Set at the turn of the century (20th, that is), Richard Brooks' 1975 road-race Western (with horses substituted for cars) follows a stellar cast of characters--Gene Hackman, James Coburn, Ben Johnson, Candice Bergen, Jan-Michael Vincent--on a grueling 700-mile winner-take-all endurance race over mountain, through desert, and across river. While the contestants are somewhat stereotypical--the English dandy, the inveterate gambler, the hothead would-be gunslinger, the philosophical semi-hero, and the ex-hooker with the heart of a certain precious metal--the solid performances combined with Brooks' often scintillating dialogue keep the characters fresh and help offset the occasionally interminable and repetitive racing segments, raising this above generic "racing" films. Inspired by a real-life notable 1893 horse race, Bite the Bullet picked up nominations for Best Music (Alex North's score is energetic and lush) and Best Sound (although you wouldn't know it from the somewhat tinny-sounding mastering on this otherwise technically solid DVD). Presented in anamorphic widescreen, this otherwise extra-less disc is recommended, overall. (R. Pitman)
Bite the Bullet
Columbia TriStar, 131 min., PG, DVD: $19.95 June 17, 2002
Bite the Bullet
Star Ratings
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