The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
Directed by Robert M. Young
Written by Victor Villasenor, Robert Young
Starring Edward James Olmos, James Gammon
Release Date August 19th, 1983
The tragic story of The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez remains legend in Texas more than 100 years later. A simple error in translation between a sheriff and a man accused of stealing horses led to multiple deaths and the largest manhunt in Texas history at the time. Director Robert M. Young adapted the story of Gregorio Cortes with the help of star Edward James Olmos in a lovely, muted fashion that underlines how remarkable tragedy can arise simply from our inability to communicate effectively.
Gregorio Cortez (Edward James Olmos) was a quiet farmer in Gonzales, Texas until the day a sheriff arrived and accused him of stealing a horse. The events from then on are retold from multiple perspectives with details that change via the man telling the story. The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez unfolds in the familiar style of Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo and turns importantly on the way perspective and bias can affect the truth.
Find my full length review at Geeks.Media, linked here.
