Rancho Deluxe-Review 1

By Ayesha Haqqiqa

Synopsis: Two young men, one a happy-go-lucky Anglo and the other a more serious Native American, are rustlers, stealing one cow at a time from the local cattle baron and holding his prize bull for ransom. The baron calls in detectives, and the fun continues.

Sam's Performance: Sam plays a man with Native American blood, Cecil Colson, who goes along with his friend, Jack, as they bed willing young ladies, get drunk, and have a good old time. Yet Sam's character seems to be the only one that really knows what's going on; when Jack says that they need to do one last rustling job so as not to fall asleep, Cecil says he's already awake.

Must-see scene: Watching Sam shoot a buffalo rifle into a Lincoln Continental is memorable.

Rating:

1 Sam means you won't be able to sit through the film once; 5 Sams means you'll want to buy the movie and watch it over and over!

3 Sams

The film is satirical and silly; good for comic relief.

Rancho Deluxe-Review 2

By Paul R. Ward

The key element is that nothing and no one in the movie is what they seem!  (However, Henry Beige's 'niece' isn't his niece, and she isn't a detective. "C'mon, Henry, lets blow this pop stand!  I want to get to Billings and start spending my cut !)

Remember, the War in Viet Nam was going on at the time, and that Henry Beige missed WWII because he was on the State Prison Ranch for rustling.    

" Hey Cecil, do you know how to roll a quarter between your fingers ? "   " NO! None of that !  That's the first thing you learn in Prison.  Next is simple minded Card Tricks...."

The scene, cut out of the video release, showing Cecil with his father discussing his father's unemployment, is poignant and striking it its honesty, as is Jack's meeting with his ex-wife.  Of course, now that he is single, his married draft deferment is gone....

Our boys shoot cattle in broad daylight, swap the meat for traceable  antique guns, shoot up cars and cattle with the antique guns,  kidnap blue ribbon champion bulls,   ( " We have to raise the ante on this here John Brown ! " )  and finally get arrested in the act of an inept mass rustling, after conspiring with the two dumbest cowboys in Montana.

And they then get sent to the State Prison Ranch, where they will miss the Viet Nam War.  HMMMM.... (" You practice your card tricks, and I'll roll the quarter between my fingers.  We'll find a way, Cecil." )

Give the film a viewing, and see if you don't agree.