Not the usual Peckinpah fare, this movie is interesting and had a lot of promise but it sputtered out and fizzled in the end. I really wanted to love this movie, and thought that I would, until it came to a close.
The story is of a man abandoned in the desert by his two "partners" and left for dead, but who finds the only spring for many miles around right on a stagecoach route and sets up a rest stop and watering hole. At the same time, his original sole purpose is revenge, but other forces, including some key people and the changing nature of the west lead him to reexamine himself and pull him in new directions.
This story sounds great, and it basically is. It's a promising tale exploring luck, friendship, love, the value of revenge, whether people should bother with revenge and where one will go when obsessed with revenge, and the demise of the Old West. It thus possesses many interesting themes, and is really a very unusual western, with a different and fresh approach.
For much of the film, the story and themes are handled well. Unlike the usual Peckinpah movie, the issues are handled gently, yet they are no less powerful for that. it draws the viewer into the story.
Moreover, the characters are great and the actors's performances excellent. Jason Robards (Cable Hogue) and David Warner (Cable's friend, the "preacher" Joshua) are always a pleasure to watch and here they excellently and compellingly portray interesting and wonderful characters. Robards' performance is particularly compelling and sympathetic, while being fairly subtle and without being over the top, or begging for empathy.
There are some other elements that are a little questionable, but still generally work or which at least do not detract too much from the film. Some elements of the romance, particularly the song "Butterlfy Mornings" are a little saccharine and corny, but I can overlook these easily. The speeded-up motion to convey humor is also not very subtle, original, or particularly effective. However, it does generally work and it fits the mood of the film and the characters of Cable and Josh.
Another point is the theme music, such as that played at the beginning of the film during the credits. It's a type of 60s/70s folk music and while unusual for a western it certainly fits in with the notion of the film as a ballad of a colorful character.
The real problem is the end. It has its good points such as the message about the end of the Old West, and David Warner's concluding monologue, which is enjoyable (if perhaps a tad long),poignant, and compelling while making some pretty good points. Cable's ultimate transformation on revenge is also handled fairly well at the end. I do not want to give it away, but suffice it to say that otherwise the ending is a tad strange and comes across as hurried and thrown together. The transition from the second to last scene to the last scene sudden and apparently inexplicable. The events seem to be a cheap way to end the movie quickly, with an all-too-facile-and-convenient instrumentality ushering in the final moments, giving the impression that Peckinpah, et al., didn't quite no how to conclude it so threw this in to do the job. In addition, the conclusion does not really fully address the issues that the movie seemed to be raising, such as revenge and the end of the old west, and it leaves the develop of some of the characters (especially Josh) dangling. It just throws some elements of the issues and characters in and calls it a day. The result is that the rushed, cheap ending does much to nullify the strong virtues oft he movie. I don't have a problem with the basic result, but I do have major problems with the way it was handled.
In the end, this film is certainly well worth a look. Don't expect the usual Peckinpah-type film, but don't deride the film on that basis. Even knowing the ending I still would watch the film again, and there is a lot to appreciate. Unfortunately, I can also really appreciate how great this film could have been.
The story is of a man abandoned in the desert by his two "partners" and left for dead, but who finds the only spring for many miles around right on a stagecoach route and sets up a rest stop and watering hole. At the same time, his original sole purpose is revenge, but other forces, including some key people and the changing nature of the west lead him to reexamine himself and pull him in new directions.
This story sounds great, and it basically is. It's a promising tale exploring luck, friendship, love, the value of revenge, whether people should bother with revenge and where one will go when obsessed with revenge, and the demise of the Old West. It thus possesses many interesting themes, and is really a very unusual western, with a different and fresh approach.
For much of the film, the story and themes are handled well. Unlike the usual Peckinpah movie, the issues are handled gently, yet they are no less powerful for that. it draws the viewer into the story.
Moreover, the characters are great and the actors's performances excellent. Jason Robards (Cable Hogue) and David Warner (Cable's friend, the "preacher" Joshua) are always a pleasure to watch and here they excellently and compellingly portray interesting and wonderful characters. Robards' performance is particularly compelling and sympathetic, while being fairly subtle and without being over the top, or begging for empathy.
There are some other elements that are a little questionable, but still generally work or which at least do not detract too much from the film. Some elements of the romance, particularly the song "Butterlfy Mornings" are a little saccharine and corny, but I can overlook these easily. The speeded-up motion to convey humor is also not very subtle, original, or particularly effective. However, it does generally work and it fits the mood of the film and the characters of Cable and Josh.
Another point is the theme music, such as that played at the beginning of the film during the credits. It's a type of 60s/70s folk music and while unusual for a western it certainly fits in with the notion of the film as a ballad of a colorful character.
The real problem is the end. It has its good points such as the message about the end of the Old West, and David Warner's concluding monologue, which is enjoyable (if perhaps a tad long),poignant, and compelling while making some pretty good points. Cable's ultimate transformation on revenge is also handled fairly well at the end. I do not want to give it away, but suffice it to say that otherwise the ending is a tad strange and comes across as hurried and thrown together. The transition from the second to last scene to the last scene sudden and apparently inexplicable. The events seem to be a cheap way to end the movie quickly, with an all-too-facile-and-convenient instrumentality ushering in the final moments, giving the impression that Peckinpah, et al., didn't quite no how to conclude it so threw this in to do the job. In addition, the conclusion does not really fully address the issues that the movie seemed to be raising, such as revenge and the end of the old west, and it leaves the develop of some of the characters (especially Josh) dangling. It just throws some elements of the issues and characters in and calls it a day. The result is that the rushed, cheap ending does much to nullify the strong virtues oft he movie. I don't have a problem with the basic result, but I do have major problems with the way it was handled.
In the end, this film is certainly well worth a look. Don't expect the usual Peckinpah-type film, but don't deride the film on that basis. Even knowing the ending I still would watch the film again, and there is a lot to appreciate. Unfortunately, I can also really appreciate how great this film could have been.