THE GREY FOX

Canada, 1982, 110 minutes, Colour.
Richard Farnsworth, Jackie Burroughs.
Directed by Philip Borsos.

The Grey Fox is an excellent western. A Canadian production, it won several awards in Canada, especially for Best Actor: Richard Farnsworth. Farnsworth was nominated for an Oscar for Comes a Horseman. He appeared in such films as The Natural. Here he is Bill Miner, imprisoned for train robberies in the 1860s and released 40 years later at the beginning of the 20th. century. The film makes the point (and quotes from) the first western feature film, The Great Train Robbery (1902). It tells the story of Miner - already become a legend as he faces the 20th. century. Farnsworth gives a warm performance as a humane bank robber, bank robber nonetheless. The film is beautifully photographed on location and shows that the western, despite a lack of appeal at the box office in the
early '80s, is still a lively film genre.

1. The impact of the film and its quality? Entertainment? Western legends? A western of the '80s?

2. The background of westerns? Books, films? From the turn of the century? The traditions of the western and the western outlaw hero? Reality and myths? The contribution of cinema to myth-making about western outlaws? The impact of this kind of myth-making in the '80s?

3. Canadian production values? Location photography, action sequences? Beauty and ruggedness? The west - as real, mythical? The importance of the musical score? The western songs?

4. The information given about Bill Miner? The 1860s and his outlaw career? His years in prison? The United States at the turn of the century? The opening up of the west, lawlessness, changes, civilisation? The nature of the changes from the 19th. to the 20th. century? The changing frontier, justice? The Great Train Robbery - and the excerpt from the film? Its use in the film? The contemporary audience? The information given at the end? The finale - the Grey Fox succeeding again? The importance of the narrative and narration?

5. The traditions of the legends of the west? U.S. pride in American western legends? The old saying (from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance):'Print the legend'? The Great Train Robbery and its action, the audience watching and applauding, emulating the film? The reality and unreality - Bill Miner and great train robberies, success but, particularly, lack of success? The people in the film, the stories told, admiration? The film of the '80s presenting Bill Miner as 'real'? The dramatic counterpoint with the western genre conventions? A new and genial legend?

6. The title of the film and its significance? The old shrewd man? Bill Miner and his early career, family, a gentleman? Ambiguity, complexity? His repute? San Quentin and the effect of 40 years of prison on him?

7. 1901: the train, the apple-skinner, the new encounter with Jennie and the return, the warmth, her husband and his reaction, working the oyster beds? The film? The family as serene, poor, a way of life? Bill accosted in the bar, the fight, the apology? His leaving?

8. His going back to robbery? The first robbery: the new trains, the hostages. deaths? His escape? Settling in the town? Stealing the horse and going to Canada?

9. Bill's settling down: new identity, the work, the rain, the drab towns? His gaining friends? More robberies, greater finesse? A new identity? The mines and his work, supervision? Friendship with Jack? The town, the horses and trains?

10. Bill's new life in the new town. the great respect. the friendship with the police, warmth of friendship? The encounter with Kathy? Her emerging feminism? The photos? The friendship between the two. the old-fashioned courting? Sharing experiences together, the older man and his falling in love, the warmth of their relationship? A new life -the incident of the family murder. Bill's intervention? Christmas? The possibilities for a new life?

11. The importance of the Pinkerton Detective Agency in the west? Their pursuit, not giving up? The police and the discussion with the Pinkertons? The information about Bill Miner, the tattoo? The photo with Kathy and the warning? His farewell to her, the truth?

12. Leaving. revealing the truth? Louie and Shorty and the stay? The new robbery, the medicine, the wandering, being caught - and the re-dramatisation of the incidents of the Great Train Robbery?

13. Bill Miner charged, going to court, people's admiration, heroics. prison?

14. Audience sympathy with him? His escape? The final information - and the Grey Fox once more at loose?

15. A humane portrait of an ambiguous train robber? Where did audience sympathies lie? The portrait of Bill, Louie, Shortie, Kathy? U.S. society? Frontier values, conditions. law, justice?