User Reviews

First of all, the vast majority of those giving "Streets of Laredo" bad reviews have no legitimate complaints whatsoever. People whine about the dark tone, the killings, the acting, et cetera. Rather, this film has much more in common with the real old west, to a greater degree even than series like "Deadwood". Of course, many of the immature, misguided western fans seem to want happy horse-riding hippies who talk hard and rough but don't live it. How stupid to expect such from the real killers of the west.

Woodrow F. Call (James Garner) is not a nice man. And he should not be pigeonholed as one, either. Garner plays him the way he should be, and is even more impressive than Tommy Lee Jones in "Lonesome Dove", the series which preceded this one. Indeed, despite the rabid fanbase of "Lonesome Dove" (of which I very nearly belong), this series is undoubtedly superior. First of all, the direction is a vast improvement. Joseph Sargent handles the scenery and actors with far more intelligence and grace than Simon Wincer, who proved his woeful inadequacies when he returned for the prequel "Comanche Moon" last year. That series was pure trash, horribly acted and directed despite the great actors involved.

There are many great performances beside Garner. Charles Martin Smith, Sam Shepard, and Sissy Spacek are pure class. Smith, especially, has always been an excellent unnoticed actor. This is perhaps his best performance since "Never Cry Wolf" (1983). He is sympathetic and identifiable as the nervous railman. Shepard and Spacek play husband and wife quite intuitively. Their character development is well-performed to the highest degree. This is also one of Spacek's best performances.

Larry McMurtry has a very intuitive writing style, and the film carries over much of his subtlety. There's no overblown dialogue or direction to be found in "Streets of Laredo", something that the original "Lonesome Dove" series sometimes slipped into. I would say, without reservation, that this is one of the very best and most realistic depictions of the true west. A great film, with stunning acting and direction. A must see for any true film fan - narrow-minded western fans looking for a 'Hollywood' west need not apply.

RATING: 8.5 out of 10

Is this better than Lonesome Dove? Depends on who you ask. I think that viewed objectively it is indeed a better mini-series. Two things complicate this in many people's minds. First, when it comes to the books I think most people think Lonesome Dove is a better book. Second, the first mini-series was so one of a kind that it really left an impression with people. Really got in their heads. By the time this came out people didn't find a western mini-series as groundbreaking. But if you watch them back to back now I think this one comes out on top. It features some great performances and, as others have commented, is a bit darker in tone and feel than the previous mini-series. If you liked Lonesome Dove this is a slam dunk for you to like.

Streets of Laredo - The sequel to Lonesome Dove

Streets of Laredo has much to offer - a long tale of famous Texas legends - some fictional, like Captain Woodrow F. Call, others real - John Wesley Hardin (played by Randy Quaid) and Judge Roy Bean (played by Ned Beatty).

If you're looking for a film to take you back to the wild, wild West, this one will do. It's a quiet story though, not full of action, as some shoot-em-ups are. Like Lonesome Dove it has heartbreak and pain, and some very quiet humor. Roy Bean and Call have a particularly great scene together, as do the young killer Call is after and John Wesley Hardin.

The story is also full of great ideas, something sorely lacking in most films. Family. Loyalty. Old Age. Change. Eastern values. Western traditions.

And while Sam Shephard has always been a respected actor, he MAKES this movie as he is at the center of one of the oldest conflicts on Earth - what makes a man a man, family or duty. He is so quiet! And so powerful when he does speak. His wife Lorena, played by Sissy Spacek, speaks for him most eloquently. Is she, or is she not THE greatest actor Texas ever produced? Who knew George Carlin could act?

James Garner is genuine, and authentic, as he always is.

The story is full of great characters - who fall away until the principles are left to resolve, or not resolve their conflicts.

The score is haunting, the cinematography is especially beautiful, the story is timeless, which is what one expects from Larry McMurtry.

Enjoy!

Aging ex-Captain Woodrow Call (James Garner) from Texas Rangers , is hired by a railroad chief (Charles Martin Smith) to hunt a ruthless murderer called Joey Garza (Alexis Cruz) , only a boy , who kills mercilessly . He joins forces with an Indian scout (Wes Studi) and Pea Eye (Sam Shepard) , whose wife (Sissy Spacek) , a school teacher and ex-whore , is reluctant his husband to follow Woodrow . Both of them decide to leave their quiet life for a last adventure against a savage renegade Mexican and another brutal killer named Mox Mox (Kevin Conway) who burns people . But the past, in the form of Maria Garza (Sonia Braga) and other sad events emerge , taking pace fateful consequences . Later on , Pea Eye's wife (Sissy Spacek) leaves her farm and children and sets out in looking for her husband with unexpected results .

This handsome TV miniseries is a finely detailed evocation of the Old West with an awesome casting and equaly fine production . Including appearance of famous historical characters , such as Judge Roy Bean/Nead Beatty ¨Justice of the Peace , Law West of the Pecos¨ and the notorious gunslinger : John Wesley Hardin : Randy Quaid . However , some changes were made , but the novel and miniseries don't match . Classic Western saga with outstanding and wonderful performances in which a long ride to south Texas and the Mexican side of the border takes place . As James Garner gives a very good acting as Woodrow Call , an ex-captain , now retired from the Rangers, and actually working as a bounty hunter . He is hired by an Eastern rail baron and being joined by his old compadre Pea Eye marvelously performed by Sam Shepard . Sonia Braga as killer's mother who haunts Call provides a splendid interpretation . Alexis Cruz plays a new kind of killer, only a young boy who kills relentlessly from distance with a rifle . And a great support cast who sometimes steal the show : Sissy Spacek , Wes Studi , Charles Martin Smith , Vanessa Martinez , George Carlin , James Gammon , Kevin Conway , Ned Beatty , Randy Quaid , among others . Based on Pulitzer prize-winner Larry McMurtry's novel , whose books about Woodrow Call have been well adapted in ¨Lonesome Dove¨ 1989 by Simon Wincer with Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones , Angelica Huston , Danny Glover , Diane Lane , Robert Urich . Followed by ¨Return to Lonesome Dove¨ 1993 that picks up after the burial of Gus by his friend Call , now played by John Voight , and with William H Petersen , Barbara Hershey, Edward James Olmos , Keith Carradine , Rick Schroeder , Oliver Reed , Nia Peeples , Luis Gosset Jr , being directed by Mike Robe . And a prequel : ¨Larry McMurtry's Dead man's walk¨ 1996 which focuses on the teenaged Gus , David Arquette , and Woodrow , Johnny Lee Miller , along with Harry Dean Stanton , Brian Dennehy , Jennifer Garner , Joaquin De Almeida , F Murray Abraham . An Tv series 1995-96 : 22 episodes with Scott Bairstow as Call , Eric McCormack , Paul Lee Mat , Tracy Scoggins , Paul Johansson , Molly Parker and several others .

This nail-biting and heart-pounding Western was compellingly directed by Joseph Sargent , without a doubt one of the best miniseries of the 90s . Sargent directed as TV as cinema films with enjoyable results . Desperate , swift , nimble realization from Sargent who has made some of television's finest hours , he's been a monster hit in the 70s , 8os and 90s . Joseph made all kinds of genres , such as Comedy : ¨Coast to coast¨, ¨Tribes¨; Court-room drama : ¨Never forget¨ ; Sports : ¨Golden girl¨ ; Sci-Fi: ¨Colossus the forbidden Project¨ ; Biography : ¨MacArthur¨ , ¨Abraham¨, ¨Manions of America¨, ¨Mandela and Klerk¨ , ¨Arturo Sandoval story¨ , ¨WWII when lions roared¨ ; Terror : ¨Nightmares¨, ¨Jaws, the revenge¨ ; Drama : ¨The incident¨, ¨A lesson before dying¨ , ¨Passion Flower¨ ; Novels adaptation : ¨Dostoevsky's Crime and punishment¨ ; action : ¨While lightning¨ and this Western : ¨Streets of Laredo¨ . Rating : Above average . Essential and indispensable watching for Western lovers .

Granted, both the original Lonesome Dove novel and film are unique works of extremely fascinating classic story telling. Streets of Laredo obviously has a great deal to live up to and, when viewed or read in conjunction with Dove, it does suffer in the sense that our familiarity is slightly snubbed. Of course not much can measure up to the original, and so obviously this is something that cannot be helped. This sequel is far more brutal and violent that its predecessor. Violent death or at least the threat of it is an ever present character awash on Laredo's landscape much more than Dove.That said, Streets of Laredo as a film stands firmly upon its own merits which are quite impressive.Firstly, the cast is sublime. James Garner, always a vastly underrated actor, creates a stoic yet tragic Call. His final scene is at once heart breaking and resonating with strong quiet hope. His performance is all about what film acting aspires to become: he moves mountains without words.The rest of the cast is on equal footing with Garner. Playwrite Sam Shepard's Pea Eye, although losing much of Tim Scott's original Bentonesque forlorn rube, is filled with earthy heroism and and poetry. Sissy Spacek, as the whore re-incarnated as a schoolmarm Lorena produces the tough backbone needed to survive the Texas prarie. Comedian George Carlin's finely drawn panhandle scamp solidifies the theory that the border between comedy and tragedy is narrow at best. These are just a few of the excellent standouts in the sound ensemble.Secondly, there is the very narrative itself. It plays like a Sunday funeral dirge-ever aware of the passing of an era, yet peering into a glimmer future of simple optimism and hope. In McMurtry's frequently brutal world, everyone has a shot at redemption. Grace isn't free but it is availble to all willing to run the gauntlet, as long as they have a pure heart. In this film, pure of heart may not necessarily mean pure of deed, but at least evil is evil and good is good.This film bravely balances the aformentioned violence with scenes of wry humour and gentleness. In that regard, Laredo comes the closest anyone has come to honoring Peckinpah's greater works.The film, because it was produced for television is already mostly forotten by the minnions, but richly deserving of an audience. Enjoy and Savor.

Well,i didnt have high expectations for this one.It turned out to be better than i expected.It includes a fine cast led by James Garner and supported by Sissy Spacek,Sam Shepard and Sonia Braga,among others.

Garner did a fine performance,same with the three others.But who i didnt like much here was Charles Martin Smith and Alexis Cruz who played Joey Garza,the main villain of the show.Smith was unconvincing and way too hillarious to be taken seriously.And Cruz is just ridiculous.I dont know why anybody would hire him.He just cant play.

This show features some beautiful landscape and the story will keep you in your seat until the end.Too bad they couldnt get DiCaprio to play Joey Garza(ridiculous name by the way). 7 out of 10

One of the first things I do after watching a movie I really like, is checking reviews of others...professionals and amateurs, as listed here. It's very frustrating reading some of them. Why do people compare them? Why do they look for faults? Why do they not see and praise the positive aspects and ease up on critical commentary? It's like comparing apples & oranges & bananas & strawberries, etc. Comparing a film to the book or a previous film seems overly critical to me. It always bothered me when Siskel & Ebert & Roeper, et al. rated films as bad or good...thumbs up or down...see it or don't see it. Streets of Laredo is a perfect example. A lot of superb work was put into this fascinating sequel by the director, the cinematographer, the actors, the music composer, the art directors and more. It deserves more than comparisons with the equally superb mini-series Lonesome Dove and its fabulous other sequels. James Garner's Woodrow Call was terrific, so was Tommy Lee Jones' but is it fair to compare them? Cissy Spacek's Lorena was just as good as Diane Lane's as were Sam Shephard's and Tim Scott's Pea Eye interpretations. How do you rate cake and pie? Is one better than the other? Should you condemn it to thumbs down or tell others to avoid it? Maybe to some people this is the way. One constant in all the LD sequels is Larry McMurtry's brilliant characterizations. And don't complain about character development. It takes time to develop a character's nuances and profile. E.G Archie Bunker, Mary Richards, Barney Miller and friends. How long a movie do you want to watch? To wrap it up, Streets of Laredo is a superb film with great acting, directing, cinematography, and a stirring musical score and more. So was Lonesome Dove, Return to Lonesome Dove, Dead Man's Walk, Comanche Moon and the TV series. They're all different but great!

The reason this does not tie in with 'Return' is that it is a completely alternative ending/storyline to the truly great LD original. Such a shame the author chose to do this and not make any effort to look after the fans who would have wanted it to at least make sense after 'Return'.

And Pea and Loreena? No way!

Streets of Laredo is just as compelling as the original the only difference is that James Garner now holds the reins as Captain Woodrow Call,One of the most legendary Texas Rangers ever. Times have changed and so has Call's West. Things are changing as the 20 century looms closer and the wild west becomes Civilied. Woodrow Call is now a feared Bounty hunter and one of the greatest bounty hunters of his age. Call is now older but no wiser in the ways of the world and when he's hired to track down a Mexican Bandit named Joey Garza. Call Drags his ever loyal Corperal Pea-Eye Parker to help him track down the killer despite Pea-Eye now being married and having a family of his own. Streets of Laredo is a study of loyalties and betrayals to old ideas. Garner is simpling outstanding as Call. he is rivaled by George Carlin in a dramatic role a first for Carlin This movie shows us how the tale Ends but to me it still leaves a lot out maybe to lead to another story in the Lonesome Dove universe about the Final Years of Woodrow Call. Superb acting and a strong script make this a highly recommended movie which is official Canon unlike the sequel Return to Lonesome Dove which wasn't. Streets of Laredo can stand along side Lonesome Dove as one of the very best wild west stories ever told.

Decent sequel. The director's / cinematographer's absurd use of color filters doesn't even rate as amateurish. He could have easily seen through the lens what a mess they were making. The shot alone of Peaeye's face being bisected by bands of dark blue and dark orange was so bad that this would have been a point of criticism in a high school student film.

This is my favorite movie. It may be long, but it's not drawn out. It doesn't have the regular ol' western theme.. you know, and older man, a widowed woman, a crazy horse... no no no, this movie is real. I watch it from time to time and enjoy it even more each time. Alexis Cruz does a fantastic job as Joey Garza. Samuel Shephard is also fabulous in his role, and fits the part perfectly. 9.5 out of 10 stars.

Looking at the brand and its member products: Lonesome Dove 9, Return to ...6, Dead Man's Walk 7, Streets of Laredo 7, score 6 for the 3 short lived series that followed. The Lonesome Dove brand was never sullied or disrespected by low budgets, bad acting, or gimmicky writing. Continuity of character is largely observed. I really don't remember Outlaw Years that well.

Sorry, this movie abandoned the viewers. Loose ends? How many were there? Too many to count. I watched Lonesome Dove, too, and didn't really have any expectations for this movie, but I'd have to say it wasn't about the thread between movies or characters; how much Garner was like Jones, etc. It was, for me, about the lack of point of view. There are so many threads that do not get drawn together in a good way. Who really is the narrator? Why was Hardin's character in the movie? Why don't we see or learn more about Pea Eye whose close relationship with Call is given to us at the beginning? Why the guy who burns people down? So much time was spent on extraneous characters who perhaps in the book are interesting to the story but in a screen play become burdensome to the main story. I wished for more clarity, more development of the main characters. And, the movie did not really take place on The Street of Laredo.

If you haven't seen any of the other "Lonesome Dove" movies, "Streets of Laredo" is a strong drama with an excellent cast. James Garner is arguably America's least appreciated actor because he was always so handsome and charismatic. News flash: He's a terrific actor, not just a movie/TV star. Sissy Spacek is always wonderful. And all supporting parts filled with fine actors.

Problem is, for those of us who've seen the others in this saga, much of this one doesn't make sense. We have no idea of the year. "Lonesome Dove" was set in 1877, a year after "Custer's Last Stand." Gus, Woodrow and Pea Eye were "old men" about 50 years old who'd been together for 30 years. Lorena was in her early 20s, shy and illiterate. Now Woodrow is perhaps ten years older, Lorena is much older, and is a strong, worldly schoolteacher married to a Pea Eye who's at least ten years younger than the original Pea Eye. They've been married for at least 15 years, and have five children. And Woodrow and Pea Eye have STILL known each other only 30 years.

We wonder why Woodrow is in Laredo instead of at his thriving ranch in Montana. We wonder how and where Lorena and Pea Eye got together, given she went to San Francisco while Pea Eye stayed at the Montana ranch.

The novel doubtless fills in lots of these gaps, but the movie shouldn't require reading the novel. Perhaps McMurtry, a true American literary treasure, just threw this screenplay together.

But even those of us who know and love "Lonesome Dove," still one of the three best things ever made for television (with "Gettysburg" and "Band of Brothers"), can detach "Streets of Laredo" from the other three, ignore its many flaws, and just watch it on its own. When we do that, we enjoy a lot of wonderful acting in a very good drama.

As the story plot and characters in this series have been explained and dissected by others in detail, this post is mostly commentary about its intent and result.

Precisely how the dedicated director and writer interpreted the story on film made all the difference in its quality. As the actors were not the same as in earlier versions and stories in the Lonesome Dove series, a consistency in story intention and attitude had to be maintained for it to be successful through all the varied incarnations using different actors and tech people. And that is precisely what made this version work so well, as it was a serious, deadly and harsh story true to its original essence, and it had to be told that very same and true way and not devolve into what TV does so often with sequels....and that is to try to make it funny, different, "family entertainment", and as a result, vastly inferior. Those sequel story insults it did not do, and much thanks for that.

The somber, serious and often sad and lonely plains essence of Captain Call was as well executed here as in the original, along with the story's harsh cruelty of frontier criminality and justice juxtaposed with intense love, loyalty and human kindness. The director and the actors stuck closely to that serious intent and execution, and that is primarily what made this story version work so well, and it was a worthy successor to the original in all ways.

This was a quality TV production, in many ways the equal of most big studio films of the genre, and in many ways far superior(most especially in the great musical score). A true pleasure to watch again and again and a serious triumph of the real potential of TV programming when someone cares to do a story right and not just try to sell advertising for sponsors.

Streets of Laredo is different than the others but it's a ride full with twists and you grow to love the new characters. Famous Shoes which is played by Wes Studi, he's my favorite native american actor, great performance and many others also gave good performances. The villains Joey Garza and Mox Mox was good but not perfect. They worked. The road from beginning to end was good though, the characters we met and character development which made us like them helped from the decent villains. It was unpredictable which made it so much better. The ending is amazing, couldn't be better.

Dead Man's Walk to Streets of Laredo are four mini series and novels written by Larry McMurtry, the characters and story are all pure perfection. The main characters, Augustus "Gus" McCrae and Woodrow F. Call has to be two of the greatest characters on television and the supporting characters are all great. The story arcs and plot are interesting and superb. How the author and creator have thought the whole Lonesome Dove world out is simply stunning, full of immersion and likeable characters. I have to buy the novels and read them, just watching these mini series have inspired me to write my own western. Thank you Larry McMurtry for creating a western masterpiece.

Shown in two parts, "Streets of Laredo" is the best of the "Lonesome Dove" series. The casting is excellent, especially Sonia Braga and George Carlin, who by the way, is excellent at dramatic acting. The story line never lags, as it is played out. I highly recommend watching.

Streets of Laredo is a fine western. It's just that Lonesome Dove set too high a standard to compare any other western with. Maybe the problem lies with the story itself....can anyone who saw LD imagine Lorena marrying Pea Eye and having a passel of kids???? Recall that Lorena wouldn't have anything to do with Lippy and yet she marries Pea Eye. Diane Lane and Tim Scott, together!?! No way! Streets of Laredo simply inverts the visuals embedded in our brains from LD: now Pea Eye(Sam Shepherd) is actually better looking than Lorena(Sissy Spacek). That's just too much of a stretch. I never thought I'd criticize Sissy Spacek but she just doesn't have any of Diane Lane's elegance and sensuousness. Ms. Lane was charming and endearing but Spacek's Lorena just grates on the nerves. Also for a sequel we are left mystifyingly in the dark as to why the main characters are back in Texas. Newt, who was the actual "lonesome dove" in LD, is never mentioned. What happened to Call's cattle ranch in Montana??? No clue. I realize the novel probably answers these questions but hell, this was a miniseries! The screenwriters should have had time to develop what happened since the end of LD. I also don't like the introduction of historical figures Roy Bean and John Wesley Hardin who are used as stage props to prove how fearsome Joey Garza is. Garza was so tough even the Apaches grew to fear him. Give me a break! The character Joey Garza merely strikes me as a punk who can shoot well. As a rule I don't like villains with pencil necks, no upper body strength, and who don't shave yet; it's just too hard to take them seriously. He doesn't inspire fear, but rather seems a nuisance we wish someone would eliminate. On the positive side, James Garner is marvelous as Woodrow Call. He won't replace Tommy Lee Jones in my mind as Call but then again, who could? Garner seems more stoic, more matter-of-fact than Jones was. Jones' portrayal had a lot of quiet emotion churning beneath the surface, unfortunately Garner has no Gus to play off of. Still he shines brighter in this movie than anyone else. I guess the main test that ranks Streets of Laredo unfavorably with LD is the affect it produces with time. It doesn't stay with one like LD. Scenes are not memorable and unforgettable as they were with LD. The bittersweet irony is missing. I don't have the sense it will involuntarily become part of one's psyche with time.

....watching it for the 2nd or 3rd time. Have to think of it as a stand-alone, because you'll get frustrated trying to link the characters back to the original LD crew. The story is good as are the acting, production, filming, etc. As to how it might rank in the LD series, I'd say 4th after ...in order ...LD, Return to LD, and Dead Man Walk. I do recommend it as a pretty good western in its own right, however.

James Garner (to me) is the king of flippancy. He always has a cute answer or some nonchalant way of handling things.

I saw this after Dead Man's Walk and before Lonesome Dove. I had not read the books, so I feel my take on the acting is not jaded by expectations.

On first glance I felt the part was weak. Then, after seeing Lonesome Dove and Return to Lonesome Dove, I realized that Garner did right by the part of Woodruff Call. I have never seen him so serious or non-contrived. Even his voice had that slight whine that Tommy Lee Jones had. John Voight had it to an extreme.

On second watching I could see the loose ends that were tied, so I was pretty happy overall. I am not sure why such an inaccuracy as Judge Bean dying "not according to history" was allowed.

For the record, this movie is second to Dead Man's Walk and a tad above Lonesome Dove. I hate to stomp on those that think LD was the greatest mini-series ever made. I did enjoy it, but had to have some extra coffee to stay awake. That was not the case with Laredo or Dead Man's Walk.

In this movie joey Garza was very sexy. i watched the movie over and over to see him. thats how hot he is. I especially liked his role in the movie even though he was a train robber and killed nearly everyone he met. i loved his horse. It was a shame he did not like any woman on the movie. I loved his cheesy grin whenever he shot someone or teased his sister. I thought it was cruel how he tried to kill his brother and sister though. But he was the hottest guy on the movie and i loved him and his accent. I know nearly all his lines on the movie cause i have seen it nearly 50 times. He is the best train robber i have ever seen on a movie.