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dfgrayb's rating
The movie is set in Utah during the Civil War (although no one in the film seems to be aware of this). It is about a Lawman (played very effectively by John Freeman, an actor a very short film resume) who finds himself responsible for protecting a convicted grave robber.
That's it. That's the plot. Can an engaging film be made that has unknown actors and actresses in the main roles with this plot? Yes. The story moves along well. The convicted grave robber (nothing as exciting as digging them up to eat them--he just steals their clothes) is played by David Stevens (another unknown) as a not-too-bright little weasel of a man. However, his views on his "crimes" provide some of the thoughtful moments of the film.
Much of the film involves how Freeman deals with others in his community--some who are compassionate and others who are not. All of the supporting actors and actresses contribute. Margot Kidder plays Baptist's desperate and slightly off-kilter wife (who he loves), Barry Corbin has a nice turn as the judge who also has his own history he is trying to live with, and Jon Gries (the older brother in Napoleon Dynamite) is a hoot as a hired gunman. Bernard Hermann makes a small appearance. Unusual film in that the major roles are played by people you've never seen, but the supporting roles are done by people you will recognize--all of whom have solid film careers.
The "gunfight" between Freeman and Gries is about the best I have ever seen. Realistic.
The film score is very nice, and the photography is beautiful.
I like films that are done well on little money. This is one of those. It is certainly worth an evening.
That's it. That's the plot. Can an engaging film be made that has unknown actors and actresses in the main roles with this plot? Yes. The story moves along well. The convicted grave robber (nothing as exciting as digging them up to eat them--he just steals their clothes) is played by David Stevens (another unknown) as a not-too-bright little weasel of a man. However, his views on his "crimes" provide some of the thoughtful moments of the film.
Much of the film involves how Freeman deals with others in his community--some who are compassionate and others who are not. All of the supporting actors and actresses contribute. Margot Kidder plays Baptist's desperate and slightly off-kilter wife (who he loves), Barry Corbin has a nice turn as the judge who also has his own history he is trying to live with, and Jon Gries (the older brother in Napoleon Dynamite) is a hoot as a hired gunman. Bernard Hermann makes a small appearance. Unusual film in that the major roles are played by people you've never seen, but the supporting roles are done by people you will recognize--all of whom have solid film careers.
The "gunfight" between Freeman and Gries is about the best I have ever seen. Realistic.
The film score is very nice, and the photography is beautiful.
I like films that are done well on little money. This is one of those. It is certainly worth an evening.
This film is ostensibly about a man (Richard Harris) who is left for dead by the leader of his expedition into the Northwest Territory in early 1820. As other reviewers have pointed out, there actually was a man mauled by a grizzly who managed to survive in much the way that Richard Harris does in the film. In this respect, it is based upon a true story.
This film actually has only three main characters: Zach Bass (Harris), the expedition leader (John Huston), and the Wilderness. The photography is stunning. And the Zach Bass theme is beautiful and haunting. The film is full of action and excitement, as revenge stories usually are. Bass survives by his courage, by his strength, and by resourcefulness.
And on that basis alone, this film is an enjoyable movie experience.
But this movie exists on an additional plane that moves it from being just a great action movie to instead being a great film.
The movie it is most like is the John Wayne/John Ford film The Searchers. In that movie, John Wayne's search for his niece is actually his search for inner peace, which he finds by not seeking revenge but, instead, by finding his capacity for love and compassion.
The "Wilderness" in this film is actually the wilderness in Zach Bass' mind--memories of a life full of regret and loss. As he works his way back to Huston to exact his revenge, he actually is working his way to a better mind, which by the end of the film is no longer a wilderness. It is, instead, a place of love, with, finally, clarity of purpose.
The film is almost flawless in its execution. It is beautiful, moving, exciting, and touching. There is very little "dialogue" because the wilderness has its own richness of dialogue. Richard Harris is a fine actor. This is his best film, in my opinion.
I first saw Man in the Wilderness almost 40 years ago. And I have allowed myself the pleasure of its company every few years since. And I will for many more years.
This film actually has only three main characters: Zach Bass (Harris), the expedition leader (John Huston), and the Wilderness. The photography is stunning. And the Zach Bass theme is beautiful and haunting. The film is full of action and excitement, as revenge stories usually are. Bass survives by his courage, by his strength, and by resourcefulness.
And on that basis alone, this film is an enjoyable movie experience.
But this movie exists on an additional plane that moves it from being just a great action movie to instead being a great film.
The movie it is most like is the John Wayne/John Ford film The Searchers. In that movie, John Wayne's search for his niece is actually his search for inner peace, which he finds by not seeking revenge but, instead, by finding his capacity for love and compassion.
The "Wilderness" in this film is actually the wilderness in Zach Bass' mind--memories of a life full of regret and loss. As he works his way back to Huston to exact his revenge, he actually is working his way to a better mind, which by the end of the film is no longer a wilderness. It is, instead, a place of love, with, finally, clarity of purpose.
The film is almost flawless in its execution. It is beautiful, moving, exciting, and touching. There is very little "dialogue" because the wilderness has its own richness of dialogue. Richard Harris is a fine actor. This is his best film, in my opinion.
I first saw Man in the Wilderness almost 40 years ago. And I have allowed myself the pleasure of its company every few years since. And I will for many more years.
A campy, magical, WWII, love-story, cattle-drive western, set in Australia, with lots of CGI cattle. As if that aren't enough plots, it also informs us about things that are bad, like racism, separating children from their mothers, Australia's Assimilation Policy, and sexism. Golly. It is complete with bad guy buffoons straight out of Blazing Saddles, the cattle baron wanting to drive the good people out, crocodiles, kangaroos, walkabouts, and a cute kid with telepathic powers who can stop a cattle stampede by sending good thoughts to them and humming. There's something for everyone here, including scenes around the old cattle ranch, branding, breaking horses. Ooooh, even a kidnapped child who needs rescuing. If one part of the film doesn't float your boat, just wait 10 minutes and there will be another subplot you might like better.
It's pretty, I'll give it that. But it's hard to take seriously.
I also have to admit that Nicole Kidman, although she's skinny as a rail and has been a protected upper-class English woman all of her life, sure looks great after a cattle drive. Nice white soft skin. Yum. And I loved hearing Judy Garland singing Over the Rainbow.
It's really boring. And long. It's long and boring. I loved Moulin Rouge. It was creative and wild. You can see Luhrman's style in this film, but it doesn't work well here. Even though it's a loooooong movie, there are simply too many subplots. Jackman and Kidman are in love, and in the next scene they have an argument and he leaves. The whole thing is hyperactive--jumping around from one subplot to another. It's almost impossible to get engaged with this film. So there are dramatic moments at every turn, and you end up feeling jerked around instead of being moved. It's not really a movie--instead it's a collection of 8 or 10 10-minute movies.
The kid's cute, though. He's the main reason to see the film.
It was also fun for me to play "spot the movie." Here are some: Born Free, Quigley Down Under, Gone with the Wind, Pearl Harbor, The Searchers, Shane, Red River, Blazing Saddles, Dune, Crocodile Dundee.
What other ones can you find?
It's pretty, I'll give it that. But it's hard to take seriously.
I also have to admit that Nicole Kidman, although she's skinny as a rail and has been a protected upper-class English woman all of her life, sure looks great after a cattle drive. Nice white soft skin. Yum. And I loved hearing Judy Garland singing Over the Rainbow.
It's really boring. And long. It's long and boring. I loved Moulin Rouge. It was creative and wild. You can see Luhrman's style in this film, but it doesn't work well here. Even though it's a loooooong movie, there are simply too many subplots. Jackman and Kidman are in love, and in the next scene they have an argument and he leaves. The whole thing is hyperactive--jumping around from one subplot to another. It's almost impossible to get engaged with this film. So there are dramatic moments at every turn, and you end up feeling jerked around instead of being moved. It's not really a movie--instead it's a collection of 8 or 10 10-minute movies.
The kid's cute, though. He's the main reason to see the film.
It was also fun for me to play "spot the movie." Here are some: Born Free, Quigley Down Under, Gone with the Wind, Pearl Harbor, The Searchers, Shane, Red River, Blazing Saddles, Dune, Crocodile Dundee.
What other ones can you find?