DramaWestern

Don't Come Knocking

Howard Spence has seen better days. Once a big Western movie star, he now drowns his disgust for his selfish and failed life with alcohol, drugs and young women. If he were to die now, nobody would shed a tear over him, that's the sad truth. Until one day Howard learns that he might have a child somewhere out there...

Release Date : 2005-08-25

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Reverse Angle InternationalReverse Angle ProductionARTE France CinémaEuroArtsNetwork MovieOcéan Films DistributionRoad MoviesHanWay FilmsSony Pictures ClassicsZDF/Arte

Production Country : FranceGermanyUnited KingdomUnited States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Howard

Original Name : Sam Shepard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doreen

Original Name : Jessica Lange

Gender : Female

Character Name : Sutter

Original Name : Tim Roth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Earl

Original Name : Gabriel Mann

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sky

Original Name : Sarah Polley

Gender : Female

Character Name : Amber

Original Name : Fairuza Balk

Gender : Female

Character Name : Howard's Mother

Original Name : Eva Marie Saint

Gender : Female

Character Name : 1st AD

Original Name : James Roday Rodriguez

Gender : Male

Character Name : 2nd AD

Original Name : Jeffrey Vincent Parise

Gender : Male

Character Name : 1st Girl

Original Name : Majandra Delfino

Gender : Female

Character Name : 2nd Girl

Original Name : Marieh Delfino

Gender : Female

Character Name : Director

Original Name : George Kennedy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Producer 2

Original Name : Julia Sweeney

Gender : Female

Character Name : Producer 1

Original Name : Tim Matheson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Old Ranch Hand

Original Name : James Gammon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patrolman

Original Name : Robin Twogood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Businessman

Original Name : Mike Butters

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mexican Woman

Original Name : Rita Hutchison

Gender : Male

Character Name : Starlet

Original Name : Marley Shelton

Gender : Female

Character Name : Mr. Daily

Original Name : Kurt Fuller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cliff Ormsby

Original Name : Tom Farrell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Casino Bartender

Original Name : Yuri Elvin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cocktail Waitress

Original Name : Rachel Amondson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Drunken Girl

Original Name : Jinny Lee Story

Gender : Male

Character Name : Security Guard

Original Name : Hugh Aodh O'Brien

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elko Policeman

Original Name : Raymond O'Connor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Elko Waitress

Original Name : Carrie Mae Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Desk Clerk

Original Name : Emy Coligado

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maid

Original Name : Kristina Lankford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Waitress

Original Name : Katie Goodman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Wild-Eye

Original Name : Rodney A. Grant

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boxing Video Game Announcer (uncredited)

Original Name : David Michie

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2021-06-23

Caught between Earth and Sky RELEASED IN 2005 and directed by Wim Wenders, "Don't Come Knocking" tells the story of a 60 year-old B-Western film has-been, Howard Spence (Sam Shepard), who is sick of his meaningless scandalous carnal existence. While on a film set in Utah he jumps ship and flees on a horse, searching for SOMETHING, like a reason to exist. He ultimately travels to Butte, Montana, where he gets reacquainted with an ex-girlfriend (Jessica Lange) and meets an angry young musician (Gabriel Mann) as well as a mysterious spiritual woman (Sarah Polley). Meanwhile the film company sends an eccentric bounty hunter (Tim Roth) to fetch Shepard for breach of contract. Although this is generally a quiet drama, it has a hip and likable artistic flair. The film is highlighted by magnificent Western locations and a nice modern Country/Western/Rockish score/soundtrack (non-twangy). We can all relate to Howard's search on some level; hence, despite the film's slow drama it generally maintains the viewer's attention throughout its runtime, unless you strictly favor fast-paced, quick-edited explosion-every-five-minutes thrillers. The two youths Howard meets in the story, Earl and Sky, represent two extremes. Earl's name is fitting because he's full of volcanic rage that spits out from deep within the Earth (Earl/Earth, get it?). Sky, on the other hand, is completely spiritual in nature (hence, sky/heaven). She's full of warmth, love, compassion and forgiveness. In fact, she's the crucial Christ figure without which there would be little reconciliation for anyone in the story. Take note of the scene where Sky meets Howard in his hotel room. Sky just looks at him with the understanding eyes of divine love. This naturally makes Spence uncomfortable; he's never experienced this before. He doesn't know what to do, so he asks her to leave. On a side note, Jessica Lange still looks good for being in her mid-50s but I found her character strange and annoying. Also, Earl's girlfriend (Fairuza Balk) is an entertaining free spirit who looks like she might be the daughter of Steven Tyler. The third act of "Don't Come Knocking" is too low-key for my tastes, but the movie’s worthwhile if you favor the cast and have a taste for eccentric indie dramas, as well as stories about the modern West with echoes to the past. THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour, 51 minutes and was shot in Butte; Arches National Park and Moab, Utah; Elko and Wendover, Nevada; and Los Angeles. WRITERS: Sam Shepherd and Wim Wenders. GRADE: B-