The Rowdyman (1972)
8/10
Raw but Engaging
30 December 2015
Lead actor Gordon Pinsent recently said, that this was his favorite role. I can see why. It has extremely rich character development as he fleshes out the Rowdyman persona.

The movie starts out with a ridiculous slow pace. One is tempted to stop watching-or at least, I was...and that would have been my loss. I encourage all viewers to watch to the end. Repeated viewings will familiarize you with the films rich textures.

The staging, blocking flaws are numerous and I thought the cinematography could have been more steady, but these are minor complaints. Actor, Frank Coverse almost steals the scenes- with his flamboyant Robert Redford allure.

I would like to see the film negative restored to full impact-as we now have the technology readily available. This film in of itself is a national treasure in Canadian filmmaking and like Don Shebib's "Going Down The Road" it should be preserved. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a DVD bonus commentary by both Gordon Pinsent and Frank Converse, while they are still alive in a digital tribute and restoration project?

If you have a chance to view Rowdyman-I highly recommend it.
3 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Recently Viewed