Silverado (1985)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Lawrence Kasdan

Writers:

Lawrence Kasdan (written by) &
Mark Kasdan (written by)

Release Date:

10 July 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Western

Tagline:

Get ready for the ride of your life.

Plot:

A misfit bunch of friends come together to right the injustices which exist in a small town.

Plot Keywords:

Small Town | Pinto | Scenic Vista | Tumbleweed | Jail

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Kevin Kline	...	Paden
Scott Glenn	...	Emmett
Kevin Costner	...	Jake
Danny Glover	...	Malachi 'Mal' Johnson
Marvin J. McIntyre	...	Clerk at cavalry outpost
Sheb Wooley	...	Cavalry Sergeant
Jon Kasdan	...	Boy at Outpost
John Cleese	...	Sheriff John T. Langston
Todd Allen	...	Turley Deputy Kern
Kenny Call	...	Turley Deputy Block
Bill Thurman	...	Carter
Meg Kasdan	...	Barmaid at Sang's Saloon
Dick Durock	...	Turley Bar Fighter
Gene Hartline	...	Turley Bar Fighter
Autry Ward	...	Hat Thief

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:12 | West Germany:12 (f) | South Korea:12 | UK:PG | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | USA:PG-13 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Abiquiu, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The set for Silverado was built for this movie and has since been used in such movies as Young Guns (1988), Wyatt Earp (1994), Last Man Standing (1996/I), "Lonesome Dove" (1989), All the Pretty Horses (2000) and Wild Wild West (1999). In Wild Wild West "Kasdan Ironworks" can be seen on the side of one of the buildings as a reference to Lawrence Kasdan.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After saving the wagon trains money from the gang in the canyon, Emmet, Paden and Mal are sitting on horseback talking as the wagon train moves from right to left behind them. One wagon can be seen with the wagon tongue clearly broken and being dragged behind the lead team. The only way the team is attached to the wagon is by the reins in the drivers hands.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Emmett saves Paden's life with a sip of water from his canteen after discovering him abandoned and baking in the desert]
Paden: Pleased to meet you.

Movie Connections:

References The Searchers (1956)

Entertaining, but not innovative enough

Many of the reviews say _Silverado_ broke new ground for the Western genre, but I would argue that while it was undoubtedly good escapist fun, it was more derivative than innovative.

Sure, the conversations often seem much more natural than those from other Westerns, and indeed most of the characters are drawn with more dimensions intact, but the entire script could have been pulled together by pulling scenes from a bag full of ideas from other movies. Not to mention the locations, which I could have sworn I recognized from films like _The Big Country_ and anything by John Ford.

For example, Brian Dennehy did a fine job, but you could tell who his character was just by the fact that Dennehy was cast in the role. Many of his characters share the traits of Sheriff Cobb (more than this, I won't say here).

I have to say that as a firm non-fan of Kevin Costner, even I have to admit he did fine here as well... as did all the lead actors. Their careers since _Silverado_ have demonstrated that this was an unusually gifted ensemble.