Miracle at Sage Creek

The filming locations (Arizona, standing in for Wyoming) are indisputably gorgeous, and I appreciate the set design and decoration. Fine detail went into costume design, and James Intveld demonstrates a keen eye for some artful shots. Why, hats off to cinematographer Virgil L. Harper - his contribution is very noteworthy; all we see looks fantastic. Michael Parks is a name that should be a boon for any cast, and while David Carradine's countenance doesn't necessarily guarantee value in a picture, especially in the latter years of his career (see: 'The last sect'), it's nonetheless a pleasure to see him here. With that said, I think everyone before the camera gives performances of welcome sincerity.

Would that I could say I felt 'Miracle at Sage Creek' was more remarkable, and more deserving of specific praise. I don't think it's bad. But nor is it really noteworthy. Outside of the actors, much about the movie feels a little too staged and inauthentic for its own good. The themes and story ideas, and their application, are very familiar: loss, faith, injustice, racism, interpersonal conflict, hardship, hope, and so on. Scenes of drama are a little overbearing, scenes of action are underwhelming - and yet with that said, the chief feeling I get from the picture isn't "balanced," but "middling." More than half the length had passed and still it felt like I was waiting for the movie to properly begin. No doubt there are viewers who find this very satisfying, and fulfilling; I found the experience to be about as equivalently meaningful as checking off a to-do list of household chores.

These feelings extend to the scene writing, characters, dialogue, overall narrative, and Intveld's orchestration of scenes and the guidance of his cast. Honest though all the assembled actors are in their portrayals, I don't know that I can say anyone especially impresses here; at some critical junctures their delivery appears stilted, dampening the impact a story beat should have. This seems so much like a film one can "watch" without actively engaging with it, and still see all while retaining nothing. Once more - none of this is to say 'Miracle at Sage Creek' is outright bad or wholly undeserving. Clearly there's an audience for this title, and I'm just not it. However, I plainly find it less than engrossing - unexceptional - undistinguished.

Is 'Miracle at Sage Creek' worth 90 minutes of your time? You could certainly do a lot worse. You could just surely do much better, too.

Miracle at Sage Creek

Movie Review for the Cowboy Chronicle, International monthly publication for SASS (Single Action Shooting Society)

By Steve Shaw

Rarely are Westerns made for television these days. The few exceptions attempt to recast the Western in a bitter, physically violent role, oftentimes with offensive language. Westerns the entire family can enjoy are difficult to find…they just don't make 'em anymore. Miracle at Sage Creek is a rare, welcomed change. This well-developed story, with fine acting, has you speculating about the miracle, since several materialize; a splendid and appropriate family-oriented film for the Christmas holidays. The story is set in 1888 Wyoming with David Carradine portraying rancher Ike Franklin, a hard-nosed, ruthless old man, embittered with the death of his wife at the hands of a Sioux war party ten years earlier. Just before Christmas, Ike hatches a scheme to legally remove neighbor Chief Red Eagle (superbly underplayed by Wes Studi) and his family off their small adjacent homestead with the use of US Cavalry. Red Eagle's son-in-law, John Stockton, a one time suitor of Ike's daughter Mary, perhaps the only man that could reason with Ike, is ambushed, shot and left for dead by villainous road agents while on his way home from town. Ike's daughter Mary and her husband, Seth, operate the Sage Creek Station, a stagecoach stop on the road between Lush and Chadron. Ike disapproves how the two are raising their two young sons, and of course, feels Seth not good enough for his daughter. When their youngest son, Kit, becomes infected with scarlet fever and is not expected to recover, Ike's despondency intensifies. How these two families overcome their prejudices and the tragedies befalling them is capably told. This film will elicit a tear of two, as should any well-told Christmas story. David Carradine is at his best, supported by, arguably one of the best actors to portray an Indian, Wes Studi. Familiar names and faces sustaining these two veterans are Buck Taylor, Tracy Nelson, Michael Parks, Irene Beddard, and Tim Abell. The film, shot at Old Tucson Studios' Mescal movie site in Arizona, is directed by James Intveld, by a script written by Thadd Turner. Turner should be familiar to many of you. His well-researched, non-fiction book "Wild Bill Hickok: Deadwood City – End of Trail" was reviewed and recommended by this author in a previous Cowboy Chronicle issue. Thadd was a national level competitor in Cowboy Action Shooting from 1995-2001 and was a contributing editor for True West Magazine from 2001-2003. Through his production company, Talmarc Productions, Turner produced this film and also served as stunt coordinator and co-lead wrangler. In fact, if you look close, you will see Turner as one of the US Cavalry troopers attempting to evict the Indian family. The film has been picked up by American World Pictures for distribution through Hallmark with a release date of January 2006. Check your local listings.

I'm watching the movie right now, so I don't know how it ends.

Um, Christmas-time in Wyoming, and there's green leaves, green grass, flowing water, shirt-sleeve attire, no breath fog.. meaning, it's not very cold in Lusk, Wyoming in December?? WHAT? The Indian woman was washing clothes outside, sleeves rolled up, in December, in Wyoming. Wyoming has long, wicked-cold, windy winters. That immediately took a lot of the reality away. It was filmed in Arizona, they should have just set the story there, as "Wyoming Territory" didn't have much to do with the story. There were homesteaders and Indians in Arizona, too. It's just too unbelievable. Maybe later it snows in the movie, but I've been to Wyoming, and seen it snow in JUNE, and I've been there in February and it was very cold and windy. Nobody went out in just light jackets.

They filmmakers must take us as people who all live in LA or NY, people who know nothing about geography and what places look like, and people who don't ever travel. I've seen some movies supposed to be Wyoming, but filmed in Canada, and you can't tell. The terrain in THIS movie didn't look at ALL like Wyoming.

Bad acting, especially the Grandfather Indian character. Unneeded choppy "Indian Accent". Words used I don't think someone new to the language would use.

Here's another: A mother and her son are sitting right by a fireplace that has a good crackling fire in it. She feels his head and determines he has a fever. How could she tell? Being a mother, I know better than to forehead-feel a kid for a fever when they're a few feet from a fire.

Snore.

You want a good western? See Lonesome Dove. See Tombstone. See Open Range. See anything else.

I loved the fact that this was a gritty western wrapped in a family friendly blanket that all ages can enjoy. The cowboys and the Indians blending nicely into a melting pot that was more accurate to the old west then some showings. The script was well crafted and the cast brought it all to life. I loved Wes Studi's calm turn as a kind grandfather in sharp contrast to his powerful roles as violent aggressive characters in "Dancing With Wolves" or "Last of the Mohicans." I'm excited for the two upcoming western's "The Hard Ride" and "Wild Michigan" and I think Thadd Turner deserves all the attention for making these westerns come to the screen. Tim Abell is also worth noting as a gentle yet strong "bridge" between the two worlds of the white man and the Native Americans. Carradine is on target as Ike the "Scrooge" of this Christmas Western. I think this will be a classic when looked back upon many years from now.

From reading previous comments it seems as though every relative, friend, and casual acquaintance of anyone even remotely connected with this movie has pulled out every superlative in the book to recommend it.

In actual fact this is a slow, plodding, uneventful film without out a single character to identify with. It has too many characters -- none of which have really been developed sufficiently for us to care about any of them -- too many stories going on at the same time, and too many clichés. Add to this continual references to God and prayer and one gets the feeling we're being not so subtly preached to.

We'd all like to see clean and wholesome family oriented movies but that doesn't mean we'll settle for substandard fare.

A fine cast is totally wasted here. Rent this film before you consider buying it. I'm betting you won't put out money to own it.