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6.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. For the Service remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like old-school B-westerns where the hats are big and the morality is even bigger, you’ll probably have a decent time with For the Service. It’s not breaking any new ground, but it doesn't need to. If you get bored by guys talking in rooms or waiting for the big showdown, you might want to skip it.
Buck Jones is the main guy here, leading a band of scouts against Morgan’s gang. It’s pretty standard stuff—ranchers getting burned out, bad guys acting mean, and the scouts doing the heavy lifting. It reminds me a bit of the pacing in The Gallopin' Gaucho, just without the animation.
The whole thing hinges on this subplot about the Captain's son. He’s a total coward, which is the kind of character trope that makes you roll your eyes, but it’s played straight enough that it works. Buck tries to ship him back East, which felt like the only reasonable thing to do.
Of course, the Captain sends them out on a mission anyway. Watching them ride into the danger zone, you know exactly how it’s going to go. The tension is light, but the horse work is solid. I kept looking at the background extras, especially during the campfire scenes. Some of those guys look like they’d rather be anywhere else.
There’s a moment where they’re tracking Morgan’s men through the brush that goes on for a bit too long. It’s just dust and hooves for a solid minute, and the silence is weirdly loud. I think the editor might have been taking a nap during that cut.
It’s not as punchy as Winner Take All, but it has that same earnest feeling. It’s like the movie is trying to convince you that this is the most important mission in the history of the frontier. I didn’t buy it, but I didn’t mind either.
It’s a simple flick. Don't go in expecting The Mysterious Stranger level of complexity. Just watch it for the ride.