Rhapsody in Lead (1984)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Rhapsody in lead |
| Original title | Rustler's Rhapsody |
| Country of production | USA , Spain |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1985 |
| length | 89 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 12 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Hugh Wilson |
| script | Hugh Wilson |
| production | David Giler |
| music | Steve Dorff |
| camera | José Luis Alcaine |
| cut | John Victor Smith (Editing Supervisor) |
| occupation | |
| |
Rhapsodie in Blei (original title: Rustler's Rhapsody ) is a western from 1984. The work, held in its style as an homage to the time of the B-Westerns, was premiered in German-speaking countries on July 26, 1985 and six months later published on video.
action
Rex O'Harlihan is a singing cowboy in film; He is the only one who knows the scripts and thus claims to know the future too. The western cities are always the same, and it is his karma to ride into them, to stand by the good people there - who are always poor - against the bad ones - who are always rich - and to ride away after their work is done. This “secret knowledge” also seems to have something to do with the roots that he digs up and eats from time to time.
This time he rides his horse Wildfire into Oakwood Estates, goes to the saloon and meets the well-known drunkard Peter there. He is happy to reveal the conditions in the city for a free drink: The residents (and especially the sheep farmers) are harassed by the ranchers, who are under the leadership of Colonel Ticonderoga. Only Tracy, the common whore with a heart of gold in these towns, opposes him; the real arm of the law, the sheriff, has been bought by the colonel. When the Colonel's foreman, Blackie, comes into the saloon, he brings two of his men with him, who are about to shoot a sheep farmer; in the hustle and bustle that followed, Blackie was shot in the back while Rex was able to disarm the people.
Peter changes from the drunkard to the assistant of the singing cowboy, who welcomes him happily and without complaint and rides to his campsite, where two women want to get to know Rex better: In addition to Tracy, the Colonel's daughter is also there. Meanwhile, he is looking for an ally in the boss of the railway company, to whom he shows the many similarities.
Rex can outsmart the villains by the dozen, as he knows each of their actions before they carry them out. However, when he meets Bob Barber, who seems to be one of the good guys, he has doubts that Barber has spread: Is it enough to be the best of all good guys, or do you have to be heterosexual without a doubt - because he feels himself attracted to Barber. He refuses the planned final duel and instead prepares with Peter to change the roles of hero and sidekick.
Bob can tell that Rex's hero days are over. The two colonels ambush the inexperienced Peter; so Rex has to intervene again and can successfully oppose Bob, the ranchers and the railroader with the sheep farmers. Bob is exposed as the opposite of good: he's a lawyer. Then he is shot by Rex. Colonel Ticonderoga declares the guerrilla war between farmers and breeders over, asks forgiveness and puts on a big party for Rex and Peter, at the end of which the two ride into the sunset.
criticism
Vincent Canby emphasizes in the New York Times that director Wilson has a rather subdued parodic humor that is especially popular with those familiar with old films. He implemented the idea of having the main character explain how the film works, but unfortunately didn't develop it any further. Finally, he praised the achievements of Berenger and especially Patrick Wayne.
The lexicon of international films was angry about the German dubbed version of the film: “A singing cowboy like from a B-Western from the 30s and 40s gets into all sorts of typical situations. In the scandalous German dubbing they become a pretext for stupid foolishness. These embarrassments dominate the film in such a way that absolutely nothing remains of the once charming homage to the trivial westerners. "
Remarks
The following songs can be heard in the film: I Lasso the Moon by Gary Morris , I Ride Alone by John Anderson , Last of the Silver Screen Cowboys by Rex Allen junior , Roy Rogers and Rex Allen .
In addition to the Western of the 1930s and 1940s, the film parodies the spaghetti westerns by the used clothing and music style.
Web links
- Rhapsody in lead in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Vincent Canby: Rustler's Rhapsody (1985) . Film: 'Rustlers,' A Spoof. New York Times, May 10, 1985
- ↑ Rhapsody in lead. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
- ↑ Eleanor Mannikka, criticism of the film in the Rovi