Appaloosa

Appaloosa is a 2008 American Western film based on the 2005 novel Appaloosa by crime writer Robert B. Parker. Directed by Ed Harris and co-written by Harris and Robert Knott, Appaloosa stars Harris alongside Viggo Mortensen, Renée Zellweger and Jeremy Irons. The film premiered at 2008 Toronto International Film Festival and was released in selected cities on September 19, 2008, then expanded into wide-release on October 3, 2008. This movie has won four different awards, including the Western Heritage Award in 2009. Plot In 1882, the small town of Appaloosa, New Mexico, is being terrorized by local rancher Randall Bragg, who killed the town's marshal, Jack Bell, and two deputies when they came to Bragg's ranch to arrest two men. The town hires lawman and peacekeeper Virgil Cole and his deputy Everett Hitch to protect and regain control of the town. The pair agrees on one condition: that the town follow Cole's law and essentially cede control to him. The lawmen begin by confronting four of Bragg's men who are causing a disturbance in the saloon. Three men refuse to allow themselves to be arrested, forcing Cole and Hitch to kill them. The fourth man surrenders and leaves the saloon. Bragg has a meeting with Cole and Hitch, initiating a standoff. Hitch sees a woman, Allison "Allie" French, a young widow, who just came to the town and immediately takes an interest in her. He follows her to the diner where Cole is having a breakfast. They make acquaintance with her and observing Cole and Allie are getting together well, Hitch keeps his silence. Soon, Cole and Allie begin a romantic relationship and buy a house together. However, Allie attempts to seduce Hitch when they are alone but Hitch refuses her advances out of his loyalty to Cole. When one of Bragg's men tells Cole and Hitch that he will testify against Bragg on the triple murder case, they arrest Bragg and keep him locked up until the trial in spite of the attempts of Bragg's gang to free him. The trial finds him guilty and sentences him to death. Cole and Hitch are joined by Sheriff Clyde Stringer and a deputy before transporting Bragg via train to the prison where he is to be hanged. When the engine makes a water stop over a bridge, hired guns Ring and Mackie Shelton, old acquaintances of Cole, appear with Allie as a hostage. At gunpoint, they force Cole to release Bragg to them.