Lonely are the Brave: Universal Backlot Collection – DVD Review

By Jeff Swindoll Jul 3, 2009, 12:22 GMT

Academy Award winner Kirk Douglas ignites the screen with one of his most personal roles as a cowboy on a collision course with the modern world in Lonely are the Brave. After landing himself in jail trying to break out his friend, Jack Burns (Douglas) finds himself alone and on the run from the law. Leading the manhunt is Sheriff Morey Johnson (Walter Matthau), who must bring Burns to justice ...more

A dept of gratitude should go to Steven Spielberg for giving the Universal studio president the bug to get this fine Kirk Douglas picture onto DVD.  I guess it helps to have friends in high places.  

John W. Burns (Kirk Douglas), but you can call him Jack, is a walking anachronism.  In modern times (well, the 1960s when the movie is set) he still rides a horse on the open range and lives the life of a cowboy.  When he gets word his friend Paul (Michael Kane) is jailed he saddles up his horse, Whiskey, and heads out to help. 

He stops by Paul’s house and talks with his wife Jerry (Gena Rowlands).  He can’t really get in to see Paul so he stages a fight with a one armed man (Bill Raisch, who would menace David Janssen in the Fugitive TV series) to get himself thrown in jail.  He’s given a warning and is going to be let go so he hits a police officer to make sure he’s thrown in the clink. 

He meets up with Paul and tells him of his plans to break him out of jail, but Paul is not willing to take the chance of an extended sentence and refuses.  Jack continues with his plan with the help of Paul since he can’t stand the confinement being used to the open plain. 

They’re nearly done when the sadistic guard Gutierrez (George Kennedy) takes Jack into an isolated room to beat him up.  After his beating, Jack’s even more ready to get out of jail.  His escape causes a manhunt led by Sheriff Morey Johnson (Walter Matthau), but can Jack make it across the Mexico border since he refuses to leave his horse Whiskey on the rugged mountains in the way?  

Kirk Douglas read the novel The Brave Cowboy by Edward Abbey and saw the potential for a film, so Universal snatched up the rights for the star.  Douglas recruited blacklisted writer Douglas Trumbo, who wrote Spartacus years before, for the screenplay and insisted that Trumbo get screen credit instead of a pseudonym.  Douglas credits the film for breaking the blacklist. 

The film is a wonderful one with Douglas giving one of his greatest performances and he considers it one of his personal favorite films.  Some time ago Steven Spielberg was assembling a clip show of Douglas’ career for his being honored at Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation. 

When he viewed it he noticed that Lonely are the Brave wasn’t featured, he called the president of Universal studios to get the clips and said that it was disappointing that it wasn’t widely available and I’d imagine that Spielberg’s inquiry is why the DVD is in my hands today. 

The film is truly one of Douglas’ finest moments, especially some acting at the end of the film.  Not only does the film showcase Douglas but some of the minor roles are filled with familiar faces, before they became familiar faces, including Carroll O’Conner, William Schallert, and Bill Bixby.  A great film all around.  

Lonely are the Brave is presented in anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions.  Special features include the 19 minute “Lonely are the Brave: A Tribute” which interviews Douglas, Rowlands, and famous film admirers Michael Douglas and Spielberg.  The 10 minute “The Music of Lonely are the Brave” is a tribute to composer Jerry Goldsmith by historian/Goldsmith friend Robert Townson.

Lonely are the Brave is a fine modern western that harkens back to the time when men roamed the range.  Kirk Douglas proves his mettle as an actor in the role and I can see why the star considers it one of his best.  The Universal Backlot Series was created to showcase such fine films and thanks to Steven Spielberg for putting the bug in their ear.  

Lonely are the Brave: Universal Backlot Collection is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for this version of the DVD. Visit the DVD database for more information.