''J. W. Coop'' is a 1972 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film set in the world of the modern American rodeo circuit. It stars and was directed by

Cliff Robertson Clifford Parker Robertson III (September 9, 1923 – September 10, 2011) was an American actor whose career in film and television spanned over six decades. Robertson portrayed a young John F. Kennedy in the 1963 film '' PT 109'', and won the 19 ...

who also co-produced and co-scripted the film. Featuring footage from actual rodeo events, it was made with the cooperation of the Rodeo Cowboys Association (which became the

Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) is the largest rodeo organization in the world. It sanctions events in the United States and Canada, with members from said countries, as well as others. Its championship event is the National ...

in 1975).

Plot

J.W. Coop is an ex-convict making up for lost time. His dream is to be the best rodeo cowboy, and the film follows his competitions on the circuit. He drives a converted

ambulance An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to medi ...

and sleeps outdoors. Along the way, he meets a hippie girl named Bean, who joins him on the rodeo circuit. As Coop's winnings grow, he and Bean are able to start sleeping in hotels, and Coop starts dreaming about settling down on a ranch. Bean is too independent to share his domestic dreams, but she loves sharing in Coop's journey. At the national competition, Coop places second and breaks his leg. To Coop, second place is as good as last. The film ends with him riding a particularly vicious bull with his leg still in a cast. Coop stays on for the full

8 seconds ''8 Seconds'' is a 1994 American contemporary Western biographical drama film directed by John G. Avildsen. Its title refers to the length of time a bull rider is required to stay on for a ride to be scored. It stars Luke Perry as American rodeo le ...

, but his hand remains caught in the rope, preventing him from dismounting. The bull tosses him around and gores him. The film ends with Coop bleeding heavily on the side of the arena.

Cast

as J.W. Coop * Geraldine Page as Mama *

Cristina Ferrare Cynthia Cristina Ferrare (born 1950) is an American former fashion model, actress, author and talk-show host. She had lead roles in several films in the late-1960s and early-1970s, including the comedy '' The Impossible Years'' and the Western f ...

as Bean * R. G. Armstrong as Jim Sawyer * R. L. Armstrong as Tooter Watson * John Crawford as Rancher * Wade Crosby as Billy Sol Gibbs * Marjorie Durant Dye as Big Marge * Paul Harper as Warden Morgan * Son Hooker as Motorcycle Cop * Richard Kennedy as Sheriff * Bruce Kirby as Diesel Tanker Driver *

Larry Mahan Larry Mahan (born November 21, 1943) is an American former professional rodeo cowboy. He won six all-around world championships and two bull riding world championships in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) circuit at the National ...

as Himself * Lowell D. Smith as Flankman (Golden State Rodeo Co.)

Critical reception

Stanley Kauffmann Stanley Kauffmann (April 24, 1916 – October 9, 2013) was an American writer, editor, and critic of film and theater. Career Kauffmann started with ''The New Republic'' in 1958 and contributed film criticism to that magazine for the next fifty ...

The New Republic ''The New Republic'' is an American magazine of commentary on politics, contemporary culture, and the arts. Founded in 1914 by several leaders of the progressive movement, it attempted to find a balance between "a liberalism centered in hu ...

described ''J. W. Coop'' as "poor." Writing in the

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

Vincent Canby Vincent Canby (July 27, 1924 – October 15, 2000) was an American film and theatre critic who served as the chief film critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1969 until the early 1990s, then its chief theatre critic from 1994 until his death in ...

found the film to be "very fine, almost elegiac."

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:J. W. Coop 1972 films 1972 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films Films directed by Cliff Robertson Rodeo in film Columbia Pictures films 1970s English-language films 1970s American films