Bite the Bullet

UPC: 043396077614

Studio: Columbia TriStar

MPAA Rating: PG   Contains:[Mild Violence, Questionable for Children, Adult Language]

Summary: An excellent cast, featuring Gene Hackman, Ben Johnson, and James Coburn, highlights this entertaining Western that came and went at the box office, barely noticed by audiences. That doesn't stop the exciting story from capturing the viewer's attention as a disparate group of riders assembles to participate in a marathon 700-mile horse race across the American West at the turn of the century. The standard mutual feelings of distrust give way to respect and grudging admiration as each rider is put to the test. Stunning cinematography and locations, plus a gripping pace set by director Richard Brooks, set this Western apart at a time when the genre was in decline. ~ Don Kaye, Rovi

Category: Western

Awards: Best Original Score – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Features: Interactive Menus
Scene Selections

Bite the Bullet

Format: DVD

Release Date: 04/02/2002

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Pre-1954 Standard

Runtime: 131 Minutes

Language(s) English

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish,Portuguese

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Donald Guarisco

This unique fusion of the western and the race movie is a grand, old-fashioned epic that offers some surprising food for thought. Richard Brooks' script deftly balances adventure and racing-oriented setpieces with nuanced characterizations and thoughtful dialogue that explores how "winning" is a central part of the American ideal. Brooks directs his narrative with a judicious eye, making effective use of sharp cinematography by Harry Stradling, Jr. to convey both the beauty of the landscape and the grueling toll it takes on the racers. Brooks also gets strong performances from a diverse, likeable cast: Gene Hackman excels as the rugged but big-hearted hero - the emblem of the best American qualities that Brooks is using his film to praise - but there is also skillful work from James Coburn as an amusingly roguish racer and Jan-Michael Vincent as a callow young rider who is forced into maturity by the challenges of the race. That said, it is Ben Johnson who captures the heart of the film with his finely-tuned performance as an over-the-hill drifter who pursues the race despite his poor health. His campfire monologue about how one must be a "winner" to be noticed in America is quietly devastating stuff. Finally, it is worth noting that the film boasts a lavish musical score by Alex North that has a sense of grandeur reminiscent of the work of Aaron Copeland. All in all, Bite The Bullet is majestic, rousing entertainment that appeals to both the heart and the mind. It is well worth the time for anyone who wants to enjoy a uniquely American epic. ~ Donald Guarisco, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Billy Burton  Actor 
Darwin Lamb  Actor 
Buddy Van Horn  Actor 
Sally Kirkland  Actor 
Joe Brooks  Actor 
Richard Brooks  Director 
Richard Brooks  Producer 
Richard Brooks  Screenwriter 
Alex North  Composer (Music Score) 
Gene Hackman  Actor 
Candice Bergen  Actor 
James Coburn  Actor 
Ben Johnson  Actor 
Ian Bannen  Actor 
Jan-Michael Vincent  Actor 
Mario Arteaga  Actor 
Robert Donner  Actor 
Robert Hoy  Actor 
Paul Stewart  Actor 
Jean Willes  Actor 
John McLiam  Actor 
Dabney Coleman  Actor 
Jerry Gatlin  Actor 
Walter Scott, Jr.  Actor 

Country: USA