Sam Elliott And Tom Selleck Crossed Paths In This Forgotten Western That Deserves Another Look

Throughout Hollywood history, we've missed out on some collaborations that, had they come to pass, would have been nothing short of historic. Take John Wayne and Clint Eastwood's feud, for example, which ensured these two titans of the Western genre never actually united on-screen. In fact, many great actors have outright refused to work with each other. Thankfully, in the case of Sam Elliott and Tom Selleck, we were all treated to a team-up that, considering both actors' archetypal mustachioed machismo, just made a whole lot of sense. Unfortunately, nobody actually seems to remember it.

Though he's best known for his role as Thomas Magnum in "Magnum, P.I." (or, for kids of the 1990s, as Richard on "Friends"), Selleck did make several Westerns in his time. "Quigley Down Under" was the '90s Western that arguably proved Selleck should have been a major movie star. Then, there was the 1979 TV Western "Concrete Cowboys," which saw him star opposite Jerry Reed in a pilot that was eventually taken to series without the "Magnum, P.I." star on board.

That same year, Selleck appeared opposite Elliott in the Western miniseries "The Sacketts." It aired on NBC and saw the two actors star alongside Jeff Osterhage. A year later, Selleck took on the role that made him a household name, debuting as Thomas Magnum in December 1980. But it seems he had such a good time with his castmates on "The Sacketts" that he couldn't resist the opportunity to reunite for 1982's "The Shadow Riders," which ultimately remains just as overlooked as the group's 1979 NBC miniseries.

"The Sacketts" was based on Louis L'Amour's novels "The Daybreakers" and "Sackett." It saw Tom Selleck, Sam Elliott, and Jeff Osterhage play the titular brothers, who head west from Tennessee following a tragedy. The trio then reunited for "The Shadow Riders," an adaptation of L'Amour's book of the same name.

This CBS made-for-TV movie isn't exactly one of the greatest Westerns of all time, but it's not without its charms. This time, Osterhage takes a back seat to Elliott and Selleck, with the former playing Confederate soldier Dal Traven, who's saved from being executed at the last second by his brother Mac (Selleck). With Mac being a Union officer, it seems like there should be a major rift between him and Dal, but the pair quickly reconcile after the rest of their family is taken captive along with Dal's girlfriend, Kate (Katharine Ross). Upon learning that their relatives are being held by Geoffrey Lewis' Comanchero Leader Major Cooper Ashbury, the brothers set out on a rescue mission alongside their uncle "Black Jack" Tavern (Ben Johnson).

As Jesse Traven, Dal and Mac's kidnapped brother, Osterhage is given less to do in "The Shadow Riders" than he was in "The Sacketts." But that just means we get to see more of Selleck and Elliott, who have a real camaraderie, even if the movie surrounding them is sort of silly. For one thing, Mac rescues his brother from a hanging simply by rocking up on his horse and aiming his pistol at a crowd of fully-armed Yanks (who inexplicably oblige when he orders them to lay down their arms). Something about Elliot's smirk in this scene suggests he's well aware of what kind of movie he's in. 

"The Shadow Riders" was directed by Andrew McLaglen, a journeyman who broke through when he directed John Wayne in the 1963 Western comedy "McLintock!" This was the first of many collaborations between the Duke and McLaglen, who flitted between features and made-for-TV movies throughout the remainder of his career, becoming particularly adept at helming Westerns along the way. "The Shadow Riders" came after the director's career had been reinvigorated following 1978's "The Wild Geese," but it didn't exactly keep the momentum going.

In the movie, the brothers' quest for justice is scored by some incongruously jaunty country and western numbers, which robs the movie of any real seriousness. The main draw, then, is definitely Sam Elliott and Tom Selleck's chemistry. Yet, even with that working in its favor, McLaglen's 1982 TV movie came and went without much fanfare. 

That was understandable, seeing as it was a fairly run-of-the-mill oater that didn't exactly do much to evolve the genre. That said, Letterboxd users largely seem to have enjoyed it, noting how it was better than a lot of the Westerns to come out of the '80s. Sure, that isn't saying much, but there are plenty of forgotten '80s Westerns that still hold up today, and "The Shadow Riders" is arguably one if only for featuring early-career Selleck and Elliott. Still, Selleck must have felt at least a little bad about missing out on the Indiana Jones franchise the year prior.

If you're intrigued by this meeting of majestic facial manes, know that "The Shadow Riders" is available to stream for free on Tubi.