Bite the Bullet may be many things, but boring it’s not.
Bite the Bullet (1975)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:14
Fresh:10
Rotten:4
Average Rating:6.6/10
Runtime: 2 hrs 12 mins
Genre: Westerns
Synopsis: Filmed in the classic Western tradition, this tale of a 700-mile horse race in the early 1900s takes its stalwart competitors over some rough western terrain and through various inclement... Filmed in the classic Western tradition, this tale of a 700-mile horse race in the early 1900s takes its stalwart competitors over some rough western terrain and through various inclement conditions. The wide variety of contestants has differing reasons for entering the grueling race, but each and every one of them has their eyes on the prize: $2,000. The rivals include an honorable Rough Rider (Gene Hackman), a plucky young woman (Candice Bergen), a drifting ex-cowboy (James Coburn), a reckless young bad boy (Jan-Michael Vincent), a wealthy British sportsman (Ian Bannen), and a Pony Express rider (Ben Johnson). As the disparate band of competitors sets out on the harsh and grueling desert ride, each person is forced to respect one another and work together as they endure a wide variety of dangerous conditions. This episodic tale features gorgeous cinematography of miles of barren and lone wasteland shot in contrast to the live-wire pageantry of the race, teeming with gritty scenes of the rough wild West full of hucksters, hustlers, and bawdy barmaids whooping it up until dawn. [More]
Starring: Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen, James Coburn, Ben Johnson
Starring: Gene Hackman, Candice Bergen, James Coburn, Ben Johnson, Ian Bannen, Jan-Michael Vincent, Paul Stewart
Director: Richard Brooks
Director: Richard Brooks
Producer: Richard Brooks
Composer: Alex North
Get This Movie
Reviews for Bite the Bullet
The result is that the film's message about sportsmanship decency becomes thoroughly anodyne. Entertaining nevertheless.
A finely crafted, epic Western about a cross-country horseback endurance race.
In spite of all the care, the money and the hardships that apparently went into its production, the movie looks prefabricated, like something assembled from other people's earlier, better inspirations.
I wish I had a bullet to chew down on to kill the pain this pic gave me.
Offers a fresh twist on winning out and gives us pause to think about our way of being in the world
Any random thought ever committed to paper about the intrinsic 'messages' of the Western genre here turns up as a line of speechifying dialogue: the result is a folly stultified by its own seriousness.
An excellent, literate action drama probing the diverse motivations of participants in an endurance horse race.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Bite the Bullet at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Hollywood.com ponders whether or not an animated film could win Best Picture.

Richard Corliss previews the season's best offerings and hottest tickets.

The AV Club's Mike D'Angelo airs his beefs with Alfonso Cuaron's Children of Men.
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic



