Urban Cowboy is a romantic film about the love and hate relationship between a cowboy Bud Davis (John Travolta) and a cowgirl Sissy (Debra Winger), from 1980.
Urban Cowboy starts with Bud moving from Spur Texas, to Houston, Texas. Getting a job at the local oil refinery with his uncle Bob, Bud quickly discovers and becomes a nightly regular at a bar called Gilley’s.
Purchase options for the Urban Cowboy:
- Get the motion picture soundtrack on CD for only $7.49
- Get the motion picture DVD for only $7.99
- Get the motion picture posters
- Get the motion picture soundtrack on MP3 for only $5.99
After meeting Sissy in Gilley’s, the two get married after a brief courtship. Not long after marrying, they find that a mechanical bull has been installed in the bar they frequent. Bud takes to the bull but feels protective and maybe a little threatened by Sissy’s desire to learn to ride it. Forbidding Sissy to ride the mechanical bull, a rift begins to form in their fairly new relationship.
Sissy, being the cowgirl she is, decides to learn how to ride while Bud is working at the refinery. She goes to the bar during the day to learn to ride with the help of an ex-convict Wes Hightower, portrayed by Scott Glenn. All the while, her lessons are kept a secret from Bud, and Wes begins to develop an attraction for Sissy.
After showing off her new found talent for mechanical bull riding one night, Bud tries to show her up and gets hurt in the process thanks to Wes who is operating the bull. This causes an argument between Bud and Sissy ending with Bud slapping Sissy.
The next night Bud finds Sissy with Wes, so he takes to Pam, a cowgirl wannabe, played by Madolyn Smith, and ends up sleeping with her. Eventually Sissy moves in with Wes, and Bud is living with Pam.
After Bud’s uncle dies during a work accident, Sissy makes an attempt to get back with Bud, but Pam makes sure this doesn’t happen. All the while, Bud is training for an upcoming mechanical bull riding contest with a grand prize of $5,000.
The day of the contest, Bud and Wes are among the top 5 finalists, with Bud eventually winning. Wes tells Sissy she is going to Mexico with him, and hits her when she refuses. Pam then urges Bud to reconcile with Sissy, because she believes he won for her.
After finding Sissy, Bud apologizes to her and they get back together. Seeing that Sissy has been beaten by Wes, Bud goes looking for him. Not realizing he had just robbed Gilley’s, Bud punches Wes at the entrance and all the money spills out of his jacket. Wes is held at gunpoint, and Bud and Sissy are back together.
Purchase options for the Urban Cowboy:
- Get the motion picture soundtrack on CD for only $7.49
- Get the motion picture DVD for only $7.99
- Get the motion picture posters
- Get the motion picture soundtrack on MP3 for only $5.99
Urban Cowboy Film Details
Directed by James Bridges Produced by Irving Azoff
Robert EvansWritten by James Bridges
Aaron LathamStarring John Travolta
Debra Winger
Scott Glenn
Barry Corbin
Madolyn Smith
Coynard CoyleDistributed by Paramount Pictures Release date(s) June 6, 1980 Running time 132 min. Country United States Language English
Urban Cowboy Motion Picture Soundtrack
- Hello Texas – Jimmy Buffett
- All Night Long – Joe Walsh
- Times Like These – Dan Fogelberg
- Nine Tonight – Bob Seger/The Silver Bullet Band
- Stand by Me – Mickey Gilley
- Cherokee Fiddle – Johnny Lee
- Could I Have This Dance – Anne Murray
- Lyin’ Eyes – The Eagles
- Lookin’ For Love – Johnny Lee
- Don’t It Make Ya Wanna Dance – Bonnie Raitt
- Devil Went Down to Georgia, The – Charlie Daniels Band
- Here Comes the Hurt Again – Mickey Gilley
- Orange Blossom Special / Hoedown – Gilley’s “Urban Cowboy” Band
- Love the World Away – Kenny Rogers
- Falling in Love For the Night – Charlie Daniels Band
- Darlin’ – Bonnie Raitt
- Look What You’ve Done to Me – Boz Scaggs
- Hearts Against the Wind – Linda Ronstadt/J. D. Souther
Purchase options for the Urban Cowboy:
- Get the motion picture soundtrack on CD for only $7.49
- Get the motion picture DVD for only $7.99
- Get the motion picture posters
- Get the motion picture soundtrack on MP3 for only $5.99
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Just wondering… but have you watched this movie? It looks kind of interesting – I kind of love John Travolta. Well… more like, I’ve never seen a movie of him I didn’t like.
Of course I’ve watched it! It’s one of my all time favorites.
LOVE this movie!! Could be that I’m partial to the town that it was filmed in…seeing that I live there on the weekends…LOL…
I own two copies of it just in cast the original gets messed up!
Ha, that’s thinking ahead!
My favorite movie of ALL time! Much more personal and emotional than the outline above. Great characters and relationships, with a very cool environment. As usual for Travolta, lots of great dancing too. Winger is cute and sexy as the white trash cowgirl, adorable despite too much smoking and drinking. Love seeing all the original Gilley’s scenes showing pieces of memorabilia from our collection at GilleysMuseum.com and of course an incredible mix of country music from Mickey Gilley, Charlie Daniels, and more.