This is a movie that needs to be watched more than once to understand where it is coming from. On the surface it is about former Gunslingers '" Wild" Bill Hickok, 'Billy The Kid', Jessie James, and 'Doc' Holliday living in a town called Refuge (which is really Purgatory) which lies between Heaven and Hell, waiting until the time The Lord calls them home ( to Heaven)., but in between then they must live on the straight and narrow, otherwise it is Hell. Against them is an outlaw led by 'Black Jack' Britton ( a particularly nasty Eric Roberts). But deeper than that it is about Sonny who falls in with the gang, but is no killer, and is the one who must make choices in life, which is to do what is right, or follow Britton straight to Hell ( which Britton admitted he was leading his men to). Spoilers Ahead: We first meet Sonny when the aging is robbing a Bank in Sweetwater, Oklahoma and he meets Dolly who is a card cheating woman, who asks him to "Don't let me die.", as she gets shot and dies in his arms. The gang ends up in a town called Refuge and Sonny meets Rose, and falls in love with her. He is very suspicious because there are no guns, or jails in the town, and because he could read ( he reads Dime Store Hovels)), and he believes he recognizes Hickok and James. Towards the end, he sees a stagecoach ride up to a Church ( where everyone must go at night), and out pops Dolly. He learns the truth about Refuge, including the fact that Rose is really Betty McCullough who was hanged for murdering her father who raped for for 7 years. He also learns that Britton and the the gang will burn the town down so he stands up to face them alone, to prevent Rose from going to Hell. "Wild Bill" who has 5 hours until he goes to Heaven realizes that Sonny is right. "He is willing to die to save the woman he loves. I have spent 10 years as Sheriff like I did my entire life." He and then the others then join him, and defeat the gang. However, Sonny ends up dying saving Rose from his evil uncle. At the very end, and Indian comes by puts Britton and the others on a horse and sends their souls to Hell. Hickok and the others will have to join him, but the stagecoach comes by and the Driver says " The Creator May Be Hard But He Isn't Blind", and they can go to Heaven. Sonny decides to stay behind with Rose, and take over Hickok's job as Sheriff. The driver said to Johnny " Your place will be ready when you want it." I saw a smile on Dolly's face, (because she knew indeed that Sonny saved her). Sonny basically had a very difficult task. Not only saving Dolly, but the town, and he will be rewarded with his place in Heaven with Rose.

I truly love this movie. I first saw it on TNT, looked for the movie in re-runs to catch it again, and was overjoyed to stumble across it in the rare movies section of my local DVD store. Whereupon I snatched that movie so fast there must have been a hole in the air where it was.It is one of the best spiritual and/or morality plays I've seen in years... and it is within a genre I often search for fascinating films.Purgatory has a tremendously talented cast. Who can argue with Sam Shepard's perfect casting as the 'sheriff'? Even Eric Roberts who isn't the most subtle of actors carries his role splendidly... In fact, I think this may be Eric Robert's best role ever. The rest of the cast is inspired and somehow believable given the reasonably improbable story line. *smile* Excellent movie. I am so glad I own it and can watch it any time I like. I will often like. *chuckle*

This was a really satisfying story with great performances from the actors, even Eric Roberts who usually annoys me.The basic story is that a band of outlaws heading for Mexico get waylaid in a town called refuge where no pone carries a gun and everyone welcomes them with open arms. But like the rattlesnakes they are, instead of accepting and appreciating this hospitality the outlaws decide to take the town for all it's worth not realising exactly what kind of place they have ridden into.This film is exactly the type of thing you get when an interesting premise is properly executed. A real treat that I only found by accident on late night TV!

Sam Elliot or Sam Shepard?Sam Elliott .... Sheriff Forrest/Wild Bill Hickock Eric Roberts .... Blackjack Britton Randy Quaid .... Doc Woods/Doc Holliday Peter Stormare .... Cavin Guthrie Brad Rowe .... Leo 'Sonny' Dillard Donnie Wahlberg .... Deputy Glen/Billy The Kid J.D. Souther .... Brooks/Jesse James (as John David Souther) Amelia Heinle .... Rose/Betty McCullough Shannon Kenny .... Dolly Sloan/Ivy John Dennis Johnston .... Lamb/'Lefty' Slade Saginaw Grant .... Gatekeeper Richard Edson .... Euripides Gregory Scott Cummins .... Knox John Diehl .... Badger R.G. Armstrong .... Coachman