WesternDrama

McCabe & Mrs. Miller

- Name your poison.

A gambler and a prostitute become business partners in a remote Old West mining town, and their enterprise thrives until a large corporation arrives on the scene.

Release Date : 1971-06-24

Language :EnglishCantonese

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Warner Bros. PicturesRobert Altman-David Foster Productions

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : McCabe and Mrs. Miller

Cast

Character Name : John McCabe

Original Name : Warren Beatty

Gender : Male

Character Name : Constance Miller

Original Name : Julie Christie

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sheehan

Original Name : René Auberjonois

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Lawyer

Original Name : William Devane

Gender : Male

Character Name : Smalley

Original Name : John Schuck

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Elliot

Original Name : Corey Fischer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bart Coyle

Original Name : Bert Remsen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ida Coyle

Original Name : Shelley Duvall

Gender : Female

Character Name : Cowboy

Original Name : Keith Carradine

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eugene Sears

Original Name : Michael Murphy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hollander

Original Name : Antony Holland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Butler

Original Name : Hugh Millais

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kid

Original Name : Manfred Schulz

Gender : Male

Character Name : Breed

Original Name : Jace Van Der Veen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lily

Original Name : Jackie Crossland

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kate

Original Name : Elizabeth Murphy

Gender : Female

Character Name : Alma

Original Name : Carey Lee McKenzie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Archer

Original Name : Thomas Hill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Blanche

Original Name : Linda Sorensen

Gender : Female

Character Name : Birdie

Original Name : Elisabeth Knight

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eunice

Original Name : Janet Wright

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maisie

Original Name : Maysie Hoy

Gender : Female

Character Name : Ruth

Original Name : Linda Kupecek

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jeremy Berg

Original Name : Jeremy Newson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bartender

Original Name : Wayne Robson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Riley Quinn

Original Name : Jack Riley

Gender : Male

Character Name : Town Drunk

Original Name : Robert Fortier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bartender

Original Name : Wayne Grace

Gender : Male

Character Name : Shorty Dunn

Original Name : Wes Taylor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Dunn

Original Name : Anne Cameron

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bill Cubbs

Original Name : Graeme Campbell

Gender : Male

Character Name : J.J.

Original Name : J.S. Johnson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joe Shortreed

Original Name : Joe Clarke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Andy Anderson

Original Name : Harry Frazier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gilchrist

Original Name : Edwin Collier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Quigley

Original Name : Terence Kelly

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fiddler

Original Name : Brantley Kearns

Gender : Male

Character Name : Buffalo

Original Name : Don Francks

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sumner Washington

Original Name : Rodney Gage

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Washington

Original Name : Lili Francks

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsperson

Original Name : Joan Tewkesbury

Gender : Female

Character Name : Townsperson

Original Name : Harvey Lowe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsperson

Original Name : Eric Schneider

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsperson

Original Name : Milos Zatovic

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsperson

Original Name : Claudine Melgrave

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsperson

Original Name : Derek Keurvorst

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsperson

Original Name : Alex Diakun

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsperson

Original Name : Gord Robertson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsperson (uncredited)

Original Name : Terence Hill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townsperson (uncredited)

Original Name : Dale Wilson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chinese Worker (uncredited)

Original Name : Ed Hong-Louie

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

If a man is fool enough to get into business with a woman, she ain't going to think much of him. McCabe and Mrs Miller is directed by Robert Altman and Altman co-adapts the screenplay with Brian McKay. It's adapted from the novel McCabe written by Edmund Naughton. It stars Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, John Schuck, Keith Carradine, Rene Auberjonois and Bert Remson. Music is by Leonard Cohen and cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond. A gambler and a prostitute become business partners in the remote mining town of Presbyterian Church, as their enterprise booms it comes to the attention of a large mining corporation who want to buy the action. Altman's grim and dirty slice of the Old West (Northwestern here to be precise) is a divisive picture in Western fan circles. In fact it's been said that it's more beloved by none Western fans and Altman acolytes than actual Western lovers. Put up as a flag bearer for the Anti-Western splinter, a mud and rags Oater for terminology purpose, there is no denying the quality on show across the board. Set in bleak winter time, Altman and his crew pour on the atmospherics in practically every frame, with the director using his familiar film making trademarks (overlap conversations, realistic movement of characters in framing shots etc) for maximum impact. With Cohen warbling his plaintive tunes at each story juncture, there's a haunting beauty on offer that belies the narrative thrust fronted by losers and dreamers. While Zsigmond brilliantly photographs the extreme difference between the homely feel of the interiors, with that of the cold snowy wilderness outside the doors, where the muted colours ooze period flavour. Purposely built for the film, the town of Presbyterian Church is a sea of mud, snow and timber, where the weather is perpetually dank, the surroundings enveloping chief protagonist McCabe like an unearthly portent. There are no great pyrotechnics here, and the story is being told in slow and deliberate time, which goes a long way to explaining why it is a divisive film, so any newcomers should be forewarned of this. Beatty and Christie in the title roles are superb, both defrocked of their star status beauty, they perform skilfully for realistic portrayals. Not an easy watch, but always riveting and fascinating, it for sure is a piece of art. A picture worthy of revisits when the mood is set for total immersion. 8/10

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

***Dreary, realistic Western about a brothel in a remote town in the Great Northwest*** A gambling businessman (Warren Beatty) rides into a secluded town near Puget Sound, Washington, and starts a house of ill repute with a professional madam (Julie Christie). When he arrogantly refuses the offers of a major corporation to buy him out, they send grim men to take care of the situation. Being a Robert Altman picture, “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” (1971) isn’t your typical Western, although the gunfight in the third act is reminiscent of “High Noon” (1952). The topic is unsavory, reveling in the ugly side of life and the Old West. On top of that, the first half is tediously mundane with an overuse of Leonard Cohen’s monotone folk ditties ("The Stranger Song", "Sisters of Mercy" and "Winter Lady"), although they fit the mood. There are glimmerings of light, however, and the town set is convincing, half-built for the movie. The unexciting opening sets the stage for a powerful second half. Hugh Millais as the hulking Butler is quietly menacing. There’s an unforgettable scene with Keith Carradine and Hans at a rope bridge (the latter’s name may not be Hans, but it looks like it). At the end of the day, “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” is professionally made and timeless (it’s barely aged at all). Whether or not you like it is a matter of taste. I have mixed feelings, but its positive points make it worthwhile. It’s vastly superior to Altman’s dreadful “Buffalo Bill and the Indians” (1976). At least he takes chances, even if they’re not always completely successful. The film runs 2 hours and was shot in the Vancouver area, British Columbia: West Vancouver (Presbyterian Church), Squamish (Bearpaw) & Howe Sound. GRADE: B-