Directed by Robert Altman
Written by Robert Altman and Brian McKay from a novel by Edmund Naughton
1971/US
IMDb page
Repeat viewing/Amazon Prime rental
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
When I left they were sleeping, I hope you run into them soon
Don’t turn on the lights, you can read their address by the moon
And you won’t make me jealous if I hear that they sweetened your night:
We weren’t lovers like that and besides it would still be all right. — “Sisters of Mercy”, lyrics by Leonard Cohen
A sad, depressing, beautiful movie.
It is the turn of the 20th Century somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. John McCabe (Warren Beatty) is a gambler with a big dream. He plans to make a fortune by running a saloon and brothel to occupy the workers at a remote mine. He is kind of an oddball and greatly overestimates his business acumen. His first attempt at the brothel is a disaster. Then Mrs. Miller (Julie Christie) arrives in town with a proposition. She will run McCabe’s brothel and take half the profits. Stunned by her beauty, McCabe agrees. She brings in somewhat classier girls from Seattle. Let the good times roll!
But McCabe’s dream was doomed by The Man from the start. He just wasn’t savvy enough to realize it. He falls in love with Mrs. Miller who continues to charge him for her favors. McCabe’s outsized ego does not allow him to read the writing on the wall and sell out so he will have to be convinced by harsher means.
I have always loved this movie for its performances, its fabulous cinematography, and its great Leonard Cohen score. It is sad as a love story and leaves me with a feeling of futility. Definitely belongs on the list though.
Julie Christie was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in McCabe and Mrs. Miller. It certainly is a stunner!
I too love this film. I think it’s Altman’s masterpiece. I own the Criterion blu ray and this is the best way to see it, outside a good movie theatre. The tone and pace of the film is fabulous. Anyone even slightly interested in the art of filmmaking must watch, and better, own this one. I don’t think I could like anyone who doesn’t like this film.
Does the Criterion have a good commentary? I watched the film streaming because my DVD player was on the fritz.
Yes, Robert Altman and producer David Foster plus tons of extra features.
Loved the score. It may seem odd, but Leonard Cohen’ s melancholy perfectly fit that of the movie.
The score alone is a reason to watch the movie. I have Werner Herzog’s Fata Morgana on my 1971 list. It also has a score by Leonard Cohen. Not recommending but I will watch just to see what that’s about.
I saw McCABE in graduate school (c. 1978) and remember well how beautiful it was. The film students loved it. In 1979, Altman screened QUINTET at USC. None of us loved it. . . .
Altman has a bit of a spotty record with me too. Absolutely love a lot of his films but sometimes he just goes too far and loses me.