A Book of Photographs from Lonesome Dove

Hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the mini-series "Lonesome Dove" debuted on television. I remember sitting transfixed with my entire family before the TV screen for each night's new episode. I felt then, and still feel, that it was, if not the best western ever filmed, somewhere near the top. And what I loved so much about it, besides the authenticity of the costumes and sets, was that it stuck so closely to the novel, which I had read three years earlier. My admiration for that book was so great, I had stood in line for over an hour to have my copy signed when Larry McMurtry paid a visit to my hometown. In commemoration of this anniversary, Bill Wittliff, who wrote the "Lonesome Dove" screenplay, has collected 112 sepia-toned photographs that he took during the filming of the mini-series. The opening photographs in the book are of Robert Duval standing on his mark, with camera equipment and reflectors poised, doing a costume check, except that Duval is already in character, his posture so clearly that of Gus McCrae. The next photo is of Tommy Lee Jones, likewise his costume check, and he, too, has already become the intense Woodrow Call. "These are not just pictures from `Lonesome Dove,'" Harrigan writes in his Introduction, "they are documentary images of something that seems to have really happened." The passing of the mythical West perhaps, or a photographic journey through a hot and dusty bit of Texas History. The book is well-made with high-quality glossy paper and an excellent binding. Several of the panoramic shots inside span across two pages, with some looking almost like Charles Russell paintings: a stolen horse stampede, cowboys riding herd, Indians on the prod. Others go beyond sheer moviemaking magic, like the ones with the great black thunderstorm roiling in the background. "A Book of Photographs from Lonesome Dove" is not a book of movie stills or publicity shots. It isn't advertising for the novel or for the mini-series. Instead it is Wittliff's remarkable private photographic record showcasing the characters and the story, and if the faces weren't so familiar, the scenes would seem almost to have been pulled out of some photo history of a 19th-century cattle drive.

I bought this book to give as a gift to someone who I know would get so much out of it. When she opened the book I had to take a peek and couldn't stop. It brings the whole story back to you and brings a tear or two, as well. It is indeed a beautiful book. Well worth a place on the coffee table. The scale of the photographs and the well chosen sepia color makes this book a gallery in your hands.

Larry McMurtry was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1986 for his outstanding novel, Lonesome Dove. Subsequently, the four-part miniseries, Lonesome Dove, won six Emmy Awards; Lonesome Dove remains popular on DVD, and is rated as one of the finest westerns ever produced. The subject of this review, A Book of Photographs from Lonesome Dove, is a remarkable photo collection that will undoubtedly also win more awards for Lonesome Dove. The photographer and compiler, Bill Wittliff, was not the official set photographer for Lonesome Dove, but as the scriptwriter for the miniseries and a co-producer, he had unique and unlimited access to making of Lonesome Dove. His personal photography is simply outstanding. Many photos span two adjacent pages, while others are smaller inserts. The book itself measures roughly 12 x 12 inches, and is quite suitable for display. The photographs have a slightly brownish yellow tint which gives them a historical authenticity. In studying these beautiful pictures, I was convinced that I was indeed looking at actual photos from that period when the wild west was coming to an end. I had a sense of nostalgia not just due to the end-of-the-west theme, but because I was remembering once again just how remarkable was the experience of my first viewing of Lonesome Dove. In these photos Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Danny Glover, Robert Ulrich, Tim Scott, and Rick Schroder are not merely actors. They are the actual characters of that grand story Lonesome Dove; they are indeed the spirit of the west. There is relatively little text in this large book. There is a short forward written by Larry McMurtry and a longer introduction by Stephen Harrigan. Bill Wittliff authored some concluding observations regarding the making of the film. There is also a listing of the cast and the crew. The photographs have titles, but no explanatory text. None is needed, and would have been redundant. The photographs speak clearly for themselves.

For those of you who loved the book and the mini-series, this book of photographs ties it all together. This is not a book of movie stills or photos of a movie shoot. These photographs have captured the essence of the time and place that was Lonesome Dove, Texas, in 1876. Each photograph is a work of art. A picture is worth a thousand words. BUY THIS BOOK!

This book is a masterpiece of photos for anyone who is a Lonesome Dove fan. The beauty of the photos and my personal love of the old west brought tears to my eyes. I am buying several more for LD fans in my family as it is a treasure to own!