The Shooting (1967)

Director:

Monte Hellman

Writer:

Carole Eastman (writer)

Genre:

Western

Plot:

A mysterious woman persuades two cowboys to help her in a revenge scheme. |

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Persuasion | Murder | Bounty | Allegory

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Will Hutchins	...	Coley Boyard
Millie Perkins	...	Woman
Jack Nicholson	...	Billy Spear
Warren Oates	...	Willett Gashade
Charles Eastman	...	Bearded man
Guy El Tsosie	...	Indian at Cross Tree
Brandon Carroll	...	Sheriff
B.J. Merholz	...	Leland Drum
Wally Moon	...	Deputy
William Mackleprang	...	Cross Tree townsman
James Campbell	...	Cross Tree townsman

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1994) | USA:G

Filming Locations:

Kanab, Utah, USA

Company:

Proteus Films

Trivia:

"The Epitaph" was the unfilmed script that Jack Nicholson wrote with Monte Hellman. Reputedly based partly on Nicholson's relationship with his wife Sandra Knight, the script dealt with theme of abortion, which producer Roger Corman felt was a no-no at that time.

Quotes:

Coley Boyard: I don't give a curly hair, yellow bear, double dog damn if ya did!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

A primeval western experience

As far as westerns go, the 60's were all about Italy and the spaghetti western. By 1967 the ripples Leone's movies are about to make in the American film-making business are around the corner, which leaves The Shooting hanging in a peculiar time and place. Too out there to be appreciated by the traditional western crowd of the 50's and not as cynic and hard-boiled as the spaghetti western-influenced works of the early 70's.

But it succeeds exactly because of that. Monte Hellman crafts a mesmeric, primeval, ultimately existential western that exists in a parallel western universe. A mythic world of some other order. That it refuses to sit down and explain what is going on with the plot is a testament to the film's strength. Not everything needs to be explained. It's all about the impression images make. Impressionistic in that aspect but also surreal. Very. Who is the woman? Who is Billy and the bearded man? As Warren Oates, Jack Nicholson (in an early role here but showing the potential he would fulfill later on in his career) travel through the barren desert, in search of something or someone, The Shooting slowly but gradually peels back the layers of conventional film-making to reveal an off-beat, gritty and fascinating movie. Some of the editing used by Hellman (day to night and vice versa) only serves to disorient the viewer more.

Not only is this a rare, one of a kind western but in all its psychotronic, b-movie glory, it's one of the best of its kind America has to offer. Kudos to Hellman for not refusing to take chances.