Double-crossed and left without water in the desert, Cable Hogue is saved when he finds a spring. It is in just the right spot for a much needed rest stop on the local stagecoach line, and Hogue uses this to his advantage. He builds a house and makes money off the stagecoach passengers. Hildy, a prostitute from the nearest town, moves in with him. Hogue has everything going his way until the advent of the automobile ends the era of the stagecoach.
Left for dead in the desert by his thieving companions, Cable Hogue miraculously discovers a hidden water spring. He stakes his claim and establishes a successful watering hole, becoming a prosperous businessman. His newfound success is complicated by his past, his complex relationships with a saloon singer and a divine messenger, and the rapidly changing American West.
The Ballad of Cable Hogue was met with generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its unique blend of humor and melancholy, its revisionist take on the Western genre, and the performances of its cast, particularly Jason Robards. While not a major box office success, it has since been recognized as a significant and poignant work in Peckinpah's filmography.
Google audience: Audiences generally appreciate the film's unconventional storytelling and its blend of wit and pathos. Many find Cable Hogue to be a compelling and sympathetic protagonist, and enjoy the film's nostalgic yet critical look at the Western mythos.
The film was shot entirely on location in the desert near TorC, New Mexico, and the landscape itself plays a significant role in the narrative.
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