The Desperate Trail (DVD)

The Desperate Trail is an 129 minute, graphic western starring Sam Elliott {Road House, Tombstone}, Craig Sheffer {Nightbreed, A River Runs Through It} and Linda Fiorentino {Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Dogma}. By and large this film centre around these three actors.

Characters:
Craig Sheffer- Jack Cooper, outlaw and con man
Linda Fiorentino- Sarah O'Rourke, outlaw
Sam Elliott- Bill Speakes, U.S Marshall
...
...him Sarah is heading for the gallows. A short time later there is an attempted hold-up on the Stagecoach that get's foiled. However in the excitement Sarah is able to harm herself. She pistol whips Marshal Speakes and holds them all at gunpoint. She plans to take the strong box containing $2500.00

Sarah has a lot of venom toward the Marshal that seems to exceed just the fact he is taking her back to be hung, it almost seems personal. ... more

The Desperate Trail is an 129 minute, graphic western starring Sam Elliott {Road House, Tombstone}, Craig Sheffer {Nightbreed, A River Runs Through It} and Linda Fiorentino {Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Dogma}. By and large this film centre around these three actors.

Characters:
Craig Sheffer- Jack Cooper, outlaw and con man
Linda Fiorentino- Sarah O'Rourke, outlaw
Sam Elliott- Bill Speakes, U.S Marshall

The film starts with Jack Cooper, Sarah O' Rourke and Bill Speakes among others travelling along in a Stagecoach. Jack keeps trying to make small talk with Sarah. Speakes tells him he's wasting his time with Sarah and shows him that she is cuffed to him, and tells him Sarah is heading for the gallows. A short time later there is an attempted hold-up on the Stagecoach that get's foiled. However in the excitement Sarah is able to harm herself. She pistol whips Marshal Speakes and holds them all at gunpoint. She plans to take the strong box containing $2500.00

Sarah has a lot of venom toward the Marshal that seems to exceed just the fact he is taking her back to be hung, it almost seems personal. She goes to lenghts to say she does not want to steal the money, that she is not a thief, but she needs it to start a new life from the bastard that chased her, meaning Speakes. Suddenly Sarah is in an uncompromising position with a gun at her back. Jack who seemed to just be somekind of City folk, business man, is pointing a gun at her. The low down rat is going to take the cash for himself. You see little do people know that Jack is a con man, and outlaw. Sarah tries to plead with him to let her keep the money but to no avail. However, Jack does her one favour. He keeps all of the other passengers including Speakes incapacitated, but leaves Sarah untied. This is so Sarah can escape the Marshal. Speakes looks like he is spitting broken glass in his ire, and declares with real animosity he will catch Sarah and ensure he sees her hanged.

Sarah is extremely tenacious, and refuses to let Jack get away with getting one over on her. Becoming complacent Jack thinks he is all clear, but eventually Sarah tracks him down and using cunning re-takes the money. Eventually they decide to team up, but all the time keep conning each other, it is quite a humourous relationahip. But Marshal Speakes is dogged in his determination and will not let go. A couple of times he almost has the pair in the grip of his teeth for them to escape. Even on the occasions there is horrrendous changes of gunfire. At one point an innocent man gets caught in the flurry of bullets from the crossfire and he is killed. Yet, Speakes is now to the point he goes beyond the the law to attempt capture. Marshal Bill Speakes has reason for wanting to see Sarah hung, for he is her father in law. Sarah had however killed her husband, Marshal Speakes son. To Speakes there is no justification. Even though Sarah had endured years of physical, mental, and psychological torture. Just like Sarah says to Bill "You are nothing more than a bully, just like your son, it's easy to see where he gets it from" Speakes just responds with anger telling her to shut the hell up, before he shuts her up, seems the truth hurts.

There is morality in the film because even though Jack is a con man and outlaw, he is doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. It is not that he is selfish and it is for his own gain but he has a more thoughful agenda. It is for his brothers needs. Jack is racked with guilt for an injury he acidentally inflicted on his brother whilst young boys. Jack has to look after his brother and needs the money for him.

Once Jack and Sarah discover that each other are genuinely decent people they begin to bond {fall in love} and really work together. Still Marshal Speakes and a posse are constantly on their Desperate Trail, no more chances to take them in for justice, now they die!

In the film it is interesting to see the psychology of Bill Speakes who buries his head in the sand, and as an outlet for his grief is hellbent on the destruction of Sarah. Yet Sarah has real justification, she is no murderer. In the film you hear a little about what she endured which was not pretty, yet just seeing her father in law and his deameanour gives you a real visual idea of how bad things were. The way that Sarah and Jack interact is amazing, the chemistry between them is great, and whilst the realationship is still early, i love the way that they keep out witting each other.

The acting is brilliant, especially Sam Elliott, who is no stranger to making western movies. It seems that he is so cut out for these roles. The camera work is spot on, and the film has a stereotypical western soundtrack. Even right at the very beginning the film sets the scene, watching a band of outlaws loading up all their weapons for the hold-up. The action scenes are graphic and realistic. The costumes are totally authentic and there is accurate dialogue in the references to different firearms and ammuntion. Jack's brother in the film is a likeable person who is easy to empathise with, although his part is relatively short. The film has the type of ending that you may not expect. In some parts the story switches over to Marshal Speakes and in some ways you can understand where he is coming from, but it never changes the fact that he is so in the wrong.

I think this film offers something for almost everyone, and i know that women will relate to and like Sarah O'Rourke, but will also like Jack for his cheekiness and sly humour. The film is very well balanced with the right number of action sequences, as well as storyline, plot and character development.

The DVD has no other special features other than English, French and Spanish subtitles. Whoopee doo! However it's irrelevant, the film is top notch. 

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