Aging cowboy Will Penny gets a line camp job on a large cattle spread and finds his isolated cabin is already occupied by a husbandless woman and her young son.

The picture was based upon an episode of the 1960 Sam Peckinpah television series "The Westerner" called "Line Camp," which was also written and directed by Tom Gries. Charlton Heston mentioned that this was his favorite film in which he appeared. Some, including Bruce Dern, say it is his best role. And yet, it is not one he is widely known for.

Roger Ebert wrote, "The admirable thing about the movie is its devotion to real life. These are the kind of people, we feel, who must really have inhabited the West: common, direct, painfully shy in social situations and very honest." This is true. This is not an action film, or a heist film, or anything that turns the West into mythology. It is everyday life.

In his memoirs Charlton Heston waxed pretty eloquent about this film, that he considers a personal favorite. He does some of his best work here in a role that's against type.

Charlton Heston probably has played more real people on screen than any other actor in history. Everything from Moses to Andrew Jackson to Brigham Young to Henry VIII. All of them are endowed with Heston's peculiar talent to bring a certain nobility to all of them.

Will Penny is just an ordinary aging cowboy from the last century working in Brokeback Mountain country. Nothing noble about him, nothing special unless you count the fact that he does his job, does it well and expects to be paid for same. He's probably the kind of guy that Ennis Delmar and Jack Twist would identify with.

Penny gets himself tangled up with a woman and her small son who've taken refuge in the line rider's cabin he's supposed to be in. And he's also earned the emnity of a murderous family of thieves led by crazy patriarch Donald Pleasance.

Heston in his memoirs paid tribute to his co-star Joan Hackett who he says was a great talent and left us too early. She gives a good performance in her role fighting for herself and her child to survive in a rugged winter.

Look for some realistic western portrayals from veterans like Ben Johnson, G.D. Spradlin, Slim Pickens, Anthony Zerbe, Lee Majors, Bruce Dern, and William Schallert.

Will Penny is very similar to Lee Marvin's classic Monte Walsh. A whole lot of the same issues and problems are portrayed there in the same realistic style.

I'm sure Ennis and Jack would have made it point to see Will Penny back in the day.

Charlton Heston stars as the title character--an aging, lonely and illiterate cow-puncher who simply knows no other way of life. However, into his rather dull and routine existence comes Joan Hackett and her son (the director's real-life son). Winter in approaching and they are tossed together in the wilderness--leading to some great dialog, touching scenes and a burgeoning romance. Unfortunately, into this nice little world come Donald Pleasance (as "the Preacher") and his insane children who are hell-bent on revenge and terrorizing Heston and company.

This is an exceptional Western because it is unique and defies the usual silly clichés associated with the genre (such as a "perfect" happy ending). As for me, I hate these fictional images--especially since I am an American History teacher and I know the Roy Rogers and Gene Autry style versions of cowboys are all a lot of hooey. Instead of a ridiculous Hollywood image of the West with shootouts in the street, Indian attacks and a bigger-than-life hero, this film features characters that really could have existed back then. No, these characters were not superheroes but real people placed in situations that draw us in thanks to the wonderful script by the director. Also, the script is generally easy-going and stresses some of the mundane realities of life in the mountains long ago. Despite this, the film never gets boring because the characters are written so well and the acting (with one exception) is superb and understated.

My only complaint, and it's a small one, is the character of the Preacher. He seemed rather silly and hard to believe--an odd anomaly into this otherwise perfect picture. And, the idea of a Bible-quoting nut is a silly and overused stereotype. Still, he's not a huge part of the film and the overall effort makes this a must-see film and a great departure from the norm.

By the way, the DVD includes a few extras--including a nice little featurette where you learn some great details about the film. The director and writer of the film had no idea that his own son would be cast in the film in a very important part (despite inexplicably getting such low billing). How all this occurred was a really neat accident. Plus the interviews with him, Heston and others really helped make the film come alive.