treeline1 An old man recalls the halcyon days of his youth and the four days that changed his life forever. The time is 1905, and 11-year old Lucius (Mitch Vogel) lives with his rich grandfather in a sleepy Mississippi town. His wild and no-account pals, Boon (Steve McQueen) and Ned (Rupert Crosse), talk him into a wild adventure involving his grandfather's shiny, new automobile, some shady ladies, and a horse race.As a Steve McQueen fan, I expected to love this movie, but, although he's charming as always, he seems more of a secondary character here. The story focuses on Mitch Vogel's character and he's a good, but not great child actor; his eyes are expressive and thoughtful, but he sounds like he's reading his lines. Will Geer (who plays the grandfather) and Sharon Farrell have the best scenes. The story was clearly meant to be a rollicking good time but it didn't make me smile. It's big on nostalgia and family values but this is definitely not a child-friendly movie.I liked the period recreation, sets, and costumes, but the story just missed the mark for me; it didn't hold my interest with McQueen playing a rather helpless fool. Just an okay film.

kenjha Based on Faulkner's novel, this picaresque comedy-drama is set amid those carefree days of early 20th century when an 11-year-old boy could get his education at a cat house and it was OK to give a woman a black eye if she got out of line. It's meant to be a tender coming-of-age story and a genial comedy for the whole family, but this uneven film is too vulgar at times and the humor is forced and generally unfunny. McQueen does OK but appears to be too old for the role of an immature rabble rouser. Vogel is quite good as the young lad who is exposed to the seedy aspects of life at too early an age. Crosse's character is such an idiot that he's rather annoying.

shanfrina ... I was a Jr. at BYU when "The Reivers" was 1st. released in '69. Watching it today (March 30, 2008!?!), the film STILL-holds-up!?! One of Steve McQueen's most charming roles.As a Broadcast Journalist grad, who spent the next 35+ yrs. in the mainstream-&-gay media on both coasts, I'd work 17-yrs. for "Billboard Magazine" in Vegas, L.A. & the Bflo./Rochester, N.Y. markets.... Was a fan of the late movie composer Jerry Goldsmith (since "A Patch of Blue" in '66), later interviewing him. John Williams, who wrote-this-score, was a close 2nd.& Burgess Meredith as narrator, was PERFECT!?! A CLASSIC!!! Don't MISS this!!!

bkoganbing My favorite Steve McQueen film has to be The Reivers. He was so right for the part of Boon Hogganbeck, handyman and general all around troublemaker, he should have been considered for an Oscar nomination. It's definitely by far his funniest film.The Reivers is a posthumously published novel by William Faulkner and it's set in the Mississippi in the turn of the last century. The protagonist is a child Mitch Vogel, a most properly brought up child and grandson to the big kahuna in that delta county, Will Geer. Geer is a man who believes in progress, in fact he's brought the first automobile into his area, a brand new yellow Winton Flyer. That car proves way too much temptation for McQueen who'd like to use it to go courting his girl friend, a hooker who works in Michael Constantine's and Ruth White's Memphis bordello, Sharon Farrell. But to hatch his scheme, McQueen entices Vogel to tell some well placed lies about which relative the young man might be staying with and then taking Vogel and the car to Memphis after McQueen's been left in his charge. Stowing away in the Winton Flyer is Rupert Crosse.Crosse who did get an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor is a mixed racial cousin of Geer's family and it does entitle him to some perks in the racist society that was early 20th century Mississippi. But Crosse is as smart and resourceful as McQueen and knows how to play up to people and make the racism work his way. Unfortunately Crosse lost his Oscar bid to Gig Young for They Shoot Horses Don't They. And sad to say Crosse died a few years later at too young an age, very much like star Steve McQueen.It's one rollicking ride our intrepid trio is on from the bordello to a horse race where Crosse swaps Geer's new automobile for a race horse that he discovers runs like lightning with a trick gimmick. Laughs mixed with some serious Faulkner social commentary.One person who does not credit enough in this film is Sharon Farrell. Her role as McQueen's girlfriend is tender and touching and in the end she actually becomes an honest woman. But a great deal of the enjoyment of The Reivers is in how that is accomplished.For any fan of Steve McQueen, The Reivers is an absolute must. And I guarantee you, one will become a fan of Steve McQueen after seeing this fascinating, tender, funny film.