I was inspired recnetly to revisit Sam Peckinpah’s “The Ballad of Cable Hogue” as it stands as an anomaly within his body of work. It’s the most un-Peckinpah of the Peckinpah movies. Known for his violent, nihilistic portrayals of the Old West, here he trades blood soaked action for a bittersweet, character driven meditation on change, resilience, and obsolescence. Yet, beneath its gentle humor lies a profound commentary on the death of the Old West, American Dream, and Peckinpah himself. 1/8