Open Range (2003)

Director:

Kevin Costner

Writers (WGA):

Lauran Paine (novel)
Craig Storper (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 August 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Western

Tagline:

No place to run. No reason to hide.

Plot:

A former gunslinger is forced to take up arms again when he and his cattle crew are threatened by a corrupt lawman.

Plot Keywords:

Cattle | Rancher | Cowboy | Friendship | Jail

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Robert Duvall	...	Boss Spearman
Kevin Costner	...	Charley Waite
Annette Bening	...	Sue Barlow
Michael Gambon	...	Denton Baxter
Michael Jeter	...	Percy
Diego Luna	...	Button
James Russo	...	Sheriff Poole
Abraham Benrubi	...	Mose
Dean McDermott	...	Doc Barlow
Kim Coates	...	Butler
Herb Kohler	...	Cafe Man
Peter MacNeill	...	Mack
Cliff Saunders	...	Ralph
Patricia Stutz	...	Ralph's Wife (as Pat Stutz)
Julian Richings	...	Wylie

MPAA:

Rated R for violence.

Runtime:

139 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:12 (video rating) (2004) | UK:12A (original rating) | Germany:12 | Iceland:12 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Sweden:11 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-15 | Ireland:12PG (original rating) | Ireland:12 (video rating) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | USA:R | Canada:A

Filming Locations:

Alberta, Canada

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

Boss keeps calling Percy, played by Michael Jeter, "Old Man". But Robert Duvall, who plays Boss, is actually 21 years older than Jeter, who was only 51 at the time the movie was made.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the restaurant scene where the Marshall confronts Boss and Charlie, Charlie's sidearm is covered then uncovered at different times by his coat as the camera jumps back and forth.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Boss Spearman: [indicating a thunderstorm] Think she'll get over this-a-way?
Charley Waite: Might.
Boss Spearman: Best bed 'em down.

Movie Connections:

References My Darling Clementine (1946)

Soundtrack:

Holding All My Love for You

A traditional, well-made western

A traditional, well-made western - suitable for most ages, features good guys herdin' cattle, bad guys tryin' to steal the cattle, codes of honour, a corrupt sheriff, a fantastic shoot-out, and Annette Bening being lovely in the wings. Open Range doesn't do anything particularly new, it just does it particularly well. For actor/director/producer Kevin Costner, it seems to have been a labour of love and one that has paid off handsomely. The characters are well fleshed out, it has plenty to appeal to adults (men and women) rather than being just a boys-with-guns film. The qualities of the main heroes are likeable - they value the trust, respect and confidence that is given them and realise the value of these things. Open Range is no high and mighty moraliser however; there are plenty true-to-genre one-liners, such as "You're nothing!" (grim-faced, cornered bad guy) - "Maybe so," (good guy pointing a gun at him), "but I'll still be breathing in another minute!" Towards the end of the film they also battle with their own inner demons. What starts out with all the flavour of a Boys' Own adventure (complete with cutesy dog) turns out to be a well-rounded minor classic. Long live the Western!