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EspañolLAST MAN STANDING (FILM)
:''This article is about the 1996 film starring Bruce Willis. For other uses, see Last Man Standing''.
'''Last Man Standing''' is a 1996 action film written and directed by Walter Hill, starring Bruce Willis, Christopher Walken, and Bruce Dern. It is a credited remake of the Akira Kurosawa film ''Yojimbo''. The film is known primarily for its intense gunfights, featuring Bruce Willis's character dual-wielding two M1911 .45 caliber pistols akimbo in the style reminiscent of Hong Kong Blood Opera
The film is set during the Prohibition Era in the United States and begins with Willis's mysterious character (later identifying himself as "John Smith") wandering into Jericho, Texas, a town miles from the Mexican border. Gang violence between the resident Irish gang (headed by Doyle) and Italian gang (headed by Strozzi and Carmonte) has decimated the town and left few legitimate citizens remaining, aside from the bartending Joe Monday, an undertaker and a corrupt sheriff, all of which act as agents and informants throughout the film.
Smith immediately establishes a reputation by outdrawing and killing Doyle's top marksman, a brazen act that gets the attention of both gangs. Smith promptly hires himself out to Strozzi's gang for what Strozzi predicts as an upcoming gang war following the impending dissolution of an uneasy ceasefire. Smith oversees an operation where the corrupt Mexican soldiers guarding Doyle's illegal alcohol smuggling change alliances mid-operation and murder Doyle's men, stealing the product and trucks in the process.
Amidst constant bickering and accusations by Strozzi's hotheaded cousin Carmonte and unwanted attempts at investigating his past, Smith quits Strozzi's gang. Doyle returns to Jericho and immediately asks Smith to join his gang, which Smith politely declines. Smith later tells Strozzi a rumor about the Mexican soldiers returning to Doyle's ranks, forcing Strozzi to send Carmonte down to smooth things over. Later, Hickey (Christopher Walken) returns to Jericho and informed of the Mexican soldiers' betrayal, travels to Mexico and ruthlessly guns down the soldiers, several of Strozzi's men and an American police officer. Hickey leaves Carmonte alive as a hostage.
An exchange is arranged between the two gangs, where Carmonte will be exchanged for money. At the swap, Hickey shoots Strozzi's bagman, revealing the contents of the suitcase to be newspaper. When Doyle threatens to kill Carmonte unless Strozzi surrenders and leaves Jericho, Strozzi pulls out Felina, Doyle's mistress whom he previously abducted and demands a clean exchange for Carmonte. The exchange is made and two gangs scatter, leaving Smith standing alone over the discarded body of Strozzi's bagman and newspaper blowing in the desert wind..
Hours later Smith receives a visitor, Captain Tom Pickett of the Texas Rangers, who informs Smith that an American police officer in Mexico was murdered, presumably by one of the two gangs in Jericho. He warns that he can tolerate one gang in Jericho, but not two and if more than one remains in Jerich in eight days time, he will bring a squad of Rangers into Jericho and wipe out both gangs. On his way out, Captain Pickett warns Smith that he himself should also leave Jericho.
The next day Smith joins Doyle's gang and warns of the risk an abducted Felina is to Doyle's gang, relaying a false rumor that Strozzi is bringing in a squad of excellent shooters for the impending war. Doyle orderse Smith to the safehouse where Felina is guarded by eight men. Smith promptly shoots them in a brief yet fierce gun battle, vandalizes portions of the safehouse and sets Felina free with a car and money Smith received from Doyle. Felina gives him her crucifix necklace as a memento and disappears into the desert.
Doyle arrives in the morning and enraged at the abduction of his mistress, ignites the Irish-Italian gang war that had been simmering for months. The Doyle gang corners the Strozzi gang in their mansion and sets it ablaze, shooting anyone who escapes into the streets. Strozzi and Carmonte are the last two to die. Days later in a quiet Jericho, Hickey corners Smith, revealing that Felina was spotted in a Mexican town with her husband and child. Finally assembling the pieces together and discovering Felina's necklace in Smith's possession, Doyle imprisons Smith and tortures him to find out where Felina is. Throughout the abuse, Smith refuses to cooperate. Several days later, he escapes, seeking help from the bartender who conceals and relocates him to a safehouse outside of town.
Days later the Sheriff arrives at the safehouse, informing Smith that Doyle has discovered the bartender's complicity in Smith's escape and will probably torture him to death to find him. Smith re-arms himself and storms Doyle's mansion, gunning down a dozen men before freeing the bartender. He mounts a tommy gun onto the shattered remains of the mansion, signaling Doyle to meet him at Slim's Roadhouse at sunset.
At the final meet, Doyle and Hickey meet Smith and the bartender. Doyle, happy with his victory over Strozzi, is despondent over the loss of Felina and begs Smith to tell him where to find her. The bartender promptly shoots Doyle before laying his gun down and watching how Smith and Hickey will react. Hickey expresses no desire to die in Texas ("Chicago maybe") before turning back on Smith. With lightning speed he quickdraws a pistol from his holster, but Smith is faster, and kills Hickey.
With all the gangs dead, Smith slides his fedora onto his head, steps into his car, and drives off into the sunset.
The film did poorly at the box-office, grossing only a total $18,127,448 by December 22, 1996, and received poor critical reviews. Common recurring complaints found in many of the negative reviews are the oppressive and depressing atmosphere of the film, the flat, almost monotone personality of Willis' character between gunfights, and film's Pyrrhic victory finale. Film critic Roger Ebert is quoted as saying, "...The victory at the end is downbeat, and there is an indifference to it. This is such a sad, lonely movie."[1] The cinematography of the movie, however, seems to have influenced subsequent pictures, especially with regard to the use of selective color.
★ This film was banned in Malaysia.
★ The SDDS cinema audio technology premiered with this film.
★ Bruce Willis would later star in Lucky Number Slevin, which is an update of Yojimbo, the same film this movie is based on.
1. ''Last Man Standing'' review Ebert, Roger
★
★ A Comparison of 'Yojimbo', 'A Fistful of Dollars' and 'Last Man Standing'
'''Last Man Standing''' is a 1996 action film written and directed by Walter Hill, starring Bruce Willis, Christopher Walken, and Bruce Dern. It is a credited remake of the Akira Kurosawa film ''Yojimbo''. The film is known primarily for its intense gunfights, featuring Bruce Willis's character dual-wielding two M1911 .45 caliber pistols akimbo in the style reminiscent of Hong Kong Blood Opera
| Contents |
| Plot |
| Cast |
| Response |
| Trivia |
| References |
| External links |
Plot
Bruce Willis in the title role
The film is set during the Prohibition Era in the United States and begins with Willis's mysterious character (later identifying himself as "John Smith") wandering into Jericho, Texas, a town miles from the Mexican border. Gang violence between the resident Irish gang (headed by Doyle) and Italian gang (headed by Strozzi and Carmonte) has decimated the town and left few legitimate citizens remaining, aside from the bartending Joe Monday, an undertaker and a corrupt sheriff, all of which act as agents and informants throughout the film.
Smith immediately establishes a reputation by outdrawing and killing Doyle's top marksman, a brazen act that gets the attention of both gangs. Smith promptly hires himself out to Strozzi's gang for what Strozzi predicts as an upcoming gang war following the impending dissolution of an uneasy ceasefire. Smith oversees an operation where the corrupt Mexican soldiers guarding Doyle's illegal alcohol smuggling change alliances mid-operation and murder Doyle's men, stealing the product and trucks in the process.
Amidst constant bickering and accusations by Strozzi's hotheaded cousin Carmonte and unwanted attempts at investigating his past, Smith quits Strozzi's gang. Doyle returns to Jericho and immediately asks Smith to join his gang, which Smith politely declines. Smith later tells Strozzi a rumor about the Mexican soldiers returning to Doyle's ranks, forcing Strozzi to send Carmonte down to smooth things over. Later, Hickey (Christopher Walken) returns to Jericho and informed of the Mexican soldiers' betrayal, travels to Mexico and ruthlessly guns down the soldiers, several of Strozzi's men and an American police officer. Hickey leaves Carmonte alive as a hostage.
An exchange is arranged between the two gangs, where Carmonte will be exchanged for money. At the swap, Hickey shoots Strozzi's bagman, revealing the contents of the suitcase to be newspaper. When Doyle threatens to kill Carmonte unless Strozzi surrenders and leaves Jericho, Strozzi pulls out Felina, Doyle's mistress whom he previously abducted and demands a clean exchange for Carmonte. The exchange is made and two gangs scatter, leaving Smith standing alone over the discarded body of Strozzi's bagman and newspaper blowing in the desert wind..
Hours later Smith receives a visitor, Captain Tom Pickett of the Texas Rangers, who informs Smith that an American police officer in Mexico was murdered, presumably by one of the two gangs in Jericho. He warns that he can tolerate one gang in Jericho, but not two and if more than one remains in Jerich in eight days time, he will bring a squad of Rangers into Jericho and wipe out both gangs. On his way out, Captain Pickett warns Smith that he himself should also leave Jericho.
The next day Smith joins Doyle's gang and warns of the risk an abducted Felina is to Doyle's gang, relaying a false rumor that Strozzi is bringing in a squad of excellent shooters for the impending war. Doyle orderse Smith to the safehouse where Felina is guarded by eight men. Smith promptly shoots them in a brief yet fierce gun battle, vandalizes portions of the safehouse and sets Felina free with a car and money Smith received from Doyle. Felina gives him her crucifix necklace as a memento and disappears into the desert.
Doyle arrives in the morning and enraged at the abduction of his mistress, ignites the Irish-Italian gang war that had been simmering for months. The Doyle gang corners the Strozzi gang in their mansion and sets it ablaze, shooting anyone who escapes into the streets. Strozzi and Carmonte are the last two to die. Days later in a quiet Jericho, Hickey corners Smith, revealing that Felina was spotted in a Mexican town with her husband and child. Finally assembling the pieces together and discovering Felina's necklace in Smith's possession, Doyle imprisons Smith and tortures him to find out where Felina is. Throughout the abuse, Smith refuses to cooperate. Several days later, he escapes, seeking help from the bartender who conceals and relocates him to a safehouse outside of town.
Days later the Sheriff arrives at the safehouse, informing Smith that Doyle has discovered the bartender's complicity in Smith's escape and will probably torture him to death to find him. Smith re-arms himself and storms Doyle's mansion, gunning down a dozen men before freeing the bartender. He mounts a tommy gun onto the shattered remains of the mansion, signaling Doyle to meet him at Slim's Roadhouse at sunset.
At the final meet, Doyle and Hickey meet Smith and the bartender. Doyle, happy with his victory over Strozzi, is despondent over the loss of Felina and begs Smith to tell him where to find her. The bartender promptly shoots Doyle before laying his gun down and watching how Smith and Hickey will react. Hickey expresses no desire to die in Texas ("Chicago maybe") before turning back on Smith. With lightning speed he quickdraws a pistol from his holster, but Smith is faster, and kills Hickey.
With all the gangs dead, Smith slides his fedora onto his head, steps into his car, and drives off into the sunset.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Bruce Willis | John Smith |
| William Sanderson | Joe Monday |
| Ned Eisenberg | Strozzi |
| Michael Imperioli | Giorgio Carmonte |
| Bruce Dern | Sheriff Ed Galt |
| David Patrick Kelly | Doyle |
| Christopher Walken | Hickey |
| Karina Lombard | Felina |
| Ken Jenkins | Capt. Tom Pickett |
Response
The film did poorly at the box-office, grossing only a total $18,127,448 by December 22, 1996, and received poor critical reviews. Common recurring complaints found in many of the negative reviews are the oppressive and depressing atmosphere of the film, the flat, almost monotone personality of Willis' character between gunfights, and film's Pyrrhic victory finale. Film critic Roger Ebert is quoted as saying, "...The victory at the end is downbeat, and there is an indifference to it. This is such a sad, lonely movie."[1] The cinematography of the movie, however, seems to have influenced subsequent pictures, especially with regard to the use of selective color.
Trivia
★ This film was banned in Malaysia.
★ The SDDS cinema audio technology premiered with this film.
★ Bruce Willis would later star in Lucky Number Slevin, which is an update of Yojimbo, the same film this movie is based on.
References
1. ''Last Man Standing'' review Ebert, Roger
External links
★
★ A Comparison of 'Yojimbo', 'A Fistful of Dollars' and 'Last Man Standing'
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