Movies - Open Range

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	Movies - Open Range

Open Range is a 2003 movie based on the novel The Open Range Men by Lauran Paine. The film was produced by, directed by, and starred Kevin Costner. Also starring were Robert Duvall and Annette Bening.

Supporting actors:

Abraham Benrubi
- Mose
Michael Gambon
- Denton Baxter
Michael Jeter
- Percy
Diego Luna
- Button
Dean McDermott - Doc Barlow
James Russo - Sheriff Poole

Overview

The movie properly belongs to the epic Western genre and has the feel of Costner' earlier epic, Dances with Wolves
(1990). The movie is probably set on the western slopes of Colorado (Gunnison is mentioned) in 1882 (the year is seen on a new grave marker) though the movie was filmed in both the United States and Canada. The early part of the movie moves a bit slow, because the camera spends time caressing the magnificent scenery of the West.

The background of the movie concerns the "range wars" that occurred in the American West in the late 1800s. The "wars" pitted those that believed in the "Law of the Open Range" - free access to water and grass for everyone, against the "barbed wire" men - land barons, who used the new fencing to define their empire and block the free-range cattlemen from moving their herds.

Plot summary

"Boss" Spearman (Duvall) is a free-range cattleman, who, with his hired hands, Charley Waite (Costner), Mose, and Button, and their dog Tig are driving a herd cross country. Charley is a former army sniper and soldier who fought in the American Civil War — which side is never made clear — who feels guilt over his past as a killer.

Short on supplies, Boss sends Mose back to a town they passed. The town is controlled by the greedy and corrupt land baron, Denton Baxter, who hates free-rangers. Mose is badly beaten by Baxter's henchmen and then jailed by the town sheriff, who Baxter "owns."

Worried about Mose, Boss and Charley set off to find him. They retrieve Mose from jail but not before getting a stern warning from Baxter about free-ranging on his land. Mose is so beat-up that Boss seeks medical attention for him. Mose is taken to Doc Barlow, where Charley meets Sue Barlow (Bening), the doctor's "wife" (who turns out really to be the doctor's sister), and one can feel Charley's attraction to her immediately.

Baxter does not really want Boss to move on, he wants the herd. Boss and Charley are able to best one of the groups of Baxter's henchmen being rather merciful for Westerns, killing none but sending them back on foot in their underwear. There is another group, however, that kill Mose, and Tig. Button is badly injured and left for dead.

Seeking medical attention for Button takes Boss and Charley back to Doc Barlow's and a final showdown with Baxter and his gang. When it come towards the end, guns blaze, evil is re-paid, Charley rehabilitates himself somewhat, and romance blossoms between Charley and Sue.

Reaction

In fairness, Bening has a stronger female role than is often seen in Westerns, and some find it refreshing to see a leading man get into a relationship with a woman who isn't young enough to be his daughter.

The movie is decidedly of a "modern Western" feel, being very different from old Westerns in many regards, though there are no Native or African American roles. Reviews were largely positive, but the movie failed to break $100 million at the domestic box office.

Special attention is paid to this film in niche circles because of its elaborately designed and technical gunfight. Along with such films as The Way of the Gun and Heat, the climactic showdown lasted well over ten minutes and featured visceral gunplay.

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