Larry McMurtry's Streets of Laredo Reviews

• The Real Sequel to Lonesome Dove.

  
  By ARA48345JZPZR on 2002-01-03
  This is the real, Larry McMurtry written, sequel to Lonesome Dove (not Lonesome Dove II), and it has all of McMurtry's specialities: well-drawn characters, absolutely viscious and unredeemable villains & murderers, and complex protagonists with a hell of a tale to tell.

  Tommy Lee Jones was the perfect physical embodiment of hard-bitten Texas Ranger Woodrow Call. A small man, ramrod straight with a ferocious temper and will of iron that made him SEEM like a bigger man. But TLJ didn't make this trip for whatever reason. Instead, we have James Garner taking over as Woodrow, and he IS a big man and inately likeable. No matter, Garner is too good an actor not to win you over, and we quickly adjust to him as an older, more tired, laconic, but still mean as hell Woodrow Call.

  Peaeye is now Sam Shepard and Lorena is Sissy Spacek and she has passed by all her would-be suitors and married the taciturn Ranger, become a school teacher, and together they have 5 children. Peaeye is called out of domesticity by Woodrow to chase down a teenage psychopathic killer, Joey Garza, with a sidetrip to chase down another bad bad man named Mox Mox whose specialty is burning men, women, children & animals alive for the fun of it.

  And so it begins, with much emphasis on character and wild "characters" and with a casual understanding of the hard lives and brutality of the Texas of that time.

  If you liked Lonesome Dove, you will like this. The cast changes were made with excellent people stepping into the familiar roles, and you will soon accept them and be caught up in the story. If you didn't like Lonesome Dove, too bad for you, and you definitely will want to skip this.
  
  

• A solid, if downbeat chapter in the magnificent series

  
  By A1LP6O85Z894GT on 2000-05-05
  Granted,both the original Lonesome Dove novel and film were unique works of extremely fascinating classic story-telling. Streets of Laredo obviously has a great deal to live up to and, when viewed or read in conjunction with Dove it does suffer in the sense that our familiarity is slightly snubbed. Obviously this is something that cannot be helped so I must say that Streets of Laredo as a film stands firmly upon its own merits which are quite impressive.

  Firstly, the cast is sublime. James Garner, always a vastly underrated actor creates a stoic, yet tragic Call.His final scene (don't worry I won't give it all away)is at once heart breaking and filled with a quiet hope. His performance is all about what film acting aspires: he moves mountains without words. The rest of the cast is on equal footing with Garner (who deserved at least something of an Emmy nod) Playwright Sam Shepard's Pea Eye, although losing much of Tim Scott's Bentonesque forlorn rube, is filled with earthy heroism and poetry. Sissy Spacek as the whore re-encarnated as a schoolmarm Lorena produces the tough backbone needed to survive the Texas prairie. Comedian George Carlin's finely drawn panhandle scamp solidifies the theory that the border between comedy and tragedy is narrow at best. These are just a few of the excellent standouts in a sound ensemble.

  Secondly is the very narrative itself. It plays like a Sunday funeral dirge- ever aware of the passing of an era, yet peering on into a glimmering future of optimism and hope. In McMurtry's world everyone has a shot at redemption. Grace isn't free but it is availble to all willing to run the gauntlet who have at least a pure heart. The evil villians are evil and deserving of damnation and the good, although pure of heart are not pure of deed.

  This film is already mostly forgotten by the minions,but richly deserving of an audience. Enjoy and savor.
  
  

• Less a sequel than an alternative Lonesome Dove universe.

  
  By A1FG91CM8221X1 on 2001-03-10
  In almost every way, Streets of Laredo, the Larry McMurtry-written sequel to Lonesome Dove, is superior to Return to Lonesome Dove, the sequel cooked up by the producers of the original Lonesome Dove miniseries. It also is considerably darker than the already bloody original or the other sequel. Because of the casting of Streets of Laredo--and because of some of the plot choices McMurtry made--I personally find it easier to accept Streets of Laredo as an alternative Lonesome Dove universe than as the true sequel. For example, McMurtry has Lorie marry Pea Eye. The original Lorie and Pea Eye, Diane Lane and Timothy Scott, would make a ridiculous couple, but their counterparts in Streets of Laredo--Sissy Spacek and Sam Shepard--are a perfect couple with loads of screen chemistry. (Of course, McMurtry was not bound by the casting of the miniseries--only by his own imagination.) James Garner, as Woodrow Call, is about equal to Tommy Lee Jones in the original and slightly superior to Jon Voight in Return to Lonesome Dove. The new characters have the fascination of the original ones, and are played brilliantly by a great cast including Sonia Braga, Wes Studi, Kevin Conway, Charles Martin Smith and Alexis Cruz. The mostly horrific narrative sweeps us along, and the story's final vision of forgiveness and reconciliation is genuinely moving.
  
  

• A Solid Western

  
  By A11PTCZ2FM2547 on 2003-01-23
  I only wish "Lonesome Dove" had been spared its sequels and prequels (After all, what could possibly measure up to the original masterpiece?), but if any chip off the old block bears watching, it's STREETS OF LAREDO. This mini-series revives Larry McMurtry's imagery, dialogue, and savagery of the Old West: a place that was bleak and brutal, where death comes as easy as the pulling of a trigger.

  The cast is solid, if not spectacular. James Garner is a poor substitute for Tommy Lee Jones' Captain Woodrow F. Call, but has enough range to make the role believable. Sam Shepard brings a quiet dignity to the character of Pea Eye Parker, while Sissy Spacek as the prostitue-turned-teacher/housewife Lorena Parker nags and gripes through the entire film. Sonia Braga is brilliant as Maria Garza, a complex woman whose hatred for Call and concern for her outlaw son cannot overcome a true heart of gold.

  Yet it's the second tier of characters that makes STREETS OF LAREDO entertaining (much like the book). George Carlin does a wonderful job as Billy Williams, an aging, almost blind frontiersman; Wes Studi as Famous Shoes, the Kickapoo tracker, delivers delightful one-liners; Ned Beatty is hysterical as the grizzled old coot Judge Roy Bean; Kevin Conway totally evil as Mox Mox, the manburner; and Randy Quaid steals the show as John Wesley Hardin, a cold-blooded, whiskey-sippin' gunslinger with a philosophy all his own.

  STREETS OF LAREDO recreates McMurtry's harsh, compelling story and delivers it with the all the vigor of a runaway mare. While it doesn't come close to "Lonesome Dove," this film still stands admirably on its own.
  
  

• The Author's Finale

  
  By AK7IDQJN31163 on 2003-12-19
  Not only is Larry McMurtry an excellent storyteller, but he's also somewhat of a literary genius. He could've written a sequel to Lonesome Dove that would've been satisfying and cliché, but he left that to Hollywood. I don't know if Streets of Laredo happened because of or in spite of the farce that is called, Return to Lonesome Dove, but Streets is definitely the better offering. McMurtry took the story in a completely different direction. In doing so, he cheated us out of certain things that we'd hoped for after finishing Lonesome Dove. There is no final conversation between Woodrow and Newt about Newt's heritage. The fate of July Johnson is a tragic and useless one. The Hatcreek Ranch in Montana goes bust and that's why Call becomes a bounty hunter. Those who enjoyed the book won't be disappointed in the film adaptation. Many have stated that James Garner's interpretation of Woodrow Call doesn't live up to that of Tommy Lee Jones and I cannot disagree. But Garner is a talented actor and he stayed true to McMurtry's character of Call. McMurtry wisely chose not to do "just another Lonesome Dove." Again, he left that to the shallower Hollywood crowd. While Lonesome Dove was a sweeping epic of a cattle drive, Streets of Laredo was simply the story of a chase to track down a young, brutal killer. McMurtry is a master of authentic dialogue and character development and he doesn't fail to deliver with his vast cast. Judge Roy Bean, Brookshire, John Wesley Harden, Billy Williams, Mox Mox and Famous Shoes all add to the texture of the movie. The most tragic figure is the long-suffering mother of Joey Garza, Maria, who defends her son in spite of his misdeeds. There are some details that are hard to swallow, such as the marriage of Lorena and Pea Eye, but the overall story still stands. This is certainly a darker offering than its predecessor considering that Gus supplied most of the mirth in Lonesome Dove. Still, it's worth watching for those who appreciate McMurtry's ability to tell a good story. The DVD is desolate when it comes to bonus material, but the sound and picture quality are far superior to the VHS version. It's also worth noting that the DVd version is uncut, offering scenes that do not appear in the VHS. No, Streets of Laredo does not live up to Lonesome Dove, but I don't think McMurtry meant for it to do so and the story stands on its own as a good one.
  
  
• Very Good
  By on 2000-04-04
  I own and have seen all the "Lonesome Dove" films at least three times. I have also given reviews on all except this one. I might as well give my opinion on "Streets of Laredo." Of all the "Lonesome Dove" series, this one probably takes the viewer away from the original story the most. One can pretty much forget "Lonesome Dove", "Return to Lonesome Dove" and "Dead Man's Walk" and go it alone with James Garner as Call. Once the viewer does this, he/she will find an excellent western. As in the other three,the harshness of the land, the people and the times are all here. The realism and authentic scenes makes us glad to be in the present time period. I gave this film only 4 stars for two reasons, one;-- it is recorded in EP, making for poor video quality. Two;-- for some reason the film maker chose to include a useless foray into a snippet of real life Judge Roy Bean's life and totally botched it. To say that the film maker didn't let Roy Bean facts get in the way of making the film is an understatement.The judge did not die the way depicted, we've known it for almost 100 years,it's probably written in 100 books, people in Pakistan know how the Judge died, don't these film makers look into the facts? Why do they do this? Aside from the above, I recommend the film to anyone who enjoyed Lonesome Dove for its realism, settings and harshness, because this film is "a la Lonesome Dove." I particularly liked Wes Studi's character, going about his life and ways, oblivious to the violence and harshness around him. I got myself fired up here, I think I'll view this film tonight.
  
  
• GARNER GROWS ON YOU
  By on 2003-09-03
  Like most Lonesome Dove followers I looked forward to this sequel with considerable interest and was more than a little disappointed when it was announced that Tommy Lee Jones would not star as Captain Woodrow F. Call. Still I watched and bought the DVD when it was released.

  Now, after hundreds of watchings, I find that I am as comfortable with James Garner as the venerable captain as I was with Tommy Lee Jones. Rather that trying to mimic Jones' style for the part Garner is his own man and creates a believable Call in his own right.

  Other nice surprises in Streets Laredo include Sissy Spacek as Lorena (Wood) Parker. Diane Lane was totally unbelievable in the role in the original Lonesome Dove and would never have been able to pull off the tough and legitimate Mrs. Parker here. Let's leave Diane to the ridiculous roles that she has recently assumed.

  Sam Shepard as Pea Eye Parker is absolutely priceless and I wonder why he wasn't considered to create the part in the first place? Tim Scott, the original Pea Eye, was just too stupid and bumbling and, again, could never have been expected to believably stand up in a face-to-face showdown with Laredo's villain, Joey Garza.

  Ned Beatty stars wonderfully as a credible, though historically inaccurate, Judge Roy Bean and Randy Quaid is a scene-stealer as the outlaw John Wesley Hardin.

  Wes Studi is magical as the loner, wandering tracker Famous Shoes, George Carlin is terrific as Billy Williams and Sonja Braga rounds out the main cast as the hapless Maria Garza.

  In its own right Streets of Laredo stands up nicely to the Lonesome Dove tradition and I find that I watch it even more than I do the original Lonesome Dove.
  
  

• Inconsistent Storytelling
  By AA2JJIP9H5WSF on 2005-03-30
  Lonesome Dove is possibly the most brilliant western movie in history. Return to Lonesome Dove was a sequel that, while lacking in the chemistry between Gus and Call, continued aptly the story begun in the original. Having never read any of McMurtry's books, I understand his response to having no creative input into the sequel. Therefore, I was excited to see Streets of Laredo and McMurtry's version of what really happened. I have never been more disappointed in a movie since Halloween 3.
  
  In his passion to distance the strory from Return, McMurry succeeds at destroying any continuity between Lonesome Dove and Streets of Laredo. I will list some of my disapointments between Lonesome Dove (LD) and Streets of Laredo (SL).
  
  Here are some of the questions raised but not answered in SL.
  1. What happened to the ranch in Montana? Why is there no mention why at Call is now a lawman in Texas or why others from the Hat Creek Cattle Co. now live in Texas?
  2. Why do characters from LD now have radically different personalities? (Call no longer a visionary but a "killer" who makes careless and downright stupid mistakes, Pea a much younger and brighter family man, Lorie now a headstrong and overbearing wife with no dreams of San Francisco)
  3. Why do flashbacks suggest that it was Pea, not Gus, that rode with Call some 20 to 30 years earlier?
  4. Why is there a downplay of character interaction that occured in LD?
  
  These are all I can mention without revealing plot points, however, there are many, many more. Possibly these questions were answered in the book (and I would hope so). If that is true, the movie's failure is again illuminated.
  
  I truly wish there had been at least some consistency in characters and story between the two movies but there is not. Lonesome Dove is still a masterpiece and Streets of Laredo is a dismal failure
  
  
• WORTHY SEQUEL TO LONESOME DOVE
  By A1OTGBG66P6K5Y on 2004-02-13
  STREETS OF LAREDO has taken considerable heat for missing Tommy Lee Jones as Woodrow F. Call. Yes, the film would have benefited from a reprise by Mr. Jones in the role that he created but don't write it off because of that. There are aspects of this adaptation that are actually stronger than LONESOME DOVE.

  After reading the book and watching STREETS OF LAREDO numerous times, I have to admit that, in his own right, James Garner does well as Captain Call, bringing his own enterpretation to the part and departing from most of the mannerisms that Jones brought to LONESOME DOVE.

  Sam Shepard as Pea Eye Parker is a considerable improvement over Tim Scott, the original Pea Eye. I like Shepard's honest performance as a simple man rather than Scott's as a moron. Shepard's Pea Eye, while simple and slow is nonetheless tough and steady.

  Sissy Spacek is terrific as Lorena (Wood) Parker. In fact I find that she fits the role far better than Diane Lane, the original Lorena from LONESOME DOVE and provides a tough and gritty performance as Mrs. Parker here.

  Ned Beatty stars portrays the crochety, self-appointed Judge Roy Bean and Randy Quaid is darkly hilarious as the western outlaw John Wesley Hardin.

  Other stars include Wes Studi as tracker Famous Shoes, George Carlin as Billy Williams and Sonja Braga as Maria Garza, a good woman trying to keep her world from coming apart while hoping to love her son-gone-bad back into the fold.

  STREETS OF LAREDO is a great film. Don't miss it just because it lacks Tommy Lee Jones.

  THE HORSEMAN
  
  

• An Excellent Movie Adaptation Of A Great Story!!!
  By A2TAPSNKK9AFSQ on 2005-10-07
  This movie is based on the book by Larry McMurty of the same name. James Garner plays Captain Woodrow Call who was once a Texas Ranger but is now a Bounty Hunter on the hunt for train robber Joey Garza.Every character in this movie is well played by a fine cast which also includes Sissy Spacek , Ned Beatty ( as Judge Roy Bean) and Wes Studi who plays the Native American Tracker Famous Shoes. There are a few unexpectd twists in this film and thankfully it does not have the usual "happily ever after" Hollywood ending. I LOVED the book and I loved this movie.
  
  
• The best of the sequels and prequels.
  By on 2000-02-23
  Of all the sequels and prequels to "Lonesome Dove," "Streets of Laredo" is the best. Unfortunately, it falls far short of the greatness that was "Lonesome Dove." Lighting rarely strikes twice, and no filmmaker, or even McMurtry's work as a novelist, has been able to recapture the magic of the originals, the novel and the mini-series.

  The strength of "Streets of Laredo" is the straight foward story of a killer and train robber, Joey Garza,and the bounty hunter sent to hunt him down, Captain Woodrow Call. Pretty standard western fare; but fairly well-done. It's not the epic "Lonesome Dove" was or what "Return to Lonesome Dove" and "Dead Man's Walk" tried to be; and that helps ease the comparisons with the original. I also believe that James Garner did a very good job as Captain Call. He had the almost impossible job of trying to take on a role that Tommy Lee Jones made his own in the original which was something Jon Voight had already failed miserably at trying. Garner, though, comes very close to challenging Tommy Lee for the honor of the "definitive" Call. He is very good.

  Sam Sheppard is ok as Pea-Eye.(In the books Pea-Eye is younger than Call- the original film had the older Tim Scott in the role.) Sissy Spacek is not my idea of Lorena.(Would you travel from counties away to visit Sissy? Diane Lane- yes. Sissy- no.) Ned Beatty and Randy Quaid add some nice color as Judge Roy Bean and John Wesely Hardin respectively. Joey Garza is no Blue Duck; but still a pretty ruthless villain and formidable opponent. The Mox-Mox storyline,though, seemed slapped together and contrived.

  As a stand-alone western "Streets of Laredo" is decent. As a sequel to "Lonesome Dove" it falls far short of the formidable bar that film raised. It is, however, the best of the attempts to recapture the magic of the original.
  
  

• Tommy Lee Jones & Diane Lane are really missed here!!!!!!
  By A28B7IJR80M8KE on 2002-09-19
  This is a great follow-up to "Lonesome Dove", it is the last entry in Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove" Saga, this one has Woodrow F. Call as a bounty hunter who is hired to go after a young mexican rebel bandit, & along the way faces a perilous journey, James Garner comes close to Jones' Woodrow, but it just isn't the same, Sissy Spacek takes on the character that Diane Lane portryed in "Lonesome Dove", which is hard to accept, seeing that Lorena was a wounded soul in "Lonesome Dove", & is now a headstrong woman, there is a scene where she has a flashback when she was held captive by Blue Duck, a scene not in LD, where we are introduced to another outlaw(Kevin Conway) who it seems takes great pleasure in burning women & children, Lorena is about to be burned, only Blue Duck takes her with him instead, this scene only sets up Conway's outlaw that does eventually get his, the teenage outlaw that Call pursues is as bad as Blue Duck, but not as mean, but elusive, the film is really about Call & his final adventure, Call like Gus suffers a terrible fate towards the end, which does bring closure to this saga,the supporting characters are fun to watch, especially Randy Quaid who specializes in playing crazy off-the-wall characters & does here as well, the western landscape is as good here as in LD, overall a good film & conclusion, but Jones & Lane are really missed, released the same year as "Batman Forever" & "Judge Dredd", Jones' & Lane's summer movies (1995), it would have been nice to see them return here, but for whatever reason they did not, unlike "Dead Man's Walk" where Gus & Call are young 20-somthings, that has David Arquette as Gus, & Johnny Lee Miller as Call, that is believeable, Arquette really made me believe he could be Robert Duvall, just as Miller captures Jones' personality, however it just doesn't really work with "Streets Of Laredo"!
  
  
• a dang good oater
  By A1FX492JFEDPOT on 2004-10-08
  Some Lonesome Dove fans can be a pretentious lot and just don't have much of the charm of a character like Gus McRae so instead of enyoin things they rip em to shreds and moan and complain in the name of literary purity. Thus we get these type of folks complainin about Return to Lonesome Dove and complainin about the prequel and complainin about the sequel....
  The truth is: what we got here is a dang good oater. I don't demand perfection in order to have a good time and the other Lonesome Dove movies and series are all fine Westerns that I have a great deal of affection for. Most folks who like a good Western will enjoy em too.
  
  
• james garner brings capt. call to life one more time
  By A1KP0IVWU0RQ0A on 2006-05-24
  this is the real sequel to lonesome dove and man is it good. years after the first one ended,call(now retired and working as a bounty hunter) is called to bring in joey garza,a very young man who kills anytime he wants and to take on mox mox a man who likes to burn men,women,and children alive.
  this is a very good production,and garner is just great as an older but still deadly woodrow call, check it out!
  
  
• Some thing else to add...
  By A2SW7C7XQVTUYZ on 2001-04-11
  I written a post before but I just wanted to say. If you've read the book, the movie was finally a movie to live up to a books name. I just started reading the book, and found that every sentence, every movement, every emotion, was excatly the same as it was in the book. I dont' know who directed the movie but they did an awesome job, and I'd be proud to of had them make a movie from my own book, since they did this one so well. So if you think the movie will destroy the book, and tear it apart... Don't! I was so very amazed to see how the movie was so much like the book. The only thing that was a bit diffrent. Is the age of Joey Garza. In the book he was 17 when he went to Crow Town, and when he died, and Call found him he was 19. The book streched out the life of Garza. Giving some back ground, The movie just squeazed everything from the book into the span of time in the movie. Other then that, This movie rocked! It's my all time favorite... ~Isriah~
  
  
• Stay away from this disgusting Western concoction!
  By ADC19K7OIEYAR on 2003-09-10
  Imagine taking the worst of the Spaghetti Westerns,
  give it an illustrious cast (James Garner, Sam
  Shepard, Sissy Spacek, and on and on) and pour
  a heavy dose of gore, rape, and an endless stream
  of meaningless sadistic violence: what do you end up
  with? "Streets of Laredo"

  The above excellent actors and actresses should feel ashamed
  of being seen in this awful and disgusting concoction. There
  are no discernible redeeming elements in this carnival of
  gratuitious violence!

  Even you "Lonesome Dove" fans should stay away from this one!
  
  

• Terrible finish to Lonesome Dove.
  By A2XZ6THWPDKC0L on 2005-07-02
  If you read my other reviews you will see I am one of the biggest fans of Lonesome Dove and even Return to Lonesome Dove. But Streets of Laredo is nothing like Lonesome Dove except for the names. Call a bounty hunter give me a break. But what is even crazier than that is Lorena married to Pea Eye. I think Larry made this so far out there to get back at Hollywood for their movie. What he didn't realize was he was hurting the fans who loved Lonesome Dove so much with this stupid ending. Any true fan of Larry's Lonesome Dove has to know this was not the way he had envisioned this to end when he wrote Lonesome Dove. Very disappointed in Larry's ending, give me Return To Lonesome Dove any day of the week.
  
  
• better than Return to lonesome dove
  By A30NC4X0KTUQ88 on 1999-10-10
  I thought this was much better that return to lonesome dove. I was as captivated by it as lonesome dove. I also very much liked the "return" version however it made me miss Gus, whereas in this movie I did not think about him not being in it so much. The acting and casting was great. Also I appreciated the authentic costumes and sets. My husband worked on Dr. Quinn for five years and we learned the importance of period costumes.
  
  
• Great film, DVD falls short
  By on 2001-10-31
  Having reviewed this film's VHS version, I will limit my comments to the DVD version. Errors were made here. While the front outside jacket shows James Garner and Sissy Spacek, the inside of the jacket and the back, show scenes of John Voight and Rick Schroder in "Return to Lonesome Dove." Whats this all about. As in the "Dead Man's Walk" DVD, this one is in the full screen format. I would have perferred the wide-screen version. There are no special features on this DVD, something one has come to expect. As in the DVD version of "Dead Man's Walk," I found the quality of the video far superior to the extended play VHS versions. Dead Man's Walk at least has a short interview with McMurtry as a special feature, but thats about it. I am quite content with these DVD's video quality, but then again, anything will be better than an extended play tape. Having said all of this, I still recommend these DVDs, as the only other option for obtaining these films is the extended play VHS format. Aside from the above complaints, I found the DVDs well worth the money.
  
  
• Simply Awful
  By A2NKM5LJSJ7RHI on 2004-09-26
  Lonesome Dove is the greatest TV miniseries of all time. In my eagerness to watch a similar work of pure genius, I was sorely disappointed by this offering. This production is plagued by a myriad of problems that made it difficult to watch.
  
  The casting is almost all wrong. The actor who played Joey Garza is laughable. In one scene, Garza is at the barber getting a shave. Give me a break! This kid barely has two hairs on his chest. He has never needed a shave in his life. I know Joey Garza is supposed to be a boy, but I have seen several five-year-olds that look scarier than him. His weak scowl didn't suspend my disbelief a second.
  
  Two other casting decisions I had particular problems with were Randy Quaid and James Garner. Randy Quaid is just not convincing as a gunslinger (maybe I watched too many National Lampoon movies). I couldn't take him seriously.
  
  Now I love James Garner, but he did not capture the character of Captain Call. Granted, Tommy Lee Jones is an impossible act to follow, but surely someone could have come close to that performance. I don't buy James Garner as the somber, hard-as-nails ranger.
  
  Casting choices aside, this DvD suffers most from an inept screenplay. As one reviewer has already properly noted, the Mox Mox side story was slapped together. Why did they even bother with it?
  
  In one scene with Randy Quaid, he is shocked to learn that Captain Call has been sent after Garza, but not ten seconds later he informs us that Famous Shoes is leading Call to the killer. "Hey, I didn't know Call was coming, but I know that Famous shoes is leading him here!" Not only is much of the dialogue idiotic, but also many of the character's actions make no sense at all.
  
  For instance, why would you carry so many men off with you to hunt down Garza only to have them sit while you run off to tackle a gang of bandits alone? Why would an affirmed coward march off to certain death instead of just hiding out for one more night? Why would two drunkards say nothing as Sissy Spacek walks off with a near full bottle of whiskey when she had only asked to share a drink with them?
  
  I imagine Spacek needed that whiskey after she realized what a stinker she was involved in. If you are determined to watch this production, I suggest you do so with a bottle of whiskey. You will need it.
  
  
• excellent with fine cast
  By A1RB3UJLTSGG89 on 2004-11-07
  Streets of Laredo is a gem with a suprisingly good cast. I was skeptical about George Carlin but he shines and Randy Quaid is PERFECT as John Wesley Hardin. I've wanted to see a film version that got Hardin right (Rock Hudson's version was a total white wash)and was surprised to see Hardin in this and pleased to see him portrayed correctly. Take a look at this one Western buffs.
  
  
• not Return to Lonesome Dove but entertaining
  By AO701WQ0OO13Y on 2005-08-18
  I prefer Return to Lonesome Dove over Streets. Some think McMurtry tried to hard to distance this from Return and messed things up for the fans. I wont argue. I do like the production, rewrites, and cast. They help it to be an improvement over McMurtry's book. This movie has it's moments. Far better than the book. Not a bad one to watch when you've run through Lonesome Dove, Return, Deadman, The Series, and The Outlaw Years.
  
  
• Just what a western should be!
  By AODEL12Z7UNKL on 2000-02-01
  For all you who think that the movie was too gory,bloody,cruel and unreal YOU NEED TO SWALLOW THE REALITY PILL! Life is too gory,bloody,cruel and sometimes unreal.The movie itself was totally beleiveable. It WAS like that back then no matter how weird it seems,not that the movie is weird.IT'S AWESOME! I don't think it ruined lonesome dove,it perfected it. I highly recommened this movie.And the fact that there is a VERY hot,young,killer in the movie does not color my views!
  
  
• great old west and realistic
  By A3H8AXWZQZKZYP on 1999-07-30
  great old west stuff. roy bean was not hanged like in the movie. this is a realistic presentation of how it was. the clothes and weapons and people were right on. this is a novel not real, but accurate. just read and look at pictures of that time. what do you want in this movie? we all could not have handled those times. garner was better than tommy jones. wake up and read and look. rob
  
  
• One killing after another
  By on 1999-06-03
  If you enjoyed the grace and nuances of the story in Lonesome Dove--as well as the excellent character portrayal--don't see this one. If you like killing after gory killing, here you go.
  
  
• Streets of Laredo, or is it?
  By A3I8VKA4F2SB3E on 2001-09-23
  A marvellous film, I enjoyed it so much that I ordered it from the USA. James Garner's performance is impecable, but the production of the actual DVD itself leaves much to be desired!
  No background information on the making of the film, no interviews, nothing, and whoever did the research for the packageing should be stood infront of a wall and shot by Joey Garza,SLOWLY! The frontpiece of the DVD shows James Garner, good, but the reverse, the inset, and the actual DVD's show scenes of John Voight et al in a totally different film "Return to Lonesome Dove", which wasn't even written by Larry McMurtry!! To me this is unforgiveable, and heads should roll for this sloppy work.
  I've given the film four stars, the DVD gets a big fat zero.
  Ed Martin
  
  
• streets of laredo
  By A2JT3TI8C2KXS1 on 2005-08-30
  I got to order it for my father, forget about it, then hear next that my father got it and is loving it. What more could I want?
  
  
• OK but Does not seem to Flow
  By on 2006-10-31
  Now actually, I thought that this movie was ok. I mean the replacement actors like James Garner as Capt. Call, Sam Shepard as Pea Eye, and Sissy Spacet as Lorena were good replacements; however, the plot is pretty dumb. I mean the whole point is hunting down a teenage killer Joey Garza, now why would Mcmurtry make this kid be the problem in this story? James Garner, as good as an actor he is did not really seem to measure up to TLJ. TLJ was born to play the part as Capt. Call, Garner's interpretation of Call was very friendly and more social than TLJ, this bothered me a little. I did however appreciate Sam Shepard. He seemed to be an imrovement over Tim Scott, Tim Scott just seemed to make the former deputy Pea Eye look like an idiot. All in all, the movie ends in a tragedy thus putting an end to Lonesome Dove. The odd parts of the movie as that Lorena and Pea Eye are married and that Newt Call is dead, as well as the Hat Creek Ranch. Personally, I liked Return to Lonesome Dove better because it had great parrallels to the original and the actors Jon Voight and Barbara Hershey did a good job playing their parts as Capt Call and Clara Allen. Also, Rick Schroeder and many of the original cast from the original are in it. Plus, it is made by Hollywood, so you know its good. I even thought that Return to Lonesome Dove was more exciting, there were more gun fights in the movie, and it flowed just like the original. Plus, the opening credits like the original were the same style as the ones in Return to Lonesome Dove, and basically the same music score and locations were once again showed. Well Streets of Laredo is worth seeing if you love to see Lonesome Dove, but I prefer Return to Lonesome Dove over Streets Laredo because it gave me the same feeling as I felt when I saw the original.
  
  
• A waste of time and money
  By A3MD50U9WZ5SPN on 2007-09-09
  The movie has a great cast...but a great cast cannot do anything with a poorly written script and poor directing. There seemed to be confusion on whether this was going to be a serious adult western or a light hearted comedy western. The characters had no depth and were very uninteresting. Some of the characters were totally ridiculous. Lonesome Dove was a great movie....Street of Laredo should never have been made.
  
  
• This great novel brings the Wild West to a close"
  By A18OBUSMXVE8R0 on 2007-12-30
  
  I also wrote a review today explaining the sequence of "Dead Man's Walk","Lonesome Dove" and "The Streets of Laredo".
  In this epic we are in the 1890's as the end of the Wild West is approaching.The buffalo are pretty much gone,the Indians are pretty well defeated,the railroads are pushing through,the towns are getting civilized,the ranches are developing.The Lawmen we knew so well after the Civil War ,up to and including the 1880' are ,either dead,married and settled down and now in their 60's or 70's.
  In this epic we have McMurtry at his best giving us great characters and then played by outstanding and well known actors. In my opinion ,I think the actors and their acting is the best of the three movies.
  The storyline is excellent and one fast action scene follows another;but in the end we see we are winnessing the end of a era. It's hard to believe that most or the things that happened in the Wild West;took place primarily after the Civil War and the end of the century;a relatively short period of only 35 years.
  As we listen to the many versions and verses of "The Streets of Laredo" or as it's often called,"The Cowboy's Lament" we are reminded of these days of Saloons with bat wing doors,boot hill cemetaries,shootouts,painted doves,hangings,plain pine coffins standing outside the Undertaker's parlour,bank holdups,stagecoach and railroad robberies and the faithful local Marshal, Sheriff orTexas Ranger,trying to maintain peace and justice.
  This novel is reflected in this verse from one of the versions of "The Streets of Laredo"
  
  Oh,his eyes were fast glazing,and death was approaching,
  His white lips were curled and tourtured with pain;
  As he spoke in a wisper of a scene far behind him,
  Of his home in the East which he'd ne'er see again."
  
  

• Dead Man's Walk
• Return to Lonesome Dove
• Comanche Moon
• Lonesome Dove
• Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years