Appaloosa

An emerging Western Classic

“Appaloosa” succeeds as a great Western by respecting the traditions of the genre; (a familiar plot of heroes protecting the defenseless townspeople from a gang of outlaws) while expanding the boundaries of what is acceptable in its modern version. The balance required to make a marketable modern Western is between the expectations of the traditional audience, men over fifty years of age, and those of the more financially lucrative, and more diverse younger audience. A traditional western movie, and by extension a traditional western movie hero, emphasizes action over words and from the opening scene, the film delivers the requisite action, but also introduces the element of menacing, eloquent dialogue. The characters spar with words as often as they do with guns and fists. The mix of action, subtle humor, and development of relationships between the major characters allow the filmmakers to successfully dramatizes the slow paced life of a frontier town without the film itself seeming slow.

In the opening scene the villain, Randall Bragg played by Jeremy Irons, is confronted by the town marshal. The marshal has come to arrest two of Bragg’s men who are accused of murder. Bragg emphatically tells the marshal that he will not allow the arrest to take place, and insinuates his intention to use deadly force if the marshal attempts it. The marshal, either not believing or not understanding the deeper meaning of Bragg’s words proceeds to arrest the perpetrators. He and his two deputies are quickly gunned down as a result of his miscalculation. Bragg is frightening not because of his physical stature, but rather because of his sinister intelligence. His use of calculated, intimidating language is usually followed by cold calculated murder. He can however, be effectively intimidating even when his guns have been taken from him as Virgil Cole, the new town marshal played by Ed Harris discovers in a riveting jail scene. Bragg peers out from his cell and jabs at Cole, “I couldn’t help noticing your books marshal; what’s the fascination with Emerson? Not the most elegant writer, but he gets his point across; though I’m sure the layman is sometimes a little befuddled by his obfuscating vocabulary.” The villain is letting the marshal know that he is the more intelligent, and thus the deadlier of the two of them. The deputy, Everett Hitch played by Viggo Mortensen, saves Cole from this attack as he often does in the story. Clearly wounded by Bragg’s verbal salvo Cole tells him to be quiet, Bragg responds with, “I can speak if I want to.” Hitch counter punches with, “And Virgil and I can come into that cell and beat the sweet Jesus Hell out of you every morning if we want to.” Eloquence is a weapon that Hitch is certainly capable of wielding when necessary, but he clearly shows his disdain for Bragg by silencing him with a simple violent threat.

Ironically, though great Westerns are usually more about action than dialogue, a recurring theme of this movie is Cole’s embarrassment at his lack of vocabulary skills. Hitch, who frequently protects Cole with his eight gauge shotgun, also assists him when he can’t quite come up with the right word. In one scene he even helps Cole to admonish him for an unsavory comment he made about Cole’s wife. The word disparaging is politely offered as Cole tries to articulate his displeasure with Hitch’s comment.

Another key contributor to the “Appaloosa’s” success is historical accuracy. Elements of this focus are displayed in the set, costumes and props used in the film. An image seen through the window of a local café is slightly distorted by the thickness and uneven surface typical of glass manufactured during the late nineteenth century. The eight gauge shotgun that Hitch carries is meticulously fabricated for the film. Because this gun has not been manufactured for many years, any existing model is an antique and would be risky to fire, (risky to the shooter as well as the antique). The costumes are specific and appropriate for the time period. Much research was done to ensure that each character was wearing clothes befitting their occupation, not just the era.

The traditional western feel of the movie is additionally enhanced by the older, less expensive technology used in its production. Dean Semler, a veteran Director of Photography whose film credits include: “Dances with Wolves”, “The Cowboy Way”, and “The Road Warrior” is widely regarded as a master of Panavision filming though much of his more recent work is done with the latest high definition computer-enhanced equipment. The Panavision technique, while risky, is very effective in capturing the splendid mountain and desert scenery of the Santa Fe, New Mexico set.

As a result of the careful planning, commitment to accuracy, and calculated risk taking that went into making “Appaloosa”, Ed Harris has crafted a film that has received moderate contemporary acclaim and may well grow in stature as a classic Western much as Clint Eastwood’s “High Plains Drifter” has done. Films, like many other art forms are often judged more favorably by historians than by contemporary critics whose analysis is often influenced by the prevailing expectations of their time. The bedrock foundations of quality writing, stunning cinematography, and engaging portrayals will remain standing long after the vagaries of blog reviews and buzz marketing have vanished like the dust of a Western wind storm.