John Travolta became a star thanks to his role in Saturday Night Fever, in which he played a working class youth trying to escape daytime drudgery by enthusiastically embracing nightlife. Three years later he played very similar character in Urban Cowboy, 1980 drama directed by James Bridges.
Travolta plays Bud Davis, young man from small Texas town who comes to Houston to start working at oil refinery. He got this job thanks to Uncle Bob (played by Barry Corbin) who also introduces him to Gilley’s, large and immensely popular night club which features country and western music and all kinds of entertainment, including mechanical bulls. Bud tries to ride the new contraption and, in doing so, brings attention of one of club’s regulars, a woman called Sissy (played by Debra Winger). Two of them are immediately attracted to each other and marry after brief and passionate romance. The marriage, however, proves to be more challenging because independent-minded Sissy would like to try riding mechanical bull, while Bud would have none of it. Sissy, instead, brings attention of Wes Hightower (played by Scott Glenn), paroled convict who happens to be accomplished rodeo rider and teaches Sissy to ride the bull, which infuriates Bud who throws her out of her trailer. Although he tries to move on and even begins relationship with Pam (played by Madolyn Smith), girl from rich family who likes cowboys, Bud is still in love with Sissy and decides to train hard and beat Wes at his game.
Like Saturday Night Live, the script from this film was inspired by magazine article; unlike Saturday Night Live, article in question (written by Alan Latham, co-author of the script) was actually based on real people whom the author he had been seeing as regular patrons at Gilley’s. This reflects in the realism being the main feature of this film – both in content and style. Real life club was used as location, with many of its staff, musicians and even patrons playing themselves. But the most noticeable element of realism is in the script’s refusal to adhere to Hollywood conventions and stereotypes. Almost entire film takes place in milieu of the lower strata of American society – people force to live in trailer and work from pay check to pay check - with only character of Pam providing brief glimpse into the realm of glitz and glamour. Characters are hardly perfect, even the protagonist, who might be played by one of the best looking actors of 1970s Hollywood, but who also happens to be not too bright, treats his wife poorly and makes all kinds of bad decisions that almost cost him his life. Sissy, on the other hand, is played by Debra Winger, an actress that could be described as beautiful but hardly glamorous. Sissy is portrayed as strong and independent-minded woman, but she also makes bad, impulsive decisions, like marrying a man whom he recently met for the first time only to suffer abuse and than leave him for someone even worse. Both Travolta and Winger manage to create sympathies for their respective characters despite those flaws and make audience root for them getting back together. While Travolta only confirmed his star status with another iconic role, Urban Cowboy proved to be breakthrough for Winger, who would become one of the more interesting leading ladies of 1980s Hollywood.
Although Urban Cowboy proved to be successful at the box-office and did for country music what Saturday Night Live had done for disco, this film’s reputation is today much inferior to Travolta’s previous hit. This could partially be explained with country music not having global appeal that disco had nor ability to be firmly associated with certain historical period. It could also be explained by not conforming to the content parameters of today’s woke Hollywood. All major characters are white and heterosexual and the only deviation from WASP uniformity is Bud’s mentioning of having a half-Indian among his grandparents. Relationship between two main characters is bound to make some of today’s politically oversensitive viewers become apoplectic. But the main problem for Urban Cowboy is pace, that could make this film challenging today’s audience, especially those who care little about country music numbers that take significant amount of running time. Those viewers who like or at least tolerate country would probably be satisfied with Urban Cowboy as one of those rare films that provides slice of life and very good entertainment at the same time.
RATING: 7/10 (++)
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