Review of McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) by Harpreet S — 28 Jun 2013

My introduction to Robert Altman disappoints in "McCabe & Mrs. Miller." Altman called it an "anti-western film," and I concur; it is certainly the least enthusiastic of westerns, it's on the borderline of being flavorless.

I perfectly understand people who cherish it, I will even say that it is technically flawless; each frame is well established, no actor performs poorly, well written from the beginning to the end. I was impressed with how the town and its characters felt so real, even to the most minor ones, it's as if you were living in that time.

Vilmos Zsigmond's cinematographic work of the town in the latter stages is one of the best you'll see, but overall the film just didn't work. I still found the location to be ugly aside from the snow and the appearance of all of its characters except from Warren Beatty and Julie Christie.

Not only are they ugly but I didn't see any redeeming qualities in their personalities; I was impressed with Beatty's performance, which is different from the one he gave in "Bonnie and Clyde," but I still had difficulty relating to him or any other characters.

They don't have any flare. Altman's pace can be bothersome and his use of Leonard Cohen's songs, which at times feel out of place, but largely I was cooperative with the pace and the music.

And I am well aware of the obscure, secluded love story involving Beatty and Christie's characters. I just wasn't compelled to care much for any of it; I wouldn't call it boring, but it comes close.

I don't wish to see this film ever again.