JACK BULL, THE (TV)
Summary
A lushly filmed cable Western about a horse trader "with a bull head and a Jack Russell jaw," featuring John Cusack and adapted by his father, Dick Cusack, from a German tale. Set in the late 1800s against the backdrop of the Wyoming Territory's bid for statehood, hardworking family man Mryl Redding is moved to ire when landowner Henry Ballard abuses two of his best stallions and their Indian caretaker, Billy. Redding pursues justice through the local courts, hiring lawyer Rayborn to file his suit, but is thwarted by Judge Wilkins who is in Ballard's pocket. When Redding's wife Cora goes to Cheyenne to plead their case before the attorney general; a confrontation between Redding's right-hand man Woody, Ballard's henchmen Slater, and Ollie leads to a tragic accident where Cora is killed. Redding's petition is denied by the Governor, and he takes matters into his own hands and gives Ballard seven days to restore his horses to their original condition and pay restitution to Billy. Ballard refuses, so Redding organizes a group of men to ride against him. Redding and his men pursue Ballard, burning his stable as well as his brother-in-law's hay store in neighboring Medicine Bow. The Rawlins sheriff with a group of men pursue Redding, resulting in a confrontation between the groups, and Redding shoots Slater when he draws on Billy. Later, a woman named Daisy Mathis, is accidentally shot by her husband when Redding and Billy intrude on his property in search of Ballard. Meanwhile, the Governor grows concerned that Redding's lawlessness will threaten the territory's state bid; he jails Ballard to protect him, and, unaware of the shootings of Slater and the woman, offers to reopen Redding's case and grant him amnesty if he comes in. When offered the deal, Redding decides to come in, but Billy refuses and they separate. Redding loses his amnesty when he writes to Billy telling him that he will "continue to fight" no matter what. Judge Tolliver eventually grants Redding his petition and sentences Ballard to prison for two years for perjury; a jury absolves Redding of Slater's murder, but finds him guilty of the murder of the Daisy Mathis, a crime he did not commit. Billy is killed by the Army. On the day he is hanged, Redding acknowledges to his son Cage his own culpability in the death of Daisy Mathis because of his tenacious pursuit of his rights; he tells his son to be wiser in the future and makes him promise never to sell the stallions. The horses are returned to Cage in pristine condition and Redding is hanged, but Tolliver files a final letter requesting the impeachment of Judge Wilkins, who originally botched the case.
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: April 17, 1999 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:55:51
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:57240
- GENRE: Drama, western
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama, western
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV, 1999
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- John Cusack … Executive Producer
- Steve Pink … Executive Producer
- Mangan, Thomas J., IV … Executive Producer
- John C. McGinley … Executive Producer
- Kevin Reidy … Producer
- D.V. Devincentis … Co-Producer
- Cammie Crier … Associate Producer
- Doug Dearth … Associate Producer
- John Badham … Director
- Dick Cusack … Writer
- von Kleist, Heinrich … Inspired by the book entitled "Michael Kohlhaas" by
- Lennie Niehaus … Music by
- John Cusack … Cast, Myrl Redding
- John Goodman … Cast, Judge Tolliver
- L. Q. Jones … Cast, Henry Ballard
- Miranda Otto … Cast, Cora Redding
- John C. McGinley … Cast, Woody
- John Savage … Cast, Slater
- Rodney A. Grant … Cast, Billy
- Kurt Fuller … Cast, Conrad
- Rex Linn … Cast, Shelby Dykes
- Jay O. Sanders … Cast, Attorney General Metcalfe
- Drake Bell … Cast, Cage Redding
- Duncan Fraser … Cast, Edsel Rayborn
- Ken Pogue … Cast, Judge Wilkins
- Nicholas E. Gillie … Cast, Ollie
- Glen Morshower … Cast, Colonel Jeffries
- Ned Bellamy … Cast, Kermit Dover
- Brent Briscoe … Cast, Sheriff Felton
- Scott Wilson … Cast, Governor
- Valerie Planche … Cast, Ballard housekeeper
- Nathaniel Deveaux … Cast, Dewey Austin
- Bruce Flewelling … Cast, Carey Sartin
- J. C. Roberts … Cast, Minister
- Esther Purves-Smith … Cast, Gussie Dykes
- Patrick Richards … Cast, Farmer #1
- John Payne … Cast, Grady Mathes
- Corry Glass Lowry … Cast, Daisy Mathes
- Byrne Piven … Cast, Tub Weller
- Raoul Ganeev … Cast, Printer
- Dick Cusack … Cast, Jury Foreman
- Jimmy Herman … Cast, Crow Indian
- Robert Lewis … Cast, Captain
- Chad Nobert … Cast, Cheyanne Soldier
- Gina Williams … Cast, Cheyanne Woman
- Madeline Lefebvre … Cast, Court Clerk
- Rick Poltaruk … Cast, Browder
- Ken Hurlburt … Cast, Auctioneer
- Tom Heaton … Cast, Whitaker
- Campbell Lane … Cast, Clay Williams