April 19, 2007

The Hired Hand (Fonda, 1971)


Fonda’s anti-western (also his directorial debut) is an absolute revelation. This is a work of singular vision deserving of mention alongside the very best westerns. Fonda displays a keen sense behind the camera, as he simultaneously deconstructs the genre and expands its vocabulary. Frank Mazzola’s editing deserves a great deal of credit as well. The use of montage is truly inspired. The beauty here lies in the insistence upon quiet moments and subtle nuances of character. An uncommonly graceful and positively hypnotizing film. IMDb listing.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Great film, messmerizing !!! I bought the sound track on Amazon.