I knew that going in and watching "Goin' South" that it wouldn't be anything great or special and it certainly is not one of Nicholson's better works even though he directed. Clearly the western genre is not Jack's trademark type of film and his character is out of place at least appearance wise. It just looked so uncommon seeing Nicholson looking rugged with a hairy beard and listening to him talk in a slang country western drawl sounded so out of place. Anyway this little western try which was directed by Nicholson himself has himself as outlaw Henry Moon set in the 1860's. Moon is about to be hanged only to be saved by a lovely young gal who promises to marry him and take charge. Her name is Julia Tate(Mary Steenburgen)who's headstrong and smart yet her character is very sheltered and plain as a Southern virgin. Yet Julia's smart plan is to make Moon work the apparent gold mine that supposedly exist on her property. Really this film is nothing great, it's just so out of place for a genre of Jack's and the film is paced as a slapstick style comedy making it a very amusing western with no drama found that's so common in western films. Still it has it's good points to watch mainly the growing and transformation of the Steenburgen character into a molding lady of experience and her screen chemistry with Jack was good. Also appearances from John Belushi, Ed Begley Jr., and Christopher Lyold are worth mention, and any film with Jack in it especially if your a fan is worth a watch at least once.