The Roarer (1967) starring Stuart Whitman, Richard Boone, Percy Herbert, Randy Boone, Jill Townsend, Robert Duvall, Morgan Woodward directed by Lamont Johnson Movie Review

The Roarer (1967)   4/54/54/54/54/5


Richard Boone in The Roarer (1967)

Boone's Roaring Western

The residents of Cimarron lead by Wyman (Robert Duvall) and Forcey (Morgan Woodward) are already sick of the Cavalry treating the place like their own playground, doing what they like with no concern for anyone else. And things get worse when Cavalry veteran Sergeant Bill Disher (Richard Boone) rides in to have his friend buried and commemorate his departure with plenty of drinking in the Wayfarer's Inn as he goes too far and ends up burning down the funeral parlour. With Marshal Crown (Stuart Whitman) having let things fly out of respect for a grieving Cavalry man he now has to step things up and see that Sergeant Disher receives proper punishment before the likes of Wyman and Forcey take matters in to their own hands.

It's interesting when considering "The Roarer", which was originally episode 8 of "Cimarron Strip", as whilst the synopsis tells what happens it doesn't really tell you what it is about. So on one hand there is the obvious story, the unrest in Cimarron with the businessmen wanting something done about the cavalry who appear to have their own rules and look out for their own. There is also a bit of character continuation as well as we have Dulcey looking on at Jim longing for him to really notice her. And it is entertaining with some reasonable action.

But then there is the other hand and that is the performance of Richard Boone as Sergeant Disher and he makes him more than just a larger than life character. What he does is to make him a man of experience, a man who behind all the bluster is bitter at the way the place has changed and how others can boss him around and show little respect to the men who helped make the country what it is. And it is a scene stealing performance from Boone but one which seems to give Whitman a push to bring more edge to his performance with the scenes they share being pretty powerful. Plus it is hard to ignore the fact we have the likes of Duvall and Woodward in supporting roles, making "The Roarer" one of the more impressively cast episodes of "Cimarron Strip".

What this all boils down to is that "The Roarer" is another episode of "Cimarron Strip" which ended up as good if not better than a big screen western mainly thanks to a great performance from Richard Boone who really conveys the emotion of Sergeant Bill Disher as a man who is bitter at the development of the West.


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