Umair Gaines
The Electric Horseman is an American Western comedy-drama film that was released in 1979. The film stars Robert Redford and Jane Fonda and is directed by Sydney Pollack. The plot revolves around a former rodeo champion who becomes a spokesperson for a cereal company and then runs away on an expensive, electric-lit horse. The film features a mix of comedy, drama, and romance and showcases the collaboration between Pollack, Redford, and Fonda, who had worked together on several previous films.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of release | 1979 |
| Genre | Comedy-drama, Romance |
| Director | Sydney Pollack |
| Starring | Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Willie Nelson |
| Plot | A former rodeo champion is hired by a cereal company to become its spokesperson but runs away on a $12 million electric-lit horse after finding out that the horse has been abused |
| Production companies | Columbia Pictures, Universal Pictures |
| Budget | $12.5 million |
| Box office collection | $62 million |
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What You'll Learn
The Electric Horseman was released in 1979
The Electric Horseman is an American Western comedy-drama film that was released in 1979. It stars Robert Redford and Jane Fonda and is directed by Sydney Pollack. The film is about a former rodeo champion, played by Redford, who is hired by a cereal company as its spokesperson. However, he runs away on a $12 million electric-lit horse and costume that he is given to promote in Las Vegas after discovering that the horse has been abused.
The film was released theatrically in the United States on December 21, 1979, by Columbia Pictures and Universal Pictures. The budget for the film escalated to $12.5 million, but it was still a box-office success, grossing a domestic total of nearly $62 million. Principal photography for the film took place during late 1978 and early 1979 throughout Nevada and Utah, with prominent shooting locations in Las Vegas and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
The Electric Horseman was the fifth film in which Sydney Pollack directed Robert Redford, following This Property Is Condemned (1966), Jeremiah Johnson (1972), The Way We Were (1973), and Three Days of the Condor (1975). Pollack had also previously directed Fonda in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969). The film also marked the debut acting performance of long-time country and western singer Willie Nelson, who played the role of Wendell Hickson.
The Electric Horseman is a throwback to another era of Hollywood filmmaking, with its adult actors, sensibilities, and absence of quick put-downs or one-liners. It is a warm and cozy film that provides solid entertainment, although some critics felt it lacked edge and spectacle. Despite this, it remains a great story with strong performances from its lead and supporting cast.
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It was directed by Sydney Pollack
The 1979 American Western comedy-drama film "The Electric Horseman" was directed by Sydney Pollack. This was Pollack's fifth collaboration with lead actor Robert Redford, following "This Property Is Condemned" (1966), "Jeremiah Johnson" (1972), "The Way We Were" (1973), and "Three Days of the Condor" (1975). Pollack and Redford would go on to work together on two more films: "Out of Africa" (1985) and "Havana" (1990).
Pollack had also previously directed Jane Fonda, the film's other lead actor, in "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" (1969). "The Electric Horseman" also marked the acting debut of country singer Willie Nelson, who played the role of Wendell Hickson and improvised most of his dialogue.
Pollack's direction of "The Electric Horseman" is described as "solid entertainment" by Roger Ebert, who notes that Pollack "gives us solid entertainment, but he doesn't take chances". Ebert also observes that Pollack had a strong collaborative relationship with both Redford and Fonda, and that Pollack understood the importance of "the right Boy and the right Girl and the right story".
Pollack himself considered his creative collaboration with Redford to be the most important of his career, spanning several decades and numerous films. Pollack and Redford first worked together as actors in "War Hunt" (1962), and Pollack expressed his admiration for Redford's acting abilities, stating that Redford "does often hold something back, which, for me, only makes him more interesting".
"The Electric Horseman" was released on December 21, 1979, in the United States, and was a box-office success, grossing nearly $62 million domestically. The film was shot in Nevada and Utah, with prominent locations including Las Vegas and the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area.
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The film stars Robert Redford and Jane Fonda
The 1979 American Western comedy-drama film "The Electric Horseman" stars Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. The film, directed by Sydney Pollack, is about a former rodeo champion, Sonny Steele, played by Redford, who is hired by a cereal company as its spokesperson. However, he runs away on a $12 million electric-lit horse, Rising Star, and costume after finding that the horse has been abused.
Jane Fonda plays Hallie Martin, a television newscaster from New York City, who is curious about why the company discourages interviews with Sonny. She is an inquisitive female reporter who wants to interview Sonny but gets blown off by him. She eventually tracks him down, shares his indignation at how the horse has been treated, and trades her loyalty for exclusive rights to the story.
The film also stars Willie Nelson as Wendell, Sonny's manager, and marks Nelson's acting debut. Pollack noted that Nelson improvised most of his dialogue in the film.
"The Electric Horseman" is noted for its old-fashioned style, with big kisses seen in silhouette at sunset and a budding romance between the leads. It has been described as a throwback to another era of Hollywood cinema, with a focus on the human relationships between the characters rather than flashy effects.
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It was shot in Nevada and Utah
The Electric Horseman is an American Western comedy-drama film that was released in 1979. It stars Robert Redford and Jane Fonda and is directed by Sydney Pollack.
Principal photography for the film took place in Nevada and Utah during late 1978 and early 1979. While the film was predominantly shot in Las Vegas and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, additional filming took place in various locations across the state of Utah, including Grafton, St. George, and Zion National Park.
The film is about a former rodeo champion, played by Redford, who is hired by a cereal company to become its spokesperson. He then runs away on a $12 million electric-lit horse and costume, provided by the company, after he finds that the horse has been abused. The horse was named Rising Star in the film and was played by a 5-year-old bay thoroughbred called Let's Merge.
The film was shot in Nevada and Utah, with the Utah locations chosen in part due to their proximity to Redford's home, allowing him to get a break on his state taxes. The director, Pollack, also struggled to revise the script while filming was underway. Despite this, the film grossed nearly $62 million domestically, making it a box-office success.
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The film was a box office success
The Electric Horseman is an American Western comedy-drama film that was released in 1979. The film stars Robert Redford and Jane Fonda and is directed by Sydney Pollack. The film is about a former rodeo champion, played by Redford, who is hired by a cereal company to become its spokesperson. The film had a budget of $12.5 million, which escalated during production. Despite this, the film was a box office success, grossing a domestic total of nearly $62 million.
The film's success can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, The Electric Horseman benefited from the strong on-screen chemistry between its lead actors, Redford and Fonda. This was the fifth collaboration between director Pollack and Redford, and the two would go on to work together on two more films after this one. Pollack had also previously directed Fonda, and the film benefited from their established relationship. The Electric Horseman also marked the acting debut of country singer Willie Nelson, who played the role of Wendell Hickson and improvised most of his dialogue. Nelson also contributed significantly to the film's soundtrack, singing five songs, including "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys" and "Midnight Rider". The soundtrack album, which included both Nelson's songs and the film's musical score composed by Dave Grusin, was released alongside the film and likely contributed to its success.
Another factor contributing to the film's box office success was its unique positioning as a throwback to another era. The film is set apart from other films of its time by its mature themes and absence of juvenile humour. It harkens back to classic Hollywood cinema, featuring adult actors with adult sensibilities and a warm-hearted romance. The Electric Horseman also incorporates contemporary themes, such as its anti-corporate perspective and animal rights agenda.
The film's success can also be attributed to its prominent shooting locations in Las Vegas and the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. The Las Vegas setting is integral to the film's plot, as it centres around a former rodeo champion who is hired by a company to become its spokesperson and then runs away with a $12 million horse in Las Vegas. The film's success may have been bolstered by the public's fascination with the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas, which provided a striking backdrop to the story.
Lastly, the film's success can be attributed to the strong promotional campaign leading up to its release. The Electric Horseman was co-produced by Columbia Pictures and Universal Pictures, ensuring a wide reach and robust marketing efforts. The film's release was accompanied by publicity surrounding its stars, particularly Robert Redford, who was returning to the big screen after a hiatus. This generated buzz and likely contributed to the film's box office success.
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Frequently asked questions
The Electric Horseman came out in 1979.
The film starred Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, and Willie Nelson.
The film is about a former rodeo champion who is hired by a cereal company to become its spokesperson. He then runs away on a $12 million electric-lit horse and costume he is given to promote it in Las Vegas after he finds that the horse has been abused.
