Bad Company

"This tale of friendship and survival set during the days of the 1860s focuses on a roguish group of runaways living by their wits and natural instincts. Two of them in particular are complementary opposites: Drew is a good boy from God-fearing stock in Ohio, out West to evade the draft. Jake is a scruffy scoundrel - a saddle tramp not above a little larceny here and there. Along the trail they encounter a variety of varmints and renegades. And eventually, they find themselves - older and wiser for the journey and friendship."

Having lost a beloved son in the Civil War Drew Dixon's (Barry Brown) parents help him escape from being conscripted into the Union Army. Drew, an upstanding young man from god fearing Methodist stock, is forced to go on the run with a few possessions including $100 from his father. His first stop is to be Saint Joseph, Missouri, from where he intends to book the first wagon train heading out west. It is here that Drew bumps into Jake Rumsey (Jeff Bridges), a scruffy rogue on the look out for his next meal ticket. Jake informs Drew that the waiting list for the wagon train is six months and the stagecoach is an even longer wait.

Not knowing where else to go because of this unexpected news Drew then enquires where the local Methodist church can be found. Being a helpful and friendly guy Jake shows him a short cut to a coshing and a robbing rather than a place of sanctuary. After recovering his head somewhat Drew makes his way to the residence of the Reverend and Mrs R Clum where Drew once again bumps into Jake Rumsey and a fight breaks out between the two young men in the Clum's kitchen. The outcome of this brawl is that Drew agrees to team up with Jake and his gang of ruffians who are also on their way out west. With all their bravado the group are not prepared for their journey but as events unfold they learn the hard way...

Jeff Bridges and Barry Brown play their characters very competently as do the rest of the cast. Brown is splendid as the genteel Drew Dixon, a modest, god-fearing youth and a perfect counterpoint to Jeff's scoundrel Jake. Although the pair seems as different as chalk and cheese, theirs is a well matched partnership of mutual respect, forged through necessity and tested over many a fight and falling-out. The cinematography consists largely of brown shades giving the movie an almost sepia tone which adds to the movie's antique realism. I've seen countless westerns many of which are not half as good as Bad Company... and thank god there are no singing cavalrymen! It is a real shame this movie hasn't garnered the attention it deserves. Highly recommended.

Reviewed: 27/09/06

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