This is a movie based on the novel by Robert P. Parker. The setting is the town of Appaloosa in the New Mexico Territory in 1882. The first scene is of a City Marshall Jack Bell being shot off his hose while he is performing his duty of arresting two murders that are ranch hands of Randall Bragg, played by Jeremy Irons. Bragg also kills his two deputies in the same two minutes.
As the movie starts out I was surprised that it settled down to a reasonable tone with only a little more violence. Virgil Cole, played by Ed Harris, and his twelve year long partner Everett Hitch, played by Viggo Mortensen, shows up in Appaloosa to help the town fathers settle the town and arrest the killer of the previous marshal. The term of the contract is that Virgil Cole is the law and his rules are the laws of the town. The town fathers accept his terms with reservations but accept.
With a lot of the heavy stuff out of the way, into town waltzes Allison French, played by Rene’e Zellweger, she is on her last penny and looking for the top dog. She recognizes in short order that it is Virgil Cole. This story now rotates into a love story between Virgil and Alli. Virgil like many gunfighters turned lawmen there is only a thin string that holds him in check and Alli is trying to get that control.
Bragg is kidnapped from his ranch and he is judged guilty and sentenced to hang. From this point on the story has many twists and turns. Bragg is set free, Alli is found wanting by Virgil, a long time competitor is involved in a shoot out, and Virgil has to resolve his feeling for Alli. A lot of things happen and finally Bragg is acquitted of his murder and pardoned by President Arthur. He returns to Appaloosa and he basically flaunts his freedom in the face of Virgil and Hitch. He tries to buddy them up and fails but the story continues to twist and turn.
With the final surprise the major rough spot is smoothed out and in that single event it ties the story up in a tight package. I recommend this movie to all western movie lovers and real story enthusiasts as a must view. It is in my top one hundred best westerns and is realistic but not one-dimensional.
