The Hi-Lo Country (1998)

Director:

Stephen Frears

Writers (WGA):

Max Evans (novel)
Walon Green (screenplay)

Release Date:

22 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Western

Tagline:

A woman like Mona can drive men to extremes.

Plot:

An intimate story of the enduring bond of friendship between two hard-living men, set against a sweeping backdrop: the American West...

Plot Keywords:

Friendship | Brother Shot By Brother | Divorce | Winchester Rifle | Western Music

Awards:

4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Billy Crudup	...	Pete Calder
Woody Harrelson	...	Big Boy Matson
Cole Hauser	...	Little Boy Matson
Enrique Castillo	...	Levi Gomez
Darren E. Burrows	...	Billy Harte (as Darren Burrows)
Jacob Vargas	...	Delfino Mondragon
Robert Knott	...	Jack Couffer
Sam Elliott	...	Jim Ed Love
Sandy Baron	...	Henchman
Patricia Arquette	...	Mona Birk
John Diehl	...	Les Birk
Craig Carter	...	Art Logan
Penélope Cruz	...	Josepha O'Neil
Walter C. Hall	...	Auctioneer
James Gammon	...	Hoover Young
Will Cascio	...	Chickie Cobain
Richard Purdy	...	Bartender
Lane Smith	...	Steve Shaw
Keith Walters	...	Man on Horse
Sarge McGraw	...	Nick the Bartender
Rosaleen Linehan	...	Mrs. Matson
Rose Maddox	...	Grandmother
Bob Tallman	...	Rodeo Announcer
Buff Douthitt	...	Rodeo Wrangler #1
H.P. Evetts	...	Rodeo Wrangler #2
Kate Williamson	...	Mrs. Young
Katy Jurado	...	Meesa
Don Pope	...	Sheriff Fitts
Leslie Cook	...	Choreographer / Dancer
Monica Sundown	...	Singer at Sano Dance
Amanda Cordova	...	Singer at Sano Dance
Gaye Grant	...	Singer at Rodeo Dance
Leon Rausch	...	Singer at Rodeo Dance
Chris O'Connell	...	Singer at Rodeo Dance
Marty Stuart	...	Singer at Rodeo Dance
Don Walser	...	Singer at Rodeo Dance
Connie Smith	...	Singer at Rodeo Dance
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steven Maes	...	WWII Marine Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Stephen Frears

Writing credits (WGA)
Max Evans		(novel)
Walon Green		(screenplay)

Produced by
Tim Bevan	....	producer
Liza Chasin	....	co-producer
Barbara De Fina	....	producer
Eric Fellner	....	producer
Martin Scorsese	....	producer
Rudd Simmons	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Oliver Stapleton

Film Editing by
Masahiro Hirakubo

Casting by
Victoria Thomas

Production Design by
Patricia Norris

Art Direction by
Russell J. Smith

Set Decoration by
Leslie Morales

Costume Design by
Patricia Norris

Makeup Department
Bridget Bergman	....	makeup artist
Shirley Dolle	....	hair stylist
Isabel Harkins	....	makeup artist
Melissa A. Yonkey	....	hair stylist
Debbie Zoller	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Dana Belcastro	....	production supervisor
Jane Frazer	....	executive in charge of production
Rudd Simmons	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sean Hobin	....	second assistant director
L. Dean Jones Jr.	....	assistant director
Chemen Ochoa	....	second second assistant director
Neil Tuohy	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Lou Boggs	....	propmaker
Noah Bradley	....	carpenter
John C. Cameron	....	assistant property master
Jason Davis	....	on-set dresser
Charlie Montoya	....	set dresser
Gary Petersen	....	propmaker
Keith Walters	....	property master
Quinn Yarbrough	....	set dresser
Dan Fitzgerald	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Peter Tosti Stephenson	....	lead man (uncredited)

Sound Department
John Bowen	....	voiceover recordist
Paul Conway	....	sound editor
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
Mark Goodermote	....	boom operator
Stefan Henrix	....	supervising sound editor
Stuart Hilliker	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Andy Kennedy	....	sound editor
Drew Kunin	....	sound mixer
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Becki Ponting	....	assistant sound editor
Ron Sunsinger	....	sound recordist
Tom Caton	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dieter Sturm	....	special effects coordinator
Yvonne Sturm	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
Angus Cameron	....	digital effects supervisor
Antony Hunt	....	executive producer: The Magic Camera Company
Angie Wills	....	visual effects producer

Stunts
Joey Box	....	stunt double
Ryan Brown	....	stunts
Craig Carter	....	stunts
Shawn Howell	....	stunt coordinator
Mike Justus	....	utility stunts
Rob Smets	....	stunt double
Tim Trella	....	stunt coordinator
Christopher J. Tuck	....	stunts
Webster Whinery	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Banister	....	first assistant camera: second unit
J. Patrick Daily	....	key grip
Harland Espeset	....	grip
David G. George	....	video assist operator: second unit
Hank Herrera	....	grip
Robert LaBonge	....	director of photography: second unit
Chris Lombardi	....	camera operator (as Cris Lombardi)
Ray Ortega	....	electrician
Derick Pritchard	....	lighting technician
Doug Schwartz	....	first assistant camera
George Stephenson	....	camera operator
Randy Stone	....	second assistant camera
James R. Tynes	....	chief lighting technician
Eric Whitehead	....	dolly grip
Christopher Wiggins	....	second assistant camera
Alan Swain	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Kim Coleman	....	casting associate
Teresa Neptune	....	location casting: New Mexico
Theresa Neptune	....	location casting
Joyce Wainwright	....	location casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marsha Barton	....	costume shop foreman
Laurie Hudson	....	key set costumer
Askia Won-Ling Jacob	....	costumer
Mimi Kaupe	....	costumer
Barbara Scott	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Anuree De Silva	....	first assistant editor
Paul Ensby	....	color timer
Heidi Freeman	....	assistant editor
Steve Harrow	....	post-production consultant
Olof Källström	....	first assistant editor: USA
Neil Williams	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
John Bell	....	additional orchestrator
Carter Burwell	....	conductor
Marc Caruso	....	assistant music editor
Mitchell Dalton	....	musician: Spanish guitar (as Mitch Dalton)
Michael Farrow	....	music scoring mixer
Vic Fraser	....	music preparation
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Julian Jackson	....	musician: harmonica
Sonny Kompanek	....	orchestrator
Brian Richards	....	assistant music editor
Adam Milo Smalley	....	music editor
Dawn Soler	....	music supervisor
Marty Stuart	....	executive music producer
David Torn	....	musician: guitar
Gavyn Wright	....	concert master

Transportation Department
Greg Bronner	....	transportation co-captain
A. Welch Lambeth	....	transportation coordinator
Tom Moore	....	picture car coordinator
Patrick A. Reynolds Jr.	....	driver
Harold L. Woods	....	driver

Other crew
Craig Brown	....	travel coordinator
Tim Carroll	....	wrangler
Leslie Cook	....	choreographer
Mary Cybulski	....	script supervisor
Hayes Keith Davis	....	production assistant
David A. Foster	....	location manager
Susan Hegarty	....	dialect coach
Rachel Holroyd	....	vice president of business affairs
Robin Le Chanu	....	production coordinator (as Robin L. Green)
Erica Levy	....	assistant: Ms. DeFina
Michelene Mundo	....	production assistant
Stephanie Sain	....	stand-in
Sarah Sher	....	assistant location manager
Emma Thomas	....	coordinator: Los Angeles
Rudy Ugland	....	livestock coordinator
Nadia Venesse	....	additional dialect coach
Andy Wheeler	....	first accountant
Tim Williams	....	dogs

Production Companies

• De Fina-Cappa
• Polygram Filmed Entertainment
• Working Title Films

Distributors

• Budapest Film (2000) (Hungary) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (1999) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Egmont Entertainment (1999) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Gramercy Pictures (I) (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• PolyGram (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Vitória Filmes (1999) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Warner Sogefilms S.A. (1999) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Egmont Film (1999) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Nordisk Film (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Shout! Factory (2012) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Sturm's Special Effects International (snow making)

Other Companies

• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by
• No Stone Unturned Security & Investigative Services  set security (as Angel Security)
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Sound Design Company, The  post-production sound services
• Sylvia Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting
• Tomkats Catering  catering

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality, a scene of violence, and for brief language

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA | UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14

Filming Locations:

Bernal, New Mexico, USA

Company:

De Fina-Cappa

Trivia:

Director Sam Peckinpah tried to get this movie produced for years, but unfortunately he died before he had the chance.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: A Coke vending machine is clearly labeled ten cents. In this part of the country in the late 1940s it would have been five cents. Around 1960 vending machines went to six cents, quite a novelty at the time, requiring two coins to get a Coke. It was later in the 1960s when vending machines finally went to ten cents.

Quotes:

Pete Calder:I once set out to kill a man. I took pleasure in the thought of his death.

When The World Was Bigger

This character study, set in New Mexico in the early ‘40s, begins with an enigmatic narrative that infuses `The Hi-Lo Country,' directed by Stephen Frears, with a tension that ultimately runs high throughout the entire film. The story focuses on the friendship between a couple of cowboys, Pete Calder (Billy Crudup) and Big Boy Matson (Woody Harrelson), who upon returning from the war are trying to make a go of the cattle business, while bucking some stiff competition from the local cattle baron, Jim Ed Love (Sam Elliott). At the same time, Pete becomes aware that he is not alone in his obsession with a married woman, Mona (Patricia Arquette); Big Boy has it bad for her, too, and she just happens to be the wife of Jim Ed's foreman, Les Birk (John Diehl). And, as usually happens with a situation involving obsession, things quickly begin to get sticky for all concerned. Big Boy, it seems, is the one headed for trouble; he's hot-tempered, stubborn, and fearless to a point bordering on stupidity. Pete, on the other hand, has a good head on his shoulders and has a couple of things going for him: One is a woman named Josepha (Penelope Cruz), who cares deeply for him, and the other is his unwavering loyalty to Big Boy. The tension continues to mount, and the situation is complicated further by the fact that Big Boy isn't exactly discreet about his feelings for Mona, nor of his disdain for Jim Ed Love, for whom his younger brother, Little Boy (Cole Hauser) now works. Inevitably, things come to a head; but when it happens, the arena in which it transpires is something of a surprise, though not entirely unexpected.

Frears does a good job of capturing the essence of another time and place that seems so near and yet so far away. The world was changing around them, but in the Hi-Lo country there were still cowboys who punched cattle and drove the herd to market on horseback. Theirs is a fairly self-contained world, far removed from anything that is happening elsewhere; if a butterfly flaps it's wings in New York, it isn't going to affect Pete or Big Boy. Frears takes a look at the difference between the two men, Big Boy, who lives primarily for the moment (or so it would seem), and Pete, who is more apt to consider the consequences of his decisions, except, that is, when it comes to Mona. But even in that respect, it's Pete who ultimately shows some restraint. And Frears maintains the tension by keeping the situation between the men and Mona precariously balanced on the fence. You know that someone is bound to fall, but you don't know who it will be, where or when.

Crudup is convincing as Pete, bringing him to life with a reserved, understated performance. He brings an intelligent and introspective quality to the character that leads you to believe that Pete is always cognizant of what is going on around him, and where it's all heading. With Big boy, on the other hand, you never know if he's ever really aware of his situation, or if he just doesn't care. As Big Boy, Harrelson gives what may be his best performance ever. His portrayal is that of a true, rugged individual who keeps his deepest feelings to himself, but just may be a bit more savvy than he lets on. Initially, it appears that Big Boy and Pete are opposite sides of the same coin, but in the end you realize that they are not so different from one another after all.

As Mona, Arquette gives a somewhat subdued performance. Though attractive, she doesn't exactly exude the kind of sensuality that would seemingly elicit the obsessiveness of the men that is called for by the story, especially in Pete's case. Knowing what you know about the characters involved, it is hard to believe that Pete would look past the lovely and more alluring Josepha for even a second glance at Mona.

The supporting cast includes James Gammon (Hoover), Darren E. Burrows (Billy), Lane Smith (Steve) and Jacob Vargas (Delfino). A good, solid drama, `The Hi-Lo Country' may not be entirely original, but Frears has a nice touch and gives it a sense of realism that will get you emotionally involved with the characters and their story. And, upon reflection, it's a glimpse of a world that not that long ago was so much bigger than it is today. I rate this one 7/10.