Last Stand at Saber River (1997)

The name is Cable, and this is my home!

Last Stand at Saber River is directed by Dick Lowry and adapted to teleplay by Ronald M. Cohen form the novel of the same name written by Elmore Leonard.It stars Tom Selleck, Suzy Amis, Tracey Needham, Keith Carradine, David Carradine, Haley Joel Osment and Rachel Duncan. Music is scored by David Shire and cinematography by Ric Waite.

"Texas 1865. The war between the States continues to rage. Texas remains deeply committed to the Confederate cause."

Nicely mounted Oater from the tail end of the Civil War, Last Stand at Saber River does, however, suffer from predictability. Selleck is Paul Cable, who is back from fighting for the Confederates in the war, he finds that his family thought he was dead and his homestead has been claimed by Union men. A feud ensues between Cable and the Kidston family, while Cable and his wife Martha (Amis) struggle to reform their love in a haze of confusion and bitterness. Cue some Western movie staples that file in and out of the plot and a finale that turns on an unlikely character switch around.

There's something wrong with this valley. The war's over but the killing don't stop.

Characters are nicely drawn, though, with the script allowing some mature conversations and themes to be born out within the plot. The New Mexico locations are nicely photographed by Waite, and the colours are unobtrusive and keep the feel authentic. Selleck manfully carries the film on his tall frame, he looks the part and conveys great acting skills with face and body. Rest of cast are up to a required TV Western standard, with Amis standing out by expertly portraying guts and emotional turmoil without histrionics.

A good and safe time filler for the Selleck and TV Western watchers, but it really doesn't linger in the memory once the predicted ending has closed. 6/10