COLORADO COWBOY: THE BRUCE FORD STORY
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1994 James Berardinelli
Rating (0 to 10): 6.0
Date Released: Film festival showings only Running Length: 1:16 Rated: No MPAA Rating (nothing offensive)
Featuring: Bruce Ford, Susie Ford, Royce Ford Director: Arthur Elgort Producer: Ronit Avneri Cinematography: Morten Sandtroen No Distributor
The American Cowboy is a mythical figure whose every step through nineteenth and twentieth century history has been magnified and distorted. Movies and television have formulated a readily identifiable image of these men: rugged, macho loners who spend half their lives on horseback, dress in typical "cowboy" garb, and speak with a distinctive twang. Judging by the portrait of rodeo legend Bruce Ford as presented in Arthur Elgort's documentary, most of these cliches are far more accurate than one might reasonably expect.
Lovers of the rodeo will probably find a lot to enjoy about COLORADO COWBOY. Conversely, others' appreciation is likely to be limited. This film does little to initiate the non-aficionado into the world of rodeos, and its depiction of Bruce Ford concentrates on the bareback riding contests for which he is best known. We learn tidbits about the man behind the legend: how he treats his family, the importance of his father and his religion, and a few of his aspirations. Most of the movie, however, centers on those eight seconds when the rider's attention focuses on staying in the saddle.
"I'm a cowboy," says Ford. "It was born in me and bred in me. It's a life I love." This statement encapsulates the movie's uncomplicated theme. Ford has to be committed to the rigors of his life to endure a nomadic existence away from family and home as he travels the rodeo circuit, accumulating points to make a run at his fifth National Finals championship and sixth World Title.
COLORADO COWBOY suffers by comparison to HOOP DREAMS. It is perhaps unfair to use the latter (possibly the best documentary of the last decade) as the yardstick against which to measure the former (a far less ambitious project). Nevertheless, it is worth noting the differences between the two in thematic richness and dramatic arc. COLORADO COWBOY's lone goal is to offer a positive (hence, incomplete) picture of one man (the film is part of an "American Heroes" series of documentaries). Discussion of wider social issues is beyond the film's scope.
Visually, despite a grainy black-and-white print, COLORADO COWBOY impresses. The cinematography by Morten Sandtroen, which won an award at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival, is eye-catching, using a variety of unusual camera angles to capture unique images. The sound editing, credited to Stuart Stanley, is some of the best ever in a low-budget film. COLORADO COWBOY is almost worth viewing on technical merit alone.
There's really nothing that sets this particular documentary apart from dozens of other similarly intentioned features and shorts produced each year. Although competently constructed, COLORADO COWBOY is aimed at a certain population, and viewers not in that group may find the picture's running time, even at a short seventy-six minutes, overlong.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
The above represents the opinions of the author, and not necessarily those of Bellcore or any organization within Bellcore.
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