Starring the Duke himself, The Cowboys is a 1972 Western directed by Mark Rydell. Abandoned by his ranch hands due to the gold rush, Wil Anderson (John Wayne) must replace his workers for the imminent cattle drive. While visiting the town of Bozeman, Montana (hey!), it is suggested that Anderson use schoolboys to complete his task; he puts the young men to the test, discovering this idea may not be as ludicrous as it seemed.

The Duke stated, in reference to his participation in the film, “[It was] the greatest experience of my life.”