"David Miller's one great film, and The Great Kirk's favorite picture as well as one of his three best performances (the others being Ace in the Hole and Champion). Based on Ed Abbey's novel (Brave Cowboy), Lonely Are the Brave is a tender, bittersweet paean to the literal decline of the West, with Kirk cutting range wire to get to his best buddy and his buddy's girl who's the only one he ever loved, but he loves his buddy, too, so things are complicated, despite his efforts to keep life simple. It's a sentimental story, exquisitely told. Walter Matthau at his best, as is Kirk's horse, Whiskey. The horse could have won an Academy Award." --Barry Gifford