The Desperate Trail

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The Desperate Trail Photos

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Movie Info

In this western, which combines Old West authenticity with a modern outlook and neo-feminist perspective, Sarah O'Rourke (Linda Fiorentino) is a tough-minded woman who made the mistake of marrying a violent, abusive man. Sarah decides that she can take no more and kills her husband. It's Sarah's poor fortune that her late spouse's father is Marshall Bill Speakes (Sam Elliott), a bitter, no-nonsense lawman who will see to it that Sarah pays for her crime with her life. Sarah is being transported by stagecoach to another town; riding with Sarah and Speakes is Jack Cooper (Craig Sheffer), who is carrying $2,500 with him. En route, bandits attempt to hold up the stage; in the confusion, Sarah escapes with the money. Jack gives chase to get the money back, and while he catches up with her, they soon find they're both being pursued by Speakes, who is not about to let the niceties of the law prevent him from taking his revenge. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating:

R
Genre:

Action & Adventure, Western
Directed By:

P.J. Pesce
Written By:

Tom Abrams, P.J. Pesce
In Theaters:

Jun 1, 1994 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

May 17, 2005
Runtime:

93 minutes
Studio:

Turner Home Entertainment

Cast

Linda Fiorentino
as Sarah O'Rourke

Sam Elliott
as Marshall Bill Speakes

Craig Sheffer
as Jack Cooper

Frank Whaley
as Walter Cooper

John Furlong
as Zeb Hollister

Boots Southerland
as Scar Face Leader

Danny O'Haco
as Happy

Bradley Whitford
as Tommy Donnelly

R.L. Tolbert
as Lean Poker Player

P.J. Pesce
as Scared Mustachioed Cowboy

Rockne Tarkington
as Packo

Michael Huddleston
as Clyde

Peter Gregory
as Dry Goods Clerk

George Cook
as Swedish Farmer

Jerry Gardner
as Sheriff Whitaker

Sam Gauny
as Wells Fargo Clerk

Jeff O'Haco
as Frenchy

Tom Abrams
as Red

Cecile Krevoy
as Con Women in Saloon

Gretchen Becker
as Con Women in Saloon

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Critic Reviews for The Desperate Trail

All Critics (2) | Fresh (2)

The shadows of Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah loom large over this modest but well-executed Western, which boasts a strong performance from Linda Fiorentino.

Jun 20, 2006 | Rating: 3/4

Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
Don't even think about expecting anything new or noteworthy out of The Desperate Trail -- but it's still kinda fun in a "this is stupid but I'm enjoying it anyway" way.

May 25, 2005 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Scott Weinberg
DVDTalk.com