Goin' South (1978)

Expected more

Excellent but underrated film

Awesome Movie

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Incredibly underrated flick - great from from start to finish with a perfect blend of action, romance and laughs. First saw it as a teen on HBO a year or two after its theatrical release and it remains one of my absolute all time favorite movies. Great story, dialogue and cast. Nicholson shines as an actor and director while displaying delightful wry comedic timing. Filled with classic scenes and quotable lines. I would guess I've watched "Goin' South" several dozen times and enjoyed every second. If you haven't seen this gem, trust the positive reviews, ignore the misguided negative reviews and check it out.

Until I saw "Goin' South' the other night, I didn't think Jack Nicholson ever acted any crazier than he did in "The Shining". But he's got that performance topped here as the career outlaw turned anxious husband Henry Lloyd Moon. And if you didn't know any better you might even consider this picture a comedy, some of the dialog and situations are outrageously funny. I had to wonder whether Mel Brooks might have gotten the idea for the hanging horse in "Blazing Saddles" from an opening scene; after that it's just one crazed situation after another. With fellow cast members from "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" like Christopher Lloyd and Danny DeVito, the Western town of Longhorn is set on it's ear when Miss Julia Tate (Mary Steenburgen) saves Moon from a severe case of rope burn and attempts to tame her new husband into some semblance of humanity. It just ain't gonna work.

I knew that going in and watching "Goin' South" that it wouldn't be anything great or special and it certainly is not one of Nicholson's better works even though he directed. Clearly the western genre is not Jack's trademark type of film and his character is out of place at least appearance wise. It just looked so uncommon seeing Nicholson looking rugged with a hairy beard and listening to him talk in a slang country western drawl sounded so out of place. Anyway this little western try which was directed by Nicholson himself has himself as outlaw Henry Moon set in the 1860's. Moon is about to be hanged only to be saved by a lovely young gal who promises to marry him and take charge. Her name is Julia Tate(Mary Steenburgen)who's headstrong and smart yet her character is very sheltered and plain as a Southern virgin. Yet Julia's smart plan is to make Moon work the apparent gold mine that supposedly exist on her property. Really this film is nothing great, it's just so out of place for a genre of Jack's and the film is paced as a slapstick style comedy making it a very amusing western with no drama found that's so common in western films. Still it has it's good points to watch mainly the growing and transformation of the Steenburgen character into a molding lady of experience and her screen chemistry with Jack was good. Also appearances from John Belushi, Ed Begley Jr., and Christopher Lyold are worth mention, and any film with Jack in it especially if your a fan is worth a watch at least once.

When people ask me what is my favorite movie of all time....there are several answers. One that was a box office hit? Or, my favorite movie no one has ever heard about? This is my favorite film no one knows about. Why, well Jack Nicolson is worth the price of the rental to begin with. His humorous scowl and raise eyebrows which are the trademarks for impressionists one might believe came from this film. Second, the supporting cast is not without merit: Mary Steenburgen, John Belushi, Danny Devito, Christopher Lloyd, Veronica Cartwright, Ed Begley Jr. with the added adventure of the film being Directed by none other than Jack himself. There are several memorable scenes. One:being the opening where Jack, we discover, is being chased on horseback-great camera work here. Jack in the mines chanting he could do this "all night long" as a double entrende. His interaction with Mary who is the uptight spinster. I love it!!! Worth being a Nicolsonite.