Paint Your Wagon

19692h 44m Directed by Joshua Logan
6.4
(261 votes)
ComedyWesternMusic

Overview

A Michigan farmer and a prospector form a partnership in the California gold country. Their adventures include buying and sharing a wife, hijacking a stage, kidnapping six prostitutes, and turning their mining camp into a boom town. Along the way there is plenty of drinking, gambling, and singing. They even find time to do some creative gold mining.

Paint Your Wagon

A Musical Misfire in the Wild West: "Paint Your Wagon" Falls Flat

Maya Ellison
Maya EllisonSep 8, 2025
The 1969 musical comedy western "Paint Your Wagon" is a messy, meandering film that promises much but delivers little. Based on the Lerner and Loewe stage musical of the same name, the movie boasts an impressive cast, including Clint Eastwood and Lee Marvin, but their talents are largely wasted in a convoluted and overly long narrative. The story follows two unlikely partners, a farmer and a prospector, as they navigate the California gold rush, and their adventures are indeed colorful and varied, but they lack a clear sense of purpose or direction. The film's tone is also wildly inconsistent, veering wildly from slapstick comedy to poignant drama, often within the same scene.

Despite its many flaws, "Paint Your Wagon" does have some redeeming qualities, particularly in its musical numbers. The film features a range of catchy and memorable songs, including the iconic "Wand'rin' Star," which won an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The cinematography is also noteworthy, capturing the stunning natural beauty of the California landscape in vivid detail. However, these strengths are ultimately overshadowed by the film's numerous weaknesses, including its plodding pace, weak character development, and lack of coherence. The usually reliable Eastwood and Marvin are given little to do but look bemused and bewildered, and their characters' motivations and actions are often baffling and inexplicable.

Overall, "Paint Your Wagon" is a disappointing and frustrating film that fails to live up to its promise. While it has some occasional moments of charm and wit, it is ultimately a meandering and overly long mess that will try the patience of even the most dedicated viewer. Unless you are a die-hard fan of musical westerns or are fascinated by the careers of Eastwood and Marvin, there is little reason to seek out this film. Even then, you may find yourself checking your watch and wondering when the credits will finally roll. Despite its occasional flashes of brilliance, "Paint Your Wagon" is a musical misfire that is best left to gather dust in the annals of cinematic history.

CAST

Lee Marvin
Lee Marvin
Ben Rumson
Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
"Pardner"
Jean Seberg
Jean Seberg
Elizabeth Woodling
Ray Walston
Ray Walston
"Mad Jack" Duncan
Harve Presnell
Harve Presnell
"Rotten Luck Willie"
Tom Ligon
Tom Ligon
Horton Fenty
Alan Dexter
Alan Dexter
Parson
Terry Jenkins
Joe Mooney
Paula Trueman
Paula Trueman
Mrs. Fenty
H.B. Haggerty
H.B. Haggerty
Steve Bull

Trailer

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