Crossfire Trail

This was truly enjoyable.

Wonderfully cast with Selleck, Brimley, Madsen and Mark Harmon.

It was wonderfully directed (two examples: the tension felt during normal duties on the morning that the assassin goes out to Madsen's ranch, and the photography of the steeple of the church/schoolhouse and the ranch itself from various elevations).

I loved the use of horses and cattle during the gunfire. I liked the realism of people having to reload.

I loved the story itself - the simplicity is very believable.

Just excellent - I thank Tom Selleck as Executive Producer for helping to bring this to the screen - and for going for such a high quality cast and director. One thing I've always liked about Selleck is the modesty and restraint of his acting - it's very evident here. And one thing I've always liked about Madsen is that she is so scrumptious (!) and that's very evident here too! Mark Harmon is one of my favorite actors, and his big smile, manifest charm make the events that occurred prior to the movie - seem very believable.

I loved this - thanks! I'll certainly watch out for any other Tom Selleck westerns (this was the first I'd seen).

That Homer of the American Western, Louis L'Amour, has always been good to actor-producer Tom Selleck. CROSSFIRE TRAIL is a well produced motion picture that in another era would have been a well-received theatrical motion picture release. Regrettably, the climate at movie box office doesn't support westerners of such classic pedigree, and it is to TNT Original Productions credit that they have allowed this film to find its venue and audience.

The production is impeccable, as is the cast, with special attention given to the lead actor Tom Selleck. While success on the silver screen eluded him, Selleck still shows why he continues to be the best actor working in traditional Westerners and the natural successor to such screen legends as Joel McCrea, Randolph Scott, Gary Cooper, and John Wayne. Any of those actors would have felt quite at home with the hero of this film, Rafael Covington, a man of few word and an unbending code of honor.

Supporting Selleck are the vibrant Virginia Masden, Mark Harmon, Brad Johnson, David O'Hara, Patrick Kilpatrick as well as the always welcomed presence of those two ever-reliable veteran actors, Wilford Brimley and Barry Corben.

For Australian director Simon Wincer and star Tom Selleck, CROSSFIRE TRAIL is a re-union since they collaborated in the highly entertaining and grossly neglected QUIGLEY DOWN UNDER. Wincer brings his typically excellent eye to period detail and visual meise en scene that he used so successfully in his groundbreaking epic LONESOME DOVE.

Again, if you haven't seen this film, then by all means, do so. If you have, then go back a savor of well-done effort. You will be well rewarded in either case.

Tom Selleck, kinda like Sam Elliott, was born to star in Westerns. He and the rest of this marvellous cast bring another Louis L'Amour western to vibrant life. Tom is great as the straight-shooting (in both ways) hero who does whatever it takes to keep his promise to a dying friend. Mark Harmon is delightfully smarmy as the vile villain, and Virginia Madsen makes a great schoolmarm. Production values are very high for a TV movie, and the photography is gorgeous. Like in all good westerns, the scenery almost becomes another character. Kudos to Turner for their continued efforts to produce topnotch television drama!

This is an above average western drama. Although many plot elements are predictable, particularly the shoot-em-up ending, the film has many strengths. Tom Selleck and Mark Harmon give excellent performances. Selleck, unlike his Thomas Magnum character of years ago, portrays the lead as a thoughtful, reserved character with considerable depth. Harmon perfectly portrays the smarmy, conniving bad guy. Wilford Brimley, although fatter than ever, delivers a strong performance as usual.

Especially watch and enjoy the beautiful location photography. The ending credits were invisible (squashed on the screen) when I watched the film, so I'm not sure of the shooting locales - even if they were included. But the high altitude and mountain scenery is spectacular. As is often the case today the music soundtrack (though fine)is too loud, making it difficult to catch all of the dialogue in places.

If it wasn't for QUIGLEY, DOWN UNDER, CROSSFIRE TRAIL would be my favorite western. Tom Selleck easily slips into the type of role he seems born to play. Not many current actors look right at home in a western, but Selleck is one who does. He looks like he stepped right out of the 1800s. Mark Harmon makes an appropriate ass as the bad guy, and the beautiful Virginia Madsen is gorgeous as the school teacher Harmon plans to marry and Selleck has vowed (to her dead husband) to protect. The talented and underused Brad Johnson is a good villain as well, a hired gun Harmon brings in to kill Selleck. Good performances from all, and excellent score as well, by Eric Colvin, that deserves a soundtrack release. The Vancouver locations are a surprisingly-good stand-in for Wyoming, and director Simon Wincer (who should be the person to call when a western needs to be made) gives the film a nice pace with an exciting climax, intercutting between two shootouts. Seeing as how this was the highest-rated original cable movie in history when it debuted, I hope to see more Selleck/Wincer team-ups in the future.