Howard Spence has seen better days. Once a big Western movie star, he now drowns his disgust for his selfish and failed life with alcohol, drugs and young women. If he were to die now, nobody would shed a tear over him, that's the sad truth. Until one day Howard learns that he might have a child somewhere out there...
Sam Shepard
Howard
Jessica Lange
Doreen
Tim Roth
Sutter
Gabriel Mann
Earl
Sarah Polley
Sky
Fairuza Balk
Amber
Eva Marie Saint
Howard's Mother
James Roday Rodriguez
1st AD
Jeffrey Vincent Parise
2nd AD
Majandra Delfino
1st Girl
Marieh Delfino
2nd Girl
George Kennedy
Director
Julia Sweeney
Producer 2
Tim Matheson
Producer 1
James Gammon
Old Ranch Hand
Robin Twogood
Patrolman
Mike Butters
Businessman
Rita Hutchison
Mexican Woman
Marley Shelton
Starlet
Kurt Fuller
Mr. Daily
Tom Farrell
Cliff Ormsby
Yuri Elvin
Casino Bartender
Rachel Amondson
Cocktail Waitress
Jinny Lee Story
Drunken Girl
Hugh Aodh O'Brien
Security Guard
Raymond O'Connor
Elko Policeman
Carrie Mae Jones
Elko Waitress
Emy Coligado
Desk Clerk
Kristina Lankford
Maid
Katie Goodman
Waitress
Rodney A. Grant
Wild-Eye
David Michie
Boxing Video Game Announcer (uncredited)
Director, Writer
Wim Wenders
Writer
Sam Shepard
July 23, 2018
6
Caught between Earth and Sky
RELEASED IN 2005 and directed by Wim Wenders, "Don't Come Knocking" tells the story of a 60 year-old B-Western film has-been, Howard Spence (Sam Shepard), who is sick of his meaningless scandalous carnal existence. While on a film set in Utah he jumps ship and flees on a horse, searching for SOMETHING, like a reason to exist. He ultimately travels to Butte, Montana, where he gets reacquainted with an ex-girlfriend (Jessica Lange) and meets an angry young musician (Gabriel Mann) as well as a mysterious spiritual woman (Sarah Polley). Meanwhile the film company sends an eccentric bounty hunter (Tim Roth) to fetch Shepard for breach of contract.
Although this is generally a quiet drama, it has a hip and likable artistic flair. The film is highlighted by magnificent Western locations and a nice modern Country/Western/Rockish score/soundtrack (non-twangy).
We can all relate to Howard's search on some level; hence, despite the film's slow drama it generally maintains the viewer's attention throughout its runtime, unless you strictly favor fast-paced, quick-edited explosion-every-five-minutes thrillers.
The two youths Howard meets in the story, Earl and Sky, represent two extremes. Earl's name is fitting because he's full of volcanic rage that spits out from deep within the Earth (Earl/Earth, get it?). Sky, on the other hand, is completely spiritual in nature (hence, sky/heaven). She's full of warmth, love, compassion and forgiveness. In fact, she's the crucial Christ figure without which there would be little reconciliation for anyone in the story.
Take note of the scene where Sky meets Howard in his hotel room. Sky just looks at him with the understanding eyes of divine love. This naturally makes Spence uncomfortable; he's never experienced this before. He doesn't know what to do, so he asks her to leave.
On a side note, Jessica Lange still looks good for being in her mid-50s but I found her character strange and annoying. Also, Earl's girlfriend (Fairuza Balk) is an entertaining free spirit who looks like she might be the daughter of Steven Tyler.
The third act of "Don't Come Knocking" is too low-key for my tastes, but the movie’s worthwhile if you favor the cast and have a taste for eccentric indie dramas, as well as stories about the modern West with echoes to the past.
THE MOVIE RUNS 1 hour, 51 minutes and was shot in Butte; Arches National Park and Moab, Utah; Elko and Wendover, Nevada; and Los Angeles. WRITERS: Sam Shepherd and Wim Wenders.
GRADE: B-