An excellent realistic western set in 1882. The story really begins with the introduction of a natural event, a serious rainstorm, and how it changed people’s lives. The rain continued to move and guide the movie with each successive rainstorm.
Boss Spearman is the character that moves the story, played by Robert Duval, the ultimate in a real-life western man. Charley Waite, played by Kevin Costner who also directed this western, is a glimpse into the past. He looks and gives you the feeling of the cowboy he portrays. The only woman with any extended dialogue is the female character of Sue Barlow, played by Annette Benning. She does a great job looking and portraying a woman of the time.
There are two villains. One is the controller and one is the hired gun-hand. The big rancher is Denton Baxter, played by the British actor Michael Gambon. He is the controller. The hired gun-hand is Butler, played by Kim Coates. Both characters show the audience how it was when the power of one man is out of check.
The story is about “freegrazers”, those western cattlemen that did not own an individual ranch but had cattle that they kept moving. After the cattle eat the grass down in a particular place they move on to a new spot. In this instance, the rain stopped them and the real conflict began. The town, Harmonville, is where the movie turns on the idea that all parties handle circumstances in the moment.
Gunfights were not a common happening in real time but when they did happen they were dramatic and final. The conflict builds during the movie. The rain continues giving the image of things out of control. It seemed to me that the problems and actions taken were all within the scope of the story and time. The shoot-out begins late in the movie and then moves fast. The personal relationships turn and twist but continue in a reasonable manner to a positive conclusion.
The scenery was vast and involving. Running horses and grazing cattle continues to draw you into the western theme of the movie. The music is commanding and plays into the western image of the time. The sounds got me pumped up and continued to keep me up.
I put this movie in my list of Favorite Western movies. (See my list here.) In fact this one is in my top ten.
