As the American Western roars back into popularity with the likes of Bone Tomahawk and The Hateful Eight, here comes the next chapter in this classic genre revival, Jane Got A Gun. It’s the ladies turn this time, and brandishing the pistols is Natalie Portman.
Jane Hammond (Natalie Portman) and her husband Bill “Ham” Hammond (Noah Emmerich) built a quite stable life out West but run afoul of the Bishop Boys gang, a nasty bunch who one day riddle Ham full of bullets, a mistake they are about to learn is one they might regret. Jane, in danger, and haunted by a troubled past, turns to her ex-lover and former fiancé Dan Frost (Joel Edgerton) for help to defend against the gang, leading to a standoff at her well-protected home.
The film is directed by Gavin O’Connor (Warrior), the film has experienced a number of bit setbacks, including losing it’s original distributor and a few big names, such as Michael Fassbender, Bradley Cooper and Jude Law among others. It was filmed all the way back in early 2013 and began with director Lynne Ramsey, who left before the first day, claiming she was being held to an impossible shooting schedule and denied final cut. This led to an out-court settled lawsuit, but Ramsey was replaced with in one day by O’Conner. Her departure also had other cast members leave as well, and so the search was on until the current list was assembled, though with the numerous delays, many of the top names shuffled. That left Ewan McGregor to play the main villain (almost unrecognizable), working with Portman for the first time in more than tens years after the end of the last Star Wars trilogy.
At last, it is has a North American release date and the trailer looks to follow a familiar revenge tail, but has some real promise with the strong cast and female lead. Portman might seem like an unlikely badass with her demure stature, but really holds her own in the clip. Loosely based on the 1971 Western Hannie Caulder, with Raquel Welch and Robert Culp, the screenplay is co-written by Edgerton and after a long wait, is finally ready for theaters.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-4KLOsfkHw?rel=0&controls=0&showinfo=0&w=920&h=460]
Director:
Gavin O’Connor
Writers:
Brian Duffield (screenplay), Anthony Tambakis(screenplay)
Stars:
Natalie Portman, Joel Edgerton, Ewan McGregor