PURGATORY

US, 1999, 90 minutes, Colour.
Sam Shepherd, Eric Roberts, Randy Quaid, Peter Stormare, Brad Rowe, Donnie Wahlberg, John David Souther, Amelia Heinle, Shannon Kenny, John Dennis Johnston, Saginaw Grant, John Diehl, R.G.Armstrong.
Directed by Uli Edel.

Purgatory is a very interesting western made for television at the end of the 1990s, one of many fine westerns made by TNT.

As can be gauged from the title, there is a religious dimension to the plot. However, it begins as do many westerns with an elaborate bank robbery, the arrival of the military, and an extensive shootout with many deaths, the gang escaping with the money and a posse in pursuit. The gang is finally tracked down by the posse on the top of a cliff. The gang ride through tunnels and caves in the mountains to arrive at town called Refuge where they decide to stay.

It is here that the film changes its tone. The symbolic name of the town is Refuge and it is a Purgatory town for so many of the famous outlaws of the 1860s and 70s, including Jesse James, Wild Bill Hikock, Billy the Kid, Doc Holliday… They are portrayed by such stalwarts as Sam Shepherd and Randy Quaid. But there is a young man, Sonny, Brad Rowe, who reads the novels about the West and recognises the characters. He also falls in love with a woman who had been hanged for murder, Rose. The gang is led by Eric Roberts as Blackjack. Peter Stormare is the brutal uncle of Sonny.

The action is predictable insofar as the gang causes difficulties in the town and the outlaws, without weapons and advocating peaceful means of conflict resolution, have to make a choice as to whether they defend their town by taking up arms or let the gang succeed. The results are played in a finely choreographed and edited gunfight.

The coach driver who brings people into the town and takes them to paradise makes a fine comment that the Creator might be tough but is not blind to people fighting for others.

The director of the film is German Uli Edel who made fine films in Germany including Christiane F. and The Baader Meinhoff Complex, who also worked in the United States on films and miniseries including Last Exit to Brooklyn.

1. The title, expectations? In a western setting?

2. The aftermath of the Civil War? Lawlessness, the famous outlaws? Their activities in the 1860s and 1870s?

3. The conventions of the Western, the western town and its life and style, the daring bank robbery, shootouts, escapes, posses in pursuit? An escape through caves, finding a peaceful town, causing trouble?

4. Differences from ordinary westerns? The town of Refuge? The sheriff, the doctor, the storekeeper, the various farmers, the women? The importance of the church? The town of peace, no guns?

5. Audiences responding to the revelation about the town of Refuge, its being a purgatory? The famous outlaws and their presence, doing time in Purgatory, keeping the peace, no weapons, the sense of justice? The fact that they were all dead and in this state, making up for their lives, getting a flower to indicate that their time was finished, the coach driver and his bringing new people, taking others away? The Indian on guard, taking away those who broke the peace and used violence?

6. The opening, the elaborate preparations for the bank robbery, the performance of the robbery, the military coming into town? Sonny and his being young, reading his novels about the West, easily distracted, his harsh uncle, his treatment by Blackjack, his encounter with the young woman and recognising who she was? The robbery itself, the interruptions, the large number in the gang, so much shooting, so many deaths, Dolly and her being shot, Sonny and his helping her, her death? His riding the horse, rescuing the wounded man?

7. Blackjack and his character, ruthless, organising the robbery, his control over his men, attitude towards Sonny? Callous in the shootings? Letting Badger die and Badger accepting this, asking Sonny to shoot him? The escape, the pursuit, the posse on the top of the cliff, again riding away, going through the tunnels in the mountains, finding the town of Refuge, peaceful, the green countryside?

8. The sheriff of Refuge, peaceable, welcoming the gang, listening to their explanations, knowing that they were lying? The wounded, being treated by the doctor? Going to the saloon, free drinks, the storekeeper? The various other members of the town? Rose? Sonny attracted to her? The church and the religious perspective of the town?

9. The familiarity of some of the characters, Sonny calling out to Doc to draw and his response? The revelation of the characters were: Wild Bill Hitchcock, Jesse James, Doc Holiday, Billy the Kid… Rose and her explanation of who she was, hanged, the molestation by her father? The arrival of Dolly, being called Ivy? Time passing, keeping the peace, the discussions in the church, the sheriff and his time almost up? The coach driver and his bringing new residents, taking others to paradise?

10. The focus on Sonny, his shooting Badger in the desert at his request? His reading of the novels, recognising the characters, falling in love with Rose, the swimming, the discussions? His treatment by his uncle, brutal? His going to the church, his explanation, his wanting to defend the people and Rose?

11. The recklessness in the town, the drinking, Blackjack and his leadership, the uncle and his drinking, Sonny knocking him out as he approached Rose? The shooting, the knives and the target practice, aiming at the sheriff, the clouds coming over, the lightning striking the knife? Blackjack and his threatening the sheriff, the clouds coming again?

12. The sheriff asking the group to leave? The refusal?

13. Lefty, his story, his gardens, the men on horses trampling the fruit and vegetables, his violent reaction, the attack and killing one of the men, his having to go to the gate, the vigilant Native American Indian? Going to his fate?

14. The decision by the outlaws, to resort to violence, in defence of the innocent?

15. The choreography and the final shootout, editing and pace? The skill of the outlaws, the shooting, Sonny and the confrontation with his uncle?

16. Blackjack and the uncle, their deaths, going over the cliffs and consumed in Hell?

17. The coach driver, his arrival, the group’s thinking that they were doomed, the coach driver saying that the Creator was tough but not blind and so taking them away to heaven? The sheriff giving his badge to Sonny?

18. A western that was in many ways the same but was quite different?