Keith-Carradine Movie Reviews

This film is typical of the usual action dramas but is a cut above most because of the acting of the main characters. Yes, the theme is a bit far-fetcher, perhaps, but it is a good romp and keeps you intersted right up to the rather ambiguous ending. Performances by Keith Carradine and Steve Railsback are excellent, but I have a prejudice as a Railsback fan. Stacy Keach is a great villain, you love to hate him. Some scenes of torture are graphic but fleeting and are necessary to background. Not for the kids.

I thought that Gambler returns, luck of the draw was a great movie. Reba and Kenny did a great job. All of the actors and directing was wonderful. I LOVED IT! I would recomend it for anyone to watch. It is about 3 hrs long but you don't notice it, its so good!

I thought that Gambler returns, luck of the draw was a great movie. Reba and Kenny did a great job. All of the actors and directing was wonderful. I LOVED IT! I would recomend it for anyone to watch. It is about 3 hrs long but you don't notice it, its so good!

This is a very important work, dealing with the troubling and sensitive subject of sexual abuse--within the church. This was a courageous drama, and everyone involved in the making of this film is to be commended for tackling not only a disturbing subject, but the controversy which occurs when the perpetrator of sexual abuse is a trusted religious figure. Thank you, to the makers of this film. Anyone needing affirmation, who has suffered abuse themselves or is acquanted with an abuse survivor, should view this film.

Keith Carradine as Bowie and Shelly Duvall as Keechie inhabit the mouldering hamlets of the 1930s south so naturally and unaffectedly that your throat tightens. This softer, dreamier Bonnie & Clyde-type tale (filmed in 1941 by Nicholas Ray as "They Live By Night")stands, with "The Long Goodbye" at the pinnacle of Robert Altman's extraordinary 1970s body of work -- even above "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" & "Nashville." Shot like old sepia photographs by Jean Boffety, the film boasts extraordinary supporting work by Bert Remsen, John Shuck, the pre-"Cuckoo's Nest" Louise Fletcher, and one unforgettable little girl. Why this masterpiece is all but forgotten is baffling: it's in a royal line of American movies dealing with average men and women trying to live in the twilight between decency and crime.

"The Duellists"--a Ridley Scott film set in Napoleonic times--is the tale of 2 officers in the Hussars who are life-long enemies. D'Hubert (Keith Carradine) has the great misfortune of upsetting Feraud (Harvey Keitel) in a relatively minor fashion. Feraud's hot temper causes him to lash out at D'Hubert, and this leads to a series of duels over a thirty-year period. Soon the original insult is buried in a mountain of ego and tradition that demands the men face and fight one another--again and again--until one dies or accepts an apology from the other.

Harvey Keitel as the murderous Feraud is very believable. His body language smacks of pure hatred and instinct to kill whenever he hears D'Hubert's name mentioned. Keith Carradine as D'Hubert is a little weak and wooden--not nearly as believable as Keitel. Feraud and D'Hubert are complete opposites. Feraud is very much the brutish man-of-action--whereas D'Hubert is made of gentler stuff. Feraud considers D'Hubert to be nothing better than "a general's poodle," and D'Hubert thinks Feraud is insane.

Visually, this film is magnificent, and it's worth watching just for the costumes and sets alone. The dueling scenes were superbly created--with each man facing his enemy--usually at dawn. The light coming through the trees, the swirling mists--this created the perfect atmosphere. The scene at the very end of the film focused on the sky--dark grey clouds--with just a little light. It was the most beautiful scene in the entire film. The film is based on the Joseph Conrad short story, "The Duel"--displacedhuman

Ridley Scott has a fine eye. Many of his films are not my favorites because of their high-concept stories, but visually, few directors can touch Scott's sense of space, time, and composition. This little-seen gem is comparable only to Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece "Barry Lyndon" in its attempt to create the ambient light and sense of place of the late 1700's -early 1800's.

Based on a story by Joseph Conrad, chosen because the rights had lapsed, the film concerns two French hussar officers, one of whom, played with republican fervor by Harvey Keitel, is quick to anger and to duel. His nemesis is the aristocratic officer played by Robert Carradine, who doesn't understand why Keitel hates him so much. The film follows their careers in the Napoleonic wars over the course of fifteen years, from the early triumphs of l'Emporer in Lubeck, to the disaster of Russia, and the return of the Bourbon's. Despite their long-standing animosity, Carradine even saves Keitel from the guillotine, for which he his repayed with disdain and aggression.

This story is episodic, and there are many loose ends, but who cares? This is one of the most astonishing films ever made in its meticulousness, it's bravery (not cow-towing to hi-key filmic conventions), it's invention (a budget of only $900,000 dollars?!) and in the totally successful vision the filmmakers put up on the screen. Films costing 10 times as much or more are not so riviting as this film.

Scott did have to compromise; he wished for Michael York and Oliver Reed, but the financiers wanted American actors. Even though Carradine is occasionally weak, Keitel is intense throughout.

The Duellist is one of my favorite films. The DVD transfer is immaculate and the special features give us interviews with Ridley Scott, and the film's composers notes on his musical choices.

If you haven't seen this little gem, one of Ridley Scott's first films, you are in for a treat. The movie had a narrow, art house release in the late seventies, so the odds are you haven't seen it. The movie is set in the Napoleonic wars, and the military costumes are absolutely magnificent. In a commentary with Kevin Reynolds, Scott states that the uniforms cost 19,000 pounds--that is about $30,000.00 in 1977 dollars!

The story revolves around a series of duels between two French army officers, D'hubert (Carradine) and Feraud (Keitel). Feraud is the heavy of the piece, having started the duels for no reason whatsoever. But D'hubert's own warped sense of honor won't allow him to refuse the challenges.

Neither of the leads was Scott's first choice; the two actors he wanted were refused by the studio funding the project. If he wanted the money, he had to choose from a list of four actors the studio gave him. And he wanted the money. So literally every other actor in the film is better, and fits in the film better, than the two leads. Doesn't matter. This is a stunningly beautiful film. Every scene is so gorgeous it is like a painting. It is all about the scenery and the costumes. Every military history buff should own a copy of this DVD just for the costumes alone.

The DVD itself is gorgeous, with vivid colors, and it is crammed with extras including a director's commentary with Ridley Scott. Get it.

Nine National Guardsmen on a routine weekend training mission suddenly find themselves out of their depth when they come into conflict with a group of Cajun hunters. What begins as a misconceived practical joke (Stucky, played by character actor Lewis Smith shoots blanks at them from the boats they've "borrowed" from them to get across a flooded trail), escalates into a full blown war between the two groups. The Cajuns begin hunting the soliders who are armed only with blanks and one round of real bullets.

Walter Hill's taunt direction and script (based on Michael Kane's original script and rewritten with long time collaborator David Giler)bring this backwoods Apocalypse Now to life. While it integrates elements of Delieverence, Apocalypse Now and a number of 50's b-movie aspects into its clever script, Southern Comfort is far from derivative due to the direction, photography and strong acting.

Powers Boothe and Fred Ward (in an early major role)virtually steal the movie from star Keith Carradine. Boothe a surpremely talented underused performer, shines in his role as Hardin the recent Texas transplant. The cast of character actors features strong performances from Peter Coyote (in a pre-E.T. performance) and Brion James (Blade Runner)as well. The interaction of these bickering weekend warriors makes the picture come to life. The setting makes this all the more believable as many males of adult age chose the National Guard to the alternative of serving in Vietnam (the film is set in 1973).

The transfer is very good. There's not a lot of analot artifacts and there's little of the compression problems that one has come to expect from budget priced DVDs. While the film is given a bare bones (it's a companion to MGM's Midnite Movie series)presentation with only foreign language tracks, subtitles and the original trailer, it is presented in its original aspect ratio. The sound is quite good as well and is true to its original stereo soundtrack.

I'd highly recommend this underrated and forgotten thriller.

This is one of those flicks where even though you may know what's gonna happen, it still has your belly all wound up real tight with tension, simply because you just don't know when or how it's gonna happen. It's a very formulaic movie with the stereotypical characters, yet that is quickly overlooked as the director does a nice job with the element of surprise and realism.

The movie is essentially about a bunch of wanna-be National Guards sent out on a routine weekend mission in the swamps of Louisiana, only to find themselves at war with some mean locals. When water appears where land should be, the troop has no choice but to borrow some unattended boats belonging to some Cajun locals. Of course, things go awry when the troop member, plagued with idiocy, shoots a round of blanks at the locals for sheer fun. Things heat up real fast as the wanna-be guards begin the fight for survival in an unknown territory with only blanks. Some scenes get you so riled up, you'll be at the edge of your seat shouting "what the . . . !" Unfortunately, the captain and another member sometimes come across as poor actors, but depending on how you see it, that could be explained as an approach to portray realistic men who just don't know what the heck they're doing. Afterall, from the beginning, the Sergeant pleads with them to act like real soldiers for once in their life.

The film seems to work best as a "survival of the fittest" story instead of a macho-type, action-packed war movie. The eerie swamp certainly contributes to many nerve-racking moments. Slightly puzzling ending, but still a relatively good film. Certainly above standard.

The story is simple: Nine Louisiana National Guardsmen head into the bayou for a routine training mission. They ignite a vengeful war by the Cajun inhabitants when one of them fires a round of blanks, as a practical joke, and the natives think the bullets are real. The hunters, angry at being "attacked", decide to hunt down the National Guardsmen to the very last man. And the Guards, having only a few live bullets a piece must make their way back to their base with almost no idea of knowing where they're going. What follows is a film wonderfully focused towards a single end: survival. It throbs with tension and paranoia, a reaction to the forces arrayed against our Weekend Warriors. Director Walter Hill manages to capture the same "run for you life" spirit he did with his earlier film "The Warriors". Southern Comfort is actually an allegory of the Vietnam War. Set during 1973, it seems all that was changed was the location from Southeast Asia to southern Louisiana. The films message is that invading ones homeland and stirring up trouble is not a good plan. Fine performances by Keith Carradine and Powers Boothe. The Ry Cooder soundtrack is simply haunting. It's worth mentioning that there's a VERY graphic scene of two pigs being slaughtered near the end of the flick. The DVD is presented in anamorphic widescreen, thank goodness. The DVD transfer is actually good: a marvelous job of getting the transfer looking clean and clear, sans any artifact or grain that my eye could spot. The audio does a fine mix with sound effects. By way of extras, Southern Comfort won't break any records, but for a small title, it's no surprise. You get a trailer and chapter stops. It's a good movie for a great price. Pick it up.

Nine National Guardsmen on a routine weekend training mission suddenly find themselves out of their depth when they come into conflict with a group of Cajun hunters. What begins as a misconceived practical joke (Stucky, played by character actor Lewis Smith shoots blanks at them from the boats they've "borrowed" from them to get across a flooded trail), escalates into a full blown war between the two groups. The Cajuns begin hunting the soliders who are armed only with blanks and one round of real bullets.

Walter Hill's taunt direction and script (based on Michael Kane's original script and rewritten with long time collaborator David Giler)bring this backwoods Apocalypse Now to life. While it integrates elements of Delieverence, Apocalypse Now and a number of 50's b-movie aspects into its clever script, Southern Comfort is far from derivative due to the direction, photography and strong acting.

Powers Boothe and Fred Ward (in an early major role)virtually steal the movie from star Keith Carradine. Boothe a surpremely talented underused performer, shines in his role as Hardin the recent Texas transplant. The cast of character actors features strong performances from Peter Coyote (in a pre-E.T. performance) and Brion James (Blade Runner)as well. The interaction of these bickering weekend warriors makes the picture come to life. The setting makes this all the more believable as many males of adult age chose the National Guard to the alternative of serving in Vietnam (the film is set in 1973).

The transfer is very good. There's not a lot of analot artifacts and there's little of the compression problems that one has come to expect from budget priced DVDs. While the film is given a bare bones (it's a companion to MGM's Midnite Movie series)presentation with only foreign language tracks, subtitles and the original trailer, it is presented in its original aspect ratio. The sound is quite good as well and is true to its original stereo soundtrack.

I'd highly recommend this underrated and forgotten thriller.

This is one of those flicks where even though you may know what's gonna happen, it still has your belly all wound up real tight with tension, simply because you just don't know when or how it's gonna happen. It's a very formulaic movie with the stereotypical characters, yet that is quickly overlooked as the director does a nice job with the element of surprise and realism.

The movie is essentially about a bunch of wanna-be National Guards sent out on a routine weekend mission in the swamps of Louisiana, only to find themselves at war with some mean locals. When water appears where land should be, the troop has no choice but to borrow some unattended boats belonging to some Cajun locals. Of course, things go awry when the troop member, plagued with idiocy, shoots a round of blanks at the locals for sheer fun. Things heat up real fast as the wanna-be guards begin the fight for survival in an unknown territory with only blanks. Some scenes get you so riled up, you'll be at the edge of your seat shouting "what the . . . !" Unfortunately, the captain and another member sometimes come across as poor actors, but depending on how you see it, that could be explained as an approach to portray realistic men who just don't know what the heck they're doing. Afterall, from the beginning, the Sergeant pleads with them to act like real soldiers for once in their life.

The film seems to work best as a "survival of the fittest" story instead of a macho-type, action-packed war movie. The eerie swamp certainly contributes to many nerve-racking moments. Slightly puzzling ending, but still a relatively good film. Certainly above standard.

The story is simple: Nine Louisiana National Guardsmen head into the bayou for a routine training mission. They ignite a vengeful war by the Cajun inhabitants when one of them fires a round of blanks, as a practical joke, and the natives think the bullets are real. The hunters, angry at being "attacked", decide to hunt down the National Guardsmen to the very last man. And the Guards, having only a few live bullets a piece must make their way back to their base with almost no idea of knowing where they're going. What follows is a film wonderfully focused towards a single end: survival. It throbs with tension and paranoia, a reaction to the forces arrayed against our Weekend Warriors. Director Walter Hill manages to capture the same "run for you life" spirit he did with his earlier film "The Warriors". Southern Comfort is actually an allegory of the Vietnam War. Set during 1973, it seems all that was changed was the location from Southeast Asia to southern Louisiana. The films message is that invading ones homeland and stirring up trouble is not a good plan. Fine performances by Keith Carradine and Powers Boothe. The Ry Cooder soundtrack is simply haunting. It's worth mentioning that there's a VERY graphic scene of two pigs being slaughtered near the end of the flick. The DVD is presented in anamorphic widescreen, thank goodness. The DVD transfer is actually good: a marvelous job of getting the transfer looking clean and clear, sans any artifact or grain that my eye could spot. The audio does a fine mix with sound effects. By way of extras, Southern Comfort won't break any records, but for a small title, it's no surprise. You get a trailer and chapter stops. It's a good movie for a great price. Pick it up.

Robert Altman's meandering, "we'll put it together in editing" directorial style lends an air of documentarian authenticity to this grim western, set in a snow-covered northwest mining town peopled by an aimless mob of mostly European immigrants. With no heroes to speak of, the film chronicles the downfall of an ambitious, if inept, entrepreneur (Warren Beatty) and his drug-addled prostitute partner (Julie Christie). Less about living than about survival, the film not surprisingly offers little in the way of plot, but it's nihilistic themes ring true with the moody acting of its leads and the dusty, sepia tones of its imagery. A particularly ironic moment of social commentary occurs when, after helping the town's whites save their church from a fire, an African-American couple just wanders away from the resulting celebration quietly, knowing they are no longer welcome. Leonard Cohen--less gravelly than usual but as hopeless as the guy with the guitar in "Operation Petticoat"--provides the soundtrack with a patina of sadness common to films of the early 70s.

One of my favorite films of all-time, Robert Altman's best, and perhaps Warren Beatty's best.

As others have said, this film explores the dark, realist side of the American West. However, unlike other anti-Westerns of the era like The Wild Bunch, it does so in a hauntingly beautiful, even lyrical (albeit melancholic) way, augmented by Leonard Cohen's perfectly matched songs and the atmospheric cinematography.

There are the usual Western archetypes and themes - the gunslinger, the [prostitute], the church (symbolizing redemption and civilization), etc. - but Altman turns them upside-down. The would-be hero is an insecure bumbler who lets the whore get under his skin and dies, unceremoniously, in a snowbank. There is no honor among the thieves - they shoot people for no particular reason. The church burns. And, unlike most Westerns, the film is set not in the desert, but in the foggy Pacific Northwest, adding to the murky, morally ambiguous atmosphere, which is further enhanced by the occasionally inaudible dialogue.

This understated film has none of the overwrought archness of Altman's later work, so those who have been put off by same (as I have) need not worry - these are not merely clever celebrity cameos, but characters who live and breathe and make us care about what happens to them. The film is sombre but has many naturally comic moments (thanks to Beatty's usual bumbling loverboy persona) and is never merely studied or self-important. Similarly, for those who might be skeptical, Cohen's music is his earliest, most affecting, and least pompous.

I have a very sensitive BS meter and it never buzzes during this remarkably beautiful and affecting movie. For those who really care about film, I can't recommend it highly enough.

I have been waiting for years for a DVD version of Robert Altman's "McCabe & Mrs.Miller" to come out.This is my all time favorite western (or should I say anti-western).It is a anti-western because there are no heroic John Wayne types in ten gallon hats.Instead we are shown a weary frontier world populated by immigrants who are trying to eek out an existence. The film is about an itinerant gambler named McCabe (well played by Warren Beatty) who comes to a muddy, primitive, frontier mining town with the ideal of getting into the business of supplying the local miners with whiskey and women.He is soon approached by Mrs.Miller (a hard as nails prostitute played by Julie Christie) to go into a partnership to build a proper bordello.She supplies the women and the management, while he supplies the house.All goes well until McCabe is approached by a large mining corporation to buy out his holdings.When negotiations break down, the corporation sends a murderous posse.This film is arguably Robert Altman's masterpiece.The story is something you might hear by a midnight campfire. There are no real heroes, yet these characters keep you infinitly interested.Beatty and Christie are brilliant in the lead roles, playing two very flawed people, who have nobody to blame but themselves for their downfall.The supporting cast is excellent giving the viewer possibly a dozen other mini stories in the background.The cinematography in this movie is beautiful as it shows this drama being played out in the warm amber glow of gas lamps and fireplaces. The soundtrack to this movie is packed with the wonderful music of singer-songwriter Lenard Cohen. His world weary voice perfectly matches the film's dirty, frontier town and its inhabitants.The DVD to this film supplies extras which includes Robert Altman's commentary, a short documentry and a trailer.The dialogue track to this movie has always been somewhat muddy and indistinct.It was a real joy to be able to use the DVD's subtitles feature to figure out the content of many of the background conversations.I love this movie and I have seen it multiple times over the years.It is a beautiful but haunting film which stays with you long after its over.

Robert Altman's meandering, "we'll put it together in editing" directorial style lends an air of documentarian authenticity to this grim western, set in a snow-covered northwest mining town peopled by an aimless mob of mostly European immigrants. With no heroes to speak of, the film chronicles the downfall of an ambitious, if inept, entrepreneur (Warren Beatty) and his drug-addled prostitute partner (Julie Christie). Less about living than about survival, the film not surprisingly offers little in the way of plot, but it's nihilistic themes ring true with the moody acting of its leads and the dusty, sepia tones of its imagery. A particularly ironic moment of social commentary occurs when, after helping the town's whites save their church from a fire, an African-American couple just wanders away from the resulting celebration quietly, knowing they are no longer welcome. Leonard Cohen--less gravelly than usual but as hopeless as the guy with the guitar in "Operation Petticoat"--provides the soundtrack with a patina of sadness common to films of the early 70s.

One of my favorite films of all-time, Robert Altman's best, and perhaps Warren Beatty's best.

As others have said, this film explores the dark, realist side of the American West. However, unlike other anti-Westerns of the era like The Wild Bunch, it does so in a hauntingly beautiful, even lyrical (albeit melancholic) way, augmented by Leonard Cohen's perfectly matched songs and the atmospheric cinematography.

There are the usual Western archetypes and themes - the gunslinger, the [prostitute], the church (symbolizing redemption and civilization), etc. - but Altman turns them upside-down. The would-be hero is an insecure bumbler who lets the whore get under his skin and dies, unceremoniously, in a snowbank. There is no honor among the thieves - they shoot people for no particular reason. The church burns. And, unlike most Westerns, the film is set not in the desert, but in the foggy Pacific Northwest, adding to the murky, morally ambiguous atmosphere, which is further enhanced by the occasionally inaudible dialogue.

This understated film has none of the overwrought archness of Altman's later work, so those who have been put off by same (as I have) need not worry - these are not merely clever celebrity cameos, but characters who live and breathe and make us care about what happens to them. The film is sombre but has many naturally comic moments (thanks to Beatty's usual bumbling loverboy persona) and is never merely studied or self-important. Similarly, for those who might be skeptical, Cohen's music is his earliest, most affecting, and least pompous.

I have a very sensitive BS meter and it never buzzes during this remarkably beautiful and affecting movie. For those who really care about film, I can't recommend it highly enough.

I have been waiting for years for a DVD version of Robert Altman's "McCabe & Mrs.Miller" to come out.This is my all time favorite western (or should I say anti-western).It is a anti-western because there are no heroic John Wayne types in ten gallon hats.Instead we are shown a weary frontier world populated by immigrants who are trying to eek out an existence. The film is about an itinerant gambler named McCabe (well played by Warren Beatty) who comes to a muddy, primitive, frontier mining town with the ideal of getting into the business of supplying the local miners with whiskey and women.He is soon approached by Mrs.Miller (a hard as nails prostitute played by Julie Christie) to go into a partnership to build a proper bordello.She supplies the women and the management, while he supplies the house.All goes well until McCabe is approached by a large mining corporation to buy out his holdings.When negotiations break down, the corporation sends a murderous posse.This film is arguably Robert Altman's masterpiece.The story is something you might hear by a midnight campfire. There are no real heroes, yet these characters keep you infinitly interested.Beatty and Christie are brilliant in the lead roles, playing two very flawed people, who have nobody to blame but themselves for their downfall.The supporting cast is excellent giving the viewer possibly a dozen other mini stories in the background.The cinematography in this movie is beautiful as it shows this drama being played out in the warm amber glow of gas lamps and fireplaces. The soundtrack to this movie is packed with the wonderful music of singer-songwriter Lenard Cohen. His world weary voice perfectly matches the film's dirty, frontier town and its inhabitants.The DVD to this film supplies extras which includes Robert Altman's commentary, a short documentry and a trailer.The dialogue track to this movie has always been somewhat muddy and indistinct.It was a real joy to be able to use the DVD's subtitles feature to figure out the content of many of the background conversations.I love this movie and I have seen it multiple times over the years.It is a beautiful but haunting film which stays with you long after its over.