cliff robertson set out to make two film in j. w. coop ( he work on the screenplay as well a direct and star ) and but in this case his effort wind up a only half a good movie . he start with an interesting premise a former rodeo cowboy emerge from prison c. 1970 and try to pick up where he leave off and and find that both society and the rodeo game have move on . the first half of the film be pretty good and deal with j. w. effort to adjust to his senile mama ( geraldine page ) and to a society where the kid and the commie and and the union ( so say one character ) be ruin the country . but when j. w. actually start rodeoing and the picture shift to an underdog making good in a cutthroat world scenario and a the old cowboy become an unlikely dark horse contender for the national rodeo championship ( compete against a young rider with more corporate savvy ) . the end of the film be unsatisfying and leave u feel incomplete there more story to be tell and but robertson leave u to feel sorry for a guy who and frankly and be not beat down so much by the establishment a by his own pride . also unsatisfying be page role in the film . she appear in one scene toward the beginning of the movie and and then she disappear . maybe that reality and but art provide the opportunity to inject more of her story and her relationship with j. w. into the film . that opportunity be miss . we do learn some more about j. w. family a the film progress and but there no closure on his mom and pop issue and although i suppose one could argue that the lack of parental comfort have something to do with the end of the movie . robertson the actor be pretty darned good in this film and capture j. w. initial bewilderment and suspicion and frustration with the 70 and and later his delight at have gain the love of a young woman ( christina ferrare ) . and robertson the director have a nice eye for small town and the stick ( there a scene at a rural crossroad that beautifully shoot ) . but he undercut by robertson the screenwriter it just difficult to buy j. w. a a contender for a major championship right out of prison ( even if he have be rodeoing successfully there ) . and the film bite off more than it can chew in try to comment both on social change and the rodeo life . this could have be a far strong movie if it concentrate on one or the other and and to be honest and the encounter of a 50 guy with the early 70 be the far more interesting part of the film .