Martin Ritt’s Hombre (for “man” in Spanish) is a quality western featuring Paul Newman as the titular Hombre, otherwise John Russell – a white man who was raised among and by the Apaches. Now heir to the boarding house left behind by his recently deceased adoptive father, John decides to sell the house.
In the stagecoach journey that follows John’s notification to the people at the boarding house, John travels with the housekeeper Jessie (Diane Cilento) and a number of other passengers, including a bully called Grimes (Richard Boone), soon to encounter the bully’s partners in crime and he must save the group including three women from the bad guys. Will he overcome the thugs and break the siege on a hilltop?
Hombre is more drama than gun fight and peels the main characters to their core. Themes of racism and loyalty form the kernel of this story. John’s character reflects both, being the victim of the former and a champion of the latter. Courage is central to western plots and Hombre is no exception with John, Jessie, and other good guys showing this quality to varying degrees. John’s repeated display of restraint against the bad guys and only pulling the trigger when it comes to survival shows the true spirit of courage.
Arguably it’s the element of realism that gives this movie its shine. In cinematography, characterization, setting, and pace of action, the audience can feel it happening right in front of their eyes. Not overdoing really worked well for Hombre.
