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The Hired Hand

The Hired Hand

Western · 1971

Harry Collings returns home to his farm after drifting with his friend, Arch. His wife, who had given up on him, reluctantly allows him to stay, and soon believes that all will be well again. But then Harry has to make a difficult decision regarding his loyalties and priorities.

Movie details

The Hired Hand

“Peter Fonda is riding again... To the woman he lost... for the revenge he craves!”

1971 Western 1h 31m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.2 / 10

Community rating

Harry Collings returns home to his farm after drifting with his friend, Arch. His wife, who had given up on him, reluctantly allows him to stay, and soon believes that all will be well again. But then Harry has to make a difficult decision regarding his loyalties and priorities.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Hired Hand?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Two tough westerners bring home a group of settlers who have spent years as Comanche hostages.

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A former Union Army officer plans to sell out to Anchor Ranch and move east with his fiancée, but the low price offered by Anchor's crippled owner and the outfit's bullying tactics make him reconsider. When one of his hands is murdered he decides to stay and fight, utilizing his war experience. Not all is well at Anchor with the owner's wife carrying on with his brother who also has a Mexican woman in town.

The Quick and the Dead

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A mysterious woman comes to compete in a quick-draw elimination tournament, in a town taken over by a notorious gunman.

Lawman

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While passing through the town of Bannock, a bunch of drunken cattlemen go overboard with their celebrating and accidentally kill an old man with a stray shot. They return home to Sabbath unaware of his death. Bannock lawman Jered Maddox later arrives there to arrest everyone involved on a charge of murder. Sabbath is run by land baron Vince Bronson, a benevolent despot, who, upon hearing of the death, offers restitution for the incident.

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Bad Company

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The Missouri Breaks

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When vigilante land baron David Braxton hangs one of the best friends of cattle rustler Tom Logan, Logan's gang decides to get even by purchasing a small farm next to Braxton's ranch. From there the rustlers begin stealing horses, using the farm as a front for their operation. Determined to stop the thefts at any cost, Braxton retains the services of eccentric sharpshooter Robert E. Lee Clayton, who begins ruthlessly taking down Logan's gang.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Peter Fonda

Written by

Alan Sharp

Peter Fonda

Peter Fonda

Harry Collings

Warren Oates

Warren Oates

Arch Harris

Verna Bloom

Verna Bloom

Hannah Collings

R

Robert Pratt

Dan Griffen

Severn Darden

Severn Darden

McVey

R

Rita Rogers

Mexican Woman

Ann Doran

Ann Doran

Mrs. Sorenson

Court is in session

Put The Hired Hand on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Auteur Devotee

“Patience is part of the point.”

Duration becomes texture. The film asks you to inhabit its world instead of merely processing its plot.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“A test of endurance, your honour.”

Stillness keeps submitting itself as meaning. At some point, contemplation needs something worth contemplating.