Released to TV in 2007 and directed by Dick Lowry based on Elmore Leonard's novel, "Last Stand at Saber River" is a Western starring Tom Selleck as Cable, an aging Confederate who knows the cause is lost and thus comes home prematurely in the last couple months of the war (1865). He picks up his wife, Martha (Suzy Amis), and two kids (Haley Joel Osment & Rachel Duncan) in west Texas and proceeds to their small ranch in Arizona, which they discover has been confiscated by Union settlers. They understandably fight for their homestead. David Carradine and Keith Carradine play the pro-Union antagonists, one bad and the other reasonable. Tracey Needham is on hand as the former's daughter while David Dukes appears as a shady Confederate gunrunner.
This is a solid Selleck Western with a unique plot and awesome New Mexican cinematography. Cable and Martha have an interesting and satisfying story arc, as does the character played by Keith Carradine, at least as far as a secondary character goes. Needham stands out as the minxish babe while the revelation about the Confederate die-hard isn't surprising. This is a quality modern Western about making a bold stand when you have to, doing what's right even when you feel like doing what's wrong, confessing past mistakes or regrets and moving on, inner healing, living and let living. There are numerous tense standoffs and brief thrilling shootouts.
The film runs 95 minutes and was shot in Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Santa Clara & Valle Grande, New Mexico.
GRADE: Borderline A-/B+
This is a solid Selleck Western with a unique plot and awesome New Mexican cinematography. Cable and Martha have an interesting and satisfying story arc, as does the character played by Keith Carradine, at least as far as a secondary character goes. Needham stands out as the minxish babe while the revelation about the Confederate die-hard isn't surprising. This is a quality modern Western about making a bold stand when you have to, doing what's right even when you feel like doing what's wrong, confessing past mistakes or regrets and moving on, inner healing, living and let living. There are numerous tense standoffs and brief thrilling shootouts.
The film runs 95 minutes and was shot in Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Santa Clara & Valle Grande, New Mexico.
GRADE: Borderline A-/B+