This film begins with a stagecoach traveling on a dirt road somewhere out west carrying 5 passengers. One of the passengers is a federal marshal named "Bill Speakes" (Sam Elliott) and he is escorting a female prisoner by the name of "Sarah O'Rourke" (Linda Fiorentino). Also on the stagecoach is a young man named "Jack Cooper" (Craig Sheffer) who appears to be friendly enough but seems to be hiding something in a small case which he won't allow anyone to see. Suddenly three outlaws appear and even though they are eventually killed in their holdup attempt Jack manages to grab the money in the strongbox and ride away with the loot. But what he doesn't know is that this isn't the last he will see of Sarah as she also manages to escape and desperately wants the money that he has stolen. Naturally, having lost his prisoner Bill is not far behind and it soon becomes obvious he is not at all what he seems. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was one of those more modern Westerns where it becomes difficult to determine the good guys from the bad. Likewise, although the cast was certainly capable enough, the plot seemed too uncharacteristic for that specific time period and for that reason I have rated this film accordingly. Average.
Review of The Desperate Trail
