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6/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Cowboy Millionaire remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for 1930s fluff or if you're a completist for George O'Brien's work. If you need something with teeth or actual tension, stay away. It’s a movie that smells like old wallpaper and feels like a Sunday afternoon nap.
The whole premise is classic fish-out-of-water stuff, but served on a very thin cracker. You have your quintessential Englishwoman who visits a dude ranch and finds herself charmed by the rough-and-tumble cowboy, O’Brien. It is all very predictable, even for its era.
She leaves because she thinks he's faking his affection. Classic. The way the movie handles this realization feels rushed, like they were running out of film stock or just got bored of the ranch setting. One minute she’s swooning, the next she’s on a boat, and honestly, the pacing is just whiplash-inducing.
Then we get the second half in England. Watching a guy like O’Brien navigate high-society tea parties is… well, it’s a choice. It’s definitely not as sharp as The Play Girl, which knew how to handle its own brand of absurdity better. This one feels a bit more like a chore for everyone involved.
There is this one moment where he tries to interact with the local gentry that goes on for about thirty seconds too long. You can literally see the actors waiting for their cue to stop looking awkward. It’s charming in a 'bless their hearts' kind of way, but it isn't exactly high art. 🤠
It’s not a masterpiece, and it doesn't try to be. It’s just a thing that exists. Sometimes that’s enough, I guess? Maybe not today, though.
