Last Man Standing (1996/I)

Director:

Walter Hill

Writers (WGA):

Ryuzo Kikushima (story) and
Akira Kurosawa (story) ...

Release Date:

20 September 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

There are two sides to every war. And John Smith is on both of them.

Plot:

A drifting gunslinger-for-hire finds himself in the middle of an ongoing war between the Irish and Italian mafia in a Prohibition era ghost town.

Plot Keywords:

Providence Rhode Island | Irish | Irish American | Mafia | Box Office Flop

Cast

Bruce Willis	...	John Smith
Bruce Dern	...	Sheriff Ed Galt
William Sanderson	...	Joe Monday
Christopher Walken	...	Hickey
David Patrick Kelly	...	Doyle
Karina Lombard	...	Felina
Ned Eisenberg	...	Fredo Strozzi
Alexandra Powers	...	Lucy Kolinski
Michael Imperioli	...	Giorgio Carmonte
Ken Jenkins	...	Capt. Tom Pickett
R.D. Call	...	Jack McCool
Ted Markland	...	Deputy Bob
Leslie Mann	...	Wanda
Patrick Kilpatrick	...	Finn
Luis Contreras	...	Comandante Ramirez

Also Known As:

Gundown (USA) (working title)
Welcome to Jericho (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive strong violence and some sexuality.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Germany:16 (w) (re-rating) | Philippines:PG-13 | USA:R (certificate #34190) | Singapore:M18 | Germany:18 (original rating) (cinema release) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Cook Ranch, Galisteo, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Lone Wolf

Trivia:

This movie, like Per un pugno di dollari (1964), is a retelling of the story in Yojimbo (1961), which is itself based on Dashiell Hammett's novel "Red Harvest" from 1927.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Jacko slams the double doors shut on the room where the captured and beaten John Smith is being held the locks are visible on the John Smith side of the doors. Later the locks are shown, properly, on the opposite side.

Quotes:

Hickey: [Final scene, speaking to Smith] I don't want to die in Texas. Chicago, maybe... but not Texas. You can meet me there if you like.

Movie Connections:

References Wild Bill (1995)

Soundtrack:

Boogaboo

Not odd man out...Willis slaughters!

A Walter Hill Film, haven't seen much by him lately, but a superior casting for the main character, Walter 'Bruce' Willis!!! What an action hero! Bruce always exudes a tremendous level of in control natural cool until, it's time to get nuts!! The man in between is what John Smith is (Willis) he is smart enough to play both sides and come out from between the waring factions on top. That's just his style. He has a snide and cutting wit, he preserves his angst until he is in the battle, then it becomes 'Watch-out' to everyone else around him. What a crew, that Last Man Standing contained. Christopher Walken, there's a flavor that saturates the stories's palate. Mr. cold and sly-delivery, he has a way about him that you just can't deny, even when he is a bad guy, you love it! Ned Eisenberg (Miami Vice /Various other roles) is a condescending and sometimes scared, but pleasing character, he brings a good addition to the cast that rounds out this bad guy verses good-man action film. Bruce Dern, is a great good guy and a superb bad guy. His evil radar is up and he is keyed to what's going on around him almost like satellite coverage. Willis brings on a major slice of energy and grit to cover anyone who doesn't possess it. The Last Man Standing isn't a western, but it has a feel good sort of western appeal of when John Wayne rode along only just a bit more brutal and cutting edged! (*****) Recommended largely.