Review of Mustang Country

Joel McCrea came out of retirement to do this, and one can only wonder why. It seems likely it was either the chance to spend a lot of time on horseback in astonishing mountain countryside (which one would imagine he'd done plenty of times before this), or he was too nice to turn down a friend. The story is basic and unadorned by nuance or insight. Old cowboy wants wild mustang. Orphaned kid with spunk helps him. Adventures follow. There's no conflict in the story beyond whether the pair will capture the horse. The only two other actors in the movie are nice guys who disappear after one scene. And of the two main actors, Joel McCrea is the only one who can act. (He's not given anything remotely complex to act, though.) The kid is out-acted by McCrea's dog. In fact, the kid is out-acted by McCrea's hat. But it's wonderful to see McCrea in his twilight years, still a consummate pro, still a splendid rider, still a movie star. And the scenery is worth four of the five points I voted the movie.