Product Details

• Actors: Kirk Douglas, Gena Rowlands, Walter Matthau, George Kennedy, Carroll O'Connor
• Directors: David Miller
• Format: Black & White, Dolby, Subtitled, NTSC
• Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Universal Studios
• DVD Release Date: July 7, 2009
• Run Time: 108 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (108 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0024FADC4
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #31,978 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "Lonely are the Brave (Universal Backlot Series)" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Academy Award winner Kirk Douglas ignites the screen with one of his most personal roles as a cowboy on a collision course with the modern world in Lonely are the Brave. After landing himself in jail trying to break out his friend, Jack Burns (Douglas) finds himself alone and on the run from the law. Leading the manhunt is Sheriff Morey Johnson (Walter Matthau), who must bring Burns to justice despite his own sympathy for the fugitive. Co-starring Gena Rowlands, George Kennedy and Carroll O’Connor, Lonely are the Brave is an unforgettable portrait of a lawless man defying life in an orderly world.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

154 of 157 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique, unforgettable classic March 12, 2002

By Chris K. Wilson

Format:VHS Tape

It is difficult to imagine a film like "Lonely are the Brave" being released today. Everything about this near-forgotten 1962 semi-classic seems unconventional. A bittersweet ending, a flawed hero/protagonist, quirky law enforcement officials, character-establishing scenes which move slowly though perceptibly, underlying brutality (during a vicious barroom brawl) and a thematic mourning for a time long since passed. And of course the film is in black and white.

Like great poetry, the film "Lonely are the Brave" must be savored several times, it's taste acquired, it's ideas earned through thought and contemplation. Quite simply, the film is one of the finest westerns ever made.

A simple tale, though with crisp dialogue and underlying substance, "Lonely are the Brave" tells the story of the modern-day loner cowboy Jack Burns, brilliantly played by Kirk Douglas. Upon his horse, Burns rides into a dusty New Mexico town to visit old friends, dodging speeding cars on a highway. He soon discovers his best friend, a childhood chum he used to carouse with, has been jailed for transporting illegal immigrants from Mexico. In the blink of an eye, Douglas has himself arrested in an attempt to help his buddy break out of jail.

But his friend refuses, instead choosing the life of a family man, wishing to return to his wife and child as soon as possible. Douglas promptly breaks out of jail, deciding to cross the mountains into Mexico and wait for "things to blow over." A chase ensues, with a relaxed sheriff (superbly played by a young Walter Matthau) trying to cut off "the cowboy." The chase contrasts the loner (Douglas) on horseback in the mountains versus the modern-day technology of radios, helicopters, the U.S. military and jeeps....

But it is the small scenes in "Lonely are the Brave" that truly give the film its depth and status. A quiet moment as Douglas pauses at the bedroom door of his friend's son, perhaps imagining what his life could have been under different circumstances; a firm hug and kiss with his friend's wife (Gena Rowlands in one of her earliest roles) insinuating past love; a conversation with a mountain squirrel while waiting for a helicopter to fly past; a humorous soliloquy while washing his hands discussing the variety of signs hanging from a barbed wire fence; and other telling, comfortable scenes creating a character of fierce independence trapped within a shrinking land of convention.

"Lonely are the Brave" harkens back to a time of literate drama and well-written dialogue born of the theater and literature. It is also a film that, like its protagonist, slowly moves along the trail until its inevitable, heartbreaking conclusion. But that's the way it should be. Kirk Douglas' character wouldn't have it any other way.

"Lonely are the Brave" is an unforgettable film. If you have not seen this gem before, you are in for a western treat. Read more ›

78 of 81 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Individuality Can Be Lonely January 2, 2003

By James Steve Robles

Format:VHS Tape|Amazon Verified Purchase

I grew up in N.M., where the story takes place (Albuquerque), and my dad took me to the Route 66 Old Town Bridge where we watched the filming of Kirk crossing the Rio Grande on horseback. At that time, it was just neat to see a movie star.
I didn't truly appreciate the film until I grew up. Now, I see in it an individual very much like cowboys who were around in my childhood; fiercely independent, hard-drinking, hard-working men who, because of their disdain for fences, rules, and conformity, are themselves responsible for being alone. They are men who were born too late, who are old fashioned cowboys in a West where round-ups are now by helicoptor and ATR vehicles. A man on horseback, as a way of life, is rapidly fading away. You can see that sadness and loneliness in this film. That the hero in the film could actually believe that he could out-run modern police pursuit on horseback only adds poignancy; he is really trying to out-run modern times and loss of individuality. That is truly a lonely effort.
This film is wonderful; I agree with the reviewer who said this was kirk's best film, and his favorite. It is , for me, one of the best American films ever made. Discover this gem.

40 of 43 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars To Whom It May Concern April 12, 2005

By Mad Mau

This is getting ridiculous. They constantly put out crap like Knight Rider, but can't get it together for a classic film like "Lonely Are The Brave". Kirk Douglas himself, called this his proudest acheivement and I'd hate to argue with that.

This movie has a great script, vivid characterizations and wonderful cinematography. Black and white was such a wonderful medium and when well done, evidenced more grit and realism than any technocolor film could impart.

I hate to beg, but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE..... let's get this great film out on widescreen DVD!

7/7/09 UPDATE:

Kirk Douglas must be as pleased as I am that this wonderful film has finally gained it's place among the DVD Elite.

The screenplay, the score, the cinematography and yes, the acting all combine to create as compelling and riveting a slice of humanity as was ever presented on the silver screen.

There are a couple of nice extras too; one dealing with the hauntingly beautiful musical score by Jerry Goldsmith and the other a 19 minute tribute to the film and it's principals. Even at 80 plus and slowed by the after effects of a stroke, one can still see the sparkle in Kirk's eye as he reminisces about this film and it's impact on him.

This movie is definitely in my top 100 all time and if you give it a chance, maybe it will impress you as well.

Thanks Universal for finally bringing this great film to DVD!

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A great adaptation of Edward Abbey's novel May 20, 2003

By bixodoido

Format:VHS Tape

I decided to watch this movie after reading the book "The Brave Cowboy." I had heard that it was a good adaptation, but what I was not prepared for was the emotionally-charged way in which Kirk Douglas acted the part of Jack Burns. Douglas has repeatedly called this his favorite movie, and in fact it was one which the studio was not going to produce, but which a clause in Douglas's contract allowed him to make. In watching the film, you can definitely see Douglas's love for the part.

Jack Burns is a man from a dying era. Caught in a world of highways, steel-barred prisons, and barbed-wire fences, Burns is unable to adapt himself to modern life, and pays for his failure to compromise his cowboy ideals. Burns is a true cowboy--tough, uncompromising, and good-hearted--but this movie shows that there isn't always a place for such people in today's society. In the ultimate showdown between horse and horsepower, there is little question of which will win.

This movie is splendidly done. The directing and acting is great, and the scenery is absolutely breathtaking. Seeing all that rugged terrain really brings Abbey's novel to life. This is not only one of the few movies that remains true to the book on which it is based, it is also one of the great underrated classics in film.