All the Pretty Horses a Bill Clinton Favorite

The film, which is based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy, was directed by Billy Bob Thornton and stars Matt Damon, Henry Thomas, and Penelope Cruz. According to Thornton, Damon, and studio executive Harvey Weinstein, there were no internal or external arguments regarding the length of the film, content, or casting and at no point did Weinstein threaten to remove Billy Bob from the film. In response to suggestions that the filming was marked by such controversy, Weinstein replied, "That is utter nonsense, the move that opens on Christmas day is the movie we all wanted, right from the beginning."

Thornton added similar comments. "If only 15 people went to see it and loved it, then I'd have done my job, made the perfect movie for 15 people." For his part, Damon was relatively quiet, but added "I don't think I've ever been this good on screen. But all that's entirely because of Billy Bob. If I could make every movie for Billy Bob, I'd die a happy man."

The film, which originally encompassed 4 hours of screen time, is already reported to accurately reflect McCarthy's novel, which has a great following among a loyal group of educated readers. Those who do not have such a literary bent will still find something of interest in the film, whether it be Damon's charm, Thornton's excellent directing, or the breathtaking beauty of Penelope Cruz (Alejandra), who has been dubbed the "Spanish Enchantress" outside of her native Spain.

The film has created such a buzz that President Clinton himself called the studio for an advance screening, despite the fact that he knows Weinstein personally.