McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Chris W

  
  Set during the turn of the century in the Pacific Northwest in the small mining town of Presbyterian CHurch, this is the story of an enigmatic gambler and rumored gunfighter named John McCabe who shows up in town with the plan of creating civic progress and economic gain by running a… More
  Set during the turn of the century in the Pacific Northwest in the small mining town of Presbyterian CHurch, this is the story of an enigmatic gambler and rumored gunfighter named John McCabe who shows up in town with the plan of creating civic progress and economic gain by running a brothel/gambling parlor/bath house. He gets help from an experienced and classy madame and opium addict named Mrs. Constance Miller. Their business partnership proves quite successful, and all seems well until business rivals arrive to pressure McCabe into selling out to them, something he has no interest in doing. Robert Atman was an interesting filmmaker, and this is likewise a very interesting project. Being made in the early 1970s, it is one of many revisionist westerns from the era, a nie group of films that sought to demythologize the Old West, eschew genre conventions, and inject contemporary sensibilities and beliefs into things. This is some really good stuff, and it's definitely a stand out little film in the genre. It's moody, atmospheric, and fits Altman's naturalistic and loose style quite nicely. One of its few faults is that it is a tad too slow and meandering at first, but once things get going, the results are pretty fantastic. It was filmed on location in Vancouver, and Vilmos Szigmond's cintmatography is absolutely brilliant and stunning. He gave the film a unique old timey look by fogging the lenses and using various filters while shooting instead of doing it all in post, and the result is a film that really makes you feel the cold, dirt, grit, and environment. It's a wonderfully realistic portrait that he and Altman paint. The tunes are handled by Leonard Cohen, and they too fit perfectly. I've always felt that his music works best when listened to on chilly fall and winter days, and, since part of the film does take place during winter, I was not disappointed. Besides being a little too loose and slow, I could have used a bit more development and backstory for the characters. Julie Christie is really good though, and seeing Warren Beatty with a beard is awesome, especially since his performance is also pretty strong. I'm not as familiar with the show Deadwood as I should be, but I can definitely see this film being a strong influence. All in all, this is really good. I don't think it's absolutely perfect like some do, but at the same time, I get the sense that this is one of those films that probably needs multiple viewings for it to be fully appreciated, and that it probably does get better with each watch. As it stand for me though, I give this one a strong B+.

• Graham J

  
  Altman's take on the "western" genre is a classic. With great performances and a soundtrack featuring the songs of Leonard Cohen.

• Steven C

  
  I am all for genre revisions and Robert Altman's impressive "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" sits at the top of the list. One of the most interesting westerns ever conceived, both thematically and visually, "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" depicts a truly American story… More
  I am all for genre revisions and Robert Altman's impressive "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" sits at the top of the list. One of the most interesting westerns ever conceived, both thematically and visually, "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" depicts a truly American story of ambition, greed and development. The intensely rustic and wintery setting does wonders for the dramatic weight of the story. The performances seem even more real due to the actors interactions with the harsh conditions. Excellently played by Warren Beatty and Julie Christie with glorious cinematography by the godly Vilmos Zsigmond and haunting songs by Leonard Cohen, "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" is a tour de force. Without Altman's revisionist interpretation I doubt we would have ever seen films like "There Will Be Blood;" a direct descendent of "McCabe & Mrs. Miller."

• Dan S

  
  An original, masterfully constructed anti-Western by the great Robert Altman concerning a "businessman" (Warren Beatty) and his relationship with a sharp, unique prostitute (Julie Christie) and how he overlooks a small, Northwest town. I say this a lot, but this is one of… More
  An original, masterfully constructed anti-Western by the great Robert Altman concerning a "businessman" (Warren Beatty) and his relationship with a sharp, unique prostitute (Julie Christie) and how he overlooks a small, Northwest town. I say this a lot, but this is one of those movies that is definitely not for everyone, it's slow-moving, the dialogue is sometimes muddled and incomprehensible, and there are a lot of different conversations and situations going on at any given time. However, this is a realistic, fantastically captured look on the olden days, and a film that is not afraid to defy norms, offering a conflicted, confused lead man (Beatty, who is absolutely outstanding), an emotional but still smart leading lady, and a variety of supporting characters who add something of substance to the story. The last twenty minutes are a very unexpected surprise as well, as Altman throws a twist into the story that could've seemed forced, but instead it makes for one incredible finale.

• Tim S

  
  I'm on the fence about this one. Interesting visually, but storywise, not that interesting.

• Randy T

  
  I tend to waffle on this one some, depending on my mood. Sometimes it's four stars, sometimes it's four and a half. I just can't seem to stomach Warren Beatty outside of <i>Bonnie & Clyde</i> unless I'm in a certain mood. On the whole, this is… More
  I tend to waffle on this one some, depending on my mood. Sometimes it's four stars, sometimes it's four and a half. I just can't seem to stomach Warren Beatty outside of <i>Bonnie & Clyde</i> unless I'm in a certain mood. On the whole, this is a very good film. The cast is fantastic, especially Julie Christie, and even Altman seems to have reigned in his usual meandering style to give the story structure and purpose. Don't look for any heroes in white hats in this western, it's ripe with deeply flawed but interesting characters.

• moon r

  
  moody, atmospheric, altman draws one of the best western communities ever seen on film, the good, the bad, and the ugly, w/o the over-the-top music score to drown out the bare nakedness of existence. one of his best in my book simply because nobody seems to try to put in an oscar… More
  moody, atmospheric, altman draws one of the best western communities ever seen on film, the good, the bad, and the ugly, w/o the over-the-top music score to drown out the bare nakedness of existence. one of his best in my book simply because nobody seems to try to put in an oscar worthy performance...a film much like the the old and beat up doll a child might carry around too, too long...

• Ken S

  
  Deadwood's crib sheet.

• Tim S

  
  Cool western. An Altman classic.

• Red L

  
  Aaarghh, I saw the first half, but missed the ending. What I saw was quite interesting. Maybe it will show again.

• Michael S

  
  One of Altman's best, and one of my favorite westerns.

• Wu C

  
  I'm not a huge Altman or Beatty fan, but this is one of the better films for both. A little uneven at times, but some very good scenes and dialogue make up for it.

• Dimitris S

  
  Chilling factors,vigorous delinquents.Hooray for honor's sake and let's make wealth out of industrialist poverty.Viva commonwealth,the richest benefactor of us all.And a natural abuse of future prospects.

• cody f

  
  This movie is flawless! The look, the pace, the music, and the acting! Altman at his best and one of the most original films I've ever seen.

• Sarah P

  
  Not one of my favorite Altman films, but was entertaining

• Barry L

  
  Bbrilliant.....

• Krystle C

  
  Ugh. I guess I COULD see why Altman fans would love this - the cadence of all the people talking over each other makes for a very realistic, personal feel, but I found this movie unbearably hard to follow if solely for the fact that everyone was freakin' mumbling! It drags on… More
  Ugh. I guess I COULD see why Altman fans would love this - the cadence of all the people talking over each other makes for a very realistic, personal feel, but I found this movie unbearably hard to follow if solely for the fact that everyone was freakin' mumbling! It drags on and on without rhyme and reason and I was bored out of my mind half the time with nary a thing standing out which would even qualify a second glance, save perhaps for Julie Christie's brash and brazen madam - the only remotely interesting person in the entire cast, and even her character sometimes descends into fits of weirdness and can't save the rest of the movie. It has a few charming moments for sure: the tender yet awkward relationship which develops between the hardened Mrs. Miller and full-of-bravado McCabe is quite interesting to watch if only because it is so unlike the perfect modern romances of Hollywood; and the whorehouse scenes expounding on the growing camaraderie between the girls, Mrs. Miller and their clients are quite good as well. I was really distracted by the awful quality of the film although I guess that was the look Altman was going for. The soundtrack is good but repetitive and therefore grating. Only worth watching for its interesting subversion of the genre and Julie Christie's spirited performance.

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