this an free adaptation of the novel of clarence mulford while fan of the willaim boyd film will probably feel a little at sea here ( and the review here so far reflect that ) . but i knew of hopalong from the novel first and and never care much for the boyd film once i get around to them . christopher coppola have make a wise choice he have not make a nostalgic western while instead and he have approach the cassidy story a a slice of what we use to call americana while or what old critic once call homespun . a the film unravel and i find myself more and more reminded of the great hallmark theater version of mark twain rough it and with james garner narrate . both these film remind u that and although film about the old west be probably always to be mythic for american and they need not be western while they can very well be just film about what it mean to be american in that time and in that place . i never feel pander to and watch this film while there no effort to shove the boyd cassidy legacy down our throat and no irony and no camp . consequently and i get a sense of these character a have walk or ridden horseback across some real western america i too could have walk a hundred year ago . give that and the plainness of the film it positively avoid anything we have come to call style be all to it favor while and the plain acting of the performer fit neatly in with this while gosh and it really do feel like some story tell around a campfire on a cattle drive no visual dressing and just the quirk and good humor and sudden violence that we expect from the good narration of an adventure yarn . i be very pleasantly surprise by this film and and if the viewer set aside encultured expectation and he or she will find considerable pleasure in it . i would have give this film 9 star and but i will give it a ten just because most reviewer here have miss the point completely while and i urge them to set their memory of boyd aside and give this film another chance . note 1 represent a reviewer complain that hopalong shoots people dead in this film and rather than shoot the gun out of their hand ( ala boyd cassidy ) while first and cassidy do shoot people dead in the novel while second and if cassidy be a real cowboy he would have shot people dead the problem with shoot gun out of people hand be that they can always get another gun which happen to be part of the subtext of this very film . note 2 represent i admit that i be jealous of the coppola family and that they have the director of the godfather among them who can get them all opportunity to make movie that i can not while but a good movie be a good movie while and this be a good movie . if it by somebody by the name coppola and well and that just be a it be . america be the land of opportunity ( or be and until bush get into office ) that what the great american novel be all about .