Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Tom Horn (1980)

Steve McQueen (1930 - 1980)

Tom Horn was an actual figure in the waning days of the old wild west. The movie is set in 1901 and an opening graphic tells the salient facts about Tom, who was a man who could back up his word with his fists or his guns as was necessary in that place and time. Horn was famous as a tracker, fought in Cuba with Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders, and was particularly known as the man who captured Geronimo, the Apache chief.

The movie purports to be a true story, based on the life of Tom Horn, written by himself. I have read a good account of Tom Horn's career and the movie tends to follow along quite well with what I remember with obvious jazzing up for Hollywood purposes. There were no soft edges to Tom Horn; he was basically a two-fisted cowpoke who was a terrific shot. Some ranchers hired him to guard their cattle and Horn stiffened out several of the rustlers with his favorite Winchester rather than bringing them in. He was eventually tried and hanged as the citizens were busy trying to bring "law" to the Wyoming territory.

The movie has a pretty well defined trajectory, fitting into the tragic genre of film with its emphasis on the fast changing times and the inability or unwillingness of the Horn character to compromise his ideals to conform with the common herd of mankind. The opening scene shows him insulting boxing contender Gentleman Jim Corbett who is holding court with his entourage in a frontier saloon.

This scene is used to establish the absolute fearlessness of the protagonist whose horse is so wild he will attack anybody else but lets Horn sleep with him in the stall. After a solid beating (offscreen) by not only Corbett but his gang, Horn is awakened by mild mannered rancher (Richard Farnsworth) who wants Horn to do the dirty work he and his fellow barons are unwilling to do.

Horn is a little too simple to notice the saccharine Farnsworth is really leading him to his doom yet he desires the work so he does kill a lot of rustlers as he catches them with association cattle. Somebody with a grudge sees him in town and opens fire and Horn gets to his rifle and kills him in plain sight of everybody. The ranchers are aghast at the potential negative public relations and feel they must find a way to turn off the killing machine they have unleashed. The rustlers are all gone so they decide to frame him by murdering a young boy from a hidden spot and leaving signs as if Horn had been the shooter.

Tom Horn's story is quite proverbial, as society often tries to destroy its military leaders once peace is restored. In history there are many examples from Nero's destruction of Corbulo to the possible assassination of General George Patton in 1945.

Steve McQueen, Linda Evans, and Richard Farnsworth are the most important players with Linda Evans a far cry from the beauty she would portray on Dynasty. Don't look for glamour here; she is made up as plain as a Quaker preacher's daughter. Slim Pickens and Geoffrey Lewis are a couple of familiar faces in the supporting cast, the rest of which are unknowns.

The lensing was done by John A. Alonzo and is very nicely done as is the scoring by Ernest Gold. Steve McQueen is certainly an action star moreso than a Shakespearean board treader but in this case he rises to the occasion as the stoic cowboy who had no fear and contempt for lesser beings who prove quite craven under his steady gaze. This and Papillon are his two best acting performances, in my opinion.

The Warner Bros DVD is presented in color, in 2.35:1 theatrical aspect, and running 98 minutes. The only extra is the trailer and subtitles.

Steve McQueen would make one film after this (the lesser work, The Hunter), before succumbing to lung cancer in the same year. Tom Horn is a fitting epitaph to the action star and should be seen by all fans of solid westerns and tragedies.

More from Steve McQueen -

Hell is for Heroes
The Great Escape
The Getaway
Nevada Smith
Papillon
The Hunter

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening