Open Range (2003)

Director:

Kevin Costner

Writers (WGA):

Lauran Paine (novel)
Craig Storper (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 August 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Western

Tagline:

No place to run. No reason to hide.

Plot:

A former gunslinger is forced to take up arms again when he and his cattle crew are threatened by a corrupt lawman.

Plot Keywords:

Cattle | Rancher | Cowboy | Friendship | Jail

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Robert Duvall	...	Boss Spearman
Kevin Costner	...	Charley Waite
Annette Bening	...	Sue Barlow
Michael Gambon	...	Denton Baxter
Michael Jeter	...	Percy
Diego Luna	...	Button
James Russo	...	Sheriff Poole
Abraham Benrubi	...	Mose
Dean McDermott	...	Doc Barlow
Kim Coates	...	Butler
Herb Kohler	...	Cafe Man
Peter MacNeill	...	Mack
Cliff Saunders	...	Ralph
Patricia Stutz	...	Ralph's Wife (as Pat Stutz)
Julian Richings	...	Wylie

Also Known As:

Pacto de justicia (Argentina) (Panama) [es]
Armoton maa (Finland) [fi]
Bez zaklona (Serbia) [sr]
Bezprawie (Poland) [pl]
Cordilleras abiertas (Spain) (informal literal title) [es]
Fegyvertársak (Hungary) [hu]
L'ouest sauvage (Canada: French title) [fr]
O agrafos nomos tis Dysis (Greece) [el]
Open Range (Spain) [es]
Open Range (France) [fr]
Open Range - Weites Land (Germany) [de]
Pacto de Justiça (Brazil) [pt]
Terra di confine - Open range (Italy) [it]
Uzak ülke (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

MPAA:

Rated R for violence.

Runtime:

139 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:12 (video rating) (2004) | UK:12A (original rating) | Germany:12 | Iceland:12 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Sweden:11 | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-15 | Ireland:12PG (original rating) | Ireland:12 (video rating) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | USA:R | Canada:A

Filming Locations:

Alberta, Canada

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

Towards the end of film production, Kevin Costner and some friends made a surprise visit to a large pow wow gathering at Morley. Chief Ernest Wesley honored Costner for his work with the Lakota Indians and using the Sioux language in Dances with Wolves (1990).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The loose horses in the Remuda are wearing modern English leather halters with brass fittings when they are driven into camp.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Boss Spearman: [indicating a thunderstorm] Think she'll get over this-a-way?
Charley Waite: Might.
Boss Spearman: Best bed 'em down.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Beyond the 'Open Range' (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Holding All My Love for You

Costner as Director

When this film reaches the climactic shootout, it is a real cinematic treat. Costner has a great feel for creating and choreographing complex action scenes. There is one wide shot in particular that contains many actors involved in a number of separate interactions carried out in a masterfully-planned sequence. It is worth watching several times and paying close attention to each individual shootout going on within the larger scene. Costner has mastered the art of filling the screen with complex action.

The cast is outstanding and the love story is compelling and not typical Hollywood. As a real Western fan, I enjoyed this one enough to watch it several times. I think the plot offers something for everyone and I think it is one of those rare films that appeals to both men and women. It is certainly worth checking out.