"Junior Bonner" (Steve McQueen) is a rodeo cowboy who has clearly seen his best days but is trying to hold on and remain competitive in spite of it all. That said, having just unsuccessfully finished one rodeo his traveling schedule brings him back to his home of Prescott, Arizona for another competition there. Yet, even though he is back in his hometown, there are issues with his family that he has to contend with which don't particularly ease his troubled spirit. For example, his father "Ace Bonner" (Robert Preston) and mother "Elvira Bonner" (Ida Lupino) have essentially separated and his brother "Curly Bonner" (Joe Don Baker) seems more interested in money than anything else. But even so, Junior is determined to continue his way of life despite everyone and everything. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was an okay film made better by the performance of Steve McQueen and the presence of several other solid actors including Ben Johnson (as "Buck Roan"), Bill McKinney ("Red Terwiliger") and the other aforementioned folks. In short, while it wasn't a great film by any means, it still managed to maintain my attention and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.
Review of Junior Bonner
