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The Hired Hand |  | Director: Peter Fonda
Actors: Peter Fonda, Warren Oates, Verna Bloom, Larry Hagman, Al Hopson
Studio: Sundance Channel Home Entertainment
List Price: $14.98
Buy New: $7.42
as of 3/14/2010 17:42 CDT details
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New (11) from $7.42
Rating:  21 reviews
Sales Rank: 50455
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 90 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: HSPDSC0212D
UPC: 829567021224
EAN: 0829567021224
ASIN: B00080ZGQU
Theatrical Release Date: August 11, 1971
Release Date: April 1, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Studio: Arts Alliance America Release Date: 02/26/2008
Amazon.com
A true rediscovery of the most valuable kind, The Hired Hand has been superbly restored after 30 years of obscurity--which followed a pitifully half-hearted release in 1971. The Western storyline is simplicity itself: after many years, a wanderer (Peter Fonda) returns to his farm and wife (Verna Bloom), with his saddlemate (the incomparable Warren Oates) in tow; violence intrudes. But the subtle sexual politics in Alan Sharp's script, the guitar sound of Bruce Langhorne's music, and the rapturous landscapes in Vilmos Zgismond's cinematography create a fresh take on the old form. This was Fonda's directing debut (two years after Easy Rider), and while it has an unmistakably seventies vibe to it, the film also feels like an "eastern" Western, its minimalist style approaching zen. Give yourself over to its deliberate mood, and by the time the final shot rolls into view you'll know you've seen something special. --Robert Horton
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 21
 An Overlooked Gem January 24, 2010
Tex Caledonia (Austin, Texas)
Peter Fonda hit a homerun with this film. It represents one of the best efforts in producing a gritty and visually beautiful western. This is one of my favorite westerns and epitomizes the late 60's early 70's earthy, grimy, style of the genre.
The Hired Hand DVD June 7, 2009
A. W. Knight
I am very pleased with the product. It was cheap and arrived very quickly in perfect order. Many thanks.
montage editing mastery April 25, 2008
George J. Ritter (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
This is a masterpiece without a doubt, decades ahead of its time and a glittering milestone in the history of both the western genre and American filmmaking. Frank Mazzola, a genius of montage editing artistry adds a new dimension of delight and rapturous beauty to this brilliant work lifting it into the pantheon of timeless cinematic perfection. A feast for the eye, the mind and the soul. Bravo to all involved in re-issuing this new cut.
editor of both the original and recut versions, is perhaps the best montage artist ever to come out of Hollywood. His extraordinary work
 It's the supporting characters that make it work November 11, 2006
Trevor Willsmer (London, England)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Warren Oates may not be the star of The Hired Hand, but both he and Verna Bloom outshine director Peter Fonda's quiet performance. A lot of that's down to the writing, with screenwriter Alan Sharp giving both supporting players excellent parts - indeed, Bloom's is one of the best women's roles ever written for a Western - and part of it seems to be down to the gentle generosity of spirit that Fonda imbues his cut of the film with. While never quite as affecting as it could be, and at times over-egging the artistry with not always successful montages or camera techniques in Vilmos Zsigmond's otherwise marvellous cinematography, it's still a satisfying and rewarding character piece that just happens to be set out West
The collector's edition DVD comes with a plethora of extras, including ample deleted scenes that were restored for the NBC television version that eventually supplanted the theatrical version. They're interesting, and highlight Larry Hagman's nice performance as a very diplomatic sheriff, but their deletion does make the film much stronger, placing the emphasis on the interplay of the three central characters and, most crucially, allowing Oates' character to make his own decision towards the film's resolution. It's a shame that screenwriter Alan Sharp isn't among the interviewees on the one-hour documentary on the disc, but perhaps that's because, ever the realist, he always regarded his fine Western scripts as pastiches where everyone else is arguing in favor of the film's realism and revisionism. But most bizarre among the extras are Universal's original trailers and radio spots, marketing it as an all-action revenge Western for the Easy Rider crowd - `Peter Fonda is riding again - back to the woman he loves and the revenge he craves!'
A Quiet 70's Western that is hauntingly Memorable June 28, 2006
- Durrkk (Ohio/PA border USA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
"The Hired Hand" was Peter Fonda's first stab at directing (he only directed two more films). The story involves Fonda going back to his wife and homestead after several years absence; he brings his buddy Warren Oates along with him. His wife, Verna Bloom, isn't so interested anymore with being his wife (and who can blame her?) so she hires him and Oates on as ranch hands, hence "The Hired Hand."
Speaking of Verna Bloom, she's not made out to be very attractive in the film; she just comes across rather bland and plain. One could argue, of course, that this adds to the realism of the picture; after all, would you likely catch a bodacious goddess living alone in the Western wilderness for very long? I only bring this up because Verna appears one year later in Clint Eastwood's "High Plains Drifter," wherein it is revealed that she is actually quite a fair-looking woman. Who knows, perhaps it's simply because she has her hair down in the latter film.
In any event, "The Hired Hand" is a quiet, highly believable picture that boldly sneers at Western film conventions. Yes, you'll see a couple of gun fights, but they're realistic in tone and unconventional to the Western genre.
This may make the film boring to some, but not to me. Truth be known, I like a variety of Westerns, everything from "Shane" to "The Missing" and everything in between. The only Westerns I don't like are ones that have that goofy, unrealistic vibe, like "Hondo" (I'm not talking about Western comedies here; I love "Support Your Local Sheriff").
"The Hired Hand" probably won't blow you away or anything; it's a quiet, adult-oriented film. I saw it last December for the first time and, somehow, various sequences have just stayed with me; like they're burnt into my psyche. It's hauntingly memorable. If this sounds like your cup of tea, don't miss out.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 21
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