TALL TALE
US, 1995, 98 minutes, Colour.
Nick Stahl, Patrick Swayze, Oliver Platt, Roger Aaron Brown, Scott Glenn, Stephen Lang, Jared Harris, Moira Sinise, Scott Wilson, John P. Ryan, Joe Grifasi.
Directed by Jeremiah Chechik.
Tall Tales from the American West, in a 1905 setting, the period of translation transition from the horse and buggy era to the horse less carriage, the promise of electricity and lights illuminating American cities….
Nick Stahl plays the 12-year-old Daniel, eager to see cars, not happy working with his father on a small farm. ‘s father, Stephen Lang, tells him lots of stories, far-fetched tales about Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan and his inventions, John Henry and his competitive background. Daniel sees them as just stories.
However, difficulties come to the town with one of the rail barons trying to buy up properties, intimidating the locals, but not Daniel’s father who resists him, entrusting the deed to the land to his son after he is wounded and in hospital.
Daniel goes down to the river, climbs into a boat and falls asleep which leads to the bulk of the film going back to a wild West, an isolated town, meeting up with the imaginary heroes, Bill, Paul, John Henry as well as continually being pursued by the rail baron, Scott Glenn. The mythical characters are played by Patrick Swayze as a peculiar bill, Oliver Platt is a huge man with odd clothes, and Roger Aaron Brown as John Henry, telling the young boy the stories about the past and slavery.
There is some action as well as the group being stranded in the desert and Daniel having a mirage of his father. When he wakes up, his father is getting better, thinking of selling the land, but his son, telling his father about the heroes of the West, is now of a mind that the land not be sold.
Direction is by Jeremiah Chechik who received praise for Benny and June but poor reviews for his other films, including Diabolique.
1. The title, the stories in the film? Daniel and his imagination? His father telling him the stories of Pecos Bill and Paul Bunyan, John Henry?
2. The visualising of the tall tales, the West, stylised, the deserts, the rocks and caves, the towns? The contrast with the ordinariness of 1905? A time of change? Horseless machines etc? The talk about electric lights? Belief in progress? The legendary characters and their wariness about progress? How to see the stars…?
3. The farm, the hard work, father and mother, the baby, Daniel and his finding it difficult, seeing the car, going to town, confrontation with his father, wanting to leave the farm?
4. The meeting in town, the father going, J.P. Styles, his speeches, offering to buy the land, the threats, the reaction of the people, Daniel’s father and his refusing? The pursuit, giving his son the deed, getting him to escape? His father’s injuries? Hospital, at home?
5. Daniel and his reaction, going to the boat, falling asleep? His dream but his thinking it real?
6. The stories of Pecos Bill? His appearance, stances, helping Daniel, talking with him, going to the town, the confrontations, shootings? Meeting Paul Bunyan, his size, appearance? His inventions? John Henry, the weight competition, his story about slavery and his family? The characters, interacting with Daniel, memories of his father stories? The arrival of Styles? The dangers, hiding, the confrontations? The railroad?
7. Styles, the land Baron, his attitudes, behaviour, continual threats to Daniel, on the train, on the front of the train? The demon figure? Wanting the contract?
8. Daniel leaving with the legendary characters, stranded in the desert, need for water, the mirage of his father?
9. Daniel waking, his father recovering, the decision to sell the land, Daniel’s change of heart?
10. The three characters appearing to Daniel, their farewells? The influence on Daniel’s life?
11. The final sequences, Daniel and his working the farm with his father?
