McCabe & Mrs. Miller [4K UHD]

McCabe & Mrs. Miller [4K UHD]

Studio: The Criterion Collection

February 14, 2024
Web Exclusive

By Joey Arnone

To call Robert Altman's 1971 masterpiece McCabe & Mrs. Miller an “anti-Western” would be somewhat reductive. So says film critic Rick Jewell when discussing the film with fellow historian Cari Beauchamp for one of several special features on the new Criterion 4K edition of the film. McCabe & Mrs. Miller At first it appears to be a distant snapshot of the much-discussed idealism of a John Wayne film. In fact, the “stranger comes to the new town and is able to save it from the clutches of the antagonist” of the standard Western narrative is perfectly suited to Altman's gem of a film from the beginning of his career.

Referred to by Altman as a “Western without dust”, McCabe & Mrs. Miller takes place in the snowy, rainy and generally bleak town of Presbyterian, Washington right at the turn of the 20th century. Warren Beatty stars as the titular John McCabe, who with the help of a certain Mrs. Miller (Julie Christie), sets up a brothel in town and is able to bring in a substantial stream of revenue from it. An offer from a major mining company, however, turns out to be the trigger for McCabe's downfall.

In traditional Altman style, the film features an ensemble cast and was one of his first films to feature his signature use of overlapping dialogue. In his classic review of the film, Roger Ebert pointed out that while McCabe is being introduced to patrons in a saloon, someone is clearly heard asking, “Laura, what's for dinner?” In an Altman film, there is no particular line of dialogue more important than another at any given moment. People talk whenever they want, just like they do in real life, and it's not critical to understand every little piece of information. Even Beatty complained to Altman during the filming of the film, stating that the footsteps were more audible than the actual dialogue. In an Altman film, the viewer has to put their feet up and become an active participant in the film in order to understand the narrative.

Equally important to the unique world of an Altman film is the cinematography and use of music. Hungarian filmmaker Vilmos Zsigmond shoots the town of Presbyterian Church in a soft, hazy glow. Interestingly enough, the film's unique look comes from Zsigmond pre-flashing the film's negative, giving it a grainy, earthy feel reminiscent of old photography. The film's anachronistic use of Leonard Cohen's poetic folk songs, however, makes the film feel timeless and not confined to a single period or era.

All the visual and aural elements of the film that make it so unique are amplified and sharpened in the new Criterion 4K edition. Details like the dirt on the men's beards and the grime of the environment they live in are rendered vividly in the new remaster, and the film's original mono soundtrack comes in even more detail, while retaining its signature hazy hum that matches the hazy blur of the cinematography. .

The new 4K comes with all the extended special features of the 2016 Blu-ray. Among them is a 2002 audio commentary with Altman and the film's producer, David Foster. There's also a nearly hour-long making-of featurette featuring actors René Auberjonois, Keith Carradine and Michael Murphy, along with the film's casting director Graeme Clifford and script supervisor Joan Tewkesbury. Everyone involved has nothing but praise and respect for Altman and the instinctive way he worked on his films.

Other features include an interview with Zsigmond, vintage footage shot during the film's production, and two separate episodes of The Dick Cavett Show. The first episode is somewhat humorous, with famous (and controversial) film critic Pauline Kael defending McCabe & Mrs. Miller, which opened to largely lukewarm reviews. The second features Altman discussing the film as well as aspects of his personal life.

McCabe & Mrs. Miller it's a western for people who don't like westerns. The way it hits traditional storytelling beats but subverts expectations in almost every other aspect is truly remarkable, and this new Criterion 4K edition does it complete and complete justice.

(www.criterion.com/films/28712-mccabe-mrs-miller)