Butcher’s Crossing movie storyline. Set in the 1870s, Gabe Polsky’s adaptation of John Williams’ literary western stars Nicolas Cage as a buffalo hunter who lures a naïve young man into an ambitious expedition in the Colorado Rockies.
Nicolas Cage continues to surprise. Known best for his wild turns as cinema’s most volatile man, he is also capable of great depth and nuance on screen. Butcher’s Crossing reveals Cage in this rarer register, playing opposite Fred Hechinger in a beautiful adaptation of John Williams’ literary western. As a buffalo hunter who lures a naïve young man on an ambitious expedition, Cage embodies hubris in this tale of how one of America’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders was lost.
Having dropped out of Harvard seeking “a stronger purpose and more meaning in my life,” Will Andrews (Hechinger) travels west to Butcher’s Crossing, Kansas. In veteran buffalo hunter Miller (Cage), Will finds exactly the person to provide the experience he longs for. Miller knows of a remote valley in the Colorado Rockies unvisited by settlers and teeming with thousands of buffalo, whose skins sell at such a high premium that everyone involved in the expedition is ensured a windfall. All Miller needs is a party that will follow his orders.
Will has no experience with hunting or skinning, but he has enthusiasm — and the capital to finance the trip. The promised adventure, however, will prove far more hazardous than anyone anticipates, what with scarcities, inclement weather, and Miller’s insatiable drive to plunder the herd for every ounce of profit he can extract.
Butcher’s Crossing is a 2022 American Western drama film directed by Gabe Polsky in his narrative feature film debut, based on the 1960 novel of the same name by John Edward Williams. It stars Nicolas Cage, Fred Hechinger, Xander Berkeley, Rachel Keller, Jeremy Bobb, and Paul Raci. It had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2022. It will be released by Saban Films on October 20, 2023.
Butcher’s Crossing (2023)
Directed by: Gabe Polsky
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Rachel Keller, Jeremy Bobb, Fred Hechinger, Xander Berkeley, Amber Rose Mason, Zuzu Weingart, Duncan Vezain, Jeff Medley, Gabriel Clark, Scott McCauley, Matthew Padgett
Screenplay by: Gabe Polsky, Liam Satre-Meloy, John Williams
Production Design by: Tessla Hastings
Cinematography by: David Gallego
Film Editing by: Nick Pezzillo
Costume Design by: Yvonne Reddy
Set Decoration by: Laura Lovo
Music by: Leo Birenberg
MPAA Rating: R for language, some violence/bloody images and brief sexual content.
Distributed by: Saban Films
Release Date: September 9, 2022 (TIFF), October 20, 2023 (United States)
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