HOLLYWOOD -- The term 'Adult Westerns' originated with 'Shane' in 1953 to distinguish the Western drama from horse operas cranked out for Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and other singing cowboys. 'Shane' became a movie classic, although Paramount tried to unload it as a loser before it was released. But the concept of adult Westerns began with the earliest silents, including 'The Squaw Man.' 'Cimarron' won the Oscar for best picture in 1931. 'Stagecoach' and 'The Ox-Bow Incident' received Academy Award nominations. Roughly defined, the adult Western has more substance than good guys vs. bad guys and shootouts. Comedian Milton Berle's definition: 'An adult Western is where the hero still kisses his horse at the end, only now he worries about it.' Tom Selleck, who stars in and co-produced 'Last Stand at Saber River,' has affixed the adult label to the TNT two-hour movie scheduled for broadcast Jan. 19 through Feb. 2. The tall, rangy Selleck first was famous as the Ferrari-driving private investigator in Hawaii in TV's 'Magnum P.I.' But he is no stranger to the saddle. He starred in the feature 'Quigley Down Under' in Australia, 'Ruby Jean and Joe,' a contemporary rodeo film for Showtime, and two Louis l'Amour miniseries, 'The Sacketts' and 'The Shadow Riders.' 'There's violence in 'Last Stand at Saber River,' and what I'd classify as action,' he said. 'But the violence has consequences. 'I think that's what sets adult Westerns apart. It's a movie built on characters and emotional situations.
The responsible part of an adult drama is showing the consequences. 'I play Cable, a Texan who fought for the South in the Civil War and returns home to find his family profoundly changed on his homestead in the Arizona territory. 'The Civil War wasn't over when it ended. It affected everyone in the country, and it still does.' Selleck took his producer status seriously, saying, 'It wasn't just a little perk for an actor. 'Michael Brandman, who brought Elmore Leonard's book to me, is a first-rate producer. He wanted me to be partners with him on the project. It was fun taking Leonard's book and trying to make it come alive in a screenplay. 'I loved Cable's internal dialogue in the book. But an actor can't talk to himself in a movie. Cable's thoughts had to be expressed without dialogue for the most part. 'That was the trick. It was a big help knowing what Cable's internal dialogue was. We needed a screenwriter who could capture the spirit of the book, a protagonist who is a man of few words. 'Our writer, Ronald Cohen, did a great job adding a preamble that enabled us to get viewers on the right train of thought. 'Cable is a pretty dark, embittered man who harbors an important secret. 'All things being equal, I prefer doing Westerns to other pictures.' Many big, athletic actors enjoy the physical freedom of working in oaters. John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, James Arness and other 6-foot-5 performers feel comfortable outdoors. 'We all need extra big horses,' Selleck laughed. 'Most big guys I know and like aren't bullies, and that makes Westerns enjoyable for actors. 'Big men don't have to be bullies. Western heroes are often reluctant heroes, slow to act, with long fuses that you shouldn't really mess with. You should never mistake kindness for weakness in these characters. 'I think viewers will understand Cable's complexities. The Civil War wasn't just about slavery; it was about culture and loyalties and a way of life. 'Good people fought on both sides, and this story deals with the aftermath of the war. 'Cable was left for dead on the battlefield and reported killed in action. When he went to war he had a wife and three children. He's shocked at what he finds when he returns home. 'That's where the movie begins. The story doesn't start slow, asking viewers to get to know these people. It starts at nine, on a scale of one to 10, emotionally. 'It was a demanding role and Cable is a guy I can identify with. There's always scenes that you go, 'Jeeze, that scares me, how am I going to do that?' 'If you don't find those scenes when you're going to do a role, you shouldn't do it. 'This is an emotional part as well as an action part and you have to be up to it on both sides or you don't have a movie. 'If you don't take risks you can't learn anything. Since 'Magnum' ended I've tried a lot of different things, some successfully, some unsuccessfully. You keep learning and trying new stuff and, hopefully, you get better.' In January he will return to NBC's 'Friends' series in his guest role as Courteney Cox's romantic interest, and he'll star in Paramount's new feature film 'In and Out,' with Kevin Kline, Matt Dillon, Debbie Reynolds, Wilford Brimley and Bob Newhart. (release at will)
