When I think of quintessential cowboys of film and television, a few names come to mind: John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Paul Newman, James Stewart, and Sam Elliott. These men have helped define a genre that has dazzled many for generations, and it’s always interesting to hear their take on the latest Westerns making their way to the screen. While appearing on the podcast WTF with Marc Maron, Sam Elliott shared his opinion of The Power of the Dog from director Jane Campion. To put it mildly, Elliott thinks Power of the Dog is a misrepresentation of the Western genre. If I were, to put it bluntly, well, why don’t I let Mr. Elliott tell you what he thinks?
When Maron asked Elliott if he’d seen The Power of the Dog, Elliott responded by saying, “Oh, you want to talk about that piece of shit?” Maron then asked, “You didn’t like that movie?” To which Elliott replied, “F*ck no.”
After asking Elliott to elaborate, the world-famous actor dug his spurs in and unleashed hell.
“I didn’t like it anyway. I looked at it when I was down in Texas doing 1883. What really brought it home to me the other day was there was a full-page ad in the L.A. Times, and there was a clip that talked about the evisceration of the American myth. I thought, what the f*ck? This is the guy that’s done Westerns forever. The evisceration of the American West? They made it look like Chippendales dancers. That’s what all the f*cking cowboys in this movie look like. They’re all running around in chaps and no shirts. There are all these allusions to homosexuality throughout the f*cking movie,” Elliott said with a huff.
Elliott added, “What the f*ck does this woman [Jane Campion] know? She’s a brilliant director. But what the f*ck does this woman from New Zealand know about the American West? And why the f*ck does she shoot this move in New Zealand and call it Montana? That f*cking rubbed me the wrong way. The myth is that there were these macho men out there with the cattle. Cumberbatch never got out of his f*cking chaps. He had two pairs of chaps. A wooly pair and a leather pair. He never was on a horse. Maybe once. He’d walk into the f*cking house, storm up the f*cking stairs, go lay on his bed in his chaps, and play his banjo. I was like, what the f*ck? Where’s the Western in this Western?”
Let it be known from this day forward that Sam Elliott is a man who does not mince words. Brutal honestly aside, The Power of the Dog is being celebrated on several fronts for its powerful performances and unique take on the Western genre. The film has been nominated for 12 Oscars, including Best Motion Picture of the Year, Best Sound, Best Achievement in Cinematography, Best Achievement in Directing, and more.
For a more positive take on The Power of the Dog, be sure to check out Chris Bumbray’s review. In his review, Chris calls Campion’s Power of the Dog “brilliant,” and says that it stands as one of the best films she’s ever done. He also says that those looking for something different from the Western genre will find themselves richly rewarded.
What do you think of Sam Elliott’s thoughts on The Power of the Dog? If you have, let us know what you thought of the movie in the comments section below.