Paint Your Wagon (1969)
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21% of critics liked it
(14 reviews) -
65% of users liked it
(8,012 ratings)
After a debut on Broadway in 1951, Paramount spent an estimated 17 to 20 million dollars in production costs for this Lerner and Loewe musical. With Loewe's permission, Lerner wrote five additional tunes for the film with Andre Previn. Ben Rumson (Lee Marvin) is the grizzled prospector trying… More After a debut on Broadway in 1951, Paramount spent an estimated 17 to 20 million dollars in production costs for this Lerner and Loewe musical. With Loewe's permission, Lerner wrote five additional tunes for the film with Andre Previn. Ben Rumson (Lee Marvin) is the grizzled prospector trying his luck panning for gold in California. Pardner (Clint Eastwood) is his companion. When Ben buys a woman from a Mormon, Elizabeth (Jean Seberg) expects equal rights for her gender and chooses to live with both men. Ben and Pardner tunnel under the boomtown to gather the fallen gold dust that has filtered through the cracks of the saloon and other places. The musical comedy features 13 songs, the most recognizable being "They Call The Wind Maria". The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band helps out on the song "Hand Me Down That Can O' Beans". Both Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin are given a chance to show their vocal ability (or lack of it) in several songs. The initial release fell far short of regaining the millions put into the production, and most critics dipped their pens in poison to pan the picture -- though the film plays better than the critics would lead anyone to believe. Many jumped on the Paint Your Wagon smear campaign after the film proved to be not nearly as successful as other musicals. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Directed By
- Joshua Logan
- Genres
- Western, Romance, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Oct 15, 1969 Wide
- Studio
- Paramount Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Logan's movie is a flop on many levels, a musical in which America's most macho actors, Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin, are miscast and required to sing.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The pic just collapses because there's nothing going on that matters except to watch Marvin's hammy performance.
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Neil Cohen, Echo Magazine
This last gasp MGM musical still features enough curiousity to make it worthwhile.
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KJB, IGN Movies
Not as bad as some would make you believe. But I'm still not looking forward to that Clint Eastwood Sings Sinatra album.
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John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...corny but endearing, and for a lot of us that's good enough.
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)
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Cast
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Lee Marvin
as Ben Rumson
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Clint Eastwood
as Pardner
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Jean Seberg
as Elizabeth
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Ray Walston
as "Mad Jack" Duncan
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Harve Presnell
as Rotten Luck Willie
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Tom Ligon
as Horton Fenty
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H.B. Haggerty
as Steve Bull
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Geoffrey Norman
as Harry Foster
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Karl Bruck
as Schermerhorn
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Alan Baxter
as Mr. MacFenty
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Sue Casey
as Sarah Woodling
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John Mitchum
as Jacob Woodling
- The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
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Ben Baker
as Haywood Holbrook
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Alan Dexter
as Parson
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Robert Easton
as Alwell
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Terry Jenkins
as Joe Mooney
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Roy Jenson
as Hennessey
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Edward Little Sky
as Indian
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William Mims
as Frock-Coated Man
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Harvey Parry
as Higgins
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Paula Trueman
as Mrs. MacFenty
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H.W. Gim
as Wong
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Pat Hawley
as Clendennon
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L. William O'Connell
as Horace Tabor
