Another under-valued R. Altman flick (compared to Bonnie and Clyde), but more similar to Gun Crazy crossed with They Live By Night, has yet to achieve ANY kind of respect, critically or "financially".
In the 1970's Altman was cranking out quirky, Americana, hopeful, black comedies and satires, that this one slipped under the radar, just like California Split did. Keith Carradine and Shelley Duvall found themselves working with this old Cat and were never the same without him (any they knew it), but they got wonderful careers out of it, so pity the poor beggar as Dylan would say. Add in spunky, disturbing performances from John Schuck and Bert Remsen as ghoulish career small-time criminals, Louise Fletcher (just before Cuckoo's Nest), great cinematography as usual, and a simple story that scares some folks because it involves sacrifices, naivety, and hopelessness (almost).
A lot of people drank Cokes in those days like Shelley Duvall's character does (incessantly)...so what? What should she be drinking - Root Beer? An under-rated gem that will never be looked at for what it might be - a tale of survival with minimal options down the long highway of hope. An 8 out of 10.
In the 1970's Altman was cranking out quirky, Americana, hopeful, black comedies and satires, that this one slipped under the radar, just like California Split did. Keith Carradine and Shelley Duvall found themselves working with this old Cat and were never the same without him (any they knew it), but they got wonderful careers out of it, so pity the poor beggar as Dylan would say. Add in spunky, disturbing performances from John Schuck and Bert Remsen as ghoulish career small-time criminals, Louise Fletcher (just before Cuckoo's Nest), great cinematography as usual, and a simple story that scares some folks because it involves sacrifices, naivety, and hopelessness (almost).
A lot of people drank Cokes in those days like Shelley Duvall's character does (incessantly)...so what? What should she be drinking - Root Beer? An under-rated gem that will never be looked at for what it might be - a tale of survival with minimal options down the long highway of hope. An 8 out of 10.