MovieChat Forums > The Wild Bunch (1969) Discussion > Why did Robert Ryan look at William Hold...

Why did Robert Ryan look at William Holden's gun at the end of the movie


reply

If you didn't understand that bit of symbolism you didn't get the whole theme of The Wild Bunch. The clue is in the tagline "Unchanged men in a changing land. Out of step, out of place and desperately out of time"

reply

Shut up stupid

reply

It was a pre-64 Winchester. A real work of art.

reply

It was not a pre-64 Winchester

It was a Colt Single Action Army with a 5"barrel

Holden had been his best friend and partner, and that would be the only thing left to remember him by



In a world where a carpenter can be resurrected, anything is possible.





reply

It was symbolic of the passing of the West which fitted perfectly with the theme of the story. If Thornton had nothing he could at least treasure the old days, "how it used to be" as Sykes said

reply

Did anyone notice that Pike (holden) never fires his revolver anytime in the battle.

reply

Pike only fires his revolver toward the bounty hunters as they approach the bunch at the bridge across the river into Mexico.

And yes, Thornton touchingly takes Pike's holstered pistol for a memento of his estranged friend. Since his depraved bounty hunters are last seen sporting souvenirs for themselves (such as Coffer wearing Tector's hat), it's good that Thornton had spared himself the sting of hearing one of them brag about getting Pike's personal handgun for himself.

Most great films deserve a more appreciative audience than they get.

reply

I believe that Deke Thornton focused on, and took Pike Bishops pistol because it symbolized the decades of their friendship. Like them the pistol is a relic from a disappearing era. It harkens back to a time when Bishop, Pike, Thornton, Sykes, and the rest lived off their guns.

The whole movie is filled with metaphors and signs reflective of Bishops statement, "We gotta start thinking beyone our guns, those days are closing fast". Throughout the film The Wild Bunch comes to face the closing of the old west by modernization. They are introduced to belt fed tripod mounted machine guns, cars, magazine fed auto-loading pistols, and even talk about airplanes. They are just like the scorpions in the opening scene. Powerful and fearsome, and overwhelmed by the red ants of modernization, and the fire of time. All they can do is sting themselves.

I found the anti-hero sentiment in the film to be one of the deepest and most profound themes. The audience knows the Wild Bunch to be cut throat, cold hearted bandits. However each longs for freedom and family as shown by how much they enjoy life in the small Mexican pueblos. The irony is that while they have survived decades of violent history, their downfall finally comes when decide to do something good and help arm the rebels from Angels village.

One of my favorite films.

reply

I believe that Deke Thornton focused on, and took Pike Bishops pistol because it symbolized the decades of their friendship. Like them the pistol is a relic from a disappearing era. It harkens back to a time when Bishop, Pike, Thornton, Sykes, and the rest lived off their guns.

The whole movie is filled with metaphors and signs reflective of Bishops statement, "We gotta start thinking beyone our guns, those days are closing fast". Throughout the film The Wild Bunch comes to face the closing of the old west by modernization. They are introduced to belt fed tripod mounted machine guns, cars, magazine fed auto-loading pistols, and even talk about airplanes. They are just like the scorpions in the opening scene. Powerful and fearsome, and overwhelmed by the red ants of modernization, and the fire of time. All they can do is sting themselves.

I found the anti-hero sentiment in the film to be one of the deepest and most profound themes. The audience knows the Wild Bunch to be cut throat, cold hearted bandits. However each longs for freedom and family as shown by how much they enjoy life in the small Mexican pueblos. The irony is that while they have survived decades of violent history, their downfall finally comes when decide to do something good and help arm the rebels from Angels village.

One of my favorite films.

reply

Even some of their gestures were 'old style'...Before the opening shootout, one of the gang cocked his .45 auto pistol-but instead of pulling back the slide a-la Arnie in Terminator, the man palmed/fanned' back the hammer like it was a single action revolver.




Why can't you wretched prey creatures understand that the Universe doesn't owe you anything!?

reply

Good observation nickm2,

Sometimes I think Hollywood has the actors rack slides, and cock hammers on guns for visual effect. The proper way to carry a 1911 pistol is with a round in the chamber and the hammer cocked and locked with the thumb safety. But the simpleness of flicking down the hammer lock is too subtle. Films are about movement and action and all that becomes much more dramatic when the actor racks a slide or cocks a hammer.

When they come out of the whorehouse to go get Angel The Bunch loads up. Their movements are simple and efficient. They check their weapons, load them and walk. If that same scene were shot today, it would be overdone with endless loading of magazines, racking of slides, and so on.

reply

Agree with all that you said.

Why can't you wretched prey creatures understand that the Universe doesn't owe you anything!?

reply

Good observation nickm2,

Sometimes I think Hollywood has the actors rack slides, and cock hammers on guns for visual effect. The proper way to carry a 1911 pistol is with a round in the chamber and the hammer cocked and locked with the thumb safety. But the simpleness of flicking down the hammer lock is too subtle. Films are about movement and action and all that becomes much more dramatic when the actor racks a slide or cocks a hammer.

When they come out of the whorehouse to go get Angel The Bunch loads up. Their movements are simple and efficient. They check their weapons, load them and walk. If that same scene were shot today, it would be overdone with endless loading of magazines, racking of slides, and so on.

reply