The Culpepper Cattle Company

Review by Warren Culpepper

The Culpepper Cattle Company, a 1972 movie, was rated by western writer, Robert O. Burgess, as one of the top 5 western movies of all time.

The movie revolves around a young teenager's experiences on a cattle drive from Texas to Kansas, led by Frank Culpepper. I enjoyed watching Frank and wondering how he might be similar to my own ancestors. It's also interesting to note that there was a real Texas Culpepper cowboy, Francis Daniel Culpepper.

No Roy Rogers "singing cowboy" who always beat the bad guys, Frank is simultaneously a heroic, but dark character, in one of the first of the modern-day genre of more realistic westerns. The Cattle Company will challenge you with a thought-provoking contrast between impoverished extremes of aggression and pacifism.

Summary of movie from E-Line: When an idealistic boy talks his way into becoming a cook's helper on a rugged cattle drive, he finds "cowboyin'" rapidly losing its appeal.

Notable lines from the movie:
    Young cowboy..."That sure is a pretty horse, mister."
        Old cowboy..."I guess."
    Young cowboy..."What's his name?"
        Old cowboy..."You don't give a name to something
                                 you might have to eat."

Where to Purchase a Video

The Culpepper Cattle Company is available on video from Movies Unlimited  for $19.95 plus shipping/handling. Toll free call 1-800-4-MOVIES.

The Culpepper Cattle Company (1972). A 16-year-old signs on as assistant in a cross-country cattle drive and must grow up in a hurry in this off beat "coming of age" story with a Western motif. Gary Grimes, Bo Hopkins, Luke Askew star. 92 min. Item 04-3143 $19.95

Source: Chip Culpepper

Availability on Cable and Satellite TV

In the past, The Culpepper Cattle Company has appeared from time to time on cable and satellite on the Fox Movie Channel (FXM).

Culpepper Cattle Company: A Texas Grill

There is an upscale steakhouse named the Culpepper Cattle Company in the Dallas suburb of Rockwall, Texas. It was founded ten years after the movie was made.