MovieChat Forums > Bronco Billy (1980) Discussion > sheriff shootout and train robery?

sheriff shootout and train robery?


seen when younger and thought ok probly cause eastwood was in it, just seen again and never relized how bad! i agree with with the 1 blogger, not many posts? but the few there are say good movie! huh? besides just being boring, movie never explians or shows 2 major parts of movie - he obvisouly won shoot out with sheriff? why wouldnt that been shown? did he kill him? how prove faster draw with out shooting him? (and no gun, he put on ground) did he shoot out of his hand? seemed like the could have at least shown? still thought that was a wasted scene and the train robbery, was that just a joke? did they think train would stop? just to never mention again after scene, like at least a comment on how he thought that would work? or train would stop? never really understood if he really planned to do or just a joke/act? cause his character would never have did that no matter how broke he was! so confused by that whole scene? just thought it could have been at least talked about after? like i said, seen when young and thought it was ok but seein it now? just a pretty boring

reply

There is no shootout with the Sheriff. Billy gives me $1000 and tells the Sherriff he's faster than him in order to bail his friend out of jail. I haave no idea how you could possibly think he killed the sheriff.

Pain don't hurt
RIP Patrick Swayze

reply

no i didtn think he killed him, but after eastwood even agreed that he was faster, he then calls him a coward and a yellow belly! and the scene ends with eastwood doing his pattend lip curl? gave the sense that he was bout to do something, scene at least ended with that feeling, didnt think he killed him! but i thought he shot gun out of his hand or some crazy ass thing like that? proved he was faster at least, cause the scene went on well after he gave the sheriff the (was $1100) money, so at least didnt give the feeling of him giving him the money? but ya i guess your right! but thought that scene gave a whole other feeling? or at least should have been used better - as well as the train robbery was that a joke or did they really think they could stop? never got that scene? and they never mentioned after scene either? so wssnt sure what to make of it? what did you take away from that scene, just joking around?

reply

The scene is more or less a joke, but not to the characters. They try to rob a modern train using a century old method and it's completely hopeless. Just some stupid thing they did out of desperation. They don't mention it again because it's not that big a deal, they fail but to no consequence because the people on the train barely notice them.

Pain don't hurt
RIP Patrick Swayze

reply

ok thats what i thought? but at least seemed like it would have been more funnier if one of them said afterward how they thought it would have worked? out of stupidy? ya figured it was hopeless attempt, but could have made it more funnier if they acted bummed out like they thought it might work at least? but just to never bring up again? just seemed strange? and like i mentioned before, what if it did work? eastwood character wouldnt do that (the way he acted threw out movie at least?) so scene just seemed pretty stupid? cause it didnt end up funny cause, because they never really acted like it was gonna work? and then it also seemed way out of character for all of them if it did work? like you said "no big deal" except wasted time of movie i guess, movie wasnt horrible! just as i see as im older, just blah? nothing dramatic and really never got goin? eastwoods goofy era of movies "every wich way but loose" and the others? but sandra locke had to be worse actress in history! i know he was dating or married? but man she was brutal actress!

reply

As for the train robbery, if you are willing to consider this being a pretty deep movie, there is some symbolism in this scene.

The whole movie is about being who you want to be. Billy wants to be a cowboy, the Indians want to be Indians,etc. Lily is constantly resisting giving in to this fantasy, and the train scene is the moment she comes around to billy's thinking.

In his most desperate moment, Billy still believes he's a cowboy and that no problem is too big for Bronco Billy. Lily tries convincing him to stop and says it's not the old days, no one robs a train anymore... then she begs him... then she offers him money, and still Billy and co cling to their dream. Finally, Lily gets in the car and gives in.

reply

Its been an while since i seen it, again! Ha! Buty ai get your point, i jsut dont get what eventaully eveolve out of that scene? Did they jsut ride up on horses and spook the train riders? Just would have liked to get somethignmpore out of that scene, i guess? Like i said. They neevr even commented on it again. So what do you think actaully happened on that part? Just rode up to train and scarred the passengers? I understand what your sayin, were just trying to live out thier fnatasy and the way it was. But just that actaul scene. What did they do, ride up ontrain and shoot blanks? Haa. I would say even thats again the law, i think? Was jsut curuous how that scen eactaully eneded, when they started chasign the train. And liek i mentioned, though tit at least deserved to be talked about in th enext scen ei guess. Like "wasn tthat fun?" or anyhtign like that, but ya i get what your sayin too, just thought that actual scene was a little wierd.
Watching "In Line of Fire" right now. John Malkovich, a great actor, but i dont care how many times he changes his looks in this, he cant help but look ugly no matter what prostetics he puts on! Only guy who cant make himself look better, no matter what, Haaa. But still a great actor also and movie!!

reply

As for the train robbery, if you are willing to consider this being a pretty deep movie, there is some symbolism in this scene.

The whole movie is about being who you want to be. Billy wants to be a cowboy, the Indians want to be Indians,etc. Lily is constantly resisting giving in to this fantasy, and the train scene is the moment she comes around to billy's thinking.


I also felt this particular scene contained symbolism but not due to Lily's change of character. In my opinion the scene symbolised how out of touch Billy had become with the modern world. He and the rest of the gang were easily out ran by the train, a symbol of modern society. It showed how far Billy and the rest of the gang had been absorbed by their own individuality, which although was a positive element to Bronco Billy in this scene it was not.


"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".

reply

I also felt this particular scene contained symbolism but not due to Lily's change of character. In my opinion the scene symbolised how out of touch Billy had become with the modern world. He and the rest of the gang were easily out ran by the train, a symbol of modern society. It showed how far Billy and the rest of the gang had been absorbed by their own individuality, which although was a positive element to Bronco Billy in this scene it was not.


Well said.

Would have been nice to see Billy get revenge on that worthless piece of trash sheriff though. I suppose the fact that Billy stages a successful show at the end is "big scheme of things revenge".

reply

[deleted]