''The Desperate Trail'' is a 1994 American

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film written and directed by P. J. Pesce and starring

Sam Elliott Samuel Pack Elliott (born August 9, 1944) is an American actor. He is the recipient of several accolades, including a National Board of Review Award, and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Aw ...

Craig Sheffer Craig Eric Sheffer (born April 23, 1960) is an American film and television actor. He is known for his leading roles as Norman Maclean in the film ''A River Runs Through It (film), A River Runs Through It, ''Aaron Boone in the film ''Nightbreed' ...

and

Linda Fiorentino Clorinda "Linda" Fiorentino (born March 9, 1958 or 1960) is an American former actress. Fiorentino made her screen debut with a leading role in the 1985 coming-of-age drama film ''Vision Quest'', followed that same year with a lead role in the ac ...

. It was originally shown on the

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cable TV network.

Plot

On a stagecoach in the old West, Marshall Bill Speakes (

) is escorting his prisoner Sarah O'Rourke (

) to her hanging. Also in the stage are Jack Cooper (

), Mamie Hollister (Robin Westphal), and her husband Zeb Hollister ( John Furlong). The stage is attacked by three

highwaymen A highwayman was a robber who stole from travellers. This type of thief usually travelled and robbed by horse as compared to a footpad who travelled and robbed on foot; mounted highwaymen were widely considered to be socially superior to fo ...

(Boots Southerland, Daniel O'Haco, and Joey Hamlin). The stage runs over one, but the driver is killed by the leader and the stage takes off. The Marshall handcuffs Sarah to the stage and gains control of it. One of the bandits climbs onto the back. Sarah grabs his gun and she and the Marshall shoot him. The Marshall finally shoots kills the leader. Sarah then surprises the Marshall and takes his gun. The strongbox is opened and Sarah prepares to take off with the cash, but Jack wrestles her gun away and runs off with the cash himself. Jack heads to a nearby town and takes a hooker up to his room. Some time later, Sarah drops by and gets the drop on him. She escorts him to the lobby to get the money from the safe, but they are both surprised by the Marshall and Mr. Hollister. In the shootout, they both escape. Jack talks Sarah into a scheme to rob a bank. They get some cash from a poker game after Sarah shoots most of the other players. Meanwhile, the Marshall gathers a posse and heads after them. The posse catches up to them in another town. During a shootout, Jack is wounded and is rescued by Sarah. They ride off. Hollister has been shot and is acting incoherently, so the Marshall kills him, showing his dark side. Jack and Sarah get chummy. She reveals that the person she was to be hanged for killing was actually the Marshall's son, who had beaten her. They travel to the ranch of Jack's brother, Walter (

Frank Whaley Frank Joseph Whaley (born July 20, 1963) is an American actor, film director, screenwriter, and comedian. His roles include Brett in ''Pulp Fiction'', Robby Krieger in ''The Doors'', young Archie "Moonlight" Graham in ''Field of Dreams'', and Guy ...

). Jack and Sarah fight, and she takes off but is captured by the posse and taken to town for hanging. Walter spots her there and tells Jack. They come up with a plan to rescue her. Meanwhile, the Marshall shows more of his bad side by mentally torturing Sarah in her cell. Jack goes to town and gets captured intentionally. He is put into the jail with Sarah. Using some chemicals given to him by Walter, he breaks out of his cell and he and Sarah take off. They hide in a large crate in the shipping office. Walter picks up the crate the next day and gets them back to the ranch. While Jack and Sarah are out, the posse comes to the ranch and starts to torture Walter. Jack breaks in and shoots some of the posse. In an involved shootout, all of the posse except the Marshall are killed. The Marshall kills Walter, then wounds Jack. Sarah distracts the Marshall and Jack shoots and kills him. Jack and Sarah ride off.

Cast

as Marshall Bill Speakes *

as Jack Cooper *

as Sarah O'Rourke *

as Walter Cooper * John Furlong as Zeb Hollister * Robin Westphal as Mamie Hollister * Boots Southerland as Scar Face Leader * Joey Hamlin as Laughing Boy Killer * Danny O'Haco as Happy *

Bradley Whitford Bradley Whitford (born October 10, 1959) is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his portrayal of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman in the NBC television political drama ''The West Wing'' (1999–2006), for which he ...

as Tommy Donnelly * Jill Scott Momaday as Janie * P. J. Pesce as Scared Mustachioed Cowboy

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Desperate Trail, The 1994 films 1994 Western (genre) films American Western (genre) films 1990s English-language films Films directed by P. J. Pesce 1990s American films