Lonesome Dove

Starring: Robert Duvall (4 episodes), Tommy Lee Jones (4 episodes), Danny Glover (4 episodes), Diane Lane (4 episodes), Robert Urich (4 episodes), Frederic Forrest (4 episodes), D.B. Sweeney (4 episodes), Ricky Schroder (4 episodes), Anjelica Huston (4 episodes), Chris Cooper (4 episodes), Timothy Scott (4 episodes), Glenne Headly (4 episodes), Barry Corbin (4 episodes), William Sanderson (4 episodes), Barry Tubb (4 episodes), Gavin O'Herlihy (4 episodes), Steve Buscemi (4 episodes), Frederick Coffin (4 episodes), Margo Martindale (1 episode)
Directed by: Simon Wincer (4 episodes)
Rating: TV-14
Genre: Western, Drama, Adventure
1989

Seasons Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Two former Texas Rangers (Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones) undertake a dangerous cattle drive from Texas to Montana.

Review:
Tim: I have to take a minute to acknowledge the influence Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove had on my life. My junior high history teacher (still perhaps the best teacher I ever had) talked lovingly about the book. Although I had no business reading it at that age (far too much talk about whores and "pokes" among other things), I convinced my parents to get it from the library. As you might imagine, my still-developing brain was blown away by McMurtry's Western epic. Gus and Call became so real for me and I lived and died with them in the wild frontiers of the west. The novel had a profound influence on me in my formative years. I'd totally forgotten that I watched this miniseries sometime after. I loved it, of course, although I didn't understand how amazing the cast was at the time. I rewatched the miniseries in my early 40s and I can unhesitatingly say this is one of the all-time great miniseries.

McMurtry's book is expansive, and this 6+ hour miniseries does an admirable job of adapting the characters and story to the screen. We get four 1.5 hour episodes, which is basically like seeing four movies with these characters. The episodes move slow at times, but it's all character development. We get to know these characters deeply, so when they are in peril, we feel that. I was stunned as a child (and still surprised as an adult) with McMurtry's willingness to kill characters. It feels appropriate given the realities of the western frontier, but it's shocking to see the time spent developing someone, only to have them lose their life a short time later. The book and the series both embrace those harsh realities of western life. By the end of the miniseries, you feel like you've truly gone on a journey. None of the characters are the same as when they started- indeed, there's far fewer of them still living. The lucky ones have been transformed by this epic journey. That makes for incredible television.

Now, I'd be remiss if I didn't get to the cast. As a junior high student, I didn't realize I was watching greatness. Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Danny Glover, Diane Lane, Anjelica Huston, Chris Cooper, Steve Buscemi, D.B. Sweeney. My goodness, what an incredible collection of talent. Of course, you have to start with Duvall. Duvall is one of the all-time great actors, hands down. He has so many wonderful performances to his credit, but Gus McCrae has to rank among the best. He infuses such warmth and humor into this role. We all wish we knew a Gus- a man who lives by his own rules, who chooses to live life, rather than endure it. He's a man prone to relaxing over work, but who will gun down an enemy without hesitation. We love Gus- truly love him. McMurtry did an amazing job of crafting this character on the page, but Duvall breathes life into him. Duvall gives one of the most magnetic, mesmerizingly charismatic performances I've seen on the small screen. His laugh, that mischievous twinkle in his eye- Gus McCrae looms large over anyone's memory who has seen this series. Duvall is wonderful. Tommy Lee Jones had a harder job in some ways- Call is reserved, stoic, restrained. He still manages to make us care about Call, but it takes some time. Jones is always good, playing Call as he needed to, but it's a bit unfair to see him opposite Duvall's Gus. What's interesting is that when I read the book, I loved Call. Maybe I felt Newt's desire for his approval, but I never forgot Call. In the series, Jones is a bit in Duvall's shadow. In the final episode, Jones does get some time to shine and he shows us what an incredible actor he is. I have zero complaints with the great performance Jones gives. To see Duvall and Jones bring these roles to life was such a wonderful gift.

Diane Lane was still quite young when this miniseries came out, but she gives a strong, memorable performance as Lorena. Lane is such a confident, experienced actor today- it was fun seeing her at a less experienced time, working through how to show up as this character. It's not an easy role and even this early in her career, Lane shows the range she has as an actress. Danny Glover adds a great supporting turn- he doesn't get a lot of screen time, but he uses it effectively. He's sneaky here- you don't realize how much his character means to you until the very end. D.B. Sweeney adds a nice supporting performance- he was consistently good in this series. Anjelica Huston doesn't show up for a while, but her story and character affix themselves on our hearts and she makes a big impact on the series. Robert Urich was a force on screen and his story is one of the most surprisingly and memorable of the miniseries. Frederick Forrest embraces his antagonistic role and looms large in the shadows on the plains. I enjoyed Chris Cooper's performance, too. He doesn't get a huge role, but he plays it well. His story is interesting, even though you wish the series spent a bit more time developing his character. Steve Buscemi is in a really small role, but he makes an impression. Ricky Schroder works hard to bring Newt to life. I think he gave a good performance, but he felt a tier or two below his costars. I liked his character, but I don't think I quite felt the emotional pull Newt should have created in us. Still, as a whole, the cast is stunningly good.

Simon Wincer does an excellent job bringing this miniseries to life. It's technically well made- the cinematography and the music deserve massive amounts of praise. The miniseries won 7 Emmys- Outstanding Casting is a no-brainer. Makeup makes sense. Musical Composition without a single doubt. Costume Design, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and then Wincer brought home Directing. The actors failed to win, perhaps splitting the vote in cases- Duvall and Jones both were nominated for Lead Actor, Huston for Lead Actress, Glover for Supporting Actor, and Headly for Supporting Actress. That's very impressive. The haunting beautiful "Lonesome Dove Theme" by Basil Poledouris by the full orchestra gives me chills every time I hear it. It's absolutely wonderful, one of the all-time great theme songs. It's sweeping highs and lows perfectly translate to the story on screen.

There's not a doubt in my mind that Lonesome Dove belongs in the conversation of the greatest miniseries of all time. It's one of the best Westerns, period. The story, the characters, the actors, the music, the cinematography- it's truly remarkable. I adored the book and I loved the miniseries. This is one of the all-time classics.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



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