The Grey Fox

1983 "In 1901, after 33 years in San Quentin Prison, Bill Miner, "The Gentleman Bandit", was released into the Twentieth Century."
7.3| 1h32m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 18 March 1983 Released
Producted By: Mercury Pictures
Country: Canada
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
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Synopsis

Old West highwayman Bill Miner, known to Pinkertons as "The Gentleman Bandit," is released in 1901 after 33 years in prison. A genial and charming old man, he re-enters a world unfamiliar to him, and returns to the only thing that gives him purpose — robbery.

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ProfessorFate A very different kind of Western, "The Grey Fox" is set mostly in Canada, moves at an unhurried pace, and stars a senior citizen. Richard Farnsworth didn't make the jump from stunt man to actor until he was well past leading man age, but he was wonderful in films like "The Natural", "Misery", and "The Straight Story". This, however, has to be his best performance. He exudes subtle grace as gentleman train robber Bill Miner, who gets out of prison and is forced to adapt to a world that has passed him by. There's also a very sweet romance between Miner and a feminist photographer. My favorite part of the film is a montage of their courtship set to Miner singing "Betsy From Pike". I also loved the Irish music by the Chieftains, which seemed to fit perfectly with the lovely Canadian scenery. It will be too slow for most audiences, but if you love small independent films that don't pander to teenage moviegoers, this gem will be right up your alley.
merklekranz "The Grey Fox" is a very likable character, who just happens to rob trains. Richard Farnsworth plays the gentleman bandit who after serving 33 years in prison for stagecoach robbery, easily converts his talents to robbing trains upon release. Eventually fleeing across the Canadian border from Washington State, he tries to blend into a small mining town. Being an enthusiastic teller of tall tales, he is thoroughly convincing in his new life. The Pinkertons somehow track him down, and once again "The Grey Fox" is on the run. Though enjoyable, the movie is not without fault. The editing seems extremely abrupt, as if the film was originally much longer, and has been severely chopped. Another drawback is the EP VHS from "Video Treasures" in no way does justice to the magnificent Canadian scenery. - MERK
ccthemovieman-1 What's not to like about Richard Farnsworth? He was one of the few actors that received nothing but compliments during his acting days, an extremely likable "old man." Hey, few people every remember seeing this guy as anything but old, since he spent his younger days as a stuntman, rather than as an actor.So, he was a very good choice to portray a likable thief: Bill Miner, the last of the stagecoach and train robbers. "The Gentleman Bandit," I believe, was his label. This is a nice low-key adventure, with almost no bad language and the British Columbia and Washington state scenery is absolutely gorgeous. It would look great on widescreen DVD. What's the holdup? (pun intended)The only bad news of this tale is the usual filmmakers' twisted message to root for a man who simply was a crook, nothing else. The film also - especially to get the younger audience - needs more action. It will be too slow for them, but I liked it, if for no other reason that I can listen to Farnsworth's voice all night. What a "cool" guy he was, and it''s always a pleasure to see him on screen.
jcronin-2 I think this is one of the most flawless and beautiful movies of all time. The acting and casting is impeccable. What I particularly love is the script; so few words but when something is spoken each line has such weight and impact. And the music is amazing. What a brilliant idea, a western with Celtic (the Chieftains) music. The spirit and emotion of the music enhances every scene and is so fresh and unexpected and ultimately, right. And it's such a wonderful love story. Normally I wouldn't care about a romance between two older characters, but I root for these two characters in each and every scene. Richard Farnsworth was nominated for Best Actor and it is a shame he didn't win. Please, watch it if you haven't.