Sam Elliott Movies
Through a cruel twist of fate, American actor Sam Elliott came to films at just the point that the sort of fare in which he should have thrived was dying at the box office. A born cowboy star if ever there was one, the stage-trained Elliot made his debut in a tiny role in the 1969 western Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Within a few years, the western market had disappeared, and Elliot had to settle for standard good-guy roles in such contemporary films as Lifeguard (1976). Never tied down to any one type, Elliot's range has embraced sexy "other men" (Sibling Rivalry [1989]) and vicious rapist/murderers (the TV movie A Death in California [1986]). Still, one yearned to see Elliot playing frontiersmen; fortunately, the western genre had not completely disappeared on television, and Elliot was well-served with such hard-riding projects as The Sacketts (1977), I Will Fight No More Forever (1981), The Shadow Riders (1982), Houston: The Legend of Texas (1986) and Conagher (1991), in which he appeared with his wife, actress Katherine Ross. When westerns began showing up on the big screen again in the 1990s, Elliot was there, prominently cast as Virgil Earp in Tombstone (1993) and the made-for-cable sagebrusher The Desperate Trail (1995). Awarded Bronze Wrangler trophies for his involvement in Conagher, The Hi-Lo Country, and You Know My Name, Elliot also made an impression on Cohen Brothers fans with a memorable performance as the laid back Stranger in the cult hit The Big Lebowski.A featured role in the 2000 made for television remake Fail Safe found Elliot hanging up his duster to revisit rising Cold War tensions, and later that same year he would finally make the leap into the new millennium with his role as a presidential aid in Rod Lurie's Oscar-nominated hit The Contender. Rewarded with a double hernia as a result of his intense training efforts to prepare for a role in the 2002 Vietnam War drama We Were Soldiers, the then fifty-seven-year-old endured the pain through the entire production and put of surgery until shooting had wrapped. Though Elliot would remain in the armed forces to portray a military general hell-bent on destroying the Hulk in 2003, his onscreen authority would weaken somewhat when he was cast as a cancer-riddled Marlboro Man in the 2005 comedy Thank You for Smoking. After traveling to the far corners of the globe to carry out a little vigilante justice in the 2006 made for television thriller Avenger, Elliot would next break a little new ground by venturing into the world of animation by lending his distinctive voice to the character of Ben the Cow in Steve Oedekerk's rural family romp Barnyard. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
A bickering New York couple on the verge of divorce is placed in the Witness Protection Program and relocated to Wyoming after witnessing a murder. Meryl and Paul Morgan (Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Grant) have all the money a couple could want -- it's love they're running short on. Upon witnessing a contract killing and being targeted by the triggerman, the couple find themselves at the mercy of the feds, who hastily send them packing for an extended stay in the Rockies. Could a peaceful life away from the city be just the thing to bring Meryl and Paul back together, or will the deafening silence of nature only serve to amplify the bickering couple's painful peccadillos and drive them further apart than ever before? Sam Elliott, Mary Steenburgen, and Wilford Brimley co-star in a comedy from writer/director Marc Lawrence (Miss Congeniality, Music and Lyrics). ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hugh Grant, Sarah Jessica Parker, (more)
- 2009
- R
- Add Up in the Air to Queue
Juno's Jason Reitman heads into corporate America territory once again with this adaptation of Walter Kirn's novel Up in the Air for Montecito Pictures. The plot surrounds a human resource administrator (George Clooney) whose life up in the friendly skies becomes his only world as he works to reach his one-millionth frequent flyer mile. Jason Bateman and Vera Farmiga co-star in the Paramount Pictures production. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, (more)
A young girl embarks on a perilous journey to rescue her best friend and fight the forces of darkness in director Chris Weitz's adaptation of the first installment of author Philip Pullman's best-selling fantasy trilogy. Screen newcomer Dakota Blue Richards stars as young heroine Lyra Belacqua, Casino Royale star Daniel Craig appears as Lyra's ruthless adventurer uncle, Lord Asriel, and Nicole Kidman assumes the glamorous guise of the villainous Mrs. Coulter. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicole Kidman, Dakota Blue Richards, (more)
When a motorcycle-riding stuntman offers his soul to Mephistopheles in order to save the life of the one he loves most, he is forced to play host to a powerful supernatural entity whose flaming skull visage strikes fear into the heart of his enemies in this feature-film version of the long-running comic series. By day, Johnny Blaze (actor and comic-book devotee Nicolas Cage) is one of the world's best-known stuntmen, but when the sun goes down and he is in the presence of evil, the death-defying daredevil bursts into flames to become the indestructible, motorcycle-riding antihero known to the world as the Ghost Rider. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, (more)
Oscar nominated filmmaker Wolfgang Petersen executive produced this TNT/Warner Brothers co-production concerning a small-town lawyer and one-time Special Forces operative who embarks on a violent quest to avenge the brutal murder of his daughter, and soon finds his thirst for vengeance threatening world stability. Cal Dexter (screen veteran Sam Elliott) never expected to assume the role of avenging angel of death, but when his daughter suffered a horrifying death his all-consuming hunger for revenge proved too powerful to resist. Now two years have passed, and Stephen Edmonds (William Hope), a wealthy business tycoon, has enlisted Dexter's meting out a similar brand of justice to Serbian war criminal Zoran Zilic (David Hayman) - who recently murdered the high-profile industrialist's worker-aid son in Bosnia. Zilic isn't any run-of-the-mill bad guy though, because despite his sordid history he's currently being utilized by the CIA in a covert operation. Now the agent in charge of the case (Timothy Hutton) must follow his boss (James Cromwell)'s orders and prevent the determined Dexter from carrying out his treacherous mission before the decorated war hero sets of a destructive chain of events that could plunge the entire planet into war. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Elliott, Timothy Hutton, (more)
A cow learns to walk like a man, both literally and figuratively, in this computer-animated comedy written and directed by Steve Oedekerk, the creator of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. Ben (voice of Sam Elliott) is a cow who for years has been the leader and sober voice of reason among the animals at a farm where the critters are a bit unusual -- they can walk on two legs, talk, swim, and act like humans, though they have the good sense to avoid doing these things while humans are around. Ben has long dreamed that his son Otis (voice of Kevin James) would someday take over his duties on the farm, but Otis is a carefree and irresponsible type who would rather party with his friends and hang out with his girlfriend, Daisy (voice of Courteney Cox). Ben and his friend Miles (voice of Danny Glover), a wise and patient mule, wonder if Otis will ever make anything of himself, while Dasiy's best friend, Bessy (voice of Wanda Sykes), is convinced she can do better. However, one night Otis decides to do something about an obnoxious kid who enjoys tipping his fellow cows, and for the first time in his life he gets a taste of leadership -- and he likes it. Barnyard also features the voice talents of Andie MacDowell, Maria Bamford, and Maurice LaMarche. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kevin James, Courteney Cox Arquette, (more)
When a reformed grifter currently running a prosperous alibi service for adulterous husbands inadvertently becomes an accessory to murder, he is forced to execute one last, well-timed con as a means of clearing his name in this lightning fast caper comedy starring Steve Coogan, Rebecca Romijin, Selma Blair, and Sam Elliot. Ray (Coogan) is a smooth operator with a special knack for helping his fellow man dodge the proverbial bullet. When a married man simply can't resist the urge to have a bit of fun on the side, Ray is the man they call to ensure that word of their infidelity never gets back to their unsuspecting wives. When the spoiled son of a high-profile client accidentally kills his clandestine lover on the eve of his wedding, Ray is shocked to discover that he has been implicated in the crime. With a small-town cop targeting him on one side and a mysterious assassin known as "The Mormon" locking him into his sights from the other, desperate Ray must now enlist the aid of his beautiful new recruit Lola (Romijin) in carrying out one last con designed to both clear his name, and save his life. The debut feature from co-directors Matt Checkowski and Kurt Mattilda, Lies and Alibis also features performances by James Brolin, Henry Rollins, James Marsden, Debi Mazar, Jerry O'Connell, and John Leguizamo. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steve Coogan, Rebecca Romijn, (more)
The directorial debut from Jason Reitman, the media satire Thank You for Smoking stars Aaron Eckhart as Nick, a man who has turned spinning news and information into a successful career for the tobacco lobby. He plots strategies with his colleagues (Maria Bello and David Koechner) on how to make other dangerous products more appealing to the American public. Nick ends up going to Hollywood with his young son (Cameron Bright) in order to get a movie producer to include characters smoking in his newest film. Nick is kidnapped by a vigilante group concerned about the harmful nature of his product. The cast includes William H. Macy as a Senator who runs on a strong anti-tobacco position, Rob Lowe as the Hollywood bigwig, and Robert Duvall as the king of the tobacco industry. The film is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Christopher Buckley. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Aaron Eckhart, Maria Bello, (more)
Campbell Scott directed this offbeat comedy drama about a free-thinking family who find themselves confronted by the more regimented outside world. Bo Groden (Valentina d'Angelis) is an 11-year-old girl growing up as part of a decidedly eccentric family in a small town in New Mexico. Bo's father, Charley (Sam Elliott), has fallen into a deep depression for reasons no one can understand, while her mother, Arlene (Joan Allen), holds the household together, raising most of their food in her vegetable garden, which she prefers to tend in the nude. Bo, meanwhile, satisfies her sweet tooth by writing candy companies claiming to have had problems with their products, which usually results in a box of fresh goodies. While the Grodens get by through living within simple means, one day an Internal Revenue Agent appears at their door, wanting to know why the family hasn't paid income tax for several years -- and not believing there has been no appreciable income for so many years. Off the Map was screened in competition at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Allen, Valentina D'Angelis, (more)
Ang Lee directs the live-action feature film The Hulk, based on the Marvel comic book created by Stan Lee and illustrated by Jack Kirby. Emotionally stunted Dr. Bruce Banner (Eric Bana) is part of a research team at the University of California at Berkeley. Corporate hustler Glenn Talbot (Josh Lucas) takes notice of the lab and makes plans to take it over. Then Bruce accidentally gets hit by an experimental ray and grows into a huge beast, destroying the lab in the process. A creepy janitor who claims to be his real father, Dr. David Banner (Nick Nolte), starts to secretly use the experimental ray on himself. He creates some mutant dogs and sends them after Bruce's lab mate and ex-girlfriend Betty Ross (Jennifer Connelly). After Bruce saves her life in the form of the Hulk, she lets her distant father, General Ross (Sam Elliott), take him to an abandoned army base in the desert. However, Glenn Talbot takes over the operation and wants to patent the creature's superpowers for his own profit, so he holds Bruce unconscious in an isolation tank. When provoked, Bruce turns into the Hulk and makes a break for San Francisco, leading to a desert chase sequence involving military aircraft, tanks, and bombs. Only the sight of Betty can make him turn back to his human form. When he is eventually captured, Dr. David Banner shows up for a final confrontation with his son and his old adversary, General Ross. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, (more)
Screenwriter Randall Wallace, a specialist in sweeping historical epics, steps behind the camera for this fact-based Vietnam War drama that reunites him with his Braveheart (1995) star Mel Gibson. Gibson is Lt. Col. Hal Moore, commander of the First Battalion, Seventh Cavalry, the same regiment fatefully led by George Armstrong Custer. As part of the Pleiku Campaign of late 1965, Moore is assigned to an action at Landing Zone X-Ray in the Drang Valley, an area that would come to be known as the "The Valley of Death." Moore soon finds himself and his men contained to an area about the size of a football field, surrounded by more than 2,000 enemy troops and engaged in the first major battle of the war. Heroism becomes the order of the day as men like Moore, chopper pilot Bruce Crandall (Greg Kinnear), and Lt. Henry Herrick (Marc Blucas) refuse to yield, in spite of heavy losses of life. The film co-stars Madeleine Stowe, Chris Klein, Keri Russell, and Sam Elliott. We Were Soldiers is based on the book We Were Soldiers Once...and Young by Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore (retired) and UPI reporter Joe Galloway (played in the film by Barry Pepper). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mel Gibson
- 2001
- R
- Add Seduced to Queue
Detective Black (Sam Elliott) interrogates Albert (Jamie Kennedy), a mild-mannered man who is a suspect in the brutal murder of Frank (Michael Cavalieri), a drug-addled, sex-obsessed nightclub owner. Albert admits he loved Frank's beautiful wife, Sarah (Carlton Elizabeth), but wasn't so crazy about their sex-torture scenarios. As the interrogation continues, flashbacks reveal the sordid sexual relationship among the three grew evermore bizarre -- and things are not what they seem. But where is Sarah? ~ Buzz McClain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Elliott, Jamie Kennedy, (more)
A seemingly-minor electronic error sets the world on the verge of nuclear annihilation in this made-for-TV adaptation of the novel by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler (which was previously filmed in 1964). Due to the burn-out of a piece of circuitry, a computer orders a U.S. Air Force jet on a strategic bombing raid, destroying targets in Russia with nuclear weapons. As Generals Bogan (Brian Dennehy) and Black (Harvey Keitel) desperately search for a way to recall the planes once the mistake has been discovered, the bomber's commander, Col. Grady (George Clooney) sets out on his mission with grim determination, while the President (Richard Dreyfuss) and his translator (Noah Wyle) stay in contact with the Soviet premier, trying to convince him that this was all a terrible mistake. Fail Safe was first presented as a live television broadcast which aired on CBS on April 9, 2000. The supporting cast includes Hank Azaria, Don Cheadle, James Cromwell, and Sam Elliott. Star George Clooney spearheaded the unique project and served as executive producer. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Clooney, Noah Wyle, (more)
The hard-ball gamesmanship and casual character assassination of American politics sets the stage for this thriller from writer and director Rod Lurie. When the Vice President of the United States unexpectedly dies, all eyes in Washington D.C. are on President Jackson Evans (Jeff Bridges) as he chooses a new VP. Sen. Jack Hathaway (William Petersen), a respected career politician enjoying a new swell of popularity after a well-publicized attempt to save a drowning woman, is expected to be Evans' choice, but instead he picks Sen. Laine Hanson (Joan Allen), a decision that raises eyebrows on both sides of the political fence. Veteran power broker Shelly Runyon (Gary Oldman) is vehemently opposed to Hanson's appointment, in part because the Democratic senator was once a Republican, and vows to do everything in his power to prevent her from being confirmed. Runyon and his staff start digging for dirt on Hanson, and soon make a surprising discovery -- her personal morality is called into question when it's alleged that she took part in a group sexual liaison while she was a college student. The Contender also stars Mike Binder as one of Hanson's advisors, Mariel Hemingway as an old friend with a surprising secret, Christian Slater as an ambitious congressmen assisting Runyon, and Philip Baker Hall as Hanson's father; it was the second feature from former film critic Rod Lurie. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Allen, Gary Oldman, (more)
Produced for U.S. cable outlet TNT, You Know My Name is based on the colorful true story of Bill Tilghman, who went from Wild West lawman to Hollywood filmmaker to lawman again. Tilghman, played by Sam Elliott, was once an associate of Wyatt Earp and had run-ins with such famous outlaws as Cattle Annie and Little Britches. After retiring from law enforcement, Tilghman moved to California and began producing a series of silent Westerns that stressed historical authenticity over the grand-standing heroics of Tom Mix and William S. Hart. However, his films lacked name stars and failed to click at the box office. After his career in film went bust, Tilghman, nearly 70, answered a call from a friend to help him reform Cromwell, Oklahoma. Once called "the most sinful town in America," Cromwell was a place where vice was freely traded in many forms and the only peace officer was a violent, cocaine-addicted tyrant named Wiley (Arliss Howard). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Elliott, Arliss Howard, (more)
The plot of this Raymond Chandler-esque comedy crime caper from the Coen Brothers (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen) pivots around a case of mistaken identity complicated by extortion, double-crosses, deception, embezzlement, sex, pot, and gallons of White Russians (made with fresh cream, please). In 1991, unemployed '60s refugee Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) grooves into his laid-back Los Angeles lifestyle. One of the laziest men in LA, he enjoys hanging with his bowling buddies, pompous security-store owner Walter Sobchak (John Goodman) and mild-mannered ex-surfer Donny (Steve Buscemi). However, the Dude's life takes an alternate route the afternoon two goons break into his threadbare Venice, California, bungalow, rough him up, and urinate on his living room rug. Why? Because Jackie Treehorn (Ben Gazzara) is owed money by the wife of a certain Jeff Lebowski. However, the goons grabbed the wrong Jeff Lebowski. With the right info, they would have invaded the home of philanthropic Pasadena millionaire Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston). The Dude looks up his wealthy namesake, manages to get a replacement for his rug, and meets the millionaire's sexy young wife Bunny (Tara Reid). Later, Jeffrey ("The Big") Lebowski calls in the Dude to deliver a $1 million ransom for the return of his kidnapped wife. Fine -- except that Walter intrudes and botches the ransom drop. As events unravel, the Dude gets caught up in the schemes of Lebowski's daughter, erotic artist Maude (Julianne Moore), encounters both cops and bad guys, and drifts through an elaborate bowling fantasy sequence titled Gutterballs. The soundtrack includes Bob Dylan, Yma Sumac, Moondog, Captain Beefheart, and the Sons of the Pioneers. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, (more)
Cowboys live again in this 20th century Western about two World War II veterans living on the lush, open New Mexico countryside. Based on the classic American novel by Max Evans about those struggling to continue living the Old West lifestyle in the early Cold War days, the film stars Woody Harrelson and Billy Crudup as two lifelong friends who fall for the same woman. Returning from war is Peter (Crudup), a cattleman who just wants a simple life on the farm, and Big Boy Matson (Harrelson), a big-drinking hellraiser always looking for a fight. Enter married Mona (Patricia Arquette), who turns both their heads and forces these two cowboys to put their friendship to the ultimate test. The film, like Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch, is about freedom in wide-open spaces, so British director Stephen Frears is really out of his element in tackling this type of material. But he focuses the film on the relationships rather than the action, asking questions like "Is the girl more important than their friendship?" In the end, this film is more love story than Western. ~ Arthur Borman, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Woody Harrelson
The real-life story of Teddy Roosevelt's role in the Spanish-American war is re-told in this made-for-television movie. Tom Berenger stars as Roosevelt, who in 1898 formed his own volunteer calvary to go into Cuba and fight the expansion of Spanish rule. Thousands of men from all walks of life volunteered, but Roosevelt honed the team down to over 500 fighting men. When they finally arrived in Cuba, they faced a well-equipped Spanish army and squared off in the famous Battle of San Juan Hill. Berenger is strong as the charismatic leader, and the supporting cast shines with familiar names. The film clocks in at four hours and was originally shown in two parts. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Berenger, Sam Elliott, (more)
- 1997
This video offers viewers a virtual tour of some of America's most famous ballparks, both past and present. Included are several interviews with prominent players, who discuss their favorite parks and share stories of the games that took place there. Players interviewed include Brooks Robinson and Whitey Ford. Also included are dramatic readings by Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross. ~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide
- 1996
This Russian animated version of Rudyard Kipling's tale of a boy raised by wolves became one of the most popular children's films in its home country. Brought to the U.S. as part of the deal between Films by Jove and Russia's Soyuzmultfilm Studio, the picture was remastered and dubbed into English, with voices of popular American actors added to give it a wider appeal. ~ Yuri German, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlton Heston, Sam Elliott, (more)
- 1996
- R
In this crime drama, a tough San Francisco policeman is shocked to discover that his recently murdered partner was actively involved in departmental corruption. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Elliott, Esai Morales, (more)
- 1996
- R
A woman accused of brutally murdering her husband denies the allegations, but only her attorney believes her. Teri Hansen's ordeal with the law begin when police discover her hiding in a desert gully near the car where her husband's charred, bullet-ridden corpse smolders accusingly. Frightened to the point of incoherency, the police do not find out what happened right away. The bullets point to murder, and since her fingerprints are on the gun... Teri swears she didn't kill him, and attorney Ross Bishop takes the case. The tragic details of her story unfold by flashback and begin with her unhappy marriage to Allen, a paranoid and jealous man. Allen proves a lousy lover and Teri seeks solace in the arms of others, something that only makes matters worse. A pregnancy and her decision to abort the baby escalate matters into the violence that led her to jail. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mary McDonnell, Randy Quaid, (more)
The rocky relationship between two brothers is told in flashbacks in this made-for-television coming-of-age drama from Hallmark Entertainment. Based on the novel by Ethan Canin, a long-lost brother (Jerry O'Connell) comes back to his dysfunctional family and unearths his younger brother's mixed feelings. Emmy nominee Richard Welsh (The Piano Lesson) served as executive producer. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Based on a book by Norman Maclean, and closely based on his own youthful experiences, this made-for-TV drama concerns Mac (Jerry O'Connell), a teenage boy who gets a job working for the National Forest Service in Montana shortly after the end of World War II. With the help of veteran ranger Bill Bell (Sam Elliott), Mac learns a lot about forest management -- and about life. The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky also features Ricky Jay and Molly Parker. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Elliott, Jerry O'Connell, (more)
A star-studded cast appears in this made-for-television movie about Calamity Jane and her cohorts. Anjelica Huston stars as the infamous cowgirl Calamity Jane, a colorful Western character who, among other things, starred in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. The movie explores her unconventional lifestyle and friendship with brothel madame Dora DuFran (Melanie Griffith). Sam Elliott stars as Wild Bill Hickok, one of Jane's lovers, and country singer Reba McEntire appears as Annie Oakley. The film was nominated for many Emmy Awards (but won only one) and co-stars Elliott and Griffith picked up Golden Globe nominations. ~ Bernadette McCallion, All Movie Guide
