The brute in every man was also in him... And the love and the violence!

Starring: Charlton Heston, Joan Hackett, Donald Pleasence, Ben Johnson, Bruce Dern, Slim Pickens, Lee Majors, Anthony Zerbe

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Leave him be. Out here, by hisself, no goods, winter coming on. He's gonna be a long while dying. And all that time, he's gonna know who done it to him. Yes, sir, a mighty long time, and then he'll be dead." - Preacher Quint

Why watch this? ... what happens when a loner suddenly starts to care for others?

Plot Summary: Aging cowboy, Will Penny, accepts a job as a line rider on a vast ranch during a harsh winter. He discovers a stranded woman and her son have taken refuge in his assigned cabin. Though initially resistant, Will allows them to stay, leading to a blossoming romance and a newfound sense of family. However, a past confrontation with a vengeful outlaw family threatens their fragile happiness.

Dad's Preview: This was a very realistic Western for its time. Heston delivers a career-defining performance as reclusive ranch hand, Will Penny, who encounters a woman, Catherine, and her young son living his line shack miles into the wilderness. He's torn between duty to his employer, and the affection he develops for the woman and son. Then a group of cutthroats show up at the cabin. This small, intimate film intensifies when the gang takes Will hostage and threatens to rape Catherine.  

Paramount Pictures