Appaloosa
2008 · United States · 114 min
- Director
- Ed Harris
- Screenplay
- Ed Harris
- Producer
- Ed Harris, Robert Knott
- Music
- Jeff Beal
- Cinematography
- Dean Semler
- Editing
- Kathryn Himoff
- Production company
- New Line Cinema
- Based on
- Appaloosa
Cast
What it is about
New Mexico, 1882. Former soldier Virgil Cole and his partner Everett Hitch have built a reputation for bringing order to lawless towns. When the mining town of Appaloosa finds itself at the mercy of a rancher who rules by force, local leaders turn to the pair to restore the peace. What looks like a routine job soon tests the loyalty between the two men and the limits of their code, especially once Allison French, a self-reliant widow, enters the picture and unsettles their partnership.
How it was made
The film is based on Robert B. Parker's 2005 novel, which Ed Harris discovered during a family trip. He was drawn to its classic Western structure combined with crime themes still relevant today. Harris bought the rights, hired Parker to write the adaptation, and then co-wrote the screenplay with Robert Knott, who also produced. It was Harris's second film as director after Pollock. Shooting took place from October to November 2007 in New Mexico and Texas, on a budget of about 20 million dollars. The project stalled when New Line Cinema grew concerned about a Western's box-office prospects during a crowded season. Diane Lane left the role of Allie, and Renée Zellweger replaced her. Harris aimed for a traditional style rather than a revisionist take, centering the film on the quiet comradeship between his two leads. Dean Semler shot the film and Jeff Beal composed the score.
Reception and legacy
The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and opened in selected American cities in September 2008 before expanding in October. Critics praised the performances and its unhurried tone, though some found it less conventional than its appearance suggests. It won best film and best adapted screenplay at the 2008 Boston Film Festival, and the Western Heritage Award in 2009. Its aggregate review scores are favorable, though it was not a major commercial hit. Over time it has been reappraised as a character-driven Western in conversation with the genre's classics.
Stills
Trivia
An unexpected gift
While promoting A History of Violence in Toronto, Harris handed Viggo Mortensen a copy of the novel and asked him to consider the role of Everett Hitch. Harris admitted it was an awkward proposition.
Period research
Mortensen studied Frederic Remington drawings and other images of the Old West to prepare his character and learn the proper stance for a gunfight.
More films by Ed Harris
PollockOriginal Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (es) and Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.