My Top Ten Sam Peckinpah Films 

Sam Peckinpah, or "Bloody Sam" as he was also known as, is an American filmmaker that transcended cinema with his view. He brought along new innovations in filming action scenes and his contributions to the Western genre. His personal life saw him battling drug abuse and alcohol, which would cause film studios to keep him far away. Regardless of this, I think he is an important filmmaker that has influenced many of today's filmmakers, like Quentin Tarantino. Here are my picks for his top ten films based on the ones I've seen. I know there are a couple of other films he made but I want to focus on the ones that will be remembered. 

10. Junior Bonner (1972)

Steve McQueen stars as a rodeo cowboy who goes to his hometown when the rodeo passes by. J.R., as he is called, is a man who lives his way f life and does not seem to want to change. His brother on the other hand is in real estate and goes as far as to tear up the family home to make way for his property. His mother and father are separated but are on friendly terms. His father was also a big rodeo star and seems to have found potential work in Australia. The focus of the film is a big contest where the top prize is cash and J.R. is determined to win it.

In his first collaboration with Sam Peckinpah, McQueen shines as a man who refuses to go with the flow. (A theme that recurs in his work.) Much of the film’s humor stems from J.R.’s relationship with his hard drinking, womanizing father played wonderfully by Robert Preston. When the film was first released, it was received well critically but audiences did not show up to the film. I think what appealed to Peckinpah were the themes of change and family. If you enjoy Steve McQueen, rodeos, humor and family drama, this is a film you might enjoy.

9. Major Dundee (1965)

In his third film, Peckinpah attempts to make an epic American civil war picture. Charlton Heston plays the titular union officer in charge of locating children taken by the Apache. He enlists the help of his soldiers, Confederate prisoners and other drifters. Richard Harris plays the Confederate Captain Tyreen in charge of his men obeying to Dundee.

The film’s troubled production included studio interference, a feud between Heston and Harris and a drunken Peckinpah verbally abusing his crew. It got so bad that Heston reportedly threatened Sam with his character’s sword if he did not show any respect. With the film going over budget and a troubled director, Columbia took the film out of his hands and released their version to negative reviews and low box office numbers, In 2005, the director’s cut was released based on his notes and the film is an improvement over the theatrical release and worth checking out.

8. Cross of Iron (1977)

In his only war film, Peckinpah depicts the battle between the German and Russian forces on the Eastern front. James Coburn portrays Sgt. Steiner, a war weary man who wants to the war to be done. He has earned honor among his platoon and other German officers. Maximilian Schell plays an aristocratic Prussian officer who joins Steiner’s platoon to earn the iron cross. James Mason, Seneta Berger and the great David Warner round up the cast.

Peckinpah’s film makes it clear that war is hell and not glamorous. Coburn and Schell excel in their performances as two men who have different ideologies of war. The battle sequences still contain his trademark slow motion. The film did poorly at the box office and with “Star Wars” coming out two weeks later, the film was forgotten. Regardless of success, the film is really well made and here is hoping they will make a better DVD release.

7. The Getaway (1972)

Steve McQueen plays Doc McCoy, a recently paroled thief tasked with a robbery by a corrupt businessman. Ali McGraw plays his wife and accomplice along with two other men. After the robbery, a double cross occurs that leaves the couple running away from both the law and criminals.

McQueen once again teams up with Peckinpah to create a well crafted action film. The chemistry between McGraw and McQueen made it clear that sparks were flying both on and off the screen. Many Peckinpah aficionados will claim this film is really not his but I beg to differ. This film contains many of the director’s trademarks such as going to Mexico, slow motion action sequences, and the times changing.

6. Ride The High Country (1962)

Classical Hollywood stars Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott star in what many will consider to be Peckinpah’s breakout. McCrea stars as a former law man, Judd, tasked with guarding a shipment of gold. He asks his friend Gil (Scott) to accompany along with Gil’s sidekick. Unknown to Judd, the two plan to take the gold for themselves. Along the way, they meet a young woman whose future marriage to a drunkard adds another conflict.

This is an important film for Peckinpah as he plays his themes and foreshadows his later work for the western genre. Both McCrea and Scott were staples of the genre and also their first and final time working together on screen.

5. Straw Dogs (1971)

Dustin Hoffman stars as David, a timid math professor who moves to England with his young wife in her hometown. Soon, they are terrorized by the locals as their antics turn from horsing around to pretty dark stuff.   

This may well be Peckinpah’s most controversial film due to not only the depiction of violence but also rape. Hoffman brilliantly plays David as a man who slowly descends into his violent nature despite his hatred of it. The director also has displeasure for violence but shows it to remind people that it is an ugly scene.  

4. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973)

James Coburn stars as outlaw turned law man Pat Garret tasked to capture Kris Kristofferson’s Billy the Kid to justice, either alive or dead. The film explores the relationship between these characters and the journey they go through. All set to the music of Bob Dylan who plays a supporting role.

Peckinpah could have made an old fashioned shoot’em up western but instead, we are given a tragedy and a character study of the two characters. Pat Garrett did not enjoy having to hunt down his former friend but he had a job to do while Billy tries to evade capture. Like “Dundee”, this film was taken away by the director post-production and their version was harshly criticsized upon release. Fifteen years after the film was released, a director’s cut was released posthumously based on his notes and it is the version that is available on DVD.

3. The Ballad of Cable Houge (1970)

Peckinpah's follow up to "The Wild Bunch" retains that film's themes but with a different, light-hearted tone this time. Jason Robards stars as Cable Houge, who is left behind to die in the desert and finds fortune when he finds water, quickly building a rest stop for stagecoach passengers. The film's comedic tone stems from Cable Houge being a relic of the past as the people he encounters are with the current time.

Estella Warren stars as the prostitute with the heart of gold and a young David Warner as a womanizing preacher who befriends Houge. Peckinpah would later go on to name this film as his favorite out of all the films he has made.

2. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)

The underrated Warren Oates plays Benny, an American piano player living in Mexico. He gets tasked with bringing the head of a dead gigolo to a Mexican rancher in exchange for money. Benny hits the road with his girlfriend and chaos ensues as usual in a Peckinpah film.

The film’s genre is a mixture of crime, action, neo-western and black comedy. It is a film that can only be seen as a plot summary does not do justice to the story. In a way, the film was a personal one for Peckinpah. This can be evidenced in the character of Benny and Warren Oates even borrowed Sam’s sunglasses for the film. It also explores the evils of men and the process they pay in achieving a goal.

1.   The Wild Bunch (1969)

A group of aging outlaws go for one last score in Mexico during the revolution. In pursuit of them is a former member of the gang tasked by the government to capture them or go back to prison. The outlaws also have to come to terms with the end of their era. While my summary of the film is short, it is a grand treat.

This was the film that got the attention of both critics and audiences of Peckinpah’s visceral style to violence. It is also a personal favorite film of mine and I can put it in my top five. I love the story of the outlaws who are facing the end of their prime and decide to head down south of the border. The characters are another favorite of mine being played by William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Ben Johnson, Warren Oates, Edmond O’Brien and Jaime Sanchez. Robert Ryan plays a former member who goes after them to reduce his sentence. Like “Pat Garrett”, the film can be seen as a tragedy for the characters despite their violent and misogynistic ways. Technically wise, Peckinpah finally achieves his slow motion editing for the film’s three main set pieces: The opening robbery, the train robbery and the epic shoot out finale. The film’s violence was meant as an allegory for the Vietnam War and to show audiences that being shot at is painful. After its release, a slew of violent films began to emerge.