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Cowboy

Play trailer Poster for Cowboy 1958 1h 32m Western Play Trailer Watchlist
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75% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 55% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
A successful rancher, Tom Reese (Glenn Ford), forges a business venture with a Mexican landowner (Donald Randolph) but finds himself in a bind after squandering a lot of money at a hotel run by Frank Harris (Jack Lemmon). Frank has strong feelings for the Mexican's daughter (Anna Kashfi), and when he learns that Tom is in a tough spot, he exploits the situation to get closer to his potential paramour. Frank takes to horseback alongside Tom, and both are surprised by the results.
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Cowboy

Critics Reviews

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Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Nov 11, 2025
3/4
Glenn Ford has always looked as naturally home on the range as Wayne or Eastwood, but Jack Lemmon was a different story: He was far more at home by the gas oven range --- like the one used for pasta-making in The Apartment. Go to Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com Oct 8, 2020
2.5/5
Considering its two male leads and the usually dependable direction of Delmer Daves, Cowboy remains a curious, if ultimately underwhelming Western. Go to Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews Jul 29, 2020
2/4
...a fine premise that is, for the most part, employed to woefully uninvolving effect by Delmer Daves... Go to Full Review Nathanael Hood Unseen Films May 3, 2020
7/10
At its heart Cowboy reveals the emptiness of the very masculinity celebrated in Red River. Go to Full Review Clyde Gilmour Maclean's Magazine Oct 29, 2019
A good hard-boiled western with much less than the usual frontier hokum. Go to Full Review Ellie Lucas From the Front Row Jun 5, 2019
3.5/4
Daves brings a kind of gritty realism and strong sense of framing, using the terrific performances of Ford and Lemmon to explore masculine rivalries and western mythos. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Dec 9, 2020 A different kind of cowboy movie. It's about actual cowboys and the life they lead while educating a tenderfoot learning the business. No showdown gunfights, minimal conflict with Indians, and fairly believable situations. Moves quickly and not filled with Hollywood dramatics. Unfortunately that also means that it lacks a certain amount of suspense needed to make it more memorable. But a good watch. Glen Ford is at his best, Jack Lemon is above average. The script is based on a biography from Lemon's character. See more s r @ScottR Sep 16, 2018 At first I was excited, but Lemmon and Ford weren't convincing. See more Jan 20, 2018 yawn. gave up after 90 mins. See more Jul 16, 2016 OK western don't think u hav the right trailer 4 this one See more Mar 6, 2016 Enjoyable movie which manages to avoid any number of cliches to give a sharp look at the brutal realities of life on the cattle trail. See more Sep 26, 2014 141019: A classic on so many levels. Not much else to say. See more Read all reviews
Cowboy

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Cast & Crew

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Delmer Daves

Director

Glenn Ford

Tom Reese

Jack Lemmon

Frank Harris

Anna Kashfi

Maria Vidal

Brian Donlevy

Doc Bender

Dick York

Charlie

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Cowboy

Cowboy (1958) Cowboy (1958) Cowboy (1958) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis A successful rancher, Tom Reese (Glenn Ford), forges a business venture with a Mexican landowner (Donald Randolph) but finds himself in a bind after squandering a lot of money at a hotel run by Frank Harris (Jack Lemmon). Frank has strong feelings for the Mexican's daughter (Anna Kashfi), and when he learns that Tom is in a tough spot, he exploits the situation to get closer to his potential paramour. Frank takes to horseback alongside Tom, and both are surprised by the results.
Director
Delmer Daves
Producer
Julian Blaustein
Screenwriter
Dalton Trumbo, Edmund H. North
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Columbia Pictures Corporation
Genre
Western
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 19, 1958, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 24, 2010
Runtime
1h 32m
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