The Quick and the Dead (1995)The devil loves a game where everybody plays by his rules. The Quick and the Dead (1995) is a Western directed by Sam Raimi, that tells the story of a gunfighting competition in the dusty, Wild West desert town of Redemption, hosted by the sinister mayor, John Herod (Gene Hackman). A mysterious female gunfighter named Ellen (Sharon Stone)--called "The Lady" by most--has a vendetta against Herod for the death of her father (Gary Sinise) many years ago. She enters Herod's tournament, preparing to face down a bevy of colorful and dangerous characters in order to take down the devil at the top.
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The Quick and the Dead was something of a dark horse when it was released in 1995, when Westerns had fallen into disfavor. The film embraces a multitude of genre tropes, and some of them are played for self-referential satire. Sam Raimi draws from decades of history of the Western, from the archetypes of John Wayne and Gary Cooper, to the "Spaghetti Westerns" featuring Clint Eastwood. Ellen is taciturn and closed off, a quiet woman posing as a fortune hunter to hide her mission of vengeance against Herod--she even dresses like Eastwood's "The Man with No Name". The Quick and the Dead plays like a greatest hits collection of Western motifs, including shoot-outs at high noon, long shadows in saloon doors, wide-angle lenses and rapid zooms for added tension (also a Raimi flourish); even the music and costumes befit this larger-than-life Western action film. The Quick and the Dead is a quintessential revenge story, and the drama is punctuated by the frequent showdowns in the street, set pieces that play to all of the familiar gunslinger archetypes of outlaws and gentleman adventurers, coming to Redemption for a literal shot at Herod's prize money. A revenge story with a tournament as the backdrop also recalls the classic martial arts movie, Enter the Dragon. The assorted fighters become memorable for their idiosyncrasies, and are introduced when they sign up for the fight. They include a swaggering bravo with the self-styled moniker of "Ace" Hanlon (Lance Henriksen), who performs tricks by shooting through playing cards, and claims he puts an ace in his deck for every man he kills. There's the professional bounty hunter, Sgt. Cantrell (Keith David), who smokes a pipe, and carries himself with gravitas. The young proprietor of the local gun store is named Fee (Leonardo DiCaprio)--although everyone calls him "The Kid"; he is cocky and headstrong, with the speed to match his mouth. The Kid claims that Herod is his father, and he enters the tournament to win his father's respect. There's even a Native American named Spotted Horse (Jonothon Gill), who makes frequent declarations in the third person that he cannot be killed by a bullet, and dons warpaint before fighting in the street. The one person who doesn't want to participate in the tournament is an erstwhile outlaw and companion of Herod's, a priest named Cort (Russell Crowe). Herod's cronies assault Cort, but he has sworn a vow of pacifism in spite of his preternatural aptitude with firearms. All of these stylized gunfighters feel right at home in this Western, and one's enjoyment of the film will largely have to do with how much one enjoys the tropes of the genre being lampshaded.
It is no coincidence that the town in The Quick and the Dead is named Redemption, since it becomes the place where people like Ellen and Cort find redemption for their past transgressions. There are themes of forgiveness and mercy throughout the film, Christian values exemplified in Cort. His relationship with Herod mirrors the Passion of Christ; it is also no coincidence that Herod shares his name with the ancient King of Judea. Cort tries to be "Christ-like" on his path of atonement, accepting the persecution of the people of Redemption--many of whom have an instinctive hatred of him, even without any knowledge of his dark past. Cort is not the true protagonist of The Quick and the Dead, although Herod most certainly is the antagonist. He is a selfish and vicious man who sees himself as superior to all others, and is offended at any threat to his comfortable seat of power. He claims he is a fair arbiter of order, in spite of his own tyranny. But Herod is also a liar and a cheat, stacking the odds in his favor and using all available means to ensure his survival above all others. Herod is a cagey man, who tells Ellen that nothing can make him afraid anymore, after he recounts a tragic story from his childhood about his stern father. Ellen presents a tough front and unflinching exterior, but deep down she is the same scared girl who remembers how her father was taken from her by Herod. Her pain comes back to her via frequent flashbacks, scenes where the color has faded to resemble the photograph of her father she carries with her. Herod is a viper, but he is also a lonely man, having driven everyone away with his villainy. He encourages bloodlust in others by praising their victories and smites "cowards" and "frauds"--people who never killed anyone--with satisfaction; he does this because he wants sympathy for his own amorality. Herod has become consumed with killing; a telling scene before the ultimate showdown depicts Herod fine tuning his pistol all night, cleaning each part with precision while muttering to himself. This is not the tyrannical sophisticate who dresses sharply and commands subservience with a diabolical aura, but a feeble, old man who has let his obsession commandeer his soul. He resembles Ebenezer Scrooge--a miser alone in his chambers, waiting for his next opportunity to steal away the life of another. Gene Hackman's performance as Herod recalls his turn as the tyrannical sheriff in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, also a despot that values obedience above righteousness. If the town of Redemption is a purgatory for people like Ellen and Cort, a place for them to absolve themselves of their sins, Herod is the gatekeeper--like Minos, the Infernal Judge in Dante's "Inferno". He is someone who prevents the souls of goodness from escaping his wretched demesne unless they can prove themselves to be worthy of redemption. This analogy makes Ellen's quest more than a tale of revenge, but of liberation, for herself and those who have been crushed beneath the cloven hoof of a tyrant like Herod.
Recommended for: Fans of a stylish Western that embraces the tropes and motifs of the genre in a colorful homage. The Quick and the Dead uses themes like redemption and forgiveness as the backdrop for the action, which includes lots of exciting shootouts and set pieces that make the film feel like a collection of high points from the genre.
It is no coincidence that the town in The Quick and the Dead is named Redemption, since it becomes the place where people like Ellen and Cort find redemption for their past transgressions. There are themes of forgiveness and mercy throughout the film, Christian values exemplified in Cort. His relationship with Herod mirrors the Passion of Christ; it is also no coincidence that Herod shares his name with the ancient King of Judea. Cort tries to be "Christ-like" on his path of atonement, accepting the persecution of the people of Redemption--many of whom have an instinctive hatred of him, even without any knowledge of his dark past. Cort is not the true protagonist of The Quick and the Dead, although Herod most certainly is the antagonist. He is a selfish and vicious man who sees himself as superior to all others, and is offended at any threat to his comfortable seat of power. He claims he is a fair arbiter of order, in spite of his own tyranny. But Herod is also a liar and a cheat, stacking the odds in his favor and using all available means to ensure his survival above all others. Herod is a cagey man, who tells Ellen that nothing can make him afraid anymore, after he recounts a tragic story from his childhood about his stern father. Ellen presents a tough front and unflinching exterior, but deep down she is the same scared girl who remembers how her father was taken from her by Herod. Her pain comes back to her via frequent flashbacks, scenes where the color has faded to resemble the photograph of her father she carries with her. Herod is a viper, but he is also a lonely man, having driven everyone away with his villainy. He encourages bloodlust in others by praising their victories and smites "cowards" and "frauds"--people who never killed anyone--with satisfaction; he does this because he wants sympathy for his own amorality. Herod has become consumed with killing; a telling scene before the ultimate showdown depicts Herod fine tuning his pistol all night, cleaning each part with precision while muttering to himself. This is not the tyrannical sophisticate who dresses sharply and commands subservience with a diabolical aura, but a feeble, old man who has let his obsession commandeer his soul. He resembles Ebenezer Scrooge--a miser alone in his chambers, waiting for his next opportunity to steal away the life of another. Gene Hackman's performance as Herod recalls his turn as the tyrannical sheriff in Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, also a despot that values obedience above righteousness. If the town of Redemption is a purgatory for people like Ellen and Cort, a place for them to absolve themselves of their sins, Herod is the gatekeeper--like Minos, the Infernal Judge in Dante's "Inferno". He is someone who prevents the souls of goodness from escaping his wretched demesne unless they can prove themselves to be worthy of redemption. This analogy makes Ellen's quest more than a tale of revenge, but of liberation, for herself and those who have been crushed beneath the cloven hoof of a tyrant like Herod.
Recommended for: Fans of a stylish Western that embraces the tropes and motifs of the genre in a colorful homage. The Quick and the Dead uses themes like redemption and forgiveness as the backdrop for the action, which includes lots of exciting shootouts and set pieces that make the film feel like a collection of high points from the genre.