Credits
Director Dick Lowry
Screenwriters Roderick Taylor, Jeb Rosebrook
Music Larry Cansler
Genre Western/ Sequel TV Movie
Running Time 240 min
Cinematography Robert M. Baldwin
Cast
Actor Character
Kenny Rogers Brady Hawkes
Bruce Boxleitner Billy Montana
Linda Gray Mary Collins
Marc Alaimo Pvt. Bob Butler
Jeff Allin Homesteader
Michael Berrynan Cpl. Catlett
Melanie Chartoff Deborah
Charles Durning Sen. Henry Colton
Terrence Evans Lucas
Matt Clark Sgt. Grinder
Richard Chaves Iron Dog
Jeffrey Alan Chandler Plow Salesman
Jeffrey Jones Buffalo Bill
George Kennedy Gen. Nelson Miles
Synopsis
Brady Hawkes and Billy Montana feature again as the main protagonists, but on this occasion they are fighting for a more noble cause. Treaties between whites and Sioux Indians are broken on multiple occasions by land-greedy white colonialists.
An act of conspiracy among unscrupulous Army cavalry officers that steal cattle and shifting the blame on renegade Sioux Indians is on the verge. The emerging tensions between the two parties leads to vicious encounters.
Brady Hawkes and Billy Montana work together to protect the Sioux nation from illegitimate government attempts to take their land from them. The task is even bigger as they face off the cattle rustlers collaborating with the government to cripple the Sioux’s economic welfare.
The duo also expose deceit within the government but this lands them in a more menacing position. The two battle their way out and provide a solution to the injustices the Sioux’s Indians were facing.
Review
This third installment in the popular “GAMBLER” series is filmed in the Dakota Territory associated with the ferocious “West” and the ugly tussle between good and evil. Writers (Roderick Taylor, Jeb Rosebrook) with the direction of (Dick Lowry) display their brilliance by coming up with a two-part film concurrent with the Dakota Regime which was ruling at the time.
Brady Hawkes and Billy Montana may be up against their toughest challenge yet as their manoeuver proceeds in this action filled experience. The two decide to come to the aid of the mistreated Sioux Indians. They are helped by a cast of popular names, including Linda Gray, Charles Durning, George Kennedy, and Jeffrey Jones. Some of the actors back out of the quest for freedom, but Brady Hawkes and Billy Montana hold up till the end.
Being a total deviation from the usual line of the movie sequel, this film is a much improved version of the first two in terms of production values, illustrated by vivid lighting and an authentic typical West environment. The film shuns away from the over presentation of Western storylines in favor of a masterful principled critique of the harsh treatment of Native Americans by the acquisitive whites.
The ‘80s were a miserable time for Western fans as they were characterized by an imitation of an urban cowboy trend and cattle rustling. The film is undeniably a better presentation of a regretful chapter in the history of the Western genre.
The producer uses two gambling allies of a cowboy origin as the protagonists against a government oriented mistreatment towards the locals. This presents the producers’ ability to echo the positive side of a cowboy in an era whereby some good deeds were overshadowed by the negative trends associated with them.
From cattle rustling to corruption within the government, civil rights, gambling, lynching, cardsharps, friendship, and stampedes, this film is sure to give you a lesson that you will not regret your time. Additionally, historical and invented characters illustrated by Bob Baldwin featuring in the scenes is so appealing to any fan of Westerns.
I would say my 3 hours were well worth it when I first watched this 1987 film. It’s just one of the best continuation stories, an upgrade from the previous editions. The fil just takes you from the word go and you won’t even notice how time just passed. Kenny and Billy are very charismatic in this one. The lay low and completely impart the emotions of heroes.
However, some people find the runtime to be too long and tedious, especially for impatient viewers. There are also some acts of extreme violence that would pose a mental and emotional disturbance to young viewers, particularly those below 14. Therefore, you got to know when or who you’ll want to watch with. For the right audience, you will find things very lively and intriguing.
Rating
Overall, our voters gave a 5.8 out of 10. I would have given a bit more given how the script has a totally different storyline from the previous editions that focused mainly on gambling. Let us know your rating after watching this Western, Sequel TV movie.
