John Travolta is likely one of the pre-eminent craftsmen of the flop, amassing an unimaginable seven motion pictures with 0% Rotten Tomatoes scores in his profession. How does he do it? Solely the grasp is aware of for positive, however it absolutely has one thing to do with regularly going full tilt on patently shaky and misguided premises, such because the time he made a sci-fi field workplace flop primarily based on a e-book by the Scientology founder that haunted its author for years. Then there was 1996’s “Michael,” which noticed Travolta play a literal angel in a film whose tagline was “He is an angel, not a saint…” It is simply wonderful stuff.
However what followers of Travolta’s many duds might not notice is that the person additionally showcased an actual expertise for making the sorts of flicks that ought to have been full flops however which in some way managed to etch out a major place in mass tradition. Take the 1980 romantic Western “City Cowboy,” for instance, which is mainly the precise level at which nation turned pop.
Directed by James Bridges, the movie is loosely primarily based on a 1978 Esquire article titled “The Ballad of the City Cowboy: America’s Seek for ‘True Grit’,” which chronicled a real-life love affair that flourished in a legendary Texas bar. The film model stars Travolta and Debra Winger because the fictionalized model of the couple, who ultimately get married solely to interrupt up earlier than a dramatic mechanical bull-riding competitors ties issues up in a neat little bow. Intrigued? Learn on for all the small print on this gem of a Travolta film, which was surprisingly influential in its time however which has been largely forgotten at this time. As such, now’s the time to stream the film on Paramount+, the place it is obtainable at no further price for subscribers.
City Cowboy stars John Travolta and Debra Winger as Texas lovebirds
“City Cowboy” is definitely one in every of John Travolta’s higher movies. He performs Buford “Bud” Davis, an oil employee who strikes to Pasadena, Texas, to work on an oil refinery. The bold teen is about on saving sufficient cash to purchase land close to his hometown, however does not let his dedication to frugality cease him from having fun with the native nightlife, the top of which is native honkey tonk Gilley’s — a real-life bar that is still legendary to this present day, partly because of “City Cowboy,” which introduced the beloved native into the mainstream.
It is at this well-liked bar that Bud meets and falls in love with cowgirl Sissy (Debra Winger). This being 1980, Sissy’s quirkiness is exemplified by her perception that — get this — the sexes are equal, a view that the extra conventional Bud merely cannot abide. Regardless of this obvious deal-breaker, the couple ultimately marries, however the mismatch of perspective results in hassle, and by hassle, I imply Bud is a downright misogynist who ultimately hits his spouse. Not precisely the charming union you would possibly anticipate from a romantic film about lovebirds who meet at a vibrant honkey tonk, however there you go.
Sadly, Bud and Sissy’s troubles are exacerbated by Bud’s jealousy over rival suitor Wes (Scott Glenn). The pair ultimately cut up, however Bud turns into decided to win Sissy again. How? By heading all the way down to Gilley’s and profitable a mechanical bull-riding competitors, in fact. Sound kind of insane? Effectively, it’s, however solely in a captivating ’80s kind of method (minus the entire home violence factor). It additionally has a sure authenticity to it, and Travolta and Winger’s chemistry is simple. However the lasting legacy of City Cowboy is that it kicked off a pop nation pattern that persists to this present day.
City Cowboy is likely to be principally forgotten, however its impression stays
“City Cowboy” is not remembered as one in every of the perfect 80s romantic comedies, however it was well-received on the time, and nonetheless has its followers at this time, as evidenced however its Letterboxd web page. What’s extra, it was surprisingly influential when it comes to its cultural impression. For one factor, that bull Travolta rides? It is the very first mechanical bull ever made. Created by the real-life Gilly’s proprietor, Sherwood Cryer, the bull was put in in his membership and had turn into a success with locals earlier than being featured all through “City Cowboy.” After Travolta, Debra Winger, and Scott Glenn all examined their using expertise, the bull gained rather more recognition as a kind of cultural artifact of the late-Twentieth Century that maintains a major presence to this present day. If you happen to noticed Netflix’s rom-com “The Fallacious Paris” in 2025, for instance, you’ll be able to not less than partly thank/blame Travolta and his cowboy film for the scene wherein the women trip a mechanical bull to win the center of Pierson Fodé’s Trey McAllen.
“City Cowboy” was additionally credited with bringing nation and western music to the mainstream within the Eighties. In reality, as Rolling Stone put it throughout a fortieth anniversary retrospective, the movie’s “Wranglers, cowboy boots, and leather-based equipment of City Cowboy offered an genuine and all-American different” to the widespread disco tradition of the time. As such, “City Cowboy” is likely one of the chief architects of the type of pop-country tradition that also pervades the zeitgeist to this present day, so you may as well thank/blame Travolta for Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll desecrating John Denver’s “Take Me Residence, Nation Roads.” Nonetheless, “City Cowboy” does have a strong 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it an odd entry within the already surreal world of forgotten Travolta initiatives.
John Travolta is likely one of the pre-eminent craftsmen of the flop, amassing an unimaginable seven motion pictures with 0% Rotten Tomatoes scores in his profession. How does he do it? Solely the grasp is aware of for positive, however it absolutely has one thing to do with regularly going full tilt on patently shaky and misguided premises, such because the time he made a sci-fi field workplace flop primarily based on a e-book by the Scientology founder that haunted its author for years. Then there was 1996’s “Michael,” which noticed Travolta play a literal angel in a film whose tagline was “He is an angel, not a saint…” It is simply wonderful stuff.
However what followers of Travolta’s many duds might not notice is that the person additionally showcased an actual expertise for making the sorts of flicks that ought to have been full flops however which in some way managed to etch out a major place in mass tradition. Take the 1980 romantic Western “City Cowboy,” for instance, which is mainly the precise level at which nation turned pop.
Directed by James Bridges, the movie is loosely primarily based on a 1978 Esquire article titled “The Ballad of the City Cowboy: America’s Seek for ‘True Grit’,” which chronicled a real-life love affair that flourished in a legendary Texas bar. The film model stars Travolta and Debra Winger because the fictionalized model of the couple, who ultimately get married solely to interrupt up earlier than a dramatic mechanical bull-riding competitors ties issues up in a neat little bow. Intrigued? Learn on for all the small print on this gem of a Travolta film, which was surprisingly influential in its time however which has been largely forgotten at this time. As such, now’s the time to stream the film on Paramount+, the place it is obtainable at no further price for subscribers.
City Cowboy stars John Travolta and Debra Winger as Texas lovebirds
“City Cowboy” is definitely one in every of John Travolta’s higher movies. He performs Buford “Bud” Davis, an oil employee who strikes to Pasadena, Texas, to work on an oil refinery. The bold teen is about on saving sufficient cash to purchase land close to his hometown, however does not let his dedication to frugality cease him from having fun with the native nightlife, the top of which is native honkey tonk Gilley’s — a real-life bar that is still legendary to this present day, partly because of “City Cowboy,” which introduced the beloved native into the mainstream.
It is at this well-liked bar that Bud meets and falls in love with cowgirl Sissy (Debra Winger). This being 1980, Sissy’s quirkiness is exemplified by her perception that — get this — the sexes are equal, a view that the extra conventional Bud merely cannot abide. Regardless of this obvious deal-breaker, the couple ultimately marries, however the mismatch of perspective results in hassle, and by hassle, I imply Bud is a downright misogynist who ultimately hits his spouse. Not precisely the charming union you would possibly anticipate from a romantic film about lovebirds who meet at a vibrant honkey tonk, however there you go.
Sadly, Bud and Sissy’s troubles are exacerbated by Bud’s jealousy over rival suitor Wes (Scott Glenn). The pair ultimately cut up, however Bud turns into decided to win Sissy again. How? By heading all the way down to Gilley’s and profitable a mechanical bull-riding competitors, in fact. Sound kind of insane? Effectively, it’s, however solely in a captivating ’80s kind of method (minus the entire home violence factor). It additionally has a sure authenticity to it, and Travolta and Winger’s chemistry is simple. However the lasting legacy of City Cowboy is that it kicked off a pop nation pattern that persists to this present day.
City Cowboy is likely to be principally forgotten, however its impression stays
“City Cowboy” is not remembered as one in every of the perfect 80s romantic comedies, however it was well-received on the time, and nonetheless has its followers at this time, as evidenced however its Letterboxd web page. What’s extra, it was surprisingly influential when it comes to its cultural impression. For one factor, that bull Travolta rides? It is the very first mechanical bull ever made. Created by the real-life Gilly’s proprietor, Sherwood Cryer, the bull was put in in his membership and had turn into a success with locals earlier than being featured all through “City Cowboy.” After Travolta, Debra Winger, and Scott Glenn all examined their using expertise, the bull gained rather more recognition as a kind of cultural artifact of the late-Twentieth Century that maintains a major presence to this present day. If you happen to noticed Netflix’s rom-com “The Fallacious Paris” in 2025, for instance, you’ll be able to not less than partly thank/blame Travolta and his cowboy film for the scene wherein the women trip a mechanical bull to win the center of Pierson Fodé’s Trey McAllen.
“City Cowboy” was additionally credited with bringing nation and western music to the mainstream within the Eighties. In reality, as Rolling Stone put it throughout a fortieth anniversary retrospective, the movie’s “Wranglers, cowboy boots, and leather-based equipment of City Cowboy offered an genuine and all-American different” to the widespread disco tradition of the time. As such, “City Cowboy” is likely one of the chief architects of the type of pop-country tradition that also pervades the zeitgeist to this present day, so you may as well thank/blame Travolta for Machine Gun Kelly and Jelly Roll desecrating John Denver’s “Take Me Residence, Nation Roads.” Nonetheless, “City Cowboy” does have a strong 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it an odd entry within the already surreal world of forgotten Travolta initiatives.
