CROSSFIRE TRAIL
US, 2001, 92 minutes, Colour.
Tom Selleck, Virginia Madsen, Mark Harmon, Wilford Brimley, David O’ Hara, Christian Kane, Barry Corbin, Brad Johnson.
Directed by Simon Wincer.
Crossfire Trail is a very good western. It was written by Charles Robert Carner, writer and director of the film on Judas as well as a number of action thrillers including Red Water. It was directed by Simon Wincer who won Emmys for Lonesome Dove and has directed quite a number of westerns including Tom Selleck in the remake of Monte Walsh as well as the sequel to Lonesome Dove, Comanche Moon. He also directed Selleck in Quigley, a western with an Australian setting.
Tom Selleck is at home in this kind of role and has a good supporting cast with Virginia Madsen as a widow, Wilford Brimley as an old-timer, Irish David O’ Hara as a prospector, Brad Johnson (the Left Behind series) as a hired killer and Mark Harmon as a smiling villain.
1.The popularity of this kind of western? The old tradition? In cinemas? Telemovies?
2.The work of the director, his Australian background and perspective, his success in creating westerns?
3.The setting, California, the desert, the town? The background of gold rushes? Ranching? The locations, the open plains, the mountains? The musical score? The title?
4.The opening, Charlie and his death, the ship, Rafe and his promise to the dying Charlie? Rock and J.T. and their escaping the ship? Rafe’s later explanations of what had happened – the shanghaiing of crew in San Francisco, the rebellion against the captain, Charlie being bashed to death? The others escaping from the ship? Rafe’s promise to Charlie, for his wife, for the ranch?
5.The story about Charlie’s death, Barkow and his telling the tale, his controlling the town, the saloon, the prospects of the ranch, marrying Ann? The smiling villain and his lies? The irony of his having hired the killer to get rid of Charlie? Calling him in to get rid of Covington?
6.Rafe, his friends, travelling to the town? The initial encounter with Ann, her playing Beethoven, the Moonlight Sonata, the ironies of the conversation? Ann and her loyalty to her husband, the back-story of meeting him in San Francisco, coming to the ranch, her grief at his death? The pressure from Barkow? Her resistance? Her suspicions of Rafe? The death of her daughter, the grave? Her not going to the ranch? Seeing the flowers on the grave?
7.Rafe, his decision to honour his promise, going to the ranch, meeting up with Joe, the friendship, Rock turning up again, J.T? The discussions in the town, especially with Barkow? The clash with the gang? The encounter and the rescue of the Indian chief’s daughter? The chief and his gratitude? The confrontation with the other criminal gangs?
8.Working on the ranch, getting it going, the cattle, riding? The prosperity? Ann’s visit?
9.Barkow, his control, setting the gang after Rafe, their failure? The confrontation in the street, the death of the challenger? The continued hostility? Barkow going out to the ranch, his threats to Rafe? The three days? The lies about the money and the paying off of the mortgage?
10.The build-up to the confrontation, the hiring of the killer, his arrival, Ann seeing him? His deals with Barkow?
11.The confrontation, the prelude with Barkow forcing Ann to marry him, her unwillingness? The sheriff and his previous involvement, saying that the marriage was not his finest hour, his drinking, leaving?
12.The shootout, the skills? Thompson and his wife, his wife urging him on, his selling the rifle to Rafe, getting the ammunition, his being wounded?
13.The killer, his shooting J.T., using the death as a bait for Rafe to come to town? The confrontations, the shootings? Rafe and his pretending that he was shot, his killing the killer? Barkow and his confronting Rafe, Ann shooting him?
14.A satisfactory resolution? Justice and honesty? Love? How well did the film build up characters, build up action, tension? Using the popular ingredients of the western and the honour codes?
