Nevada Smith
A traumatized frontier youth turns himself into a skilled gunfighter while pursuing the three men who murdered his parents.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- brooding
- violent
- serious
- classic western night
- revenge film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film's revenge drama and spectacular production values compelling but weakened by uneven acting, lethargic direction, and excessive length.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Max Sand organizes every stage of his life around locating and killing the three men responsible for his parents' deaths.
Nevada learns to read, track, shoot, and survive specifically to pursue his parents' killers.
Max is the son of an American-Indian mother and white father and is identified through the period's derogatory frontier terminology.
The plot moves through training, information gathering, travel, imprisonment, and separate encounters connected to the three targets.
Films like Nevada Smith, and why
The Searchers
shared western revenge structure, frontier violence, and morally corrosive pursuit of vengeance
The Wild Bunch
shared psychological western drama, revenge motive, and transformation through violence
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
shared young protagonist, frontier setting, and coming-of-age through gun violence
Movie Details
- Director
- Henry Hathaway
- Release Date
- 1966-06-10
- Runtime
- 128 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (197)
Cast
- Steve McQueen
- Karl Malden
- Brian Keith
- Arthur Kennedy
- Suzanne Pleshette
- Raf Vallone
- Janet Margolin
- Pat Hingle
- Howard Da Silva
- Martin Landau
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Nevada Smith about?
- A traumatized frontier youth turns himself into a skilled gunfighter while pursuing the three men who murdered his parents.
- What is Nevada Smith like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Nevada Smith as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Nevada Smith violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Nevada Smith as brutal.
- What did critics think of Nevada Smith?
- Critics broadly found the film's revenge drama and spectacular production values compelling but weakened by uneven acting, lethargic direction, and excessive length.
- Which films are like Nevada Smith?
- Films with a similar feel include The Searchers, The Wild Bunch, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.
- How long is Nevada Smith?
- Nevada Smith runs 128 minutes.
- Where can I watch Nevada Smith?
- In United States, Nevada Smith is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video.
