EGM Pick - Silverado (1985)

Movie: Siverado
Release: 1985
Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Actors: Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, Thomas Brown



I know. This movie is over 20 years old! OMG! But, this is a truly magnificent movie made by one of my favorite writer/directors, Larry Kasdan. Oh yes, you know his work. Raiders of the Lost Ark, Empire Srikes Back, Return of the Jedi, The Big Chill, and many more. Oh yes, this is a truly amazing film with stars galore. Although it might surprise you, most of these stars were not really stars at the time, but lets take a look. Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, Brian Dennehy, Rosanna Arquette, Jeff Goldblum, Linda Hunt, John Cleese, Jeff Fahey, and Thomas Brown(who?, just wait, you'll see) among others. That is quite an impressive cast and they deliver a fantastic western.

So, the story is surprisingly complex and rich for a western in that it ties together many separate streams into a single storyline. Paden (Kline) is a former bad boy trying to go on the straight and narrow. Emmett (Glenn) is just out of jail for murder and trying to start over. Jake (Costner) is Emmett's brother and a wild and boistrous cowboy with a penchant for trouble. Malachi (Glover) is an old Chicago slaughterhouse hand trying to come home to help his parents with their farm. All their paths converge at Silverado when they each find themselves embroiled in trouble. Paden finds his old cronies are now the local law in Silverado right down to running the local gambling joint. Paden gets offerred a job there, but this puts him into the same camp as the corupt sheriff. Emmett comes home to find the son of the rancher he shot, McKendrick, is still around and looking for trouble. And Jake, well Jake manages to find trouble all on his own with the local brothel. And Mal finds that his family farm has been taken over by McKendrick, his mother is dead and his sister has become a hooker. All this boils over into a final showdown where good and evil face off. Exemplary.

I am leaving quite a bit out because this movie is really something you should watch and let unfold for yourself. It has the trademark Kasdan dialogue that is both meaningful, funny and plausible (for the most part). Characters get developed so well that you find that each is rich and different. There is depth and complexity that so many movies lack and that make this movie a true masterpiece.

OK, so who is Thomas Brown if you don't already know. Well, he is actually a friend of mine. He plays Augie, the young boy in the movie but you may also know him from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. A few years back, we worked on a movie together and I got to know him very well. I already loved this movie and when I found out he was in it, I was thrilled.

Rating: Excellent
IQ: 120 or better.
Originality: Superb!
Watchability: Everytime it comes on I watch this gem.