“The way a person dresses is nobody’s business but his or her own.”
The Scoop: 1985 PG, directed by Hugh Wilson and starring Tom Berenger, G.W. Bailey, and Andy Griffith.
Tagline: Rex O’Herlihan. The singing cowboy. To a lawless land he brought truth, justice, fancy riding and some wonderful outfits.
Summary Capsule: Let’s let the movie talk for itself: “It always kinda made me wonder what one of these B Westerns would look like, you know, if they still made them today. In the first place, the Bad Guys probably wouldn’t always be such cowards, and Rex wouldn’t be so damn perfect all the time.”
Eunice’s rating: Yodelayhee yodelayheehoo, I ride alone
Eunice’s review: Rustlers’ Rhapsody lays out its story simply and pretty early. Rex O’Herlihan is the main good guy. The Colonel is the main bad guy. The Bad Guys are the bad guys and don’t need names. The Sheepherders are downtrodden by the Bad Guys, and also don’t require names. Rex rides into town and has to help the Sheepherders. Pretty much, it’s every early Western (and quite a few later ones) ever made.
The plot isn’t the focus of Rhapsody though. It’s a spoof comedy, but not in the machine gun “hit anything and everything that might be funny with a certain movie genre to hold it together” style. It very specifically makes fun of Westerns: Starting with the old black and white Gene Autry ‘singin’ cowboy’ type, then ‘spaghetti western’, ending with a Peckinpah-esque shoot out. The best example I can come up with is Robin Hood: Men in Tights’ “Because, unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent.” moment. It’s the sort of thing a fan would get.
Basically, the biggest factor on if you’ll actually dig Rhapsody is how much you know and like Western movies.
The writing is an excellent mix of clever and stupid that make this type of comedy work. While doing the Groovy Quotes section I had a hard time not posting the whole script. What makes it work is that Rex is self aware, “knows the future” as the movie puts it. He realizes he’s a Good Guy, he knows the rules, how this all works, how it’s supposed to end, and he’s the only character who’s in on it. But then he gets derailed when the Bad Guys hire someone he didn’t expect (it’s so genius I won’t give it away). All this allows the movie to acknowledge the cliche and oddity elephants in the Western room.
While Tom Berenger is good, it’s G.W. Bailey who steals the show as Peter – narrator, Town Drunk, and Sidekick – and gets the best lines. And Andy Griffith as the world’s most congenial grandfatherly Villain? Brilliant! I mean, let’s face it, he couldn’t be threatening if his silvery locks depended on it.
While it’s unfortunately mostly forgotten, Rustlers’ Rhapsody stands with titles like Clue and Airplane! in my top 10 comedies list, and makes me laugh every time I see it. Unlike nowaday’s mean spirited [whatever] Movie movies that beat you over the head with how funny they think they are, it’s obviously made by someone who knows and loves the genre. Like sharing an inside joke.
If you’re a fan of Westerns or spoof comedy I can’t recommend it enough.
Intermission!
- The entertainment at the saloon is awesome! I’d hang out there!
- Nobody just falls and hits the floor. They all fall through things.
- Check out the thugs trying to get Blackie’s body on the horse
- The Spaghetti Western guys really do have better music
- It could be argued they’re telegraph poles, but those look like electric poles
- $600 in the 1800s?! That good hookin’ money now!
- Tell me the Railroad Colonel doesn’t look like Dos Equis’ “most interesting man in the world.”
- Patrick Wayne! Patrick Wayne!
- Is Peter more Smiley Burnette or Gabby Hayes?
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid homage
- ‘Last Of The Silver Screen Cowboys’ always makes me sad
Groovy Quotes
Rex: Glass of warm milk, please.
Bartender: …
Rex: Make it a sarsaparilla.
Bartender: …
Rex: Is this one of those really tough bars?
Bartender: *nods*
Rex: Let me have a large glass of warm gin, served with a human hair in it.
Peter: That group over there? Those’re the Sheepherders, they’re the Good Guys. Work hard, don’t bother nobody, but they smell god awful. Must be the sheep. Makes you want to kill ’em sometimes.
Rex: The way a person dresses is nobody’s business but his or her own.
The Colonel: Let me just ask you one question. There’s one thing I’m most curious about. Why bring the body here? My god, this is a home! People live here!
Jim: Well, Colonel, we didn’t know exactly what to do with him.
The Colonel: Bury him! How ’bout that? Don’t you think that’s a good idea?
Jud: Oh, yes sir, yes sir, Colonel!
The Colonel: I mean, do you think that when somebody dies, they place them permanently on the family couch?
The Colonel: Gee whiz!
Rex: I’ll curse if I wanna curse! Damn! Damn, damn, hell, damn, tee tee, doo doo!
If you liked this movie, try these:
- The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.
- Three Amigos!
- The Villain
- Blazing Saddles
- Johnny Dangerously
Mutant Reviewers 
A somewhat better known film in the same vein is Support Your Local Sheriff, starring James Garner of Maverick fame. A particular favorite line from that film comes when Mayor Perkins (ably portrayed by Harry Morgan of M*A*S*H fame) gives McCullough his sheriff’s badge and the latter notices a bullet dent in it:
Perkins: I’m afraid it’s a little bent up.
McCullough: Well it must have saved the life of whoever was wearing it.
Perkins: Well, it sure would have if it hadn’t been for all them other bullets flying in from everywhere.
I’m… almost certain I need to see this. That is all.
Oh, and great review.
Eunice, I see your “you used ‘steak’ instead of ‘stake’ ” and raise you a “you used ‘your’ instead of ‘you’re’ “.
Touche, my friend! Your move.
I loved the review. I’ll definitely be checking this movie out. You bring a lot of great stuff to my attention, and I thank you for that.
CURSES! *shakes fist* On the last sentence too!
[…] Villain is a western comedy, more Rustlers’ Rhapsody than Blazing Saddles, but crosses over into the a whole bunch of random famous people comedy that […]