grizzledgeezer Sam Elliott tosses a dead antelope in front of Kate Capshaw, then delivers that line with a more or less straight face.Talk about double entendre! It's not the ungulate he's referring to.The main reason for seeing this film is Sam Elliott, one of the sexiest men of the last century. (Why no one did a remake of "The Virginian" with him is beyond my comprehension.) He could be William-Conrad tubby and still be good-looking. Here he's spectacularly thin and angular. I wonder how many hetero men harbor a hankerin' for him.The story is nothing special. All the good people live and the bad people die. The dialog rarely rises above the perfunctory.Westerns are rarely detail-accurate. This one shows something hardly ever seen in Westerns -- a chew stick. After dinner, Elliott chews on one to clean his mouth. On the other hand, one of the bad'uns calls Conti's son a "rug rat", a decidedly late-20th-century term. Capshaw mispronounces "cavalry" but the director doesn't catch it. And I wonder how "Kentucky corn liquor" (which is presumably moonshine) can be brown.Not the worst way to kill 90 minutes -- but hardly a great Western.

Wuchak RELEASED IN 1987 and directed by Robert Day, "The Quick and the Dead" is a made-for-HBO Western starring Sam Elliott as Con Vallian, a mysterious stranger who helps a family heading West with their conflict with a group of ne'er-do-wells. Vallian's desire is piqued by the wife (Kate Capshaw) and the interest seems mutual. Will the family make it to the Bighorn Mountains alive-and-well or will violence and adultery destroy them? If you don't remember Kate Capshaw, she was the blond in 1984's "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" and later married director Steven Spielberg.In any event, I was impressed with this little-known Western. Although made for cable, it's based on a Louis L'Armour book and is actually better than some theatrically released Westerns. There are some flaws, like the kid's questionable acting skills and the fact that the film was noticeably shot in Northern Arizona rather than Eastern Wyoming, but -- all things considered -- this is a solid realistic Western in the tradition of "Shane" and "Will Penny." Don't expect the mythic spaghetti tone of 1995's big-budget Western of the same name. Highlights include the breathtaking cinematography, a believable and mature tone, Kate's beauty, a hackneyed plot redeemed by quality characters (like Tom Conti as the settler husband/father), insightful drama & plot surprises and, of course, Sam Elliott as the quintessential Westerner. Really, Elliott is as good or – more likely – better than any Western icon you care to name (Wayne, Eastwood, Cooper, Scott, Stewart, Costner, etc.).There are mature and insightful themes, like the undeniable connection of Vallian and Susanna. Most of us can relate: You stumble across someone of the opposite sex and instinctively sense a palpable connection, some kind of profound mutual fascination, yet—for whatever reason—pursuing an intimate relationship is not an option. In an entire lifetime you will only experience a handful such 'connections,' or less. These exchanges are permanent because they are so potent they are forever burned into one's psyche."The Quick and the Dead" may not be a top-notch Western like "Dances With Wolves" or "The Outlaw Josey Wales," but it's certainly a quality Western and well worth your time.THE MOVIE RUNS 91 minutes.GRADE: B

rguirado Sorry I didn't read the original book, so I enjoyed the film but, I was always thinking on "Shane" updated, but I can't say if the original plays are similar. A film to be seen for all western lovers that retrieve us the bravery and sense of honor of prairies men.

drgibson This is one terrific western film. Sam Elliott, who is marvelous as a "Shane-like" character, plays a drifter who follows a family of green homesteaders across the western plains and protects them from a savage pack of outlaws. The family, which includes Tom Conti and Kate Capshaw, also becomes more sufficient as the story progresses. It's a lean, well-directed film, with not a scene or character wasted. Not until Unforgiven did a western film arrives as superior as this HBO production. The story is based on an entertaining L. Lamour novel of the same name. The novel has a significant plot twist from the film, which I won't reveal here.