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Draw!

Draw! is a 1984 American-Canadian directed by Steven Hilliard Stern. Starring as an aging named Harry H. Holland and as his , the drunken ex-sheriff Sam Starrett, the film explores themes of and irony in the fading Old West. Produced by Douglas's own in association with , it premiered as a made-for-television movie, blending humor, romance, and suspense in a lighthearted take on classic tropes. The story centers on the confrontation between the two protagonists in of the frontier era, highlighting their shared history and the passage of time. Supporting roles include as Bess, adding a romantic element to the narrative. Shot with an emphasis on character-driven rather than action spectacle, Draw! reflects Douglas's interest in subverting myths, portraying aging gunslingers with vulnerability and wit. Critically, received mixed reviews, praised for the performances of its leads but noted for its leisurely pace. It holds an user rating of 6.2 out of 10 based on 10,866 votes (as of November 2025) and a Tomatometer score of 33% based on 1 review (as of November 2025). As one of Douglas's later television projects, Draw! exemplifies his transition to smaller-screen roles in the , showcasing his enduring charisma in the genre that defined much of his career.

Film content

Plot

Recently released from a 15-year prison term, aging ex-outlaw Harry Holland arrives in the dusty town of Bell City and soon wins a fair amount in a poker game, intent on leaving quietly to start a new life. Seeking to deposit his earnings at the bank, he is accosted by Reggie Bell, the corrupt son of the town's influential family, and his bumbling deputy, who accuse him of cheating and attempt to seize the money by force. A chaotic erupts in the : Harry mortally wounds Harmon in , clips Reggie in the leg, and sustains a minor injury himself before barricading in the local hotel with Bess, a traveling actress whom he takes as a to ensure his safety. With the dead and the town in , the panicked citizens—fearful of escalating but eager for —pool their resources to hire Sam Starret, the legendary ex- and Harry's longtime rival from their younger, wilder days, who has since retreated into and obscurity on the outskirts of . Reluctantly sobered and armed with his old badge, Starret returns to Bell City, setting up an escalating standoff outside the hotel where he and exchange taunts, negotiate terms, and share wry, comedic banter laced with memories of past gunfights and narrow escapes. As drags on, Bess shifts from fearful captive to reluctant ally, bonding with over their outsider status and helping him tend his wound while questioning the town's . Starret, grappling with his own faded glory and the pull of the bottle, finds renewed purpose in the confrontation, determined to uphold the law one last time despite the corrupt influences— including a biased tied to the Bell family—threatening a fair resolution. Tensions peak when rigged legal proceedings make a trial impossible, leading Harry and Starret to agree on a traditional quick-draw duel on Main Street to settle the matter honorably. In a tense but ultimately non-lethal exchange that highlights their mutual respect and the absurdity of their era's code, the duel concludes peacefully: Harry is allowed to depart with his rightful winnings, Starret reclaims a measure of dignity without bloodshed, and Bess chooses to accompany Harry, symbolizing personal redemption for both men amid the encroaching modernity of the Old West's demise, underscored by the distant rumble of an approaching automobile.

Cast

The principal cast of Draw! is led by as Harry H. Holland, a charming and quick-witted ex-outlaw navigating the waning days of . portrays Sam Starret, the alcoholic former sheriff and longtime nemesis drawn into a final confrontation with Holland. plays Bess, the traveling actress who serves as Holland's hostage during the escalating tension in Bell City. Supporting roles include as Reggie Bell, the wealthy but inept local gambler and son of the town boss who sparks the central conflict through a poker game. appears as Deputy Wally Blodgett, the earnest town deputy assisting in maintaining order. Frank Adamson is cast as Lenny, the bartender at Bell's who interacts with the key figures amid the chaos. Linda Sorensen plays Teresa, a prominent townswoman involved in the community's response to the unfolding events. Additional minor characters, such as townsfolk and officials like Harmon (), populate the ensemble to depict the quirky settlement.

Production

Development

The screenplay for Draw! was originally written by Stanley Mann as a comedic tailored for broadcast. The film was produced by Astral Film Productions, Holster Productions, Premiere Films, and The Bryna Company, the latter being Kirk Douglas's independent production outfit established in 1949 and named after his mother, Bryna Demsky Danielovitch. In the early , Douglas transitioned toward projects, citing in a New York Times interview his interest in exploring new formats after decades in feature films; Draw! represented his final role in a . The production paired him late in their careers with in the lead roles. The project had an estimated budget of $4,200,000 as a Canadian-American co-production. Steven Hilliard was selected to direct, bringing his prior experience with light-hearted dramatic works to the comedic tone.

Filming

Principal photography for Draw! commenced on August 16, 1983, and concluded on September 19, 1983, spanning approximately one month to accommodate the television movie format. The production was filmed primarily in and , , , where the region's badlands provided an authentic Old West landscape, including rugged terrains that evoked the film's frontier setting. Specific locations included in for period town scenes. Directed by Steven Hilliard Stern from a by Stanley Mann, the film was lensed by cinematographer Laszlo George, whose evocative visuals of the Canadian prairies earned a for Best Achievement in at the 6th . Production designer Bill Brodie handled the art direction, recreating 1880s environments on a modest scale, and received a nomination for Best Achievement in Art Direction. The original score, emphasizing tense standoffs and comedic undertones, was composed by Kenneth Wannberg. This streamlined schedule enabled the completion of within budget constraints typical of Premiere Films productions, yielding a final runtime of 98 minutes.

Release

Broadcast

Draw! premiered on on July 15, 1984, as part of the network's HBO Premiere Films series, marking its debut as a made-for-television feature. The film, a $4.2 million co-production between and , was specifically produced for cable broadcast without a theatrical release. It aired in English, targeting U.S. and Canadian cable subscribers during 's period of rapid expansion in the early 1980s, when the network committed to producing up to 24 original movies and mini-series that year to bolster its programming lineup. HBO promoted Draw! heavily as a star vehicle for Kirk Douglas and James Coburn, positioning it as a comedic take on the Western genre to appeal to audiences seeking lighter fare amid the genre's decline in traditional cinema. Marketing emphasized the duo's chemistry in portraying aging rivals—an over-the-hill outlaw and a drunken ex-sheriff—in a hybrid comedy-Western narrative set in the fading Old West. This approach highlighted the film's novelty as one of the few Westerns produced in 1984, leveraging the actors' star power to draw viewers to HBO's premium cable service. The production involved Canadian partners, including Astral Film Productions, reflecting cross-border collaboration common in early 1980s television filmmaking. It received an early screening at the Banff Television Festival in Canada on March 20, 1984, before its U.S. broadcast, and subsequently aired on Canadian premium networks following the HBO premiere to reach North American audiences. As one of HBO's initial forays into high-profile original content, Draw! exemplified the network's strategy to invest in accessible, star-driven stories that supported subscriber growth during the cable television boom.

Home media

Following its 1984 HBO debut, Draw! received limited home media distribution, primarily through video cassette formats in the 1980s. The film was released on in the United States that year by Video, often including promotional trailers for other HBO productions, with a of 98 minutes in mode and packaging. A Canadian edition followed in 1989, distributed in mode. These tapes, featuring and , have since become sought after by collectors of vintage Westerns and HBO originals, with ex-rental copies occasionally appearing on secondary markets. DVD availability emerged later through manufactured-on-demand (MOD) services rather than widespread retail releases from major studios. Independent labels and online retailers have offered DVD editions since the early , such as those produced using recordable media for custom orders, emphasizing the film's cult appeal among fans of Douglas's late-career roles. As of 2025, no official Blu-ray edition has been issued, contributing to the film's relative obscurity in high-definition . Digital streaming options for Draw! remain sparse, reflecting its status as an HBO original with fragmented rights. The film was last available for subscription streaming on in the United States until January 2022, after which it became unavailable on major platforms like , , or Max. Limited free access persists on ad-supported channels such as Classic Movies and TV via devices, where it can be streamed in standard definition. Unauthorized uploads also circulate on , often in full but variable quality, highlighting ongoing distribution. No dedicated or remastering efforts for Draw! have been documented in the , leaving the film without enhanced editions for modern audiences despite its . This lack of preservation work underscores its niche status, with availability confined to aging analog sources or digital proxies rather than archival upgrades. Collectibility centers on rare VHS tapes and MOD DVDs, prized by enthusiasts of 1980s cable Westerns and the stars' legacies, though copies dominate informal circulation.

Reception

Critical reception

"Draw!" received mixed reviews upon its 1984 release, with critics and audiences appreciating the star power of Kirk Douglas and James Coburn while noting limitations in its production and pacing. On IMDb, the film holds a user rating of 6.2/10 based on 866 votes as of November 2025, reflecting a generally favorable but not exceptional response from viewers who praised its light-hearted take on the Western genre. Rotten Tomatoes reports a critics' score of 33% from one review as of November 2025, indicating limited professional acclaim amid its made-for-TV origins. Contemporary coverage highlighted Douglas's shift to television work, emphasizing the film's ironic perspective on Western myths as a draw for the , who saw it as a nostalgic yet subversive nod to the genre's conventions. Reviewers commended the chemistry between Douglas as the aging Harry Holland and Coburn as the drunken ex-sheriff Sam Starret, with their banter providing humorous redemption arcs that subverted traditional hero-villain dynamics. The Spinning Image described the performances as showcasing "undimmed charisma," with Coburn's portrayal evoking a gentler evolution from his earlier roles, fostering poignant interplay amid the comedy. Critics pointed to the film's formulaic plot and TV-movie production values as drawbacks, with pacing criticized for being overly talky and confined to interior scenes after an initial action sequence. noted the humor in scenes like the inebriated lawman propped up for , but acknowledged reliance on such as the spoiled rich , contributing to a sense of familiarity over innovation. In retrospective assessments, "Draw!" is viewed as a minor entry in Douglas and Coburn's filmographies, valued by enthusiasts for its wistful "sunset" tone and gentle subversion of clichés through aging protagonists seeking closure, though it lacks the depth of their more acclaimed works. The film's legacy endures as an accessible, charm-filled appealing to fans of the stars' later careers, despite no major awards recognition beyond technical nods.

Accolades

Draw! received recognition primarily through Canadian awards bodies, reflecting its status as a Canadian co-production. At the 6th Genie Awards in 1985, which served as the Canadian equivalent to the Academy Awards for outstanding achievement in film and television, the production earned one win and four nominations. Linda Sorensen won the Genie for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of the character Maggie. The film was also nominated in technical categories, including Best Achievement in Cinematography (Laszlo George), Best Achievement in Art Direction (Bill Brodie), Best Achievement in Overall Sound (Joe Grimaldi), and Best Achievement in Sound Editing (Jim Hopkins and Richard Lightstone). Additionally, Draw! garnered a at the 1985 CableACE Awards for Film Editing (Ron Wisman), honoring excellence in cable television programming, which aligned with its premiere on . These accolades underscored the film's technical merits, particularly in visual and audio craftsmanship, elevating its profile within the constraints of the made-for-television format.

References

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