There are two points here I would like to make:(1) Let me say right off that I was quite anxious to find this film, but after reading all the reviews offered here, I don't think I want to. Man, I sure am glad I read the reviews from others first who have seen it before I wasted my money! Maybe it's easy for a reviewer from the United Kingdom or Ireland to accept Rich Hall's obvious disdain for America (as pointed out in these reviews), but being from America, I know I wouldn't be able to stomach it. I think it's laughable for someone from another part of the globe to grouse about what's wrong with America! Methinks you need to be an American to really know that. (2). The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is my favorite Western, but from reading the other reviews here, it appears Mr. Hall despised that classic Western above all. That alone is enough to make me avoid this so-called "documentary" at all costs. I have a feeling I would end up jerking the DVD out of its player, taking it outside and running over it several times with my automobile! Rich Hall and BBC America, there's your "documentary"; and as Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly said, "I can give you a good idea where you can put it!"

Decent enough documentary for the greenhorns and freshcuts of the genre, with a political commentary that might alienate George W. supporters, but the tiny segment on the great maestro Sergio Leone is downright uninformed, moronic, an embarrassment to all involved and makes the entire project a throwaway thing. As if insulting possibly the greatest director of westerns and certainly the most influential since his time in all manner of modern films was not enough, pipsqueak Rich Hall completely ignores the avalanche of terrific spaghetti westerns that followed in A Fistful of Dollars' wake. I'm talking about the works of Corbucci, Sollima, Carnimeo, Castellari and other one hit wonders.

Rich Halls hatred for the United States and the Western movies are clear. His "feeling" of inferiority are quite obvious in this stupid film. The totally unnecessary rant about President George Bush shows his lac of understanding of History be that of the American West or anything regarding history. Buddy Americans are not the problem! It's short sighted people like you who are the problem! The history of man is not 232 years Americans are not the blame for the worlds troubles we haven't been here long enough. Yes I saw your smug ass here in Tombstone outside //The Crystal Palace and I'm sure if those people you talked to knew what you were up to, they would not have been part of this.Yes that's part of your deception i understand.

When Rich Hall overhears a liberal West Coast Mac user slating the film genre of westerns, he decides to teach him a few things. Having corrected some of his misconceptions, Hall dumps him in the middle of nowhere and heads off into the sunset. However for Hall this is only the start of the road trip as he explores and examines the role of the western down the years.Say what you want about BBC4 and how many people watch it (and the tabloids do love to dismiss it as too highbrow and bad value for money) but it does produce a higher quality of programme. On any other channel what you would have from this film would be a clips show of famous western with a tabloid-level celeb pretending to have passion for films he/she has probably not seen for quite some time if at all. However what we have here is something quite similar but yet infinitely better. Written and presented by acerbic comedian Rich Hall, this is a really well informed lecture on the western, why the genre is relevant and what it has meant or done down the years. OK there are plenty of clips but they are certainly never the focus and are never shown as filler.On the contrary, Hall has plenty to say and mostly he does it in a very intelligent and engaging manner. After the first couple of times his stretches to criticise the Bush government and the war on Iraq gets a bit old and distracting but otherwise he is note-perfect. He presents with typical grump but yet it fits the subject really well and he speaks with authority and knowledge that comes over in how he says it and not just what he says. The direction is really good and moves around well in "wild west" locations with rich yellows and blues that match the dried look of Hall and the films.On the surface it is a film for fans of westerns and undoubtedly those who love the genre will love this, but it is interesting, engaging and accessible enough to appeal to a wider audience if they give it a try. A really good film genre lecture and it does deserve to be seen by more people than I'm sure BBC4 will have reached.