**SPOILERS** All the critical acclaim and other opinions, okay. I'm just gonna add my two cents because I think this is one terrific little western. It isn't all hazed up with dark, political motives, just good guys and bad guys. Let me get something off my chest, here. The OTHER movie of the same name? THAT'S the stupid one, as a matter of fact, I'm surprised that they didn't have the transformers (or maybe Batman), doing battle right along with all the other super gunfighters.In THIS H.B.O. movie, the story is a lot more down to earth. Given that ALL westerns are fantasy, and are for entertainment I think that we have to look at just a couple items. The actors- you have to be able to find an identity for each one of them; Done, and Done. The scenery, is it sufficiently "western"? Yup, (more on this later). Dialogue? A small problem; too late twentieth century in places. Story? Good. Direction, Pretty darn good.Just a couple of points... These things are prevalent in almost all westerns, and it's a P.O. Why, oh why, did Valion leave Dobbs' gunbelt, horse and gear? It's is his by right of booty. Plus, you DO NOT leave a horse saddled and tied up. If you're not gonna take it, unload it and set it free. You won't be doing it any favors, though; it's a domesticated animal, and needs to be taken care of. Same thing for Ute's pony and gear.Another reviewer mentioned the fact that the relationship between Valion and the Ute (both are half-breeds) should have been explored. I agree. It would have taken a minute of dialogue or less to explain the fact that They were half-brothers, don't you think? Possibility - calling The Ute by name right before he killed him. Another "He led a raid on a Blackfoot village, killed a lot of women and children; including our mother". Oh, well...How about this relevant issue? there is an outbuilding in Bender's Flats, so it MIGHT have been an outhouse, and once they left the area, they were doing their business in mother nature, but, Susannah's brother not putting up a privy? Inhuman.Back to the scenery. When I first saw this movie on H.B.O., I was struck by how beautiful the surroundings were in Cinematography. I've owned a couple copies of this movie in VHS and DVD, and in High Def, it is striking to say the least. One of my favorite Westerns, and I recommend it for all who want an uncomplicated story that's entertaining and very well done on all points.

Sam Elliott who is doing his level best to keep the western alive as an American art form stars in The Quick And The Dead which has nothing to do with the film Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, and Leonardo DiCaprio did. But it has one great western pedigree as the story is from the pen of Louis L'Amour.In fact there are some elements in this story that are most similar to L'Amour's most famous western Hondo. Although Sam Elliott isn't quite the G-rated cowboy John Wayne was.Tom Conti, Kate Capshaw and their son Kenny Morrison are traveling west to settle and work the homestead that Conti's late brother had in Wyoming territory. But they run afoul of some outlaws led by Matt Clark and the outlaws mean to them harm.If you remember in Hondo the mutual attraction of the frontier scout and the settler's wife who is waiting for her husband to get home. That's going on big time here only Conti is very much on the scene. Elliott thinks him a worthless tenderfoot at first, but Conti's character develops over the course of the film and the more you see, the more you realize there's a lot to him. A lot more than there was to Leo Gordon in Hondo.Nice location cinematography in Arizona standing in for Wyoming territory. The roles are well cast and cowboy heroes don't come any better than Sam Elliott.

I'm amazed that no one really disliked this movie here, in the "user reviews" and the "message board." (Though the two external reviews are tepid.) I was bored out of my mind. The production values were good (scenery, etc.). The actors were notable. The big killer is the story and dialog. Everything is drained out -- from the beginning you see where the story is going, and it never deviates, no surprises or depth.Eight bad guys are after a pioneer settler family (husband, wife, son) making their way west alone on their covered wagon. They follow and menace the family, but peculiarly never really ever catch up. The family is protected by the mysterious stranger (Sam Elliott) who pops up now and then to sprout advice, sage remarks, insults and leers at the wife, Kate Capshaw, who might be a beauty on the lone prairie, but here looks pretty haggard.Avoid this unless you are a fan of the actors and film makers.

Sorry I didn't read the original book, so I enjoyed the film but, I was always thinking on "Shane" updated, but I can't say if the original plays are similar. A film to be seen for all western lovers that retrieve us the bravery and sense of honor of prairies men.