The Quick and the Dead (TV 1987)

A mysterious stranger rides into a homesteading family's life when they are attacked by a ruthless gang.

Director:

Robert Day

Writers:

Louis L'Amour (novel), James Lee Barrett (teleplay)

Stars:

Sam Elliott, Tom Conti, Kate Capshaw

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sam Elliott	...	Con Vallian
Tom Conti	...	Duncan McKaskel
Kate Capshaw	...	Susanna McKaskel
Kenny Morrison	...	Tom McKaskel
Matt Clark	...	Doc Shabitt
Patrick Kilpatrick	...	The Ute
Jerry Potter	...	Red Hayle
Billy Streater	...	Ike Mantle
Del Shores	...	Purdy Mantle
R.L. Tolbert	...	Johnny Dobbs
Jeffrey Meyer	...	Butcher McCloud (as Jeffrey M. Meyer)
Kurt D. Lott	...	Lenny Shabitt
Hardy Rawls	...	Joy the Blacksmith
Larry Sellers	...	Running Wolf
Bill Stedman	...	Bartender

Storyline

Duncan and Susanna McKaskel are a young married couple travelling to the West with their son, hoping to start a new life. Along the way, they stop in a small town where they meet a gang of bandits led by Doc Shabitt. After Duncan unintentionally angers the gang, he and Susanna flee the town, but Shabitt leads his men in pursuit of revenge. A mysterious stranger by the name of Con Vallian soon begins helping the family as they try to find a new home and protects them from Shabitt's gang.

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Plot Keywords:

covered wagon | revolver | cowboy | gunfight | reluctant hero | 

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Genres:

Western

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 February 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dziki i wolny

Filming Locations:

Coconino National Forest, Arizona, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Con Vallian: I work hard, every day of my life, just stayin' alive.

User Reviews

This is one terrific western

This is one terrific western film. Sam Elliott, who is marvelous as a "Shane-like" character, plays a drifter who follows a family of green homesteaders across the western plains and protects them from a savage pack of outlaws. The family, which includes Tom Conti and Kate Capshaw, also becomes more sufficient as the story progresses. It's a lean, well-directed film, with not a scene or character wasted. Not until Unforgiven did a western film arrives as superior as this HBO production. The story is based on an entertaining L. Lamour novel of the same name. The novel has a significant plot twist from the film, which I won't reveal here.