A woman (Sarah Miles) running away from her husband (George Hamilton) and an unhappy marriage stumbles across a train robbery in progress and is kidnapped by their leader (Burt Reynolds). With her husband and a lawman (Lee J. Cobb) in pursuit, the two are slowly drawn to each other. Based on the critically acclaimed novel by Marilyn Durham (which I've not read), apparently the book's admired tone and style were re-written (Eleanor Perry did the original screenplay before others got their hands on it) into a more conventional Western romance. Certainly, there's nothing unique about the film that elevates it above the standard Western. Which isn't to say it's bad, just routine. Reynolds seems miscast, too Movie Star handsome when he should be more grizzled and worn and poor Sarah Miles spends most of the movie either getting raped or fighting off rapists. Even the John Williams underscore is off, it's quite pretty but also inappropriate. It needed to be darker (the original score by Michel Legrand
was darker but rejected by the producers). The striking Utah and Arizona locations are handsomely shot by in Panavision by Harry Stradling Jr. (
THE WAY WE WERE). Directed by Richard C. Sarafian. With Jack Warden, Nancy Malone, Bo Hopkins and Jay Silverheels.
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