By: debbie lynn elias
A sweeping epic set against a backdrop of the old American West, “Open Range” is a story of days gone by, the end of an era in American history, when cattle roamed free and men lived off the land abiding by the laws of nature. A quieter time. A more difficult time. A time romanticized for the ages. But a time unique to America herself and one we hold dear to our hearts.
The year is 1882. Charley Waite and Boss Spearman are freegrazers who have roamed and ridden the open prairie fort he past ten years with nothing but the shirt on their backs, the boots on their feet, their horse for a companion and if lucky, a herd of cattle to drive. Along for the ride are young bucks, Button and Mose. Living by the Code of the West, they stood up for what’s right and were loyal to those closest to them, determined to live out their days violence free on the open range. But, times are a-changing.
When the weather turns and the men are left stranded, Mose is sent to the nearest town to gather supplies and equipment. When he doesn’t return, the rest of the group heads off to find him. With guns at ready, they come upon Harmonville, a town where corruption, evil and violence control the town. Justice is non-existent and fear swells in the hearts of its residents. Mose is discovered, battered and bloody in the town jail, the cause of which is unknown. Once rescued by Charley and Boss, they set out to find who committed this heinous crime. One by one, the townspeople point to non-other than the cowboy-hating Denton Baxter.
Despite their strong belief in the Cowboy Code, Charley, Boss, Mose and Button decide to take matters into their own hands and bring justice to Harmonville, no matter what the price – even if it means going against the very core of their beliefs to engage in what is destined to be, one of the cinema’s classic gunfights of all time. As they prepare to face the ultimate enemy, they find themselves confronting something with even more potential destruction than Baxter – their own demons. Adding to the mix is the kindness and affection afforded by townswoman, Sue Barlow, a kindred spirit who becomes romantically involved with Charley.
Impeccably directed by Kevin Costner, who already picked up Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture for another epic, “Dances with Wolves”, “Open Range” steps outside of the stereotypical bang-bang, shoot ‘em up western. Using the camera, Costner adds a depth and dimension to the characters never before seen. As he has opined in recent interviews, “You wonder. What do they do when it rains? When they run out of food? They’ve got to forage for themselves. They had to be very resourceful. We have this very romantic view when, in fact, it was very difficult.” With tedious patience, Costner focuses on what some may consider insignificant detail, but which when viewed in light of the film as a whole, add a nuanced picturesque quaintness that takes your breath away.
Finding a soulmate in screenwriter Craig Storper, together the two use language as a means of setting the tone, showing the characters – how men deal with each other, their problems, life and with women. Without losing sight of the classic themes of the genre – freedom, justice, honor, love and friendship – they expand on the accepted cowboy stereotype, giving us details not normally seen, resulting in character growth and transformation.
And with the care in which he portrays his characters, the same is done with action – and never moreso than with a gunfight. Again, breaking from stereotype, Costner shoots action and violence in a style all his own. With a disturbing edginess, quick snippets, and at times, almost at a distance as if a surreal experience not to be believed, the effective is engagingly mesmerizing.
Former cameraman James Muro makes his debut here as Director of Photography. Extremely sought after for not only camera work, but steadicam operation, Muro has long been a favorite of directors having worked with James Cameron, Oliver Stone and numerous projects, as well as Costner on “Dances with Wolves.” Already a man in sync with Costner, with his visionary eye, Muro excels with his cinematography here. From the most panoramic vistas of a prairie sunset to characters self-absorbed in quiet thought, the effect is beyond description. Simply spectacular.
The icing on the cake is the cast. Costner is, of course, exemplary as former gunslinger, Charley Waite. In a league of his own, few can compare with Costner’s characterizations. Be it John Dunbar, Crash Davis or Frank Farmer, Costner has this rare ability to become one with the character. Here, Costner gives another classically thoughtful, expressive, somewhat tacit performance of a character balancing the calm and quiet with an explosive past. And who better than Robert Duvall to slip into character as Boss. A cowboy if ever there was one, Duvall sits tall in the saddle as Boss; wise to the ways of the world and the west, witty, fatherly and still quick on the draw. Diego Luna and Abraham Benrubi as Button and Mose provide a nice balance to the more mature pairing of Costner and Duvall. But when it comes to bad guys, the casting coup of the year is in the form of Michael Gambone as Denton Baxter. He plays menacing evil with a conviction like no other. And let’s not forget the ladies. In a strikingly different role for her, Annette Benning steps in as Sue Barlow. While Annette herself gives a fine performance, her chemistry with Costner is noticeably lacking (probably one of the only flaws I could find in this film). And not to be left out, the always wonderful Michael Jeter, in one of his final roles, gives an Oscar caliber performance as curmudgeony ranch hand Percy.
Completing the picture is Michael Kamen’s hauntingly beautiful orchestral score.”Open Range”. Introspective. Retrospective. The Old West. The American Cowboy. A part of our heritage for which America has an enduring love. This IS the Best Picture of the Year.
Kevin Costner: Charley Waite Robert Duvall: Boss Spearman Diego Luna: Button Abraham Benrubi: Mose Michael Gambon: Denton Baxter Michael Jeter: Percy Annette Benning: Sue Barlow
Directed by Kevin Costner. Written by Craig Storper based on a book by Lauren Paine. A Buena Vista release. Rated R. (138 minutes)
