Winter People *** (1989, Kurt Russell, Kelly McGillis, Lloyd Bridges) – Classic Movie Review 7653

Director Ted Kotcheff’s 1989 period drama Winter People stars Kurt Russell as young widower Wayland Jackson, arriving in a North Carolina mountain town with his daughter Paula (Amelia Burnette) in 1934, falls for young unmarried mother Collie Wright (Kelly McGillis) with an illegitimate baby, and becomes embroiled in a bitter blood feud.

Winter People may be just a minor saga of pioneer folk in the Appalachian Mountains, and only undemandingly entertaining, yet it is appealing in an oddly old-fashioned way in its ultimately wholesome plot structure in the screenplay by Carol Sobieski, based on a novel by John Ehle.

The performances are strong and compelling, and the photography by François Protat is eye-catching, but, best of all, director Kotcheff demonstrates a sharp eye for the harsh lifestyle and prejudice of Depression-era America.

It is Western character star John Russell’s last film.

Also in the cast are Lloyd Bridges, Mitchell Ryan, Eileen Ryan, Gary Bullock, Dashiell Coleman, David Dwyer, Lanny Flaherty, Ivan Green, Bill Gribble, Lucille McIntyre, Jeffrey Meek, Wallace Merck and Dom Michael Paul.

It is the first film produced by Castle Rock Entertainment.

Winter People is directed by Ted Kotcheff, runs 110 minutes, is made by Castle Rock Entertainment and Nelson Entertainment, is released by Columbia Pictures (US) and Rank (UK), is written by Carol Sobieski, based on a novel by John Ehle, is shot by François Protat, is produced by Robert H Solo, is scored by John Scott and is designed by Ron Freeman.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7653

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