Frank Perry directs this charmingly oddball comedy-drama written by Thomas McGuane (The Missouri Breaks, 92 in the Shade) about too young, lazy contemporary cattle rustlers (Jeff Bridges, Sam Waterston). The two have a genial contempt for a big time cattle rancher (Clifton James) who bought his spread after selling his chain of beauty parlors. Married to young, sexy Elizabeth Ashley, James’ character is oblivious to Ashley’s regular failed attempts to seduce his hapless ranch hands. Curt and Burt (Harry Dean Stanton and Richard Bright). When James has had enough of the cattle rustling mischief, he hires elderly, apathetic range detective Slim Pickens to find the culprits.
“Rancho Deluxe never aspires to be a great drama, western, or satire of either. Somehow, it ends up being all of the above…there’s a difference between a movie that flounders and one that drifts. This one drifts magnanimously. If the object of a movie was to be as low key and goofy as possible, Rancho Deluxe would be a masterpiece.” – Joe Valdez, The Distracted Globe
“An underrated anti-western about modern-day cattle rustlers.” – TV Guide
Ariel Schudson discusses Rancho Deluxe on the New Beverly blog.
