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The Claim
reviewed by Dan heaton
Traveling through a chaotic blizzard, a battered young
pioneer and his fragile wife and daughter battle the
elements and seek shelter in a rickety old cabin. The
man desperately seeks gold, but his luck is fleeting
and his family is struggling with the disastrous
weather. With shocking quickness, he makes a startling
decision that will change his life and haunt him
forever. This choice destroys his emotional bonds, but
it also indirectly leads to the creation of Kingdom
Come, a prosperous Western town located within the
wild, barren landscape of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
The Claim begins in Kingdom Come with the arrival of
Mr. Dalglish (Wes Bentley of American Beauty), a
railroad employee searching for a path for the
Trans-Continental Railroad. A relatively small but
extremely confident man, he enters the town with his
band of workers and receives all the perks available
to try and draw the tracks near this settlement.
They're given a place to stay, necessary supplies, and
their choice of women at the local bordello. In this
glorious time of Western expansion, towns live and die
based on their proximity to the railroad, and Kingdom
Come needs the railroad to thrive and grow in the
future.
Directed by Michael Winterbottom (Jude, Wonderland),
this film concentrates on the harsh realities of life
amid the beautiful mountainous landscape. Although the
"civilized" town appears to have little in common with
the typical dirty, brutal sites of this genre, it
still contains the unfortunate degradation and
conflicts inherent in human nature. Although the
railroad may signify the arrival of civilization to
the Old West, it can't remove the violence and
selfishness from the hearts of people. Winterbottom
deftly uses a smaller family story to explore the life
of this land following the era of gold-mining
pioneers. In a similar vein to Wonderland, he connects
the lives of troubled characters through a unique
setting. Although that film takes place in
working-class England, it relates to this story
through his straightforward, unblinking look at the
struggles within each person's mind.
Mr. Dillon (Peter Mullan) controls all aspects of
Kingdom Come with swift precision and fairness. A man
of abundant wealth, he resides in a gaudy Victorian
house filled with items from all corners of the globe.
His brand of justice discourages further infractions
through brutal horse whippings in front of the entire
town. Firearms aren't allowed in the city limits, and
people live relatively peaceful lives, but Dillon's
power can also draw ire and resentment. Although he
stands at the head of the town, its residents follow
him not out of respect, but out of fear of his
retribution. By his side is the stunning Lucia (Mila
Jovavich), a refined woman who cares deeply for
Dillon. Unfortunately, a dark cloud hangs over his
past, and it springs to the forefront with the arrival
of frail Elena (Natasha Kinski) and her daughter Hope
(Sarah Polley). Their connection to his troubled youth
haunts Dillon and could lead to disastrous
consequences.
Although Dalglish is a well-traveled man of the world,
his eyes begin to fall upon innocent young Hope.
Bentley and Polley possess a nice chemistry, but their
moments lack the force of Dillon's story. This is due
largely to the impressive presence of Peter Mullan (My
Name is Joe), who gives a remarkable performance of
startling complexity. Dillon originally appears to be
the villain of the piece, but he brings life and
emotion to a character that could inspire only hatred.
Although his past will haunt him forever, he attempts
to overcome his prior decisions through caring and use
of his considerable power and wealth. Also, the town
really has benefited from Dillon's actions and become
more prosperous as a result. Mullan uses his tense
facial expressions while he strolls through the
streets to show the gigantic weight that remains on
his shoulders each day. Even while Dillon charms Lucia
with his handsome visage, they remain separate on an
emotional level because of the gap produced by his
tragic past.
Based on the 1886 British novel The Mayor of
Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy, The Claim drastically
changes the setting to the Old West and makes it a
modern tale. This type of story could occur anywhere
during various time periods, but the decision to
convert it to a Western adds themes about the American
past and the effects of massive expansion. In order to
become successful amid this landscape, did men have to
reject their families and emotions? Near the end of
this film, Dalglish faces a similar crisis in his
burgeoning relationship with Hope. With the final
shots, Winterbottom offers no easy explanations and
leaves the possibilities ambiguous. It appears that at
least a slight bit of hope exists, but the tragedy
could repeat itself again in a new setting.
Issue 6, July 2001 | next article
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