| Overall Grade: |
A+ |
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| Story: |
A |
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| Acting: |
A+ |
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|
| Direction: |
A |
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|
| Visuals: |
A |
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|
Western Myth Revisited
by carol (movies profile)
Sep 25, 2004
20
of
26 people found this review helpful
A great story with well developed characters. Classic western vistas and myths blend easily with a favorite characters, the Trail Boss and his stoic partner, both with pasts they are running from, the mature western woman, reliable, resourceful and courageous waiting for a caring and tender man, the evil land baron and his hired guns. Set in the autumn years of the western expansion the life issues faced by the major characters and eventually the entire town is very similar to those we face today. The decision regarding the safety of complacency or the difficult commitment to what is right and honorable. The western era is a great setting to simplify these ideas and of course that simplification makes for clearer decisions. The sacrifices we make today are more subtle and not so quickly addressed. That said, this film speaks to what is good and honest and thereby, instills the viewer that good can eventually overcome evil and human beings can overcome their pasts. You know where the film is going, but like a favorite autumn road, you still enjoy it every time. You still care for the characters and their futures and you still hope for the best.
Not a film for younger audiences as the western shooting scenes are graphic, certainty not as much as the Wild Bunch and not nearly as often as the spaghetti westerns. It is a classic old testament western with a classic old testament ending. |
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