Lonely Are the Brave (1962)

the audience applauded

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

There are many things weighing in favor of this film: David Miller's direction is assured, honest, competent, and perceptive; Douglas, Matthau and Rowlands all post wonderful performances; photography is superlative; action sequences are of the highest order; and the script, especially the dialogue, by Donald Trumbo, is very good.Unfortunately, it is built upon a questionable premise. Even the most idealistic of souls has to know that you do not commit crimes to be taken into jail to release your brother, but first you ask him if he is willing to go along with that project. Fortunately, Douglas' brother is much wiser than he and refuses to break out of jail. Freedom-loving, idealistic Douglas has some strange quirks, not to mention a questionable military service record that includes a Purple Heart, and good civilian deeds besides beating up officers of the law. For somebody who apparently loves freedom so dearly, it is really strange that he has no idea how prison limits your freedom, especially because he had been in detention during his military service.The film gathers momentum when Douglas is on the run and police after him, but you know that things are not going to go well. Best single aspect in the whole movie: Douglas' love for his mare, Whisky. Plaudits for the trainers who managed to get the animal to perform so convincingly in such a difficult environment, both on the mountains and in the streets.I liked Matthau's understated performance and the way his character understands Douglas' motivations, but the law, even in 1962, did not allow cop offenders to get off so easy. Well deserved 7/10, a more credible premise would easily raise it to 9/10.

Jack Bondi is a confessed cowhand and loner, not into setting up house with anyone, but still able to love, although not in a typical fashion. What surrounds him must allow for his special brand of solitude and his slowly fading, cowboy ways.His horse, Whiskey, is fidgety, likes to play, and dislikes the encroaching roads and signs as much as Jack does. They command, as Jack lists them,"no hunting, no hiking, no admission, no trespassing, private property, closed area, start moving, go away, get lost, drop dead!" Please, don't read more of this if you don't want to know what takes place within the jail.Jack wants to free his friend, Paul Burns, from the local jail. Paul has two years to endure before his release for assisting illegal aliens. A previous bar brawl, which netted him an arrest, didn't open that door, so he hits a cop to earn a one year stretch, knowing he won't be there long. But Paul doesn't want to escape, which leaves Jack to break out alone to flee into the mountains with Whiskey. It is their attempts to reach the peak and down into the woods on the other side, which would eventually lead to Mexico, that takes up most of the movie.Overall, it's a good film, despite the disappointment some may feel toward the end. If the reader loves horses, then this one's for you, as it shows just how inseparable an owner and his/her mount can become.

Kirk Douglas has said that "Lonely Are The Brave" is his absolute favorite of all the movies he has done. It doesn't take much thought to determine why he feels this way. The movie's central character, Jack Burns, is a non-conformist, someone who always does things his way no matter what society may tell him differently. There are few other movie protagonists like this one. Other merit found in the movie includes some tense moments while Jack is on the run, plus a gutsy and unconventional ending that you probably couldn't get away with today.If there is a flaw to be found in this good movie, it may be that some modern day viewers may object to the pacing. It takes about half of the movie before Jack is on the run, and some scenes do seem to run a little longer than they should. While every scene DOES provide some purpose, I think the movie would have been improved had several scenes been cut down in length slightly. But even without this correction, the movie is never boring and is always interesting.

Jack Burns personifies the true authentic man. Inner-directed, questions society's rules, its prejudices and desire to beat into submission the individual. He belongs to a race of men who no longer fit in. This movie also highlights the constant march of man v. technology, individual freedom v. governmental interference and desire to control. So many sub-plots and themes that are so timely in today's world. Open your eyes and look around you.Great character actors and actors early in their careers. The black and white adds to this film's rich texture. No fancy special effects to distract from the message.