Good concept, poorly executed.

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

It is interesting even when nothing much happens, which is for most of its 3-hour running time. Read full review

U.S Marshal Howard Nightingale is a man who has big political aspirations and to achieve this dream. He and his posse of deputies go after an out-law Jack Strawhorn. When Nightingale captures Strawhorn, just like his other captors or conquests he exploits it through the media for public support. Strawhorn would be Nightingale's ticket into the US senate, but Strawhorn thinks otherwise.Can westerns be too low-key? 'Posse' felt so. Kirk Douglas directs and stars in this understated, but thoroughly ambitious under-the-radar western that had something cynical to say when it came to its closing credits. Quite heavy-handed and aware of its messages (money buys loyalty with the guys donning their badges being no better than the outlaws and representing an image (the people's?) to manipulative achieve a politically upper-hand), but the story's format is just so odd and subversive. The western conventions are there, but by the end William Roberts and Christopher Knopf's cleverly sharp (if sly) material basically turned it upside down with an ironic turn of events. It has that fragrance of the pioneer Hollywood westerns, but its punishing violence and sexual inclusions with a quiet, but powerful conclusion roots it in the 70s. The unusual theme to it and the effortlessly collected and cool-witted performances of Kirk Douglas and Bruce Dern (who shared a terrific chemistry) cover for how mechanical the film did look. Nothing totally skillful or stylish about it. Douglas' direction is raggedly rough and a little too plain. However some action shootouts and chase sequences were competently entertaining, but when the violence did hit, it wasn't presented in such a meaningless parade. It went hand-to-hand with the thoughtful nature of the script. Dick O'Neill's taut, but at times flashy photography is fluidly shot and Maurice Jarre's uncanny score is strongly delivered. Supporting Douglas and Dern (who's character's made great for sparing confrontations) is excellent performances by Bo Hopkins, James Stacy, Beth Brickell, Dick O'Neill and Alfonso Arau. A western that's too interesting to pass up because of the calculating tone lurking underneath.

kirk douglas being a rather intelligent man, I was still a little surprised the way this movie turned out. I didn't think he had that much OOMPH in him or whatever. The good guy is the bad guy and the bad guy is the good guy - that's always a good start. But then the good/bad guy gets too greedy and forgets about paying his men decently and then they leave him. If it was only like that in reality! Things have become too complicated today with too big societies and the crooks just too stupid and coward. they don't steal from the rich anymore - they steal from the poor and when they don't get caught they get to be presidents or whatever. Where is the modern day Robin Hood? Nowhere or maybe the media just refuse to write about him - who knows? Anyway, great finish on a film that, without this glorious OOMPH, would have been mediocre. Kirk belonged to the old school of decency and he shows it here. By the way, it's he, who plays the bad guy, in case you would miss it.

I agree with inspectors71's review in that Kirk Douglas was probably a much better actor than director. This, and his previous film, help prove this.Other than a unique chance to see Kirk directing (and producing), this film is only memorable for being a 1970s "anti-Western"--with bad guys seeming pretty nice and good guys as hypocritical jerks. Once again, inspectors71's feeling that this was all inspired by Watergate seemed pretty astute. During this time period, flawed heroes abounded in film--such as Dirty Harry Popeye Doyle--a product of the times indeed. As an "anti-Western", the film didn't seem to go anywhere and left me feeling rather uninterested.In fact, the entire story never felt particularly involving and the "anti-ending" seemed amazingly far-fetched and silly. Still, there were enough interesting moments to make it worth watching if nothing better is on TV--but that's about all.

Not a bad western, but not a real winner either. Most of the acting was good, but some of the performers need to go back to drama class and bone up a bit. Douglas and Dern kept the show going with their give and take, although I don't think the real lawmen and desperados actually carried on in this fashion. I think Strawhorn was more of a realist than a truly bad person; he saw the reality of life and became practical because of his vision. Dealing with 2 faced con men like Nightingale merely solidified his outlook on life.