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Review: Silverado (1985)
Lawrence Kasdan, having gone home for his tale of angst among alumni from the University of Michigan in The Big Chill (1983) takes us west with his latest offering. Silverado is a fine horse opera; proof that Heaven’s Gate (1980) didn’t kill the genre though it did make the western all but limp off into the sunset and make the true American cinematic creation a considerable gamble to many a movie mogul.
A lone rider named Emmett (Scott Glenn looking like the Marlboro Man) meets up with a fellow named Paden (Kevin Kline of Kasdan’s The Big Chill). The pair head to the town of Turley where Emmett is looking to meet up with someone. Thanks to the sheriff (“Monty Python” alum John Cleese), the pair find that someone—in jail. It’s Emmett’s brother Jake (Kevin Costner) who is due to be hung the next day. Emmett gets an idea of how questionable the law of the town is when Paden finds himself set to join Jake at the gallows.The pair manage to escape the noose. Paden, Jake, and Emmett flee with the sheriff and his posse in pursuit. Thanks to Mal (Danny Glover), who was run out of Turley. The sheriff and company head back to town. An alliance is formed by the foursome.
After coming to the aid of a wagon train, the quartet arrive in the title town. Emmett and Jake have come by to drop in for a visit with their sister and her family. Mal finds his home in shambles, his father Ezra (Joe Seneca) now a widower, his only sibling (Lynn Whitfield) has left home to work presumably turning tricks in town (just as she did in Doctor Detroit), and the homestad is now overrun by cattle owned by an ornery clan. As for Paden, he has no plans and drops in on the saloon run by Stella (Oscar-winner Linda Hunt), a diminuitive barkeep who can hold her own with just about anyone; thanks to his former riding buddy, a charismatic rogue named Cobb (Brian Dennehy)—who happens to be Silverado’s sheriff—he gets a job offer.
As hs notable prior efforts as a filmmaker (Body Heat) and writer (The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark), Kasdan is an admirer of celluloid tales spun long ago. He is one with a love of the cinematic west with this tribute to the likes of John Ford, John Sturges, and Howard Hawks. Kasdan and co-writer/ associate producer/ brother Mark clearly are lovers of this genre while growing up in Michigan while the western was still somewhat alive. Their effort makes for a pleasure of a film viewing experience. With an impressive cast and production values to boot, Silverado is indeed one of the year’s most enjoyable films. And that ain’t hey, pardner
Robert Baum is Currently a Bryn Mawr, PA-based film afficanado and pop culture junkie.
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