Something Big (film)
| Something Big | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Andrew V. McLaglen |
| Produced by | James Lee Barrett Andrew V. McLaglen |
| Written by | James Lee Barrett |
| Starring |
Dean Martin Brian Keith Carol White Honor Blackman Ben Johnson |
| Music by |
Burt Bacharach (title song) Marvin Hamlisch |
| Cinematography | Harry Stradling Jr. |
| Distributed by | National General Pictures |
|
Release date
|
January 1, 1971 (U.S. release) |
|
Running time
|
108 min |
| Language | English |
Something Big is a 1971 American motion picture produced by Andrew V. McLaglen (who also directed it) and James Lee Barrett (who also wrote the screenplay). A Western comedy, the film stars Dean Martin, Honor Blackman and Brian Keith.
Former football star Merlin Olsen appears in his second on-screen role as Sergeant Fitzsimmons.
Produced at the end of the 1960s and at the height of the Vietnam War, the movie is a revisionist western, with a subtext involving the "civilizing" influence of women on the American frontier. The lighthearted title song, which sets the picaresque tone for the movie, was written by Burt Bacharach (music) and Hal David (lyric) and sung by Mark Lindsay.
The film's portrayal of Native Americans is rather negative, depicting them to be drunk and cowardly in a critical battle scene. This itself is a revision of the noble savage stereotype of earlier Hollywood westerns.
McLaglan started his career in western movies as an assistant director to John Ford.
In the frontier of New Mexico Territory, Joe Baker is an aging, restless bandit determined to do "something big" before his fiancee Dover McBride arrives from the East. Dover's brother Tommy is a partner in Baker's banditry.
Baker must deal with the vulgar outlaw Johnny Cobb and his ruthless sidekick Angel Moon, while also opposing his plan is the cantankerous Colonel Morgan, who is on the cusp of retirement from the U.S. Army command in the territory. In a situation parallel to Baker's, the colonel's wife Mary Ann is arriving from the East to accompany him home on his retirement. Colonel Morgan learns from his Indian scout Bookbinder that Baker is planning something but is thwarted at learning details.
...
Wikipedia