The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky (1995)

★ 5.8 1h 32m IMDb
Drama Western

A young ranger in the Montana wilderness discovers the great forces of nature while learning the importance of honor, trust and integrity. Legendary veteran ranger Bill Bell educates the young man and guides him toward manhood. The year is 1919-a time when being a ranger meant more than operating expensive equipment. Forest fires were fought with guts and courage, not chemicals and airplanes. Bill Bell was the toughest ranger in an elite crew of very rugged men. A figure of heroic proportions, he was generally feared and respected by all. It was even rumored that he had at one time killed a sheep farmer, which only fueled his already enormous reputation. The young ranger does everything to remain in the good graces of Bill Bell, the senior ranger he idolizes. Their tentative rapport grows into a friendship through a hilarious and heroic rite of passage in which the younger ranger meets the test-and the woman of his dreams.

The Ranger, the Cook and a Hole in the Sky

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Cast

Sam Elliott
Sam Elliott as Bill Bell Age 81 · Sacramento, California, USA Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. His rangy physique, thick horseshoe mustache, and deep, resonant voice (with a Western twang/drawl) match the iconic image of a cowboy o...
Jerry O'Connell
Jerry O'Connell as Mac Age 52 · New York City, New York, USA Jerry O'Connell (born February 17, 1974) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Quinn Mallory in the television series Sliders, Andrew Clements in My Secret Identity, Vern Tessio in the fi...
Ricky Jay
Ricky Jay as Hawkes Died 2018 · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA Ricky Jay (born Richard Jay Potash) was an actor, magician, cardsharp, and film consultant. Ricky's love and deep study of card tricks and deception gained him worldwide fame and respect, and he was o...
Molly Parker
Molly Parker as Sue Age 53 · Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada Molly Parker (born June 30, 1972) is a Canadian actress. She garnered critical attention for her portrayal of a necrophiliac medical student in the controversial drama Kissed (1996). She subsequently...
Don S. Davis
Don S. Davis as Mr. Smith Died 2008 · Aurora, Missouri, USA Don S. Davis (August 4, 1942, in Aurora, Missouri; † June 29, 2008, in Gibsons, Canada) was an American actor, artist, and former military officer. He began his career as a theater professor before tr...
Robert Wisden
Robert Wisden as Canada Age 67 · Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Robert Charles Wisden (born in Brighton, England) is a British actor who has acted in over a hundred television shows. In 2000 he won a Gemini Award for Best Pe...
Director John Kent Harrison
Cast Sam Elliott, Jerry O'Connell, Ricky Jay, Molly Parker, Don S. Davis, Robert Wisden, Michael Tayles, Tom Butler, Jay Brazeau, Callum Keith Rennie

Audience Reviews

Wuchak 6/10 Apr 09, 2018
A young man’s experiences in the forest service in Montana in 1919

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 temptation 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+

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