'Hombre' - 'Cowboys' Connection

Two well-regarded, tough and somewhat downbeat Westerns are "Hombre" (1967) with Paul Newman and "The Cowboys" (1972) with John Wayne.

Interesting to note that both films have screenplays by the same couple: Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank, Jr.

These two, who often worked with Martin Ritt ("Hud," "Norma Rae") seem to have had a good taste for tough, terse Western drama -- even though "Hombre" and "The Cowboys" were from separate novels, with "Hombre" being by famous Western/crime noirist Elmore Leonard.