The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 2018

We begin our journey with a captivating leather-bound novel titled ‘BUSTER SCRUGGS & OTHER TALES OF THE AMERICAN FRONTIER’, resting atop a table. This film unfolds as an enthralling anthology showcasing six distinct tales, each adorned with vibrant color illustrations.

Story 1: THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS

The opening tale transports us to the picturesque Monument Valley, Colorado, where we meet the whimsically dressed protagonist, Buster Scruggs, played by Tim Blake Nelson. His appearance, reminiscent of Glen Campbell’s Rhinestone Cowboy, is complemented by his trusty white stallion, Dan, and his joyful musical interlude of ‘Cool, Clear Water’. Buster, with charm and bravado, addresses the audience directly, stating his dubious claim to an “outlaw” title.

Seeking refreshment, Buster enters a dilapidated cantina, only to be informed that whiskey is off the menu due to local prohibition laws. He pointedly notes the thugs drinking liquor at a table, leading to an explosive showdown when one thug (played by Clancy Brown) provokes him. In a flash, Buster reacts, dispatching the thugs with alarming ease. After a swift exit, he ventures to the nearby town—Frenchman’s Gulch—only to face another deadly confrontation at a poker table. There, threatened by Joe, he cleverly turns the tables, literally sending the poker table crashing into the man’s face, leading to Joe’s demise.

Amidst this chaos, Danny McCarthy enters the scene as Joe’s grieving brother, Ike, demanding justice through a duel. The encounter escalates, with Buster outsmarting Ike in a show of skill and swagger, but the story takes an unexpected twist when a young gunslinger, Willie Watson, ultimately bests Buster in their duel, leaving him in disbelief as he considers his own mortality.

As Buster’s spirit takes flight, the journey through the pages of this book continues, leading us into the next tale.

Story 2: NEAR ALGODONES

Next, we meet a young cowboy, played by James Franco, who arrives at an isolated savings bank in a desolate prairie landscape. What begins as a comedic robbery quickly spirals into calamity, with the cowboy confronting a pan-wielding bank teller, Stephen Root. The ensuing chaos results in a string of mishaps, including the cowboy’s brush with death as he faces the noose tied around his neck, only to be unexpectedly liberated by a Comanche ambush.

We witness the cowboy’s misadventures escalate, culminating in an ironic twist of fate that encourages bewilderment rather than triumph, as he navigates his second near-death experience.

Story 3: MEAL TICKET

Transitioning into the third story, we encounter a traveling impresario, portrayed by Liam Neeson, who manages his talent—a disabled thespian, Harry Melling. As they journey through towns, the story poignantly explores themes of worthiness and replacement, culminating in a tragic realization as the impresario opts for a more marketable performer, a chicken with mathematical talents, leaving the heartbroken thespian behind.

Story 4: ALL GOLD CANYON

The fourth tale presents an old prospector, played by Tom Waits, thriving in an untouched mountain valley as he searches for gold. The peaceful routine is shattered when a younger man interrupts, leading to a brutal confrontation. After narrowly escaping death, the prospector’s victory over adversity is tainted by the loss he witnesses in his quest for fortune.

Story 5: THE GAL WHO GOT RATTLED

In a narrative rich with emotion, Zoe Kazan stars as Alice Longabaugh, navigating the harsh realities of life in the wilderness after the death of her brother and finding an unexpected bond with cowboy Billy Knap. Tragedy and sacrifice unfold as Alice faces devastating choices amidst an impending Native American attack, leading to heartbreak in the face of survival.

Story 6: THE MORTAL REMAINS

Finally, we conclude with an eerie ride through the night in a stagecoach inhabited by an eclectic group, including Brendan Gleeson and Tyne Daly. Conversations abound as each character reflects on life, death, and the human experience. As they reach their ultimate destination, secrets linger in the air, intertwining their fates and summoning the weight of their respective journeys.

Ultimately, this anthology paints a rich tableau of life on the American Frontier, where fate is whimsical and often cruel, leaving us with profound reflections on existence and the tales that comprise it.