The Quick and the Dead

Movie Review: The Quick and the Dead

Year of Release: 1995
Country of Origin: USA, Japan
Director: Sam Raimi
Cast: Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, Leonardo DiCaprio

Plot outline: Lady avenger returns to western town owned by a ruthless gunslinger hosting an elimination tournament (IMDb).

Ms. Stone makes a smashing entrance and then says little, with her mind occasionally wandering back to the childhood trauma that explains why she has come to town. In playing to her formidable strength, it's a definite improvement on Ms. Stone's other post-Basic Instinct career choices. It's hard to think of another actress who followed such an electrifying star turn with so many wan, unflattering roles and ineptly directed movies. This time, at least, she has the chance to taunt, mock, smolder and otherwise do what she does best. "What if you get killed? " asks the admiring little girl who watches Ellen carefully, providing an element of Shane appeal. "Well, I won't be around to answer any more of your dumb questions," Ellen replies. Mr. Hackman, whose presence makes Unforgiven another of the countless other westerns recalled here, is himself no slouch in the taunting department. Nobody plays a bile-dripping villain to quite the same slinky effect, even if he seems to have baited a dozen gunfighters too many before the quick-draw contest is finally over. On the night Herod lures Ellen to his lair for an intimate dinner - the kind where she secretly hides a gun in her garter - he and Ms. Stone prove themselves well matched when it comes to insinuating remarks. He: "I could give you more money than you'd ever spend." She: "I wouldn't feel liked I'd earned it." He: "Oh yes, you would." Not enough of this movie succeeds in being that wicked, but it uses a large and varied cast to sustain interest. Veteran actors from Pat Hingle to Woody Strode turn up in small roles, and Russell Crowe has a nice turn as the reformed gunfighter who has turned his back on violence until ... well, you can guess the rest. Also here, and commanding enough limelight to show why the camera loves him, is the immensely promising Leonardo DiCaprio, as the boastful young gunfighter who claims to be Herod's son and calls himself ... well, you can guess that, too. (NYT)

My judgement: **1/2 out of 4 stars