Story of movie Rustlers%27 Rhapsody : Rustlers' Rhapsody is a 1985 American comedy-Western film. It is a parody of many Western conventions, most visibly of the singing cowboy films that were prominent in the 1930s and the 1940s. The film was written and directed by Hugh Wilson, who was supposedly inspired by working at CBS Studio Center, the former Republic Pictures backlot. It stars Tom Berenger as a stereotypical good-guy cowboy, Rex O'Herlihan, who is drawn out of a black-and-white film and transferred into a more self-aware setting. Patrick Wayne, son of Western icon John Wayne, co-stars, along with Andy Griffith, Fernando Rey, G.W. Bailey, Marilu Henner and Sela Ward.
| Rustlers' Rhapsody | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Hugh Wilson |
| Produced by | David Giler Walter Hill |
| Written by | Hugh Wilson |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Steve Dorff |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date | May 10, 1985 (United States) |
Running time | 88 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $15 million |
| Box office | $6,090,497 |
Henner was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award as Worst Supporting Actress.
Screenplay
The concept of the movie is explained in a voiceover intro by G. W. Bailey, who wonders what it would be like if one of the 1930s/1940s Rex O'Herlihan movies were to be made today. At that point, in a scene reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz, the cinematography shifts from black and white to color and the soundtrack changes from mono to surround sound.
As a consequence of this paradigm shift, Rex O'Herlihan (Berenger), a "singing cowboy", is the only character aware of the plot outline. He explains that he "knows the future" inasmuch as "these Western towns are all the same" and that it's his "karma" to "ride into a town, help the good guys, who are usually poor for some reason, against the bad guys, who are usually rich for some reason, and ride out again". Rex's knowledge is also connected to the unspecified "root" vegetables he digs up and eats.
On his high-stepping horse Wildfire, Rex rides into the town of Oakwood Estates, walks into a saloon and meets Peter, the Town Drunk (Bailey). In exchange for a free drink, Peter explains the background: the town, and especially the sheep herders ("nice enough, but they smell God-awful"), are being terrorized by the cattle ranchers, headed by Colonel Ticonderoga (Andy Griffith). Also there is Miss Tracy (Marilu Henner), the traditional Prostitute with a Heart of Gold. A local sheriff is "a corrupt old coward who takes his orders from the Colonel".
Blackie, the foreman at Rancho Ticonderoga, swaggers into the bar with two of his henchmen and shoots the town real-estate agent. Miss Tracy objects, and when she is verbally abused by one of Blackie's henchmen, Rex intervenes. Blackie draws on Rex after they exchange words - including Rex's threat to "shoot in the hand" anyone of them drawing on him - and duly delivers on that threat. The disabled Blackie orders his two henchmen to kill Rex, but having seen Rex's skill, they choose to shoot Blackie instead. Rex then proceeds to shoot both in the hand. He then orders them to remove Blackie's corpse.
Peter exchanges his drunk suit for a sidekick outfit, catches up with Rex, and is reluctantly accepted. (Rex has sworn off sidekicks as they keep dying.) At the singing cowboy's campsite, Peter finds not one but two women there eager to get to know Rex a little better, Miss Tracy and the Colonel's daughter (Sela Ward).
The Colonel goes for help to the boss of the railroad men (Fernando Rey) – who wear dusters and have theme music like characters in spaghetti westerns. "We should stick together. Look what we have in common: we're both rich, we're both power-mad, and we're both Colonels — that's got to count for something!"
Rex outwits the Bad Guys because he knows their every move before they do. But then the Colonels import "Wrangler" Bob Barber (Patrick Wayne), apparently another Good Guy. Bob psychs out Rex in their first meeting by attacking Rex's claim to be the "most good Good Guy" and pointing out that a Good Guy has to be "a confident heterosexual". "I thought it was just a heterosexual", Rex objects. "No, it's a confident heterosexual", responds Bob.
Rex backs down from the shootout. On his way out of town, while preparing to change roles to that of a sidekick, Rex explains to Peter that he rides into town, kisses the girls and rides out again. "That's all: I just kiss 'em. I mean, this is the 1880s. You gotta date and date and date and date and sometimes marry 'em before they, you know ..."
Bob reports that Rex is finished as a Good Guy. Nevertheless, the Colonels, over Bob's objection, arrange for Peter to be bushwhacked. This rouses Rex to round up the sheep herders and face down Bob and the rancher/railroad combine. Bob is revealed as not a Good Guy at all because, after all, "I'm a lawyer!" Rex shoots him.
Colonel Ticonderoga makes the peace. He apologizes to Rex and throws a party at Rancho Ticonderoga, after which Rex and Peter (who survived because Rex had him wear a bulletproof vest) ride off together into the sunset.
- Tom Berenger as Rex O'Herlihan
- G.W. Bailey as Peter
- Andy Griffith as Colonel Ticonderoga
- Fernando Rey as the Other Colonel
- Sela Ward as the Colonel's Daughter
- Marilu Henner as Tracy
- Patrick Wayne as Bob Barber
Shooting took place in Spain.
Rustlers' Rhapsody received negative reviews from critics, with many saying it paled in comparison to Mel Brooks' Blazing Saddles. Writing in the New York Times, Vincent Canby thought Wilson had ignored the "genuinely funny" idea that Rex might be caught in a time warp. The film currently holds a 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 reviews.
Rustlers' Rhapsody was released on VHS cassette in by CIC Video . Later releases removed an important scene that explains how Rex overcomes his doubts about being a "confident heterosexual" .
.jpg)
