Goin' South

Goin' South (1978)

  • 77% of critics liked it
    (13 reviews)

  • 47% of users liked it
    (4,365 ratings)

Sentenced to hang in a backwater western town, horse thief Henry Moon (Jack Nicholson) is saved when frontierswoman Julia Tate (Mary Steenburgen) agrees to marry him. Taking advantage of the town law that prohibits the execution of married men, Moon follows Tate back to her ranch, planning all the… More

Play Trailer

PG,
Directed By
Written By
John Herman Shaner, Al Ramrus, Charles Shyer, Alan Mandel
Genres
Western, Drama, Comedy
In Theaters
Jan 1, 1978 Wide
Paramount Home Video

Critic Reviews

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    Jack Nicholson playing Gabby Hayes is interesting, even amusing at times, but Hayes was never a leading man, which Goin' South desperately needs.

  • , Time Out

    Nicholson's second film as director, a wonderfully beguiling Western...

  • Chuck O'Leary, Fantastica Daily

    Jack Nicholson is hilarious in this underrated comedy Western.

  • Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

    Nicholson does a markedly better job with the material than anyone could have expected.

  • Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice

    Goin' South is a gritty Western with plenty of spunk.

Read all 8 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Curtis L


    I like that Doc Brown and Claira are together again in the old west. Jackie boy does a fun job as well.

  • Lafe F


    Funny classic comedy western.

  • xGary X


    Enjoyable comic western starring and directed by Jack Nicholson. Without anybody to rein him in, he hams it up mercilessly, but being Jack, he can get away with it in a way that very few can.

  • Dean M


    Amusing comedy-western that Jack Nicholson also directed.

  • Jim W


    Jack Nicholson directs and stars as an outlaw named Henry Moon, who's saved from a hanging by a young widow named Julia Tate (Mary Steenburgen). Apparently, a man can be saved from a hanging if he can find someone willing to marry him. Julia Tate marries Henry to put him to work… More

Read all 6 featured audience ratings

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