Follow TV Tropes

Following

History Film / TheCowboys

Go To

OR

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Badass Baritone has been disambiguated


* BadassBaritone: Jebediah Nightlinger combines this with a slow drawl and very careful diction.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added DiffLines:

* OnlyOneName: Cimarron is this, due to being a bastard.

Added: 207

Changed: 500

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


%%* ImprobableAge

to:

%%* ImprobableAge* ImprobableAge: The boys are too young to be cowboys, but Anderson doesn't have any other options. After some rough starts and coming of age, they're able to ride, rope, [[spoiler:and avenge their father figure]].
* InnocentBigot: The boys have never seen a black man before, and ask Nightlinger several questions that range from insensitive to outright offensive. Nightlinger takes it in stride, having faced much worse.



* MentorOccupationalHazard: [[spoiler: Andersen.]]

to:

* MentorOccupationalHazard: [[spoiler: Andersen.[[spoiler:Anderson dies, leaving the boys to complete the run without him, then avenge his death.]]



* SacrificialLion: [[spoiler: Andersen.]] [[spoiler: Charlie]] too, though it's [[spoiler: Andersen's, actually brought about by Watts,]] which motivates them to take action.

to:

* SacrificialLion: [[spoiler: Andersen.Anderson.]] [[spoiler: Charlie]] too, though it's [[spoiler: Andersen's, Anderson's death, actually brought about by Watts,]] which motivates them to take action.



* TeamDad: Anderson
* TeamMom: Nightlinger

to:

* TeamDad: Anderson
Anderson is harsh, believes in ToughLove, and works to cultivate the boys' manliness.
* TeamMom: NightlingerNightlinger acts as a gentler, more emotionally intelligent parental figure, and reprimands Anderson at least once for being too harsh on them.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:


* BadassGrandpa: [[Creator/JohnWayne Wil Anderson]], of course.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None

Added: 686

Changed: 9

Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* AnyoneCanDie: Including children and [[spoiler: John Wayne himself]].

to:

* AnyoneCanDie: Including children and [[spoiler: John Wayne himself]].Wayne]]
* BadassBaritone: Jebediah Nightlinger combines this with a slow drawl and very careful diction.


Added DiffLines:

** Anderson, after Asa Watt bullies Dan:
--> "We've seen what you can do to a boy. Come see what you can do with a man."


Added DiffLines:

* BadBadActing: the boys attempt to act casual prior to stealing a bottle of whiskey...fooling absolutely no-one.
* BadBoss: Asa Watts [[spoiler: shoots one of his own men in an attempt to get away]] in the end.


Added DiffLines:

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Cimarron, whose first scene features him picking a fight with the rest of the boys--and second is rescuing Slim from drowning.


Added DiffLines:

* UnspokenPlanGuarantee: the plan to [[spoiler: avenge Anderson and recover the herd]] is not stated out loud.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* CampCook: Nightlinger

to:

* CampCook: NightlingerNightlinger. Unlike most examples of this trope, Nightlinger's food is actually pretty good.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: * PlayedForLaughs when the boys sneak off with a bottle of whiskey from the chuck wagon and get drunk. The youngest cowboy, by the way, is nine years old. Anderson and Nightlinger find them when they start drunkenly singing "Home On the Range". Wayne and the cook keep quiet about it. Next day, Nightlinger gives them a remedy for their "cold". John Wayne rides by, ordering the cook to make a heavy meal for dinner. The nearest boy runs off to throw up!

to:

* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: * PlayedForLaughs when the boys sneak off with a bottle of whiskey from the chuck wagon and get drunk. The youngest cowboy, by the way, is nine years old. Anderson and Nightlinger find them when they start drunkenly singing "Home On the Range". Wayne and the cook keep quiet about it. Next day, Nightlinger gives them a remedy for their "cold". John Wayne rides by, ordering the cook to make a heavy meal for dinner. The nearest boy runs off to throw up!
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


** The way Anderson recruits young boys to serve on the cattle drive reminded critics of how young men were getting drafted into the VietnamWar.

to:

** The way Anderson recruits young boys to serve on the cattle drive reminded critics of how young men were getting drafted into the VietnamWar.UsefulNotes/TheVietnamWar.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* MentorOccupationalHazard: [[Spoiler: Andersen.]]

to:

* MentorOccupationalHazard: [[Spoiler: [[spoiler: Andersen.]]



* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: * PlayedForLaughs when the boys sneak off with a bottle of whisky from the chuck wagon and get drunk. The youngest cowboy, by the way, is nine years old. Anderson and Nightlinger find them when they start drunkenly singing "Home On the Range". Wayne and the cook keep quiet about it. Next day, Nightlinger gives them a remedy for their "cold". John Wayne rides by, ordering the cook to make a heavy meal for dinner. The nearest boy runs off to throw up!

to:

* TroublingUnchildlikeBehavior: * PlayedForLaughs when the boys sneak off with a bottle of whisky whiskey from the chuck wagon and get drunk. The youngest cowboy, by the way, is nine years old. Anderson and Nightlinger find them when they start drunkenly singing "Home On the Range". Wayne and the cook keep quiet about it. Next day, Nightlinger gives them a remedy for their "cold". John Wayne rides by, ordering the cook to make a heavy meal for dinner. The nearest boy runs off to throw up!
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* AnyoneCanDie: Including children and [[spoiler:John Wayne himself]].
* BadassBoast: This, from Jebediah Nightlinger (said while he's tied up and about to be lynched):
-->'''Nightlinger:''' "I regret trifling with married women. I'm thoroughly ashamed at cheating at cards. I deplore my occasional departures from the truth. Forgive me for taking your name in vain, my Saturday drunkenness, my Sunday sloth. Above all, forgive me for the men I've killed in anger..." (looks directly at Asa Watts) ...'''''and those I am about to'''''."

to:

* AnyoneCanDie: Including children and [[spoiler:John [[spoiler: John Wayne himself]].
* BadassBoast: This, from Jebediah Nightlinger (said while he's [[spoiler: tied up and about to be lynched):
lynched]]):
-->'''Nightlinger:''' "I regret trifling with married women. I'm thoroughly ashamed at cheating at cards. I deplore my occasional departures from the truth. Forgive me for taking your name in vain, my Saturday drunkenness, my Sunday sloth. Above all, forgive me for the men I've killed in anger..." (looks directly at [[spoiler: Asa Watts) ...Watts]]) ...'''''and those I am about to'''''."



%%* BittersweetEnding

to:

%%* BittersweetEnding* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler: Wil Anderson is dead, leaving a widow behind. But the kids avenge him, complete the drive, and make sure to honor his memory.]]



%%* CattleDrive
%%* ComingOfAgeStory
%%* DroppedGlasses

to:

%%* CattleDrive
%%* ComingOfAgeStory
%%* DroppedGlasses
* CattleDrive: The main scenario of the movie.
* ComingOfAgeStory: For the boys.
* DroppedGlasses: What leads to [[spoiler: Charlie's death.]]



* LetsGetDangerous: The boys reactions to the death of [[Creator/JohnWayne Wil Anderson]].

to:

* LetsGetDangerous: The boys boys' reactions to [[spoiler: the death of [[Creator/JohnWayne Wil Anderson]].]]



* MentorOccupationalHazard: Andersen.

to:

* MentorOccupationalHazard: [[Spoiler: Andersen.]]



%%* PayEvilUntoEvil

to:

%%* PayEvilUntoEvil* PayEvilUntoEvil: [[spoiler: The boys' vengeance on Asa in particular]] gets downright ''brutal''.



* SacrificialLion: Andersen. Charlie too, though it's Andersen's, actually brought about by Watts, which motivates them to take action.

to:

* SacrificialLion: Andersen. Charlie [[spoiler: Andersen.]] [[spoiler: Charlie]] too, though it's [[spoiler: Andersen's, actually brought about by Watts, Watts,]] which motivates them to take action.



* WouldHurtAChild: He doesn't actually follow through, but Asa Watts, the leader of the rustlers, makes it pretty clear he has no qualms about it.

to:

* WouldHurtAChild: [[spoiler: He doesn't actually follow through, but but]] Asa Watts, the leader of the rustlers, makes it pretty clear he has no qualms about it.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


* BadassGrandpa: [[JohnWayne Wil Anderson]], of course.

to:

* BadassGrandpa: [[JohnWayne [[Creator/JohnWayne Wil Anderson]], of course.



* LetsGetDangerous: The boys reactions to the death of [[JohnWayne Wil Anderson]].

to:

* LetsGetDangerous: The boys reactions to the death of [[JohnWayne [[Creator/JohnWayne Wil Anderson]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None


The boys learn quickly to do a man's job, but the group is being followed by a gang of ruthless rustlers....

to:

The boys learn quickly to do a man's job, but the group is being followed by a gang of ruthless rustlers....
rustlers led by "Long Hair" Asa Watts (Dern)...

Top