Thursday, January 10, 2019

Meek's Cutoff

Meek's Cutoff is a 2010 western based on an actual historical incident. Wagons going West are led by a guide who may not know where he is going. This is not your typical western film and the story isn't told in traditional western film style. It's worth watching, especially if you're interested in the period.

trailer:



Roger Ebert's site gives it 3 1/2 out of 4 stars and says,
The distinctive thing here is the subservience of the characters to the landscape. These pioneers do not stand astride the land, they wander it in misery and exhaustion. The wheels of their wagons are little match for the terrain. There is a heartbreaking accident. The peeps of the caged bird become a mocking reminder of the domesticity they've left behind.

"Meek's Cutoff" is more an experience than a story.
History.net concludes, "Meek’s Cutoff packs enough vision to trigger philosophical thoughts and make anyone glad the transcontinental railroad came along two decades later." Empire Online gives it 4 out of 5 stars and calls it "a slow burn that will richly reward the patient." 86% of Rotten Tomatoes critics gave it a positive review.

14 comments:

  1. Hard enough to take a long car ride on paved highways with rest stops, restaurants, and lodging. I can't even begin to imagine what it was like crossing the country in a covered wagon.

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    1. With just the hope that your guide knows the route and that the route hasn't changed and that there's still water where there was before and that winter won't come early and on and on. I know. I'd have been happy to stay "back East".

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  2. thank you-I am not familiar with this one-but I think I would like it-I read allot of historical romance novels in this time period/ i also a few of the books of diaries from traveling in covered wagons thanks for the video

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    1. It felt more realistic to me in its coverage of the women. I've read a couple of diaries from the period, and they were eye-opening.

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  3. I remember watching this several years back on Netflix. More realistic than most pioneer movies, that's for sure. Felt like you were there--and not sure you'd survive. ;)

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  4. What an interesting trailer. I think if you were adventurous and young, it would be appealing. I don't think it's for those over the age of 40. That may be why so many people in caravans dropped out and made their homes in the mid-west.

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    1. I've always been risk-averse, so I'm sure I'd have not been part of this trip.

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  5. This film sounds very interesting, it must have been so hard travelling back in those days. Valerie

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    1. It's hard to realize how hard until you think about what all could go wrong. There was so much that could go wrong :(

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  6. Sounds interesting! Thanks for the recommendation, I haven't seen this one 😁. Wishing you a happy weekend! J 😊 x

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    1. It's definitely interesting. It's good to see a bit of a different take on the Western.

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  7. I haven't heard of this film but I bet it is a good one. I can't image what that was like, being lead by someone who didn't know the trail. It had to be really hard to begin with, never mind adding that on top of the journey. Hugs-Erika

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    1. I did like the attempt at realism and the fact that it was based on a real man and real events. It had to be devastating to agree to lead a group only to realize how different the landscape and water supply were this year.

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