Heaven’s Gate (1980) Film Summary
Harvard graduate James Averill (Kris Kristofferson) is the sheriff of prosperous Jackson County, Wyo., when a battle erupts between the area’s poverty-stricken immigrants and its wealthy cattle farmers. The politically connected ranch owners fight the immigrants with the help of Nathan Champion (Christopher Walken), a mercenary competing with Averill for the love of local madam Ella Watson (Isabelle Huppert). As the struggle escalates, Averill and Champion begin to question their decisions.
Heaven’s Gate (1980) Movie Review
Although Cimino is aiming for representational rather than historical accuracy as he depicts the battle between wealthy cattle ranchers and immigrants, the movie is based on the Johnson County War of the 1890s. The immigrants congregate to celebrate life at John L. Bridges’ Heaven’s Gate, a tent-style venue (Jeff Bridges). Here, in a sliver of Heaven, they roller skate, dance, and take advantage of what little freedom they have from hardship.
One of James’ friends, Nathan D. “Nate” Champion (Christopher Walken), works as an enforcer for the Stock Growers Association. In one scene, we see him kill a desperate cattle rustler while leaving his grieving wife behind, and we can see the rip his shotgun blast caused in their sheet as he walks off into the prairie.
The stockmen are ready to take the administration of justice to a completely new level of savagery, even though this man was literally caught red-handed as he butchered a stolen calf. They gather and are persuaded to support the dispatch of 125 hired guns to execute a list of 125 locals identified as rustlers by leader Frank Canton (Sam Waterston). All of this is surprisingly different from academic legal studies and is based on a real mortality list of 25 small-holders.
Billy, who is so inebriated that he can not stand, sees the choice, and when he runs into James, Canton is laid out as a response. But can he put an end to the killing?
Heaven’s Gate (1980) Movie trailer
Heaven’s Gate (1980) Movie Cast & Crew
Released: 1980-11-19
Genre: Drama, Western
Casts: Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, John Hurt, Isabelle Huppert, Sam Waterston
Duration: 219 min
Country: United States of America
Production: United Artists