Silverado (1985)

Silverado is star-studded, excellently performed and well written. But more than that, it is also a fantastic western that delivers a world whose credibility is predicated on strong relationships and the chemistry to match. It is also much damn funnier than it has any right to be.

Despite not being billed as such, the film recurrently uses comedy to draw the viewer in. This is established early, with a line from Paden, played by Kevin Kline. When he is asked his ultimate destination, still in his underwear after being robbed, he nervously looks at the nearest horse and asks, "Where's the pinto going?" Another similarly funny line is delivered by Danny Glover, as he forcefully declares, "Now I don't want to kill you and you don't want to be dead."

Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Brian Dennehy, Danny Glover, Linda Hunt; the stellar performances are simply too numerous to list. Even the minor performances, such as Jeff Fahey as the menacing Tyree, are convincing. Scott Glenn plays the part of Emmett, the stoic older brother driven chiefly by family and does so with appropriately muted affect. Danny Glover conveys his character's plight expertly, a man seeking justice for his father, who is being driven from his own land. Family is a key part of all our central characters’ stories.

Even the lone island of Paden spends his days searching the horizon for familial figures, which he finds in individuals like Stella, played by Linda Hunt. The value of connection and camaraderie over power and material wealth is present throughout the film.

Silverado is situated during a small resurgence of western films in the 1980s. This affords certain visual strengths that older westerns simply weren’t capable of. The color is striking and captures the landscapes like paint on a canvas. But the image loses no clarity; on the contrary it possesses a distinct sharpness. Props, such as our firearms, our horse tackle, and even the liquor bottles, all visually benefit from this greatly.

Watching this film feels like going on a long but wonderful journey in a wide world which feels authentic and expansive. After viewing, you may find you have to clap the dust off your shoes. When watching Silverado, we can only relate to Paden and Stella midway through the film as they toast: "Here's to the good stuff."