Monte Hellman’s Cockfighter is an intriguing character study of redemption. Warren Oates’s performance is what makes the film such an important watch; filled with empathy and determination, he compels you.

Frank Mansfield (Warren Oates) has a singular obsession. He is a professional cockfighter who breeds, conditions, and fights pedigreed roosters in service to an ancient underground bloodsport. But after shooting his mouth off, he loses his prize cock in a late-night drunken hack immediately before he is poised to win a decisive tournament. As a result, he is determined to take a vow of silence until he can win the Cockfighter of the Year Award. He teams up with former Madison Avenue ad man Omar Baradinsky (Richard B. Shull). They make a partnership for the season, hustling their way through the cockfighting circuit building up to the annual Milledgeville Southern Conference Tournament, where Frank will get his long-awaited second chance at winning the medal.

Warren Oates gives one of his best performances here in Cockfighter, allowing for his physical skills as an actor to do a lot of the expected heavy lifting. He gives a thoughtful portrayal of Frank, a man so filled with returning to where he was, that it becomes an obsession. He conveys so much by doing so little by the time his character becomes mute that it is difficult not to be impressed by the result. For those unfamiliar with Oates as an actor, it is a great introduction that will have you delving deep into his filmography.

For those who do not want to watch animals fighting one another for sport, this is probably one to avoid, but with the way Hellman has his cinematographer, Néstor Almendros, take an almost documentary feel not only to the fights but also the parks in Georgia where cockfighting was still legal at the time makes the film stand out. The film doesn’t necessarily need the fighting scenes to get by, as when we see the crowds watch, cheer, etc, that almost feels sufficient. It’s rightly uncomfortable for audiences, the same as some of these owners.

An example is the very beginning of Cockfighter; we see Oates’ Mansfield, take great pride in his animal, trimming and cleaning it. He doesn’t want to lose his prized animal, but the obsession with winning and being the best is too much for him to turn down. It is not as if he does anything to make his animal win those fights; he just trains the animal. But the glory is his, and he is addicted to it. That is what saves Cockfighter from being unwatchable. In truth, the cockfighting is a mere crux, a backdrop to show this redemptive arch of a lost man who wants to regain the respect he lost.

Is Cockfighter as good as Hellman’s previous films like Two-Lane Blacktop? Not quite, but this is its own beast; it’s a bleak tale. While Frank takes pride in his animals and seems respected by those in the cockfighting circle, he is still an opportunist who is using cruelty to find money and success. It’s an exploitation film with a slight moral compass, which makes it such an interesting reflective piece.

Cockfighter will play its 50th anniversary screening at Fantasia 2024 on July 30th. For information click here.

★★★ 1/2

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