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Purgatory

  • TV Movie
  • 19991999
  • TV-14TV-14
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
4.1K
YOUR RATING
Eric Roberts, Randy Quaid, Sam Shepard, Brad Rowe, and Donnie Wahlberg in Purgatory (1999)
Trailer
Play trailer0:32
1 Video
54 Photos
FantasyWestern
An outlaw band rides into a town that is actually Purgatory, between Heaven and Hell.An outlaw band rides into a town that is actually Purgatory, between Heaven and Hell.An outlaw band rides into a town that is actually Purgatory, between Heaven and Hell.
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
4.1K
YOUR RATING
    • Uli Edel
    • Gordon T. Dawson
  • Stars
    • Sam Shepard
    • Eric Roberts
    • Randy Quaid
    • Uli Edel
    • Gordon T. Dawson
  • Stars
    • Sam Shepard
    • Eric Roberts
    • Randy Quaid
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 65User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy

    Videos1

    Purgatory
    Trailer 0:32
    Watch Purgatory

    Photos54

    Eric Roberts, Randy Quaid, Sam Shepard, Brad Rowe, and Donnie Wahlberg in Purgatory (1999)
    Eric Roberts, Randy Quaid, Sam Shepard, Brad Rowe, and Donnie Wahlberg in Purgatory (1999)
    Purgatory (1999)
    Brad Rowe and Amelia Heinle in Purgatory (1999)
    JD Souther in Purgatory (1999)
    Sam Shepard in Purgatory (1999)
    Eric Roberts in Purgatory (1999)
    Brad Rowe in Purgatory (1999)
    Sam Shepard in Purgatory (1999)
    Sam Shepard in Purgatory (1999)
    Peter Stormare in Purgatory (1999)
    Sam Shepard, Brad Rowe, Donnie Wahlberg, and JD Souther in Purgatory (1999)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sam Shepard
    Sam Shepard
    • Sheriff Forrest…
    Eric Roberts
    Eric Roberts
    • Blackjack Britton
    Randy Quaid
    Randy Quaid
    • Doc Woods…
    Peter Stormare
    Peter Stormare
    • Cavin Guthrie
    Brad Rowe
    Brad Rowe
    • Leo 'Sonny' Dillard
    Donnie Wahlberg
    Donnie Wahlberg
    • Deputy Glen…
    JD Souther
    JD Souther
    • Brooks
    • (as John David Souther)
    • …
    Amelia Heinle
    Amelia Heinle
    • Rose…
    Shannon Kenny
    Shannon Kenny
    • Dolly Sloan…
    John Dennis Johnston
    John Dennis Johnston
    • Lamb…
    Saginaw Grant
    Saginaw Grant
    • Gatekeeper
    Richard Edson
    Richard Edson
    • Euripides
    Gregory Scott Cummins
    Gregory Scott Cummins
    • Knox
    John Diehl
    John Diehl
    • Badger
    R.G. Armstrong
    R.G. Armstrong
    • Coachman
    Les Lannom
    Les Lannom
    • Bartender
    Michael Shaner
    • Jacinto
    Phil Hawn
    Phil Hawn
    • Inhabitant of Refuge
    • (uncredited)
      • Uli Edel
      • Gordon T. Dawson
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      All of the Purgatory residents' assumed names are nature-based: Forest, Glen, Ivy, Rose, Woods, Lamb.
    • Goofs
      Doc Holliday was indeed a dentist and not a physician. In the Old West, however, remote towns often had to use what they had for medical care. Physicians were scarce, so if a town did not have a doctor they would go to the dentist, veterinarian, or even barber for care. Also sometimes physicians would be called upon to care for sick animals if needed. It is therefore not that far of a reach that a dentist would serve as the town doctor.
    • Quotes

      Brooks: I was hoping I could hold out until my brother got here, but the old buzzard refuses to die.

    User reviews65

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    It's a two-way street.
    After committing a bank robbery, a large group of outlaws led by Blackjack Britton are on the run. So Britton leads his men across the desert, which they come across a quiet little town called Purgatory, where the strange locals don't carry guns, or even curse, but they really make them welcome. This very helpful gesture spurs Britton to stir up a racket and take over the town, but one of his men, a young wannabe, Sonny, doesn't share Britton's idea and he finds himself picking up some unusual hints of something otherworldly about the town and its inhabitants.

    What a nice surprise the cable TV movie, "Purgatory", actually turned out to be. It's far from your conventional western. Well, there's some formulaic western stakes within it, but it does have a weird novelty behind it that wouldn't feel out-of-place in a "Twilight Zone" episode. This unique sprinkle and along with a appealing cast made it a very engrossing and delightful viewing, despite that it's pretty much a sleeper when building up the story and the mysterious twist engulfing the presentation forces itself on us too suddenly and rather obviously. I could go on about the whole twist and the story has a few layers to peel off, but its better to just know that it involves a group of outlaws who have made names for themselves. Like Bill Hicock, Billy the Kid, Jesse James and Doc Holliday. Now that's a great line-up! The story kind a follows a redemption angle, where it's all about choice and a chance to make good, but despite this option there are temptations you must face, before accepting your fate. Gladly none of it becomes too overwrought. There are some creative juices flowing here amongst a very solid looking production. The film opens and closes with thrilling and well-staged gunfights. Dynamic wise, the fruitful cast gel impeccably well, involving the likes of Eric Roberts killing it, as Blackjack Britton and then you got Brad Rowe as the naïve Sonny. Peter Stonmore gives a stand-out performance as the crackpot sidekick of Britton, Cavin. Some of the town's folk you see kicking back are played by Randy Quaid, Sam Elliott, Donnie Wahlberg, J.D. Souther and the stunning Amelia Heinle. What got me more than anything, was the production was very well mounted with smoothly displayed photography that captured the vastness and close details that sprawled along the screen and a sulky, fine-tuned score that created an eerie howl, really does lift it out of the very stuffy mould of TV features.

    A very curious piece that just doesn't go anywhere big with its fascinating concept, but still it's surely entertaining.
    helpful•19
    5
    • lost-in-limbo
    • Jul 23, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 10, 1999 (United States)
      • United States
      • TNT (United States)
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Barstow, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Rosemont Productions
      • TNT Originals
      • Turner Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 34 minutes
      • Color
      • Stereo

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    Eric Roberts, Randy Quaid, Sam Shepard, Brad Rowe, and Donnie Wahlberg in Purgatory (1999)
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