Posse is a 1975 revisionist Western film produced, directed by and starring Kirk Douglas. The film also stars Bruce Dern, Bo Hopkins and James Stacy. The screenplay was written by Christopher Knopf and William Roberts.
Howard Nightingale, a U.S. Marshal, leads an elite group of lawmen in pursuit of the notorious train robber Jack Strawhorn. His motivation for this mission goes beyond justice; Nightingale is using it as a stepping stone for his political aspirations, aiming to secure a U.S. Senate seat. Initially, Nightingale's capture of Strawhorn seems like a surefire path to victory in the election. However, the situation takes a dramatic turn when Strawhorn manages to break free, taking Nightingale as a hostage.
Strawhorn, now in control, demands a hefty ransom of $40,000 from Nightingale's posse in exchange for their leader's safe release. This amount mirrors the cash the posse had incinerated when they initially confronted Strawhorn and eliminated his gang. To gather the ransom funds, Nightingale's posse reluctantly resorts to robbing the local town, which turns public sentiment against them.
Throughout the course of events, the members of the posse, who had once unwaveringly followed Nightingale, begin to question whether their loyalty to him is reciprocated. This series of twists and turns culminates in a gripping final showdown, forcing each member to reevaluate where their allegiances truly lie.
Not to be confused with the 1993 Mario Van Peebles film of the same title.
Tropes:
- All Deserts Have Cacti: Supposedly set in Texas yet the train passes many saguaro cacti which do not grow in Texas.
- An Arm and a Leg: Hellman, the editor (and only reporter) of the Tesoto Despatch, is missing an arm and leg as a result of his army service and the actions of his gloryhound commander.
- Artistic License – Politics: Nightingale is running for the US Senate and seeks to capture outlaw Jack Strawhorn to ensure his victory. However, US Senators were not directly elected at the time of the film's setting. They were appointed by State Legislatures until the 17th Amendment in 1913.
- Clothing Combat: After wrapping a wire around Wesley's throat, Strawhorn uses Wesley's belt to bind his arms to cell bars.
- Couldn't Find a Lighter: After trying, and failing, to strike a match on the inside of his jail cell, Strawhorn resorts to lighting his cigar from the end of Nightingale's.
- Cut Phone Lines: After stealing the train, Strawhorn shoots out the telegraph line alongside the track so the town of Tesoto cannot send any messages about what has happened.
- Every Man Has His Price: Strawhorn believes this and attempts to prove it by handing back the $30,000 the posse had raised to pay Nightingale's ransom and telling them to split it among themselves: $6,000 each. He is ultimately proved correct as four of the five posse members abandon Nightingale and ride off with Strawhorn.Jack Strawhorn: [to Howard Nightingale] Honest men stay honest only as long as it pays. That's why I'm a thief and you're a liar.
- Flipping the Table: When his hands are cuffed behind his back, Nightingale kicks over the table into Strawhorn in an attempt to overpower him. It fails.
- Gray-and-Gray Morality: Jack Strawhorn is an outlaw who robs trains and makes no secret of his criminality. However, he claims to be doing so in response to the rapacity of the Railroad Barons. However, he is not Just Like Robin Hood as he keeps all the money for himself. Marshal Nightingale and his posse who are pursuing Strawhorn do have the law on their side and the support of the public. However, Nightingale is not pursuing Strawhorn from a sense of justice but because capturing Strawhorn will bolster his campaign for the Senate. Additionally, Nightingale is being supported by the railroad companies, and the posse perform morally dubious acts like setting fire to the barn where Strawhorn's gang are holed up and then gunning them down when they attempt to flee.
- Gun Twirling: One of the posse does this trick to impress a girl in the town of Tesoto. His partner performs the What Have We Ear? trick.
- High-Speed Hijack: Nightingale jumps from his horse on to the front of the locomotive Strawhorn has hijacked.
- Hostage Situation: Strawhorn escapes, kidnapping Nightingale in the process, and demands a ransom of $40,000 from the posse for Nightingale's safe return.
- Improvised Weapon: Strawhorn unwinds the wire off a straw broom and used it to garotte Wesley and bind him to the bars of the cell on board the train.
- Intrepid Reporter: Hellman, the editor (and only reporter) of the Tesoto Despatch, is the only one to see through Nightingale's carefully stage managed heroics and detect the overwhelming political ambition that lies behind them.
- No, Mr. Bond, I Expect You to Dine: While holding Marshal Nightingale hostage in the presidential suite, Jack Strawhorn shares a meal with him, with them the two of them even discussing what to have for dessert. However, because Nightingale has his hands cuffed behind him, Mrs Ross is forced to feed him.
- One-Word Title
- Outlaw: Howard Nightingale, a U.S. Marshal, leads an elite uniformed Posse to track down and capture infamous train robber Jack Strawhorn.
- Pistol-Whipping: Wesley pistol whips Mrs. Cooper when she tries to stop him from taking the money from the cafe.
- Posse: Howard Nightingale, a U.S. Marshal, leads an elite uniformed posse to track down and capture infamous train robber Jack Strawhorn.
- Shoot Out the Lock: After tying Wesley to the cell bars, Strawhorn grabs Wesley's gun and uses it to shoot the padlock off the door.
- Surrounded by Idiots: Strawhorn complain to Peppe that he asked him to get him a gang, but instead Peppe has provided him with a bunch of 'cucarachas' (cockroaches). He is proved right when Peppe's men are immediately cut down by Nightingale's posse after opening fire (against Strawhorn's explicit orders) when the posse were still out of range.
- Train Job: Jack Strawhorn only ever robs trains, never banks, because of his personal enmity towards the railroad companies.
- U.S. Marshal: Howard Nightingale is a U.S. Marshal who leads an elite uniformed posse to track down and capture infamous train robber Jack Strawhorn. He is doing so to further his political career, as he is running to become a U.S. Senator.
- Western Union Man: Nightingale gives the telegrapher in Tesoto a bunch of telegrams to send announcing his capture of Jack Strawhorn. Later, when Strawhorn returns to Tesoto with Nightingale as his hostage, the telegrapher tries to send a message one to discover that Strawhorn has downed the telegraph wires.
- What Have We Ear?: One of the posse does this trick to impress a girl in the town of Tesoto. His partner indulges in some Gun Twirling.
- What the Hell, Hero?: The posse robs the town of Tesoto to raise the money to pay Marshal Nightingale's ransom. This immediately earns them the enmity of the townsfolk.
- Would Hit a Girl: Wesley pistol whips Mrs. Cooper when she tries to stop him from taking the money from the cafe.
