Jim Harrison’s novella would have seemed a natural fit for Hill, but this script (not filmed, presumably written in the early 80s) isn’t very good. It’s too long, with far too much bad dialogue. For instance, the romantic sex stuff between Cochrane and Maria clunks (continually intercut with their lovemaking) and isn’t very convincing. When Cochrane tells Eric about their affair it’s like two school girls. And the characters are given so much back story – this wasn’t normally like Hill.
It’s been a while since I saw the film but there seem to be some changes. Cochrane isn’t an old friend of Tibby, he’s just met him for three months since he got out – they get along well (which isn’t the same as being an old friend). And there’s an awful lot of chat between Cochrane and Maria around their affair (stories of them growing up, his daughter, etc). The second act seemed roughly the same: Cochrane is helped in his request for revenge by people who come across his path, including a nice religious man who nurses him back to health, a Texan, a vengeful Mexican, some random model he meets. The ending is different – he ambushes Tibby, but doesn’t kill him. He then tortures Tibby’s assistant to find where the girl is, goes to the nunnery where Maria’s still alive (but pregnant). Tibby turns up, shoots and injures Cochrane, asks him to kill him – Cochrane refuses. Everyone forgives each other. Cochrane takes the girl and walks off. So a happier ending, albeit still infused with Mexican stuff about being macho and honour and whores.
I’m surprised this is as dodgy as it was – was Hill not given a free hand? Was it rewritten by other people? Was this the combination of the John Huston/Harrison/Hill version that Ray Stark was trying to get up in the late 80s. Or maybe he was just off form? Regardless, I can't weep that this version of the story wasn't filmed.
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