THE SHOOTING

This 1967 Western by Monte Hellman (a new name to me) is a real oddity.  It has been described as an existential Western, a kind of ‘Waiting for Godot’ and it certainly has a minimalist narrative which after some initial scene setting reduces to the four main characters making their way across hot and inhospitable terrain.

There are only four characters of note, of which Willett is ostensibly the main one (played by the veteran Warren Oates). He's an ex-bounty hunter who is a stoical kind of guy who’s not easily taken in.  In contrast his young companion Coley is not very bright and is an accident waiting to happen.

Then there is Millie Perkins playing someone given in the cast list as simply 'The Woman' (yes, it's that sort of film).  She's the driving character behind what little story there is, hiring Willett and Coley to take her to a place called Kingsley.    She won’t say why but Willett thinks he knows why.

Willett has a brother, Coigne, and at the very start of the film we learn that Coigne may have accidentally injured or even killed someone, maybe a child in a nearby town, and possibly as a result he has gone into hiding.  This is presented in a confusing manner but it seems quite possible that The Woman is wanting to catch up with Coigne.  Maybe she is the mother of the child who may or may not have been injured or killed.  Who knows?  And is this sort of film in which we will find out?  

She is rude and pig-headed throughout and shows no regard for the welfare of any of the several horses she rides.  Perkins first made a name for herself playing Anne Frank in ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’, and this is also a memorable if completely different type of role.   

These three set off, with Willett highly suspicious of her motives but happy to be well paid, and with young foolish Coley totally smitten.

Later on they are joined by a sinister gunman, Billy Spear (dressed all in black naturally) who is obviously in cahoots with The Woman.  He is effectively played by Jack Nicholson making his fourth appearance in a Hellman film.

Things gradually turn surreal as the heat takes its toll, and tempers fray, building to a suspenseful climax of sorts.  I was intrigued by where all this was heading but I found the ending more cryptic than satisfying, and so I am inclined to agree with Pauline Kael's verdict that Hellman "asks a lot for the little he gives".