Crossfire Trail and Monte Walsh Reviews

Louis L'Amour's Crossfire Trail (2001)
Colour - Widescreen
92 min

Directed by Simon Wincer

Starring:
Tom Selleck as Rafe Covington
Virginia Madsen as Anne Rodney
Mark Harmon as Bruce Barkow

Description from DVD:

"Rafe Covington is as good as his word, and he's determined to keep his promise to a dying man that he'll look after the man's widow and Wyoming ranch. But the widow doubts the integrity of drifter Covington. And an unscrupulous land grabber and his gunmen are sizing up the ranch the way a spider eyes a fly..."

Ray's Opinion:

This is the second Film, in what could be considered the Tom Selleck/Simon Wincer Western trilogy: Quigly Down Under (1990), Crossfire Trail (2001) and Monte Walsh (2003). While I haven't enjoyed their collaborations as much as Selleck's other Western: Last Stand at Saber River (1997), they are still fine Westerns that I am happy to own and will definitely watch again in the future.

While Quigly Down Under was a proper film, Crossfire Trail and Monte Walsh are TNT TV Westerns and Crossfire Trail shows it's TV origin the most. The first fight scene, where Selleck beats up the ship's Captain had poor sound effects that shouted "TV movie" to me instantly, though thankfully the impending gun shots and other sound effects were much better. Selleck has mentioned in interviews that while they are TV films, they were shot like films and they did their best to make them look and feel cinematic.

The story was fine, but that's never why I watch a Western (though of course a good story helps). I watch Westerns to escape to another time and place, and I watch them for the hero. A Western is only a good as it's leading man and Tom Selleck is one of the few contemporary actors who has what it takes (Sam Elliot and Kevin Costner being the only others that leap to mind). Here he plays another memorable and charming man, and carries the film on his broad shoulders like a champ.

Crossfire Trail is yet another Western based on a Louis L'Amour novel, which is a good thing as L'Amour knows how to inject just the right amount of "cool" for his hero and fleshes out all the other characters admirably too (though I still prefer Elmore Leonard's dialogue - another fine Western writer). One thing that really stood out was how well defined all the supporting characters were, but that's hardly a surprise as their roles were filled by excellent actors, almost all of whom are experienced Western actors (though the hired-gun brought in to kill Selleck and his crew was a little over the top for my liking - perhaps Sergio could have made him work, but in the context of this film he was bizarre).

Overall Crossfire Trail is a solid Western that's worth checking out if you are a fan of the genre. It is beautifully shot and well acted, and builds nicely up to a well executed final shoot-out. I wouldn't call it an all out classic (it's too predictable for that), but it's still a success.

7/10

Monte Walsh - The Last Cowboy (2003)
Colour - Widescreen
119 min

Directed by Simon Wincer

Starring:
Tom Selleck as Monte Walsh
Isabella Rossellini as 'Countess' Martine
Keith Carradine as Chester 'Chet' Rollins
Robert Carradine as Sunfish Perkins
George Eads as Frank 'Shorty' Austin

Description from DVD:

"Times change, Monte Walsh doesn't. For him, being a cowboy isn't a job, it's a life. And that's something the fenced-in, corporate-bean-counting ways of the onrushing 20th century must never alter. Tom Selleck plays Monte, struggling to continue the life he knows while seeing the new era nudge the cowboy way toward history's dustbin. Lonesome Dove Emmy winner Simon Wincer directs this Western featuring a superb supporting cast and based on a novel by the author of Shane."

Ray's Opinion:

Monte (pronounced "Monty" for those like myself who didn't know) Walsh is a swan song to the West. Watching it I was reminded of Unforgiven, in the sense that it feels like a tribute to the Western genre and also a farewell (though I hope Simon Wincher and Tom Selleck continue making Westerns). It is not dark like Unforgiven (though it does contain some graphic violence), it is far more romanticised and Disney like, but not in a bad way.

Monte Walsh is an extremely assured and leisurely paced film. In some ways it doesn't feel like a traditional film at all, but more of a character study. It looks fantastic (the DVD transfer was superb), in fact the quality in all departments is very high (which is why I was a little disappointed in the quality of Crossfire Trail).

Unlike most Westerns, the focus here is actually on Cowboying (the real kind that is, breaking in horses and working your arse off, as opposed to endlessly standing around in saloons and killing five men a day), so don't come into this expecting an action film. The attention to small details is impressive and for real fans of the West this should be pleasing - the filmmakers understand the West and it is readily apparent that a huge amount of effort has gone into making it as believable as possible (while still being theatrical when it needs to be).

Selleck once again gives a charming performance - possibly his best ever - and commands your attention when on screen. As in his previous Westerns he has surrounded himself with seasoned Western actors in the supporting roles (such as the Carradines), who lend an immense amount of credibility.

Monte Walsh is the perfect Sunday afternoon film. If you can handle its sentimentality you should enjoy the ride... I did. Keep it up Selleck!

8/10

P.S. I may not review the Henry Fonda Westerns as promised in my previous post. I need a rest from Westerns so that I don't lose my perspective on them.