Silver City (2004)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

John Sayles

Writer (WGA):

John Sayles (written by)

Release Date:

17 September 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Vote early. Vote often.

Plot:

The discovery of a corpse threatens to unravel a bumbling local politician's campaign for governor of Colorado.

Plot Keywords:

Campaign | Corpse | Colorado | Investigation | Politician

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Chris Cooper	...	Dickie Pilager
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Chuck Raven
Cajardo Lindsey	...	Lloyd
John C. Ashton	...	Director
Elizabeth Rainer	...	Leslie
Donevon Martinez	...	Lazaro Huerta
James Gammon	...	Sheriff Joe Skaggs
Benjamin Kroger	...	Deputy Davis
Charles Mitchell	...	Henry
Danny Huston	...	Danny O'Brien
Alma Delfina	...	Lupe Montoya
Roslyn Washington	...	Hilary
David Clennon	...	Mort Seymour
Mary Kay Place	...	Grace Seymour
Tim Roth	...	Mitch Paine

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Canada:PG | USA:R (No. 40829) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:13 | UK:15 | Ireland:15A

Filming Locations:

Argo Gold Mine - 2350 Riverside Drive, Idaho Springs, Colorado, USA

Company:

Anarchist's Convention Films

Goofs:

Continuity: When Danny is splashing in the mine, the type of flashlight he is holding changes several times.

Quotes:

Dickie Pilager: [conducting a press conference] In the case of capital offenses I am absolutely in favor of the death penalty. You hear stories about frontier justice - you can bet that the wrongdoers, the folks who couldn't play by the rules, had some respect for that. And there was no -
[starts floundering]
Dickie Pilager: it didn't cost the taxpayer - if they had had taxpayers back then... those were the good old days, I suppose -
[gathers steam again]
Dickie Pilager: and all you needed was a good strong rope and a tree to hang it from!
Reporter #1: So you'll be proposing tougher criminal legis -
Dickie Pilager: My message to criminals is this: straighten up or get out. There's no place for you in our state. You do the crime, and by God, you're gonna have to face your lumps.
Nora Allardyce: But the majority of those serving time for drug possession are -
Dickie Pilager: You want to change the behavior? Stiffen the consequences!
Nora Allardyce: There have been reports, Mr. Pilager, that before you became involved in politics you had considerable experience with -
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tell Them Who You Are (2004)

Soundtrack:

Amerika v. 6.0

john sayles delivers another great socio-political commentary wrapped in a mystery

John Sayles certainly has his act together. He comes through again with a very well crafted socio-political commentary in the guise of an entertaining intriguing murder mystery.

Danny Huston does a terrific job as a once-idealistic radical reporter who has been betrayed by 'the system'. When a murder of an illegal Mexican laborer threatens to sully the gubernatorial prospects of a dim-bulb scion of wealth and politics( the ever 'spot-on'Chris Cooper) Danny's radical loyalties are rekindled along with his intense focused investigative abilities. Hired by Cooper's campaign manager (the ever ascerbic Richard Dreyfuss)to I.D. the dead man and his killer( to protect Cooper), Huston discovers the incestuous world of land and utilities development and political seats. All the actors are perfect in their parts; cinematography and editing are memorable and tight. Sayles' films are always worth watching; this one will leave you with a very particular message that hopefully will stay with you.