A Major Disappointment

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

RELEASED TO TV IN 1995 and directed by John Kent Harrison, "The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky" chronicles events in the western Montana wilderness in 1919 where a cocky 17 year-old (Jerry O'Connell) in the forest service is guided by a seasoned ranger (Sam Elliott), conflicts with a card shark cook (Ricky Jay) and becomes infatuated by a cute girl (Molly Parker).There are only a few Western Staples, like the scenic landscapes, card games, a saloon fight and saloon girls (prostitutes). Other than that, this is a Wilderness Drama wherein a teen comes of age. It's fairly family friendly and only hints at the worldly temptations youths will eventually face. The beauty of the wilderness is emphasized with the corresponding arduous hiking, camping, forest work, relationships and so forth. It's a likable movie if this appeals to you and realistically low-key. THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour 34 minutes and was shot in British Columbia, Canada. WRITERS: Norman Maclean (book) and Robert Wayne (teleplay). GRADE: B-/C+

This film realistically captures the mood and tempo of the time in the Idaho-Montana forest wilderness. The emphasis on social relationships and hard work in remote settings is amazingly accurate. I was surprised how close the film story-line replicates the true story of my grandfather as Selway NF Ranger from 1927-1942 and that of my father growing up in the Selway forest at that time, including his assignment to run a telegraph line solo on horseback along the Lolo Trail to Missoula, MT. In 1930 my grandfather, also a WWI Army Chaplain, married my parents at Lowell, ID. In 1933 the Selway forest was burned out and my grandfather reassigned to the Forest Supervisor's office in Grangeville, ID. Notes from his diary reflect the scenes of the movie.

Just viewed this movie. Thought it is a great western. It showed me realistic scenes of how the people of the early 1900's of the western section of the U. S. lived. It has a good plot to where it was teaching a young boy who was starting on his the ways of his future will be. It seem that he was learning the ropes of forestry work from the schooling of Bill Bell Ranger in Charged. The Forest crew worked as a team with some problems that seem to be handled. This movie reminded me of the days of when I was a young sailor on my first ship at sea. We were isolated on the water and we worked as a team to keep things going and moral high. The cook in both situations is one of the moral makers. This cook had a thing with cards and keeping the crew happy. In the end, the cook brought the ship in by winning at the poker table and the end of the summer season in the forestry camp end in a happy ending.

A heartwarming coming of age movie. There is no sex, very little violence and no profanity in this heartwarming film about a boy working in the Forestry service in 1919 .Why can't they make more movies like this?