A naive Harvard dropout gets a life lesson in brutality on a dangerous quest to hunt buffalo in the 1870s.Butcher’s Crossing, adapted fromthe classic Westernnovel by John Edward Williams, is a parable of greed, arrogance, and humanity’s unquenchable thirst for blood. Stunning landscapes are stained by the slaughter of the majestic animals' skinned carcasses. The price of their thick hides are worth any risk to the foolhardy willing to follow them. Good performances overcome a somewhat rote narrative with uneven pacing. A solid second act emphasizes character development and lifts the film from several stumbling blocks.
William Andrews (Fred Hechinger) smiles as he soaks in the fresh air on a carriage to Butcher’s Crossing, Kansas. He writes a letter to his father informing him of histrip out west to see America. He’s left Harvard and Boston behind. School can’t teach what he yearns for. William arrives at JD McDonald’s (Paul Raci) fur trading post. The irascible proprietor doesn’t recognize the eager young man. William shows him letters written to his father by McDonald. He wants to join one of his buffalo hunts. McDonald scoffs at the inexperienced boy. Go home before you get yourself killed.
A disappointed William gets another opportunity at the local saloon. Miller (Nicolas Cage), bald and fiercely intimidating, regales the greenhorn of bountiful treasure. The mountains of Colorado hides a valley where buffalo roam like a “black sea.” William can barely divert his eyes from the beautiful Francine (Rachel Keller) but is hooked at the thought of a great adventure. Miller just needs $500 to fund the expedition.
17 Best Nicolas Cage Films, Ranked
Nicolas Cage has undoubtedly given us some wild movies throughout the years. Let’s take a look at twelve of his best roles of all time.
A Dangerous Quest
McDonald’s stupefied when William updates him of the plan, thinking the young man is making a big mistake going hundreds of miles for buffalo that could be found locally within days. The grizzled Miller counters that small herds won’t have thick winter coats. A fortune awaits if William has the gumption.
They set out the following day with two new hires. The one-handed, God-fearing drunk Charlie Hage (Xander Berkeley) will cook and monitor supplies. Fred Schneider (Jeremy Bobb), a combative rascal, is the best skinner in town. He won’t work for a share. Fred demands wages and money up front. He’s not entranced by Miller’s silver tongue. William’s excitement abates as they cross the plains in earnest. The magnitude of their endeavor finally dawns. He’s thirsty, and they’ve already run out of water.
Director/co-writer Gabe Polsky (The Motel Life, In Search of Greatness) needed more exposition to a brisk open. William’s barely gotten his boots dirty before trekking off into the unknown. His voiceover narration clearly dictates dreams and ambition, but the speed of his alignment with Miller treads unrealistic. We accept the protagonist as gullible. Giving every penny you have to a random dude you just met feels forced. A scene establishing Miller’s reputation before meeting William would have set the correct expectations.
45 Best Western Movies of All Time, Ranked
The Western genre has a rich history of films, and these are 45 of the best movies of all time in this important genre.
The journey to Colorado and ensuing buffalo massacre allows the ensemble to reveal their true personalities. Miller’s unfettered desire is glory and recognition. He wants to ride into Butcher’s Crossing with hides stacked to the sun and show the doubters that he’s the best hunter. That they were idiots for doubting his veracity. Fred pokes at the others like a mosquito waiting to be slapped. He constantly ribs William for his crush on Francine, perversely followed with graphic depictions of what his money will get from her services. Charlie can barely stomach the heathen, but Miller allows Fred’s coarseness. He’s a good skinner above all. William grows through hardship, his weak persona toughened by sickness, killing, and treacherous conditions. But he cannot muster the courage to challenge Miller’s iron grip.
Glory Above All
Polsky does an admirable job of capturing thesplendor and difficulties of pristine wilderness. Epic shots of unspoiled natural beauty give William the eye-candy he was desperate to see. But William vastly underestimated the price of survival in merciless winter. Cold tears the men apart as they grapple with the results of their avarice. Cage and Bobb enthrall as two alphas who bitterly clash. William is torn by fealty to a rigid mentor. Are their lives worth a pile of buffalo skins?
The hunting and skinning scenes are gruesome. Polsky doesn’t spare the audience from knives castrating dead bulls, flesh peeled from bloodied fur, and poisoned entrails to sicken lurking wolves. William goes from aghast to robotic in his duties. The thrill of the chase and kill evaporates inthe gory aftermath. He soon understands the folly and horrific waste of Miller’s rapacious efforts. Their coffers were full, but no buffalo could escape his clutches.
The American bison, called buffalo but distinct from the African and Asian species, were decimated to near extinction.Butcher’s Crossingsucceeds in delivering a lesson of accountability. We must make up for past sins and ensure the recovery of an animal integral to our country’s greatness.
Butcher’s Crossingis a production of Altitude Film Entertainment, Ingenious Media, Gabe Polsky Productions, and Phiphen Pictures. It will be released theatrically on October 20th fromSaban Films.
