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The idea of the TV movie is much different than it was 25 years ago. The term “quality” isn’t thrown around in the same capacity as it used to be.
The Western had all but lost its mass box office appeal by the 80’s. They were still prevalent even a decade before, and a decade before that, they were golden. People still loved the Western, though, and there was still a market for them on Prime Time TV.
Sam Elliott’s Con Vallian is a wandering drifter. He finds himself trying to protect a homesteading family as they trek across the Southwest plains and rocks. The family is just trying to find a place to call home when they ride through a small town and run into trouble. A small gang of outlaws that want whatever is in the wagon the family carries. As well as the mother and wife of the family played by the beautiful Kate Capshaw. Underrated character actor Tom Conti plays the head of the family. Conti most recently played Einstein in the critically acclaimed Oppenheimer.
The outlaw gang is made up of familiar faces as well. Matt Clark plays the leader of the group, and everyone will recognize him as the bartender from Back To The Future 3. A strange casting is, of course, Patrick Kilpatrick as the “half-breed” quiet outlander Native American that is a gun for hire—the Ute as he is called. Patrick is most famously known as the heavy in Death Warrant opposite Jean Claude Van Damme. I recognize him, though, from my dozen viewings or so of Remo Williams as the man with the diamond tooth.
Sam Elliott’s character is strong and charismatic. He falls madly in love with Kate Capshaw and struggles with his morals. He feels obligated to protect the family and his emotions towards Susanna ( Capshaw). About 40 minutes into the movie, we find out that Vallian is tracking The Ute as he killed Vallian’s mother in a raid. This gives more motive to Vallian’s character and depth. Sam Elliott is a man’s man but also reasonable and patient.
The scene with Conti screaming bible verses in the air to convince the approaching Native tribe that he is crazy is pretty comical and provides some levity to the situation. Conti’s character is in a difficult situation. The outlaws want to kill him and rape his wife, but also Vallian covets his wife while trying to protect them and serve out his vengeance.
The acting is very well done and convincing. There is quite a bit of backstory revealed as our characters go along. Maybe too much so, as there are long spaces of little action and just character exposition. Nothing about it is boring, though, as it still moves swiftly. It’s not until the scene where we have to cut a bullet out of Vallian’s body that the realities of the situation take hold. The following scene is solidly badass, though, as Vallian gets his revenge and shows us his quick wit. Per usual, we are given an enjoyable shoot-out before the credits roll—a staple of a solid Western.
Louis L’amour’s works were ripe for perfect TV movie fodder—short, concise, well-written short stories with good characters and a strong hero. Sam Elliott and Tom Selleck were born to play these types of characters and would for years to come. Not just in L’amour’s stories either. Westerns still had a place, and they found them on Prime Time. This is a solid entry and is still a widely popular adaptation of the book. Rightfully so.
