Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones star as Gus McCrae and Woodrow Call, aging cowboys and former Texas rangers and who organize a 2,500 mile cattle drive for one last great adventure in this excellent 1989 miniseries adapta... more »tion of Larry McMurtry's novel. The best friends, who steal the herd from a gang of Mexican cattle rustlers, drive their herd from Texas to Montana, battling horse thieves, angry Indian tribes, and a renegade half-breed killer named Blue Duck (Frederic Forrest) on a mission of revenge. The excellent cast also includes Robert Urich as cardsharp and former Ranger Jake Spoon, Anjelica Huston as McCrae's old flame Clara Allen, Danny Glover, Ricky Schroder, Diane Lane, Chris Cooper, D.B. Sweeney, Steve Buscemi, and even a small role for author Larry McMurtry. Australian director Simon Wincer shows a tremendous capacity for balancing sweeping drama and intimacy against the gorgeous landscape of the American Southwest, giving a grandly epic feel to the film despite its small-screen target and limited budget, and for forging memorable characters of even the smallest supporting parts. The heart of the drama belongs to McCrae and Call, memorably etched by Duvall and Jones as the last of the range romantics. In the age of revisionist Westerns, this excellent cattle-drive drama nicely maintains an old-fashioned feeling while still showing the dark side of the American West. Winner of seven Emmy Awards and responsible for two miniseries sequels (Return to Lonesome Dove and Dead Man's Walk) and a TV series. --Sean Axmaker« less
James D. (Jamie1066) from NEW YORK, NY Reviewed on 2/21/2013...
One of the greatest Westerns ever produced, Lonesome Dove features outstanding performances from a huge cast, spectacular cinematography, exciting action sequences and a script which captures the essence of the genre. I've seen this miniseries over a dozen times, and with each viewing I find more to like about it. The prequels and sequels, while not up to the original's standards, make this THE great American Western Epic tale. Although he had dabbled in the genre before Lonesome Dove (as Jesse James in The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid) Robert Duvall's performance here is part of a Western trifecta, which also includes Open Range and The Broken Trail. If any Western fans have not seen Lonesome Dove, they will be thrilled and delighted by it.
1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.
Rita M. from CORINTH, MS Reviewed on 3/16/2011...
Best western ever made! A must have for all movie collections.
0 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Sherri H. (MrsH) from ROME, GA Reviewed on 11/15/2007...
Fantastic!
0 of 4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Movie Reviews
No Other Western Comes Close To This One
D. Mikels | Skunk Holler | 12/03/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've seen LONESOME DOVE so many times I've practically got the six hours of dialogue memorized. Yet I'll keep watching this excellent adaptation of Larry McMurtry's epic novel, over and over again. Why? Two words: compelling story.The friendship of Augustus McCrae and Woodrow F. Call is the underlying theme of LONESOME DOVE; it's the motor that drives the story. When these two weathered former lawmen steal a herd of cattle from Mexico and set off for Montana for one last grand adventure ("I wanna see that country," says Call to Gus, "before the lawyers and bankers get it."), the stage is set for a Western with plenty of humor, action, violence...tragedy. This production makes McMurtry's unforgettable characters literally leap off the page. Robert Duvall IS Gus McCrae...Tommy Lee Jones IS Woodrow Call. Both performances are so vivid and on target the viewer is transported seamlessly to McMurtry's story, a story centering around the undying loyalty and friendship of these two men. LONESOME DOVE is a film that will entertain you, take you over the full gambit of human emotions, then after six hours leave you begging for more. Jones and Duvall lead a stellar cast in a remarkable film that has but one weakness: it has to end. And McMurtry's story is told--told so well that no other Western even comes close."
My favorite Duvall role
Kevin P. Westmoreland | Asheville, NC United States | 02/20/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"It is finally nice to get the entire Lonesome Dove epic on DVD. While I have to agree that the picture is not as pristine as I would have liked, it is definitely better than the VHS version that I own. The sound is Dolby Digital mono, but surprisingly good. One thing to note - the movie breaks at the same break points that the mini-series did when broadcast. After approximately 1.5 hours, the credits roll, and then the next section starts. Not that bad, but a little clunky. The interview snippets with Larry McMurtry are kind of insightful and nice to have.Robert Duvall is really incredible in the role of Augustus (Gus) McCrae. The man is the character. I found I was laughing to myself all over again at Gus's western philosopher dialogue, and wishing that we all thought a little more like him.If you loved the VHS version and want a better copy, buy this DVD. Though not crystal clear, it is an improvement over my old VHS copy and with instant chapter access, much more convenient to view."
Get the other edition!
David Hutton | 01/24/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Be warned: this edition of "Lonesome Dove" is cut down to 240 minutes, from the original 360. This is perhaps the greatest television miniseries ever made, and it would be a shame to see it in anything but its complete form. Spend the extra couple of bucks to get the other DVD edition! My rating of the movie itself would be five stars, but this cut version is a terrible injustice."
Excellent, and complete
K. Riley | SP, Ohio United States | 03/21/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am very pleased with this movie, I own it on vhs and was not disappointed with the picture quality on dvd. This is the complete 6 hr miniseries, (minus the networks commercials that made it 8 hours). The bonuses are great!"