Deadwood (2019)

The year is 1889, and Deadwood is celebrating South Dakota’s acceptance into the United States.

Visiting dignitaries include California Senator George Hearst (Gerald McRaney), remembered well for his violent and conniving means of gaining control of most of the mines around Deadwood.

These days, he’s building telephone lines. And property belonging to Charlie Utter (Dayton Callie) lies in his way. He attempts to buy the land; Utter refuses to sell.

Within 24 hours, Utter is found dead, his brains blown out by unidentified assassins. But Deadwood Marshal Seth Bullock (Timothy Olypant) is pretty certain who is responsible.

And this time around, he’s determined to bring Hearst to justice.

Hearst is equally determined to gain control of Utter’s land. And he aslo has a score to settle with a former whore named Trixie (Paula Malcomson), who once tried to kill him.

Trixie has just given birth to the son of Sol Star, Bullock’s former partner. Her protectors also include former lover Al Swearangen, owner of the Gem Saloon and once the most feared man in Deadwood.

He’s in ailing health now, but he’ll still do whatever he can to keep Trixie safe.

Review:

HBO canceled “Deadwood,” one of the most impressive Western series ever, after three seasons, promising a movie at some point in the future to tie up loose ends.

Sometime in the future wound up being 13 years later. Yet, amazingly, HBO managed to pull together nearly the entire cast of stars and supporting characters for this film, which premiered on the channel on May 31.

Equally impressive is the fact that director Daniel Minahan was able to recapture the tone and flavor of the original series. Of course, having orignal director David Milch write the script helped in that regard.

Statehood for South Dakota also means a reunion between Bullock and former lover Alma Ellsworth and between hard-drinking Calamity Jane and saloon madaam Joanie Stubbs.

Among the other memorable characters back in their original roles are William Sanderson as E.B. Farnum, mayor of Deadwood; and Brad Dourif as Doc Cochran.

All that said, the film is likely to be considerably less impressive to those not already familiar with the characters.

Directed by:
Daniel Minahan

Cast:
Timothy Olyphant … Seth Bullock
Ian McShane … Al Swearangen
Molly Parker … Alma Ellsworth
Paula Malcomson … Trixie
W. Earl Brown … Dan Dority
Dayton Callie … Charlie Utter
Kim Dickens … Joanie Stubbs
Brad Dourif … Doc Cochran
Anna Gunn … Martha Bullock
John Hawks … Sol Star
Leon Rippy … Tom Nuttall
William Sanderson … E.B. Farnum
Robin Weigert … Calamity Jane
Brent Sexton … Harry Manning
Sean Bridgers … Johnny Burns
Geri Jewell … Jewel
Jeffrey Jones … A.W. Merrick
Franklyn Ajaye … Samuel Fields
Keone Young … Mr. Wu
Peter Jason … Con Stapleton
Cleo King … Aunt Louo
Tonny Curran … James Smith
Jade Pettyjohn … Caroline Woolgarden
Lily Keene … Sofia Ellsworth
Don Swayze … Seacrest
Gerald McRaney … George Hearst
Alan Ko … Mengyao
Brandon Alan Makovy … Sheriff Laraby
Noelle E. Parker … Margaret Bullock
Leticia Lagutenko … Florence Bullock
Luke Patrick Dodge … Stanley Bullock

Runtime: 110 min.

Memorable lines:

Al Swearangen: “Did you ever think, Bullock, of not going straight at a thing?”
Bullock: “No.”

Bullock, having killed one of Hearst’s men: “Woo, feed the f–k to the pigs.”

Johnny Burns, wounded backing Bullock: “F–kin’ shot, I am.”
Swearangen: “You’ll f–kin’ live.”

Hearst, following a shootout in the street: “Congratulations on the rising body count.”
Bullock: “I ain’t proud of it.”
Hearst: “I’m coming for you, marshal.”
Bullock: “Expect you will, senator.”

Trixie: “God have mercy on me. I don’t deserve the one f–kin’ minute of happiness my newborn gave me coming into the world.”

Swearengen, as Trixie reflects on a slaying on her behalf years earlier: “We’re all of us haunted by our own f–king thoughts. So make friends with the ghost, it ain’t going f–kin’ anywhere.”

Bullock: “Too much to ask, you stay the hell out of trouble?”
Trixie: “No, f–kin’ Bullock. Not too much. I will.”

Trixie, giving orders to Al’s whores as she prepares for her wedding: “Twenty minutes going forward to the ceremony, and the same interval afterwards, no fornication on the premises.”

Swearengen to his Dan, Johnny and Doc : “Time comes, I have $14,057 in the mattress, which you will divide equally. Fight amongst yourselves, you will wish there was no hell because I’ll surely come back and cut your f–kin’ throats.”