The Wild Bunch

The Wild Bunch
In this gritty Western classic, aging outlaw Pike Bishop (William Holden) prepares to retire after one final robbery. Joined by his gang, which includes Dutch Engstrom (Ernest Borgnine) and brothers Lyle (Warren Oates) and Tector Gorch (Ben Johnson), Bishop discovers the heist is a setup orchestrated in part by his old partner, Deke Thornton (Robert Ryan). As the remaining gang takes refuge in Mexican territory, Thornton trails them, resulting in fierce gunfights with plenty of casualties.
“From The Godfather to Heat, the stamp of The Wild Bunch is self-evident. Italian director Carlo Carlei summed up the debt owed to the film and its director when he said, "There is a chain of inspiration like The Bible... Everything comes from Peckinpah."” – Empire
“The hard action, bracing wit and mournful grace of Peckinpah’s cowboy classic shames every new movie around. It’s a towering achievement that grows more riveting and resonant with the years.” – Rolling Stone
“It’s no accident that you feel a sense of loss for each killer of the Bunch: Peckinpah has made them seem heroically, mythically alive on the screen.” – The New Yorker
NOMINATED
Academy Awards – Best Original Screenplay
Academy Awards – Best Original Score
• AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies – No. 80
• AFI's 100 Years…100 Thrills – No. 69
• AFI's 100 Years…100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) – No. 79
• AFI's 10 Top 10 – No. 6 Western