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Even Cowgirls Get the Blues New Line (1994) Directed by: Gus Van Sant Written by: Gus Van Sant Starring: Uma Thurman, John Hurt, Rain Phoenix, Lorraine Bracco, Angie Dickinson, Keanu Reeves, Pat Morita, Ed Begley Jr, Sean Young, Roseanne Rating: 8/10 |
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Plot Summary
The film based on the cult novel of the same name by Tom Robbins. Sissy Hankshaw (Thurman) is the self-proclaimed greatest hitchhiker in the world thanks to her abnormally large thumbs. She meets up with her friend a transvestite called The Countess (Hurt), who tries unsuccessfully to improve her social life. The Countess then gives Sissy a modeling job out on his cattle ranch. There she meets a group of feminist cowgirls led by Bonanza Jellybean (Phoenix). Sissy is fascinated by the cowgirls lifestyle and Sissy and Bonanza fall in love. The cowgirls try to take over the ranch from The Countess and Sissy is torn between her loyalty to him and her affection for Jellybean.
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Review
Even Cowgirls get the Blues is a, good-natured, funny and weirdly wonderful little film. The plot is meandering and forgettable, but with its playfully offbeat vibe, a collection of memorably quirky characters, and a number of priceless moments, the film is one to treasure. I haven't read the book, which is probably a good thing, my view of the film isn't distorted by it having to live up to any false expectations.
The film introduces us to Sissy Hankshaw as she aimlessly wanders the country, hitching rides with the aid of her oversized thumbs. She doesn't consider it travelling mind you, but "moving". She believes hitchhiking is her calling, and if she stays in one place to long her thumbs begin to hurt. A self-described born-freak, Sissy finds she doesn't really fit in anywhere, yet her life on the road gives her great pleasure. The encounters Sissy has with the cowgirls, and in particular Bonanza Jellybean, change her perspective on life somewhat, despite a subsequent confrontation with The Countess which leaves Sissy temporarily wishing for just "a little bit of that good old-fashioned normality".
Cowgirls is a great example of what a filmmaker who's willing to throw in some untried experimentation can accomplish. It achieves a fascinating duality. On one level it's a ruthless and hilarious satire, sending up all sorts of things seventies, in particular the hippie and feminist movements. At the same time however, the film expresses an earnest faith in those very same ideals that it lampoons. In particular the path to personal freedom. Part of its effectiveness is that it refuses to take itself or life too seriously. A philosophy summed up simply by the story's wizened up wise man's one belief on life. "Ha ha, ho ho, he he".
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The comedy of Even Cowgirls get the Blues comes thick and fast (and apparently goes right over the top of most peoples heads). Whether is be the absurdity of Sissy's douche bag commercial, the preposterous speeches characters regularly launch into, or the more subtly charming moments like when Sissy tries to hitch a ride without the aid of her giant thumbs, the film is constantly throwing curve balls at the audience. At the centre of all the craziness however, is a remarkably sweet love story between Sissy and Bonanza Jellybean. Noteworthy for the completely uncontrived genuineness of affection in the relationship.
The actors are faced with a tricky challenge, it's odd dialogue to say the least, often sounding strange and unnatural, but they all manage to come away with it. Uma Thurman is magnetic as Sissy, creating a kind of divine presence throughout the film, anchoring the wilder excesses of her co-stars. Novice Rain Phoenix is a bit shaky at first but works her way into the part of Bonanza Jellybean nicely, bringing a boundlessly enthusiastic trailblazer quality to the character.
John Hurt seems to be enjoying himself camping it up as The Countess. Likewise is Loraine Bracco as the maniacal rebel rouser Del Ruby. Pat Morita brings a wryness to his role as dubious wise man The Chink, rolling his eyes as he looks down from his ridge at the antics of the cowgirls below. Filling in the small roles is an over abundance of generally amusing cameos from people like Keanu Reeves, Angie Dickinson, Crispen Glover and Sean Young. River Phoenix, who the film was dedicated to, has a tiny appearance as well.
Despite all the things I found to enjoy in 'Cowgirls', there is something missing. It lacks momentum. Sissy usually likes to hitchhike with no set destination. "Hitching for hitching's sake". You get that aimless feeling about the film too. It really teeters on the edge at times, because on the occasion that a particular scene doesn't work, the whole thing tends to run aground. It's one of those examples of a film, which because of it's own unique nature, struggles to function on the traditional levels of what makes films good.
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The problem really has more to do with the preconceptions of the audience than with a fault on the part of the filmmakers though. I always appreciate a cinematic artist who has a tendency to disregard his own audience, because that's when creative boundaries are pushed. It's actually disappointing that Van Sant has gravitated more and more towards mainstream cinema since filming this.
Even Cowgirls get the Blues is certainly not a film that will appeal to everyone. Dare I say it, people who don't "get it", will probably find themselves interminably bored by the whole trippy affair (and I have seen some spectacular examples of that in various reviews of the film). For those who do clue in on its charm though, Cowgirls is a remarkably entertaining cinematic trip, one that you'll probably find yourself revisiting over and over again. For that very reason, I recommend that everyone give this film a shot, and remember to take your brain and leave behind your preconceptions when you do.
Uma's Performance
This is actually one of my favourite performances from Uma. I find Sissy such a uniquely appealing character. Everything from her wonderfully constructed look to her laid back and openhearted nature. This is also the first film where Uma really began to make an impression on me, where I realised that she was in fact a very extraordinary talent. I'll probably always have a special place for this film because of that. Coming back to it since has allowed me to appreciate what she does here even more.
It's quite interesting to see Uma playing the protagonist role because she usually is drawn more towards the character roles. She anchors the film while individual scenes often centre around other characters. Combined with the inherent nature of Sissy Uma gives, what is on the surface, quite a subdued performance for her. It's at the complete other end of the spectrum to flamboyant roles like June Miller and Mia Wallace. It's no less impressive however.
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While there aren't a lot of huge theatrics in the role, Uma puts her energies into all the areas open for her, critically in successfully creating the right presence for Sissy. She really makes the character her own, reaching this zone of inner peacefulness and conveying a sense of constant astonishment and fascination in the world around her. I talk about her being like a divine presence, and she certainly has an untouched purity throughout the film that illuminates all around her. While other characters often dominate scenes with dialogue, the film lives and breaths through Sissy.
Uma delivers an infinite number of beautiful small moments that contribute to the great performance. She probably has more reactionary shots in this film than any other, all of which add cumulatively to the character. The way she will hit certain sounds in the accent harder than others also helps develop the character, as do the many throw away moments that may go unnoticed on first viewing. Such as the way she swallows before saying "yep" in response to a knock at the door, or her barely contained joy at hearing Jellybean's voice on the radio. "It's Jelly!"
I feel, at least personally, that Sissy Hankshaw is one of the defining roles of Uma's still young career. It's also with little doubt her most underrated.
