The Honkers (1972) User Reviews

Underrated-Underplayed

[mdewey · 7/10 · 16 May 2009]

An extremely down-to-earth, well made and acted "Rodeo" Western. No gussied up stars needed here as all cast members were regular people telling a real life story about a rodeo hustler and his entourage in the 60's and 70's West. But hats off particularly to Slim Pickens for giving what I think was his signature performance, especially given the fact that he had been a rodeo clown in real life. His role went far beyond the mere clown role as he deeply dealt with all the "ups and downs" of the hard-nosed rodeo life and the psychological devastation that so frequently surrounds such a life style. He and Mr. Coburn teamed up extremely well as partners, not only on the circuit itself, but also in the real world outside the corral. Also, check out Anne Archer as Coburn's Native American love interest in the latter part of the movie. Must have been one of her first roles.

Not as flashy, perhaps, as "Junior Bonner", but equally heart rendering and impacting in its portrayal. Thanks to the Encore Western Channel for showing this true grit of an under-rated movie from time to time.

What the future holds

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 28 August 2017]

James Coburn stars in and dominates The Honkers the story of a veteran rodeo cowboy who really ought to settle down with his wife Lois Nettleton and son Teddy Eccles. But Coburn likes the life too much especially the partying and those rodeo bunnies. Something about those bowlegged cowboys gets to them I guess.

So Coburn makes one of his many pit stops at his home and he and Nettleton have their usual argument about that final divorce decree he won' t sign so she can marry steady and reliable Richard Anderson who has a used car dealership. But there's a nearby rodeo so he and best friend Slim Pickens who is a rodeo clown are off to it.

The Honkers takes an honored place beside such rodeo films as The Lusty Men and Junior Bonner. Steve Ihnat really captures the ambiance and feel of the rodeo as an American institution.

Before he went into films Slim Pickens was a rodeo clown and this is the only film he actually gets to play one. Like his buddy Coburn this is the life he knows though he's not the party animal that Coburn is. I guess someone has to be the designated driver and it seems to have fallen to Slim to be that for Coburn in all situations. Being a clown requires the same kind of reflexes it does when riding a bull or a bucking horse. Slim too has slowed up a might.

Anne Archer makes her film debut as a rodeo bunny whose father is a big oil millionaire. As a kind of Indian rodeo hippie, Archer makes a fine debut in The Honkers.

I did like the ending which was most vague and you have to decide for yourself what the future holds for Coburn. This one is really worth checking out.

Seriously underratd film

[templars-32488 · 7/10 · 16 May 2018]

Ebert was needlessly harsh in reference to Coburn's scene hogging, and gave the film 2 stars. He loved a few performances, and Picken's certainly played well the loyal "mascot" - a perfect term for his character. The performances are fine - and the rodeo scenes are well done and executed. Yes there are a few inserted pointless plot devices but overall, I think it a terribly underrated film. Coburn plays the "rake" well enough, and I found his character more sympathetic than most. Most of his downfall is attributable to making a stand for the sake of his wife's "honor". knowing full well he is not good enough for her. Another reason to watch would be Anne Archer. in what was her first role. She isn't much of an Indian of course, despite her head band (nice try) but oh so lovely in a De Tomaso Pantera nonetheless.

As I recall, this was a wonderful movie

[Graham-8 · 30 June 2002]

I was living in Sri Lanka when I saw The Honkers (in 1975, three years after its release). Great rodeo movie. Pity it's not available on DVD or VHS. It had the same real-people feel as Sam Peckinpah's Junior Bonner (a movie I saw six times when it first came out). I remember Steve Ihnat's performance in Madigan and Fuzz. Too bad he passed away so young.

Following Coburn on a bumpy ride

[jjnxn-1 · 7/10 · 21 April 2014]

Meandering but enjoyable comedy/drama of a rodeo rider who is coming to the end of his wandering days.

The narrative seemingly rambles more than necessary but at the end of the film it makes sense since the protagonist has lived his life drifting from one place to another never answering for the consequences of his actions.

James Coburn is well cast in the lead his craggy features suiting a hard living cowboy and his laconic style a natural fit. He is well supported by two performers who were often better than the projects they found themselves in. Chill Wills gives his good old boy sidekick role a lot of shading that makes the character more than was intended. Lois Nettleton, a fine actress whose quiet style was often unappreciated, adds her easy warm presence as Coburn's patient wife.

A bit surprising to see Anne Archer just starting out and cast as a Native American. She's fine but it's jarring to see her miscast considering her future fame and knowledge of her very Causian complexion.

Similar in spirit to Nicholas Ray's superior The Lusty Men and Sam Peckinpah's Junior Bonner, this a good film with a very effective ending.

A 'Junior Bonner' stablemate

[mark-rojinsky · 7/10 · 7 April 2023]

1971's 'The Honkers' is a stablemate to other rodeo-themed modern westerns from '71-72: 'Pocket Money', 'Junior Bonner' and 'JW. Coop'. Lanky, silver-haired toothy actor, James Coburn plays an ageing rodeo rider making a hardscrabble living in Arizona and at the same time having fun with women, bars, clubs and booze. Coburn had incredible rhythm- '..that least neurotic of Hollywood leading men', wrote David Thomson while Andy Garcia described him as the -'epitome of class'. The film records the early-'70s well - those were pioneering years and has a tragi-comic and playful feel as it shows American individualism.

"Did he recognize ya?" .. "Don't think so. Had the wrong end pointing at him."

[moonspinner55 · 4/10 · 28 August 2017]

James Coburn is a devilish, lady-loving rodeo-circuit rider down New Mexico way; Anne Archer is a smitten fan who bats her eyes at him; Lois Nettleton plays his wife who puts up with all his comings and goings. The early 1970s were rife with these kind of cowboy character pieces, and all of them have the same scenes: the unloading of the horses at sunrise, the sizing up of the competition, the aged cowpoke sidekick chiming in with his two cents (here it's Slim Pickens), the parade down Main Street and, that old standby, the protagonist getting caught with another man's woman (and escaping with his pants down). Co-written by Steve Ihnat, who also directed, and Stephen Lodge, the lackadaisical film probably made an inoffensive co-feature at drive-in theaters but, on its own terms, the clichéd results are pretty thin. Coburn is energetic and amiable--he's always good when cast as the wily scalawag--but the movie depressingly stacks the deck against him. The western milieu in general doesn't feel like a natural fit for Coburn, who looks like he might be more at home sitting on the Riviera plotting someone's demise. ** from ****

I co-wrote this picture--therefore I think it's pretty good.

[honker · 10/10 · 10 September 1998]

"The Honkers" is probably Slim Pickens best performance of all time. When we were shooting, everyone connected with the production figured that Slim was Academy Award material. Unfortunately, United Artists had a James Bond picture in release at the same time and did not devote much attention to "The Honkers". I personally feel this film was under-rated by most critics. Sam Peckinpaw's "Junior Bonner" was out at the same time and seemed to impress the critics more than our film. Also, Cliff Robertson had a rodeo film out a few months before our release and that might have hurt us, too. The picture is worth watching, if just for the rodeo footage--some of the best ever filmed--shot by James Crabbe. The director and my co-writer, Steve Ianat, died a few weeks after the picture's release, cutting short a promising career and leaving behind his lovely wife Sally, his daughter, Gaby, and newborn son, Stefan. Please give this movie a shot. I'm betting that you'll say it was well worth while. I thank anyone who has taken the time to read this. Stephen Lodge

Good Character Movie

[zzzskipper · 8/10 · 4 March 2006]

The Hookers was to me a great everyday people story, Like someone you might have known. Just trying to make it, my big shot is right around the corner. Then Life's little temptations creep in, the spoiler, stumbled again. How much, can your love take, and give, to the guy who's really not so bad, after all, just Human. I liked it, I was also a paid extra in the movie. Played the drums in the bar shots, with the band, did several walking shots, my green 66' corvette was in the motel party shots. Wonderful cast and crew, first rate people, down to earth movie. I had lunch with James Coburn, on Mother's Day, what a wonderful man, just like I've known him for years, I'll never forget him. My father spent the day with Slim Pickens, and swapped horse stories, Slim also was really down to earth, love those guys, we really miss them. Real people making movies about real people, Thanks Levy, Gardner, and Laven.

The Honkers - One of the Best Westerns Made

[brooklyn-15 · 9/10 · 14 December 2007]

This is one of those movies that was never publicized and therefore was missed when it originally played in the theaters.

I came across it while switching TV channels and was immediately engrossed in this story of an aging rodeo bum whose recklessness and lack of responsibility hurt everyone around him. I've often wanted to see the movie again but couldn't even remember its name, and have never seen it in the rental stores.

James Coburn and Slim Pickens were excellent in their roles, and the rodeo footage was first rate. While being an action movie and having a western setting and theme it could be enjoyed by anyone regardless of their taste in films.

SteveInhat - Big fan

[Tubby-7 · 30 August 1999]

I saw the Honkers in the early 70s and loved it and remembered it. I also saw both JW.COOP & JUNIOR BONNER - both excellent. The reason I had to catch Honkers was that Mr.Inhat deeply impressed me in Madigan as Barney - an enduring psycho performance - which I can still quote verbatum. I also made a note of him in Hour of The Gun. I felt grim when he died (just after the Cannes screening?) But rest assured he, and the film, are recalled fondly. .

A Hard Living Rodeo Classic - James Coburn At His Best!

[HardToFindMovies · 9/10 · 18 January 2014]

I just watched The Honkers this afternoon and was most impressed. James Coburn is great to watch as a hard living rodeo champ who has returned to his hometown and long suffering family for a bull riding competition. Slim Pickins plays Coburn's best friend and guardian angel as a rodeo clown who always has his back. The direction by the late Steve Ihnat is outstanding and the filmography is great. I enjoyed the bull riding scenes which must have been from real competitions. This film depicts a man's decline and disrespect of his own life, yet somehow Coburn's suburb acting causes the viewer to still have sympathy for his character. All the supporting actors also do a fine job. This film shows the price that is paid from daily hard drinking, fighting, breaking promises and sleeping around...and Coburn shows this beautifully. For great scenes of 1970s southern hard living with great James Coburn acting you need to see this picture.

Underappreciated gem

[FeinMess · 9/10 · 6 September 2022]

Under viewed, under the radar, and underappreciated gem from 1972, sort of in the vein of the not-yet-released Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore.

Not a slick, flashy or snazzy movie in the least - no stylish, Hollywoodized characters, no verbose dialogue, and no complicated, overwritten story. Just a slow-paced but engaging story of a dead-beat father who makes his living as a bronc rider on the New Mexico traveling rodeo circuit. Believable, genuine, and touching film explores the effects an absent parent can have on family and friends. James Coburn as the dead-beat father/rodeo cowboy, Lois Nettleton as his wife, Richard Anderson as the surrogate father, Slim Pickens as the rodeo barrelman/best friend of Coburn, Anne Archer as Coburn's hippie, Indian mistress, and Ted Eccles as the son. Venerable character actors Jim Davis, Ramon Bieri and Mitchell Ryan also appear in supporting roles. Second time director Steve Ihnat was a veteran, character actor of tv and movies from the 60s and 70s who may have had a solid directorial career ahead of him had he not passed away at the early age of 37.