BBCattermole

This film had been slated by some English critics I later discovered - one describing it as "awful". I hadn't read about it beforehand and was pleasantly surprised - no violence, explosions, sex! A soft, gentle film with romantic and family angst heavily emphasised. George C Scott was excellent in the 'Hemingway' role and had splendid support from the rest of the cast, especially Claire Bloom and Julius Harris (I except David Hemmings from this who came close to spoiling it with hamming it up; very annoying). The ending didn't do the rest of it justice, I felt; a little too much sugar! Well photographed and a good score too. A good film for a wet afternoon.

This could have been an exciting, well made movie, but instead it was trash. All right, the special effects were very good, but the script and the acting were terrible. Robert Duvall looked more like a resident of a home for the aged rather than a space pilot, and Tea Leoni's performance was the worst piece of acting I've seen for a long time - and that voice! A boring, gravelly monotone. She would never have been a TV presenter. The sub-plots were silly and unnecessary. One wished that the comet would get on with it and wipe everyone out.

It has everything. Great plot, beautifully filmed, very well acted. Has to be one of the top Westerns made, up there with 'High Noon' and 'The Magnificent Seven'. Wish it was in colour! Surely filmed with a real cattle drive, quite staggering. Super performance from John Wayne, aged for the part and foretelling his real appearance in later roles. Montgomery Clift, John Ireland - super!

A Western with an interesting plot and an unusual ending. Well acted (except for Joan Collins who can't act for peanuts) and a treat for all those who like their Western heros to be laconic and single minded. Gregory Peck produces his usual sound performance and the four villains are excellent as well. Worth seeing - will you guess the ending?

Such a slow and tedious film, disappointing in view of its cast list with many experienced character actors. The roles played were essentially ridiculous, especially the 'lama' who would have looked more at home in 'Robin Hood'. There was something wrong with the colour cast too, lama's robes changing from brown through orange to crimson and purple! India looked far too clean with happy peasants and so on. Definitely a waste of viewing time.