Love and a .45 (1994)

A small time crook flees to Mexico to evade the authorities, loan sharks, and his murderous ex-partner with only his fiancé and a trusted Colt .45.

Director:

C.M. Talkington

Writer:

C.M. Talkington

Stars:

Gil Bellows, Renée Zellweger, Rory Cochrane

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gil Bellows	...	Watty Watts
Renée Zellweger	...	Starlene Cheatham
Rory Cochrane	...	Billy Mack Black
Jeffrey Combs	...	Dinosaur Bob
Jace Alexander	...	Creepy Cody
Ann Wedgeworth	...	Thaylene Cheatham
Peter Fonda	...	Vergil Cheatham
Tammy Le Blanc	...	Stripper
Wiley Wiggins	...	Young Clerk
Jack Nance	...	Justice Thurman
Charlotte Ross	...	Mary Ann
Michael Bowen	...	Ranger X
Scott Roland	...	Simp
Todd Conner	...	Young Cop
Richard Rothenberg	...	Camera Store Clerk

Storyline

Watty Watts (Gil Bellows) has made a living out of robbing convenience stores, but after one of these jobs turned into murder by his partner, the psychopath Billy Mack Black (Rory Cochrane), he is on the run with his fiancé Starlene Cheatham (Renée Zellweger) and with both Billy Mack, the Police, and some loan sharks on his trail. Their plan is to go to Mexico, but before they do that, they want to get married and visit Starlene's parents.

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Plot Keywords:

pay phone | 1990s | shot to death | blood splatter | stabbed in the hand | 

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Taglines:

This is one jagged twisting ride you'll never forget.

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Genres:

Crime | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and language, and for sexuality and drug use

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the dining room scene with Starlene's parents, Peter Fonda's motorcycle's gas tank (American Flag design), from Easy Rider (1969) has been made into a lamp, and is on a table behind Watty and Starlene.

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Goofs

During their make-out session on the couch, as Starlene drops the Polaroid camera, the photographs fall with a clunk, but the camera drops soundlessly.

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Quotes

Vergil Cheatham: The only way out is in.
Thaylene Cheatham: Praise the Lord!
Vergil Cheatham: And the only way to get there is to free yourself... to face the seething, bloodthirsty darkness in your own heart... Have you ever faced yourself in a mirror and gesticulated like a madman, Watty?
Watty Watts: [Somewhat bemused] Well, Vergil, I can't say I have, as of yet.
Vergil Cheatham: Until you do, you are nothing. And until you embrace the eternal nothingness of your existence, you will NOT BE FREE! Do you follow my lead?
Watty Watts: [Still bemused] Well, yeah, Vergil, I think that I do... uh, ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

In the 'special thanks' section the following two statements can be found: biscuit (for doing a hell of a job and ending up on the cutting floor room) Gibby Haynes (for not showing up but being brilliant in his audition)

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Alternate Versions

German version is cut for violence (ca. 1 minute) to secure a "Not under 18" rating.

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Connections

References Pulp Fiction (1994)

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Soundtracks

Loaded Gun
Performed by Reverend Horton Heat (as The Reverend Horton Heat)
Courtesy of Sub Pop, Ltd.
Written by Reverend Horton Heat (as James C. Heath)
Published by Horton House Publishing (BMI)

User Reviews

White Trash Genre Rating 9/10

For the genre I thought it was pretty good.

It's not so much a Tarentino ripoff, as has been suggested, as another in a long line of White Trash on the Road movies which started back with Bonnie & Clyde & Easy Rider and continues with movies like Freeway, Natural Born Killers etc.

The characters were great. They're supposed to be overdrawn and the balance between the main characters bad deeds and that piece of goodness they have that no one else in the film possess was struck just right.

Rightly so Renee Zellweger has built a career since this but I'm surprised that the Director, CM Talkington went nowhere from here and the lead Gil Bellows (who is charming here) has had little success either.

And who would have thought that Creepy would go on to direct a ton of TV shows!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 November 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Love and a .45

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,086, 27 November 1994

Gross USA:

$35,200

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$35,200

Company Credits

Production Co:

Trimark Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (FotoKem)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1