Maverick

MAVERICK (PG)

D: Richard Donner

Warner Bros./Icon (Bruce Davey & Richard Donner)

US 1994

127 mins

Comedy/Western

W: William Goldman [based on the television series created by Roy Huggins]

DP: Vilmos Zsigmond

Mus: Randy Newman

PD: Tom Sanders

Cos: April Ferry

Mel Gibson (Bret Maverick), James Garner (Marshal Zane Cooper), Jodie Foster (Annabelle Bransford), Graham Greene (Joseph), Alfred Molina (Angel), James Coburn (Commodore Duvall)

James Garner takes a supporting role in this western set comedy, based on the TV show character which he made famous in the later part of the 1950's.

For this big screen adaptation, Mel Gibson steps into the title character's shoes, a gunslinging Wild West gambler in a race to raise the money necessary to participate in a high stakes poker tournament, where his opponents include those who tried to double-cross him.

Slightly lengthy, but generally good fun, although it could be said that the in-jokes are far better than the obvious comedy.

6/10