McCabe & Mrs. Miller

In McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Robert Altman subverts the Western genre, setting it around a brothel opened by John McCabe in a 19th-century mining town in the American West. The plot, while present, is secondary to Altman’s exploration of everyday life: an ambitious entrepreneur (McCabe) with a vision (a brothel), a romantic interest (a savvy prostitute, Mrs. Miller), and rivals (a mining company eager to buy them out). But Altman layers the narrative with a vivid, lived-in world—muddy landscapes, snowy weather, and characters who seem to exist beyond the frame. Even stars like Warren Beatty and Julie Christie feel utterly natural in this environment. True to Altman’s style, the film critiques American mythology with sharp irony and a skeptical tone, free of sentimentality—reflecting the spirit of 1970s New Hollywood. Five decades on, McCabe & Mrs. Miller remains an exceptional, singular film. Don't miss it.