STARS: Jack Nicholson, Mary Steenburgen, Christopher Lloyd, John Belushi, Danny De Vito, Ed Begley Jr.

STORY:

Jack Nicholson plays Henry Moon, a rough `n’ ready outlaw who is saved from the gallows at the eleventh hour by a prudish spinster, Julia Tate (Mary Steenburgen) thanks to an obscure law that has been all-but-forgotten by the townsfolk who are trying him. Back in the town’s early history, a man shortage meant that if a land-owning woman was game to marry a condemned prisoner, his life was spared. Julia only wants him as muscle in her goldmine that has never seen any gold. But you know these tenacious frontier folk - they don’t give up easily. So the stage is set for a budding romance between these polar opposites, along with a few hiccups along the way.

Depending on what you expect from a comedy-western, this DVD is either a good fun piece of escapism or dull as dishwater. I have opted for the latter, but I’m a fussy little thing! There are good things about this film; Jack Nicholson is in it, and he also directs it. The acting is quite ok, and it’s fun spotting the early career appearances of virtually everyone in the cast.

EXTRAS

Features chapter selection, audio options, and lots of subtitle options.

OVERALL

This DVD is a little too predictable and uninvolving for my tastes, but fine if you like a lighthearted escapist romp through the wild west. Jack Nicholson’s style always makes things watchable. There’s something of an all-star cast in this film, it’s just that they weren’t quite stars when this was made. Gotta start somwhere.