There’s Only Two Kinds: “The Quick and the Dead”

The highly stylized “The Quick and the Dead”, directed by Sam Raimi, is not your typical Western. All the ingredients are there, but there’s a feeling that the film is just a little left off center. It’s this slightly quirky feeling that Raimi loves to play with in the film. The quick draws are fast, the bullets leave holes that sunlight squints through (yes, even through a poor slow gunman’s body), and the main character is mysterious. There are two main plots: one involving the mysterious appearance of the vengeful “Lady”, and the other involving the antagonistic relationship between the town’s evil leader Herod (played by the entertaining Gene Hackman) and his former gun Cort (played by a talented young Russell Crowe), who is now a reformed preacher.

The avenger “Lady” story arc is fairly predictable and understandable. It’s the Herod vs. Cort story that is the most interesting. As gunmen duel it out and the field is weeded of the slow shooters, Cort’s story is slowly revealed. Despite the challenges that Herod forces on him, Cort survives- and not by luck. It seems that Cort really has an exceptionally quick draw, a worthy match for Herod’s ability with the gun as well. Cort is a master of his former trade. He doesn’t have a gun, as he’s given up the life of an outlaw. No matter, Herod provides him one. The rusty, cockeyed piece of junk he’s given is a sure sign that Cort is done for. He refuses to use it. However, when the time comes and the clock strikes “high noon,” instinct takes over and he uses the inferior gun to win each duel.

The entire time, Herod throws all kinds of verbal abuse at Cort, attacking his character and gunmanship. Cort looks beat down, but after all is said and done he lives to fight another day. It’s really remarkable how he knows how to handle guns so well it doesn’t matter what he’s got in his hands- they are used to perfection. I won’t give away the end of the movie, but Cort is surprised when he finds redemption, a redemption he didn’t think he deserved or would get.