RED ROCK WEST

US, 1993, 98 minutes, Colour,.
Nicolas Cage, Dennis Hopper, Lara Flynn Boyle, Dwight Yoakim, J.T.Walsh.
Directed by John Dahl.

Red Rock West is an excellent film noir of the '90s. It was written and directed by John Dahl, whose previous film was Kill Me Again, with Val Kilmer and Joanna Whalley Kilmer, a '90s variation on Double Indemnity. The present film is parallel in its plot, characterisations, twists with commitment and betrayal. This time the hero is Nicholas Cage, an honest ex-marine, in a part which suits his personality. Dennis Hopper is very good once again as a maniacal assassin. J.T. Walsh and Lara Flynn Boyle are the couple who want their spouses killed - and more revelations about their evil are made during the plot.

The setting is Wyoming, the small town of Red Rock. The script is neat, playing on the conventions of the genre, utilising coincidences particularly well. It is a bad day at Red Rock.

1. Impact of the thriller, a '90s film noir, the '40s and the black and white thrillers of heroes, betrayal? The impact of the past films and their tradition, in the present? A particularly American style of thriller?

2. The Wyoming landscapes, the drilling sites, the desert, the small town, interiors, the road? The familiar landscapes - but with unfamiliarity?

3. The title, the focus on the town and its people, its size, the events, the morality, law and order? The highway west? The songs and the musical score?

4. The structure of the film and Michael waking up, getting dressed, facing the day, his experience, his perspective? Two days in his life? The characters he met, the range of coincidences, his being trapped? The intersection of the characters? Realism and plausibility? Conventions? Audience expectations and suspense?

5. Michael as a character, alone, dressing, driving, the job, his friend, the interview, filling the form, his honesty and telling the truth, his marine injury, losing the job, out of petrol, the temptation to steal the money, his not robbing the gas station, getting advice from the owner? Strong character, moral stances - a hero?

6. The background of his story - as he told it to Lyle? Lebanon, the deaths and the injuries, the effect on his life, integrity, not getting any help? His wanting to save people? The one lie - joke, weakness? The consequences? The growing violence and his handling it, the lies, murder? His trying to save people's lives? Sexuality and seduction, betrayal? The final heroism? Its effect on his life? The experience and his future?

7. Wayne, the owner of the bar, misinterpreting who Michael was? The job, the lies, the money, the photo of his wife, arranging the murder? Michael and his going to the house, watching Suzanne and her affair with the farmhand? Her riding, warning her about the contract on her life, surprised by her giving him more money to kill her husband? His going, leaving Red Rock, the shock, distracted and hitting the man on the road? The decision to take him to the hospital? Writing the letter about the attempted murders and posting it to the sheriff? In the hospital, wanting to get away, the doctors and the nurses, meeting the sheriff - Wayne?

8. With Wayne in the car, engineering the escape, promising not to tell? Wayne shooting at him? His running and hiding, landing on the road, Lyle stopping the car just in time? Their talk together, sharing marine experiences, the drink in the bar - and the emergence of the truth about Lyle? His wanting to get out, Wayne coming, the toilet, getting on the roof, jumping onto the truck roof? The driver helping him, dropping him at Suzanne's place? Warning her to get away, Lyle's arrival, tricking him in the house, escaping?

9. The escape with Suzanne, the night with her, the seduction? Wayne and the money, their going into his office, the missing money, hiding in the closet, overhearing the deputies tell the truth about Wayne and Suzanne? Suzanne and her lies, wanting to go to Mexico? Being caught by Lyle? The escape from prison, Wayne and the car, Michael and his driving, racing past the train? Going to the cemetery, digging out the money, the preparation for the confrontation?

10. The confrontation, the expectations, the fights, Lyle and his trusting Wayne? The shooting? Michael and Suzanne, Lyle's death, the police coming, racing for the train? Confronting Suzanne, throwing the money away and pushing her out? Her trying to kill him - and the empty gun?

11. Wayne as a type, elected sheriff, relationship with Suzanne, wanting to kill her? The escape from the jail and Lyle murdering the deputy? The truth about his embezzlement? The grave, digging up the money, the gun in the box, attempting to shoot Lyle, Lyle stabbing him, his animosity towards Suzanne, his death?

12. Suzanne, the affair, wanting to get the money, seducing Michael, the embezzlement, the truth about her relationship with her husband? Finding the money, shooting Lyle instead of Michael? Running for the train, pulling the gun on Michael, the truth, his throwing her out after the money - the fact that she had murdered her lover?

13. Lyle, the background of the marines, the hired killer, the talk with Wayne, stalking Michael? In the house and Michael tricking him? Bashing Michael, with Suzanne and Michael in the car, tying them up - and their getting free? The murder of the deputy? The maniacal style? At the cemetery, the gun, the knife, the fight - and his death?

14. The deputies in the town, their honesty? The confrontation of Wayne? The murder of the deputy? The woman on the intercom?

15. The background characters - Michael's friend, the garage owner, the people in the bar, the old couple near the cemetery?

16. The American film noir as an exploration of relationship between the sexes, love and betrayal, heroism? Crime, law, justice?