MovieChat Forums > Waterhole #3 (1967) Discussion > WORST James Coburn movie ever ? !!!

WORST James Coburn movie ever ? !!!

posted 13 years ago by wmjahn
7 replies | jump to latest

My God, what an awful "dreck" this movie is!! I guess this must be the proverbial "one-joke-movie", but I couldn´t find that one joke. :-(

Why has this movie been made after all? And how did it get THIS cast ???? I usually LOVE to watch James Coburn, but seeing him in this pile of unfunny *beep* makes me cry.

The only possible answer I got to me asking, why in Gods name anybody turned a script as unfunny as this one into a movie is that probably someone tried to repeat the success of CAT BALLOU from one year earlier (1965), but to be honest "Cat Ballou" wasn´t that funny either (but still mucho better).

After that they finally (thanx!) dumped the lame idea of having a movie commented by a song, which sounds as someone sitting at the toilet having problems getting it out.

Does this movie have any defenders? If so, where did you laugh? I´d really love to find out where I missed a joke (if there was one)!

zero out of ten!

[–] hackraytex 12 years ago

I wish I could get the entire sound track of Roger Miller's ballad in the movie. He released a record length song for "Ballad of Waterhole #3) but there was a lot more in the movie. When he made comedy music, Roger Miller was one of the best. Ray Stevens was his friend and I can imagine what it sounded like if they were jamming.

[–] wmjahn 12 years ago

You could write to filmscoremonthly and/or Intada, maybe they are interested in putting it out on CD?

[–] hackraytex 12 years ago

Thank you.

[–] craigmar 10 years ago

I enjoyed Roger Miller's songs on the radio when I was a kid, but this soundtrack is just horrible, from his country scat to his atonal narration of this lousy movie. Definitely one of the main reasons I disliked this movie intensely. That, and the utter lack of comedy.

[–] hackraytex 10 years ago

As I said, I wish I could get the soundtrack (long version of the ballad) but it was a funny movie at the time. The subject matter that kicked it off is distasteful and wholly inappropriate for then and especially today. I remember that he "seduced" and practically raped the daughter of the sheriff. Such a storyline would definitely not be acceptable today since she said "No" loud and clear. Of course, society was not as compassionate about the subject then and it was not talked about in polite company. Maybe we have changed for the better but if they remade the movie they would have to find a way to make it work without that element.

[–] den_quixote 9 years ago

I cannot defend the movie (I gave it a 5 myself) but the shootout scene and the three card monte scene are both worth seeing, as is the very attractive Margaret Blye. It seems as if there should have been a surprise ending - there isn't.

[–] wmjahn 9 years ago

Thank you very much for your kind input!

I just read my harsh - my God, must I have been angry/pissed back then :-) - review again, but unfortunately can´t recall the scenes you mention. But I am sure the "chick" (pardon, smile) looked nice (they usually do, eye-candy).

I am a big fan of James Coburn, a real cool guy from the glorious 60ies and 70ies, and I am always a "bit unhappy" if I see any of my favourite US-actors (Bronson, Eastwood, McQueen, Hackman, Coburn, Duvall, R. Ryan, Mitchum, etc) in any poorly scripted/directed/developped movie, which must have been the case here.

Hm, if it´s shown again on TV, maybe I´ll tape it and look for the scenes you mention by fast-forwarding.

Thank you very much for your comment!

Wanna see a realy FANTASTIC (creepy, chilling, thrilling) backwood-shlasher and still too little known sleeper movie? Watch RITUALS on YT:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pt40pOkK0I
Late at night, without beer and snacks, uninterrupted! :-))