By the time "Silverado" was released in 85' the tone of the western genre' had moved dramatically from TV shows like 'Gunsmoke', Bonanza and John Wayne movies of the 30's, 40's and 50's, way over to Clint Eastwood's (anti-hero cowboy) beginning with Sergio Leon's highly stylistic 'Spaghetti Westerns' of the 1960's.
Clint Eastwood's and Sergio's - No Name Gunslinger - was so iconic by the 70's that it was almost impossible to imagine that westerns could ever return to its former epic past of movies like 'Stagecoach' and 'The Searchers'.
However, Lawrence Kasdan's, "Silverado" is a great blending of both the classic epic westerns of John Ford and John Wayne with the more modernistic nomadic "anti-hero cowboy" of Sergio and Eastwood.
Silverado begins with Scott Glenn as an ex-con cowboy named Emmet - best known in 85' as the baddie' ex-con in 'Urban Cowboy'. He is engaged in an intense gun battle against several men for reasons unknown to the audience at that time. All we know is that these people want to kill each other for some reason, and it doesn't end well for the guys not named Emmet.
After starting the movie off with lots of bangs, Emmet soon teams-up with the down on his luck Paden (played by Kevin Kline) who has been robbed and left for dead in the desert. Paden is a soft spoken mild mannered gambler (until you steal his stuff) with a mysteriously dark past who loves a saloon. One of many vice's Paden eventually confronts in a showdown by the conclusion of the film.
Emmet and Paden make a quick stop in the small town of Turley to meetup with Emmet's younger brother Jake before continuing their journey to 'Silverado'. Jake (played by Kevin Costner) is more of a loud, wild and reckless James Dean type of cowboy gunslinger. You could describe him as, 'A Rebel with a Two Gun Rig', who often gets himself into a lot of trouble when ever he kisses a pretty girl in a town.
After our 3-protagonists (Emmet, Paden and Jake) are chased out of the sleepy town of Turley by Sheriff Langston (played by John Cleese) and his possee, they're unexpectedly joined by Mal (played by Danny Glover) who was run out of town the day before. Mal is a butcher from Chicago who is also on his way to the outskirts of Silverado to reunite with his family and help run their cattle ranch.
So, with the movies 4-protanganist now firmly established we continue our journey to 'Silverado'. However, not before a little male bonding along the way that involves a gang of thieves and some wagon settlers who are also on their way to Silverado.
After everyone eventually reaches Silverado alive and still kicking, our 4-protaganists (Emmet, Paden, Jake and Mal) go their separate ways. This is where the story takes on a whole new unexpected turn, beginning when Paden walks into the Midnight Star saloon of Silverado.
Come lookin' for a possible saloon job, Paden first meets the older but charming saloon manager Stella (played by Linda Hunt) who Paden quickly establishes a close friendship and deep bond with. Then, Paden discovers that his old outlaw riding buddy Cobb (played by Brian Dennehy of 'Rambo' fame) is not only the owner of the saloon, but is also the sheriff of Silverado.
Warning to all of Cobb's future employees: You definitely don't want to get on Sheriff Cobb's bad side.
Soon after Paden accepts Cobb's job offer to help run his saloon, Jeff Golblum joins the cast as a professional gambler named Slick. Who runs an honest poker game but, is not the most straight-up and honest person himself. From here, all the conflicts in 'Silverado' center around corrupt sheriff Cobb's behavior and Paden having to choose between siding with his old pal Cobb and his lucrative saloon business, or his own sense of personal ethics by siding with his latest riding buddies (Emmet, Jake and Mal) who are now in a war with Cobb and his deputies.
All of these wide variety of characters and their separate plot lines all come together in a very exciting and emotionally poignant manner by the conclusion of the film. Which many film makers try to accomplish, but very few succeed at.
Watch 'Silverado'. You'll be glad that you did.
Clint Eastwood's and Sergio's - No Name Gunslinger - was so iconic by the 70's that it was almost impossible to imagine that westerns could ever return to its former epic past of movies like 'Stagecoach' and 'The Searchers'.
However, Lawrence Kasdan's, "Silverado" is a great blending of both the classic epic westerns of John Ford and John Wayne with the more modernistic nomadic "anti-hero cowboy" of Sergio and Eastwood.
Silverado begins with Scott Glenn as an ex-con cowboy named Emmet - best known in 85' as the baddie' ex-con in 'Urban Cowboy'. He is engaged in an intense gun battle against several men for reasons unknown to the audience at that time. All we know is that these people want to kill each other for some reason, and it doesn't end well for the guys not named Emmet.
After starting the movie off with lots of bangs, Emmet soon teams-up with the down on his luck Paden (played by Kevin Kline) who has been robbed and left for dead in the desert. Paden is a soft spoken mild mannered gambler (until you steal his stuff) with a mysteriously dark past who loves a saloon. One of many vice's Paden eventually confronts in a showdown by the conclusion of the film.
Emmet and Paden make a quick stop in the small town of Turley to meetup with Emmet's younger brother Jake before continuing their journey to 'Silverado'. Jake (played by Kevin Costner) is more of a loud, wild and reckless James Dean type of cowboy gunslinger. You could describe him as, 'A Rebel with a Two Gun Rig', who often gets himself into a lot of trouble when ever he kisses a pretty girl in a town.
After our 3-protagonists (Emmet, Paden and Jake) are chased out of the sleepy town of Turley by Sheriff Langston (played by John Cleese) and his possee, they're unexpectedly joined by Mal (played by Danny Glover) who was run out of town the day before. Mal is a butcher from Chicago who is also on his way to the outskirts of Silverado to reunite with his family and help run their cattle ranch.
So, with the movies 4-protanganist now firmly established we continue our journey to 'Silverado'. However, not before a little male bonding along the way that involves a gang of thieves and some wagon settlers who are also on their way to Silverado.
After everyone eventually reaches Silverado alive and still kicking, our 4-protaganists (Emmet, Paden, Jake and Mal) go their separate ways. This is where the story takes on a whole new unexpected turn, beginning when Paden walks into the Midnight Star saloon of Silverado.
Come lookin' for a possible saloon job, Paden first meets the older but charming saloon manager Stella (played by Linda Hunt) who Paden quickly establishes a close friendship and deep bond with. Then, Paden discovers that his old outlaw riding buddy Cobb (played by Brian Dennehy of 'Rambo' fame) is not only the owner of the saloon, but is also the sheriff of Silverado.
Warning to all of Cobb's future employees: You definitely don't want to get on Sheriff Cobb's bad side.
Soon after Paden accepts Cobb's job offer to help run his saloon, Jeff Golblum joins the cast as a professional gambler named Slick. Who runs an honest poker game but, is not the most straight-up and honest person himself. From here, all the conflicts in 'Silverado' center around corrupt sheriff Cobb's behavior and Paden having to choose between siding with his old pal Cobb and his lucrative saloon business, or his own sense of personal ethics by siding with his latest riding buddies (Emmet, Jake and Mal) who are now in a war with Cobb and his deputies.
All of these wide variety of characters and their separate plot lines all come together in a very exciting and emotionally poignant manner by the conclusion of the film. Which many film makers try to accomplish, but very few succeed at.
Watch 'Silverado'. You'll be glad that you did.