McCabe & Mrs Miller

Directed by Robert Altman

Released June 1971

Viewed (for the second time with undivided attention) December 31, 2010

It is the turn of the 20^th century and McCabe (Warren Beatty) is a gambler with a reputation. He goes to the town of Presbyterian Church in the American northwest with ideas of opening a bar, gambling hal,l and brothel. After opening, Mrs. Miller (Julie Christie) comes along. She is something of a professional madam. She partners up with McCabe and together, their business venture thrives.

In my review for Nashville, I wrote, “…Plots almost seem secondary in Robert Altman movies, because there is no grand plot around which the multitude of characters swirl.  The movie always has a center whether it is the Korean War or Nashville Tennessee or insecticide planes but the center is just that—almost a random and accidental place or event that sets events in motion and draws the characters into its maelstrom.  Basically, it is a catalyst rather than a beginning, middle or end.”

I also wrote, “As for the movie, it was OK.  I’ve come to the conclusion that Robert Altman will always keep me interested but will only rarely knock me on my ass (and I say that with full realization that he is considered one of the great directors of all time [and Nashville is considered one of his greatest movies]).”

Well, I suppose McCabe was one of those “rare” Robert Altman movies that “knocked me on my ass.” So much so that after the first viewing, during which my/our attention was diverted to knitting and darning socks, we felt that we needed to watch it again, during which time we would dedicate our full attention. Moreover, I am left to wonder if I should watch Nashville again. I wonder if I missed something the first go around. Maybe I didn’t pay close attention that time. Maybe the real secret of Robert Altman movies is that you have to pay close attention.

I won’t know the answer until I watch another Robert Altman movie. However, what I wrote about Robert Altman plots seems to be true. It is not a typical story. It is more of a random glimpse into the history of a particular place. It does have a beginning, middle, and end, but that beginning, middle, and end are part of a bigger whole. And in the end, isn’t that what life is? Of course, there was a reason that Robert Altman was known as a naturalistic director.

It would seem Altman was an unlikely director of a western, but in truth, westerns seem to be a perfect fit for him. The west was made up of people and characters. Those people and characters have since become the stuff of myth, but that has nothing to do with the original people. McCabe was not a John Wayne or Clint Eastwood larger-than-life character. He was a regular person trying to make his way. Regular people break rules in order to find their way, just as Altman broke all the rules of a Western in making this.

Finally, I am left to ask what happened to all the lions of the 60s and 70s? Specifically, Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino. Everything they touched in that time period was golden. Certainly they were involved with plenty of  tripe, but it is mind blowing when one considers how many quality projects they were involved with. Things change. There aren’t as many good scripts around these days. However, the shit those same “lions” make these days—without exception—is laughable. They generally just play parodies of themselves. They can’t be wanting for money. Do they need attention that badly?

On the other hand, the character actors of that time—Seymour Cassel and M. Emmett Walsh come to mind—appear in their fair share of tripe (again, there is a lot of tripe out there), but they also appear in good movies and have never embarrassed themselves.

McCabe & Mrs. Miller was one of the sadder movies I’ve seen. It was reminiscent of the melancholy undercurrents of disco—a music that seemed jovial and lighthearted, but in truth, it was heavy and desperate. With every pulsating beat, it knew it had to die and die ugly and unappreciated. McCabe is a likable character who knew he had to die (ugly and unappreciated). And the only person who could have made him and his life worthwhile—Mrs. Miller—had long since put emotional attachments behind her. Which further reminds me of the Eagles song, “Desperado”: “You’re losing all your highs and lows/ Ain’t it funny how the feeling goes away.”