite find the right yeast.

This is probably the most accurate depiction of the hurly burly of Deadwood , with gold both found and rumoured . The t.v series was also quiteaccurate . The wild west was not called WILD for nothing . It was anything goes and survival of the fittest . I particularly liked the cameos to theSioux and Cheyanne Injuns , with their alluding to the disappearance of the buffalo , resulting in the demise of most PLAINS tribes . Bringing civilisation to the West being something of a misnomer , as it was probably more civilised prior to the 'white' men . It is a conundrum that Jeff Bridges and Ellen Barkin had the lead roles , with sub role and narration by John Hurt . I think in the main it worked . The history of these events ,is at best murky , but Hickock dieing age 39 , puts it in perspective , given his alledged history . It was interesting also to see a cameo fromJanel Maloney , of West Wing fame . As a corollory , only 120 years between Deadwood and President Bartlett . The fabrication of a new nation ,developing its myths and so called heresay as history , is instructive .

Jack "U wronged my ma & I am here to kill u Wild Bill". Wild Bill "If ya gonna shoot a man shoot him good DON'T tell him ya going to shoot him BEFORE ya shoot him"

Good movie but not historically correct. You would think Hollywood would get the historical facts right of their Iconic hero's of the old west. I was looking forward to the story of Wild Bill but felt very deflated and angry they didn't get the facts right.

Watched this film ages ago and from what I remembered it was rubbish. So that's why I've only given it 3*s. Like a lots of films, you watch the Trailer and you think ah that looks like a good film only to find out it's not. I like my Westerns but sadly this one get's a thumbs down from me.

Jeff bridges heads an excellent cast with the hand of director Walter Hill evident from the start. The oft violent episodes in the life of the irascible Will Bill on his voyage across the western frontier are well observed with human drama, dirt, danger, death and at times humour never far away.The excellent John Hurt provides an overriding narrative as Bills friend companion and witness on their arrival in Deadwood Dakota 1876, for the final weeks of Bills life. Wild Bill gets five stars for what it is rather than should be: an enjoyable if imperfect cinematic take on a life removed by distance, time and legend. The scenes are by turn odd, quirky and memorable not least the opium dream scene with the Cheyenne dog soldiers. In addition traditional tunes of the era percolate the sound track and highlight the end credits. Wild Bill works as an entertaining era transporting yarn and a good if not classic western that rewards revisiting on a dull evening.