Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Goin' South 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 27, 2024

1978’s “Goin’ South” represents the last gasp of the 1970s for Jack Nicholson. It was a decade that solidified his reputation as a quality actor and electrifying screen presence, building a resume with achievements such as “The Last Detail,” “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” and “Chinatown.” Nicholson was riding high, using his industry reputation to mount another directorial offering, following up his time on 1971’s “Drive, He Said.” “Goin’ South” returns Nicholson to the realm of western entertainment, recently participating in a genre outing in 1976’s “The Missouri Breaks.” He takes control of the endeavor, working with four screenwriters (including Charles Shyer, who contributed to “Smokey and the Bandit” and would go on to make audience-pleasers with his then-wife, Nancy Meyers) to explore some relationship messiness in the Old West. The feature is often indescribable, supplying such a slack screen energy, it also seems like Nicholson just filmed rehearsals and moved on. Elements of story do occasionally surface, and the cast is strong, with everyone seemingly on their own to generate a little chaos for Nicholson. It’s a playtime movie for the professionals, but only offers limited satisfaction for viewers, tasked with making sense of the writing’s many moods and short attention span.

Henry (Jack Nicholson) is on the run. An outlaw who delights in evading capture, Henry is finally nabbed by Texas law enforcement officials, who eagerly arrange a hanging for the criminal, who’s not ready to meet his maker. Breaking up the event is Julia (Mary Steenburgen), a single woman who agrees to take possession of the ruffian by marrying him, with the pair returning to her remote home, leaving Henry hopeful to experience the joys of marital life. Instead, he’s handed a pickax and led into an old gold mine, learning that Julia only needs help finding a fortune in the labyrinth before railroad baron Polty (Gerald H. Reynolds) takes possession of her land. Henry reluctantly goes along with the plan, also hoping to charm Julia, learning more about her quirks and virginity, trying to inch into a sexual relationship. However, this isolation is soon challenged by outside forces, with Henry’s old gang returning to view, curious about what’s going on at Julia’s place. And there’s Deputy Towfield (Christopher Lloyd), who’s madly in love with Julia, growing angry that another man has arrived to win her heart.

Crusty characters, everywhere. That’s the general idea of “Goin’ South,” with Henry a man of filth and mischief, making his way around the U.S. and Mexico with whomever will have him. He’s fallen into trouble at the beginning of the tale, facing a hangman’s noose for all the problems he’s caused. Lawmen, such as Towfield (joined by his Mexican partner, played by John Belushi), are relishing the chance to eliminate a scoundrel. Henry’s gang (which includes Danny DeVito, Veronica Cartwright, and Jeff Morris) isn’t exactly sad to see him go either, putting the dead man walking in a difficult position. There’s dark humor in “Goin’ South” that keeps introductory scenes interesting, with Nicholson generating an itchy sense of character interaction and mild comedic chaos, with this blur of activity eventually pairing the outlaw with Julia, who doesn’t need a husband, just a man for hard labor.

“Goin’ South” spends most of its run time examining the interplay between Julia and Henry. It’s not a romantic pairing, but the screenplay tends to push the coupling as something warm, even when the husband resorts to an implied sexual assault to get what he needs from his wife. These aren’t tender people, and “Goin’ South” is much more involving when it deals with the couple as business partners, working their way deeper into the mine on the search for gold. Such a quest allows the feature to develop a story with dramatic goals and complications, but Nicholson isn’t committed to completeness. He goes rough around the edges with the material, resulting in aimless sequences that merely allow the actors to play. There’s mild amusement in such shenanigans, but it definitely disrupts whatever narrative flow Nicholson manages to establish.

Goin' South 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray

"Goin' South" comes to UHD courtesy of Cinematographe, with the release sourced from a "brand new 4K restoration of its original camera negative." The 1978 feature looks alive here, with a rich sense of color. Blue skies and greenery are striking, inspiring appreciation for the remote locations. Costuming is also alert, exploring period hues on dresses, while deeper grays and leathery browns are secure. Skin tones are natural. While working with softer cinematography, detail remains intact, displaying rough skin particulars on the western scoundrels and their levels of griminess. Clothing choices are fibrous. Exteriors are dimensional, following the characters into the open world at times. Household and saloon interiors remain textured. Highlights are tasteful and blacks are deep, preserving interactions in small spaces without much in the way of light. Grain is nicely resolved, remaining film-like throughout the viewing experience. Source is in good condition, with either some mild damage at the 42:00 mark, or a brief cinematographic hiccup.

Goin' South 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix handles dialogue well, with clear performances from the cast. Argumentative encounters stay balanced, without slipping into distortion. Scoring supports with crispness, providing sharp instrumentation and dramatic support. Sound effects are basic but appreciable.

Goin' South 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (40 pages) offers essays by Chris Shields and Marc Eliot, and art by Adam Maida.

• Commentary features film critic Simon Abrams.

• "Jack of Three Trades" (23:11, HD) is video essay by Daniel Kremer, but opens as an interview with filmmaker Henry Jaglom, who appeared as an actor in Jack Nicholson's previous directorial outing, 1971's "Drive, He Said," and co-starred with his friend in 1968's "Psych-Out." Jaglom details his time with Nicholson as they made their way through the industry, watching his pal explode in popularity after the release of 1969's "Easy Rider," giving him a chance to develop himself as a moviemaker. The failure of "Drive, He Said" throttled Nicholson's helming career, but he returned to the job in 1978's "Goin' South," which Jaglom confuses with 1976's "The Missouri Breaks." The interviewee is eventually abandoned as Kremer tracks the ways of 1970s cinema and Nicholson's career ascendance in the 1980s, landing a final shot behind the camera with 1990's "The Two Jakes." One last memory from Jaglom and his time on 1971's "The Last Movie" appears after the end credits.

• "Nestor Almendros: A Man with a Camera" (17:14, HD) is a video essay by Samm Deighan.

• A Trailer has not been included on this release.

Goin' South 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Goin' South" comes alive intermittently, often while enjoying the conventions of western moviemaking, including gunfights and brief stunt work. It's fun to see Steenburgen in her acting debut as well, with her unpolished state working for the picture, creating some inviting chemistry with Nicholson, who turns feral for the most part, also dealing with a nasal issue that comes and goes during the feature (perhaps a character choice?). "Goin' South" is unruly and easily sidetracked, but it's boosted by the cast and their buffet of choices, often doing whatever they can to bring color to the endeavor. One certainly misses the power of storytelling here, finding Nicholson more of a tease when it comes to structure and momentum. But he certainly seems to love the genre.