james garner ( to me ) be the king of flippancy . he always have a cute answer or some nonchalant way of handle thing . i saw this after dead man walk and before lonesome dove . i have not read the book and so i feel my take on the acting be not jade by expectation . on first glance i felt the part be weak . then and after see lonesome dove and return to lonesome dove and i realize that garner do right by the part of woodruff call . i have never see him so serious or non contrive . even his voice have that slight whine that tommy lee jones have . john voight have it to an extreme . on second watching i could see the loose end that be tie and so i be pretty happy overall . i be not sure why such an inaccuracy a judge bean die not accord to history be allow . for the record and this movie be second to dead man walk and a tad above lonesome dove . i hate to stomp on those that think ld be the great mini series ever make . i do enjoy it and but have to have some extra coffee to stay awake . that be not the case with laredo or dead man walk .