The critical and popular success of the Lonesome Dove miniseries just about ensured a sequel or three. The first spinoff, Return to Lonesome Dove, was rushed out without author Larry McMurtry's input, but Streets of Laredo, which McMurtry scripted from his own novel, returns us firmly to his brutal West. Legendary Texas Ranger Captain Woodrow Call (James Garner, who steps into the boots left by Tommy Lee Jones with comfortable assurance and understated courage) has turned bounty hunter, and he heads off on the bloody trail of vicious Mexican gunman Joey Garza (Alexis Cruz), a sadistic, angry south-of-the-border rebel without a cause. Lonesome Dove echoes through the story: Call's former trail hand Pea Eye Parker (Sam Shepard) is enlisted in his posse and Parker's wife, Lorena (Sissy Spacek in the role Diane Lane created in the original and the desert-worn soul of this story), follows in their wake with news that the psychopathic renegade Mox Mox (Kevin Conway), who once held her captive, is alive and back on the warpath.
McMurtry's Old West is not a pleasant place, and Streets of Laredo is not for the faint of heart. It's a lawless, racist, brutal world where might may not make right, but it certainly holds sway in isolated desert towns and lonely trails. Yet for all the tragedy and violence, McMurtry finds hope in the love and respect that breaks down racial barriers, holds families together, and creates new ones. --Sean Axmaker
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Bleak but brilliant revisionist Western:
A long way from the Hollywoodised version of a Lonesome Dove sequel seen in `Return from Lonesome Dove', this is Larry McMurty's riposte to the way the Studio handled that sequel. Where `Return..' dealt with the cattle barons and themes of redemption and wholesome endings, this is a stark and realistic portrayal of the West. Here, the violent men of the burgeoning West are a dying breed (no pun intended) and that sense of a time in history passing is present throughout the whole movie.
Captain Call... more info
Old Captain Call follows Gus's Leg Demise:
This is a pretty good video. It is all part of the great Lonesome Dove series. Kind of sad, but at least he lives on, unlike Gus did.
Review of Streets of Laredo:
Excellent film! The story is great! Typical Amazon shipping - fast and well wraped.
Not a great sequal to Lonesome Dove:
Very disappointing. Lonesome Dove is one of the greatest movies of all times. I had hopes the follow up would be close to the same but it lacked in every way. The cast is not nearly as good and the movie is just tiring all the way through. It drags and does not live up to Lonesome Dove.