The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

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8 Reviews

72%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

After Gregorio Cortez (Edward James Olmos), who speaks no English, is falsely accused of stealing a horse by Texas Rangers, a scuffle breaks out in which Gregorio kills a sheriff and his own brother is shot. Now forced to go on the run, Gregorio has to leave his family and set out alone. Meanwhile, a reporter starts to piece together the story and realizes the incident stemmed from a tragic misunderstanding. Eventually, Gregorio is caught and put on trial for murder.

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Critics Reviews

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The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | Rotten Tomatoes (1)

Eleanor Ringel Cater

Saporta Report (Atlanta)

Part “Rashomon,” part Roy Rogers, this wonderful film about miscommunication and miscarriage of justice, set in turn-of-the-century Texas, is based on a true incident.

Oct 9, 2023

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The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | Rotten Tomatoes (2)

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Although criminally unseen, due largely to the misdeeds of film distributor Larry Sugar, "The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez" is essential viewing for its innovative storytelling form.

Rated: FIVE STARS

Apr 17, 2022

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The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | Rotten Tomatoes (3)

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Director and co-scripter Robert M. Young packs his picture with seasoned character actors who add grit rather than glamour.

Rated: 3/4

Jun 7, 2021

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The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | Rotten Tomatoes (4)

Nathanael Hood

The Retro Set

...an indie godfather of Chicano cinema...

Rated: 8/10

Dec 29, 2018

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The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | Rotten Tomatoes (5)

PJ Nabarro

Patrick Nabarro

An underappreciated classic of the western genre; one that functions as a proto-revisionist piece repositioning one of the stories of the Old West to a Mexican perspective

Rated: 4/5

Oct 31, 2018

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The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | Rotten Tomatoes (6)

Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

Olmos is devastating as the titular Gregorio Cortez.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 7, 2018

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Audience Reviews

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Audience Member Great movie. This film really reminded me of Rashomon, and I’m sure other have made that connection too but just wanted to point that out. Definitely a good western, watch it if you got the time. 4.5/5 stars. Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/24/24 Full Review S R Given the tv quality of the movie, this one exceeds expectations, but it still doesn't quite make it a classic or exceptional beyond its content. It's an important story to tell, but it could've been better. Saw on TCM. Rated 2.5/5 Stars • Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 10/10/23 Full Review Jake S This a great movie for fans of westerns. It is historical accurate I'll and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Great to see a Hispanic folk hero brought to life. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/25/23 Full Review j f Great story. Expect Hollywood to remake and ruin this one soon. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/15/23 Full Review Audience Member One of the only movies that truly portrays the Latino struggle in the early west. You will never feel the same about Manifest Destiny... Rated 4.5/5 Stars • Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Audience Member Adapted from the classic book With His Pistol in his Hand, this interesting film relates the life and legendary events that occurred in early 20th century on the Texas border. The film is very well shot, well paced and acted brilliantly by a cast of bigger than life actors characters. I had to read the book and see the film for a study we were supposed to do in class, but I must say , for once it was pretty fun and interesting to compared the two. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

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Cast & Crew

Robert M. Young Director Edward James Olmos Gregorio Cortez James Gammon Sheriff Frank Fly Tom Bower Boone Choate Bruce McGill Reporter Blakely Brion James Captain Rogers

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The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

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Synopsis After Gregorio Cortez (Edward James Olmos), who speaks no English, is falsely accused of stealing a horse by Texas Rangers, a scuffle breaks out in which Gregorio kills a sheriff and his own brother is shot. Now forced to go on the run, Gregorio has to leave his family and set out alone. Meanwhile, a reporter starts to piece together the story and realizes the incident stemmed from a tragic misunderstanding. Eventually, Gregorio is caught and put on trial for murder.

Director: Robert M. Young
Producer: Moctesuma Esparza, Michael Hausman
Production Co: American Playhouse, Filmhaus, Corporation of Public Broadcasting
Rating: PG
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Runtime: 1h 44m