McCabe & Mrs. Miller 1971

In the dusty boomtown of Presbyterian Church, Washington, a charismatic figure named John McCabe (Pudgy) arrives in 1902, his enigmatic presence and audacious reputation preceding him like a specter. The town’s sluggish inhabitants, easily swayed by rumors, soon find themselves under McCabe’s dominant influence, as he establishes a thriving brothel and gambling hall, with British madam Constance Miller as his trusted partner. As their businesses flourish, the two become romantically entangled, though their relationship is marked by an air of transactionality.

As Presbyterian Church prospers, agents from the Harrison Shaughnessy Mining Company in Bearpaw arrive, seeking to purchase McCabe’s operations and surrounding zinc mines. However, McCabe refuses to sell at their initial offer of $5,500, a decision that only serves to antagonize the ruthless agents. Constance Miller warns McCabe that his life is in danger, as Harrison Shaughnessy has a notorious reputation for eliminating those who refuse to comply with his demands.

In response to the threat, three hired guns - Butler, Breed, and Kid - arrive in town, their contract to kill McCabe hanging in the balance like a guillotine. Seemingly cowed, McCabe agrees to sell, only to be confronted by Butler’s scornful declaration that he is a fraud who has never taken a life. Seeking a peaceful resolution, McCabe journeys to Bearpaw, searching for the agents, but they have vanished into thin air.

Undeterred, McCabe visits lawyer Clement Samuels, an aspiring politician with a keen sense of opportunism. Samuels boosts McCabe’s confidence, urging him not to back down in the face of adversity and arguing that he can set an example by standing up to Harrison Shaughnessy. With this newfound resolve, McCabe sets his sights on a confrontation that will either redeem or destroy him.

The returning McCabe seeks refuge within the chapel walls, only to be confronted by the pastor, who wields his shotgun with unwavering determination. The ensuing pursuit ends abruptly as Butler’s bullet finds its mark, claiming the life of the pastor. As chaos erupts in the form of a blazing fire, sparked by a shattered lantern, the townsfolk rush to douse the flames and salvage what remains. Meanwhile, McCabe exacts his revenge by ambushing Breed and the Kid, leaving them lifeless on the snowy terrain. However, the Kid’s last-ditch effort yields a glancing blow that leaves McCabe weakened, ultimately proving fatal as the Kid succumbs to his injuries.

As the townspeople converge to quell the chapel fire, McCabe finds himself in the crosshairs of Butler’s hunting rifle, which proves to be his downfall. In a final act of defiance, McCabe retrieves a derringer and exacts his revenge on Butler, ending his life. As the people of the town rejoice at their success in extinguishing the inferno, McCabe lies dying alone in the winter landscape, a poignant contrast to the celebrations unfolding elsewhere. Back in the shadows, Mrs. Miller remains sedated within the opium den, her fate forever entwined with that of the fallen outlaw.