This outlandish and politically incorrect Western concerns about an ambitious, pompous sheriff named Nightingale (Kirk Douglas) he's looking for a dangerous robber as platform for his US Senate political career, under the ironic title ¨To the polls, sons of freedom¨. When Jack Strawhorn (Bruce Dern)is double-crossed , he escapes and seek vengeance against Penstleman(David Canary). Later on , Strawhorn is captured and carried a town . After that, happens the getaway and Jack want to take over the loot that was taken him. Then Nightingale finds townspeople are siding with the bandit.
There's much historical revisionism in this offbeat and pleasantly subversive Western as well as reversals of the ordinary 'Good guy' against 'Bad guy' format, similarly as happens in Spaghetti Western sub-genre. ¨Posse¨ attempts at a new rendition the Old West but at its core it's throughly conventional. Excellent Kirk Douglas as cynical sheriff who tries to fulfill political aspirations by detaining a known gunfighter. Bruce Dern steals the show as intelligent and resourceful outlaw . Secondary cast is frankly well as Dick O'Neill as ubiquitous photographer recording everything for future , James Stacy as cripple journalist, the Mexican Alfonso Arau who recently turned into film-maker, and Luke Askew and Bo Hopkins as members of the marshal bunch. This over-directed and fine-written movie extends to style as well as content, though packs some bit flaws. Colorful cinematography by Fred Koenekamp (Patton) and atmospheric musical score by Maurice Jarre (Doctor Zivago, Laurence of Arabia). This solid motion picture is well produced and directed by Kirk Douglas . Kirk's direction and production was taken in various films as ¨The light at the edge of the world¨, ¨Brotherhood¨, ¨Grand Prix¨, ¨Paths of glory¨ but he only directed ¨ Scalawag¨ and ¨Posse¨, though he told that made some scenes of ¨Spartacus. Rating : 6,5, good and well worth watching.
