What are you doing?
Set in 1923 in the United States during Prohibition and the Great Depression, it follows a new generation of Duttons as they battle a historic drought and cattle rustling.
1923 is a prequel to Yellowstone, created by Taylor Sheridan with Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren…
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Hollywood legends and movie “persons” are necessary for western casting.
In that sense, 1923 doesn’t break the rule, starring Harrison Ford in his first starring role in a series and marking one of his rare forays into the Western (a genre he seems tailor-made for. ).
To counterbalance the aura of Indiana Jones’ interpreter, what better way to answer it than British actress Helen Mirren, also a newcomer to the ruthless world of westerns!
Fans of the mercenary Bronn in Game of Thrones will almost certainly recognize Jerome Flynn as the antagonist who harbors a deep hatred for Clan Dutton.
Film lovers of the 80s and 90s will also be delighted to find the iconic Robert Patrick (already in the cast of another prequel to Yellowstone 1883, currently unreleased in France) or the former James Bond, Timothy Dalton.
The series was created by Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan. Known to the general public as an actor (especially in the Anarchy series), the latter has since become a popular screenwriter in Hollywood, especially thanks to his scripts for the films Sicario and Comancheria. He is also the creator of the Tulsa King series with Sylvester Stallone and the mayor of Kingstown.
Is it worth checking out?
In John Ford’s timeless masterpiece The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, everyone remembers this line “When the legend exceeds the reality, then we print the legend”. To say that the American myth arose primarily from the rewriting of history (and therefore history) to the detriment of authentic facts.
However, the approach of the 1923 series is not to expand on this aspect, but rather to offer a realistic Western. There is no talk of beautiful cowboys facing off against evil Indians, no raids on stagecoaches or sheriffs as the last line of defense against an outlaw horde. Because the purpose of the series is primarily to paint a portrait of America at a crucial time in history.
A portrait of America’s twilight
This new Yellowstone prequel takes place in a time marked by many historical upheavals. The wounds of World War I had not yet healed, Prohibition was in full swing in the United States, and the stock market crash would hit economic markets hard.
As his ranch prospers, patriarch Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) reluctantly embodies the twilight of the ancient world, where the law of the strong reigned, and he resorts to forms of self-righteousness. Territory could be gained by the strength of the most determined men, if its weakness did not benefit those bolder – and above all more determined – than themselves.
The narrative of the series is shared in the first episode between two parallel stories that take us away from the plains of Wyoming but also to the African savannah to meet Spencer Dutton (Brandon Sklenar), a wild animal hunter whose desire is to fail. Love with British Alexandra (Julia Schlapper), destined for marriage to a man she doesn’t love.
The writing of the series has a tone reminiscent of early 20th century American literary classics. Thus, 1923 appears as a continuation of the work of such great novelists as John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway, as well as a tribute to the filmography of John Ford, perhaps America’s greatest cinematographer-historian.
To hunt or to be hunted, that is the question
The parallel between these two plots also raises questions about human nature. Spencer has lived a life of adventure near the most dangerous predators, and she decides to return to America to live a quieter life.
Could he have suspected that even worse threats resided in his native Wyoming when his clan’s rivalry with a neighboring farmer led to bloody clashes between the two clans? In the Savannah, as in the Far West, those who do not decide to hunt become the prey of other predators…
One doesn’t need to have seen Yellowstone or its first prequel 1883 to appreciate 1923. His writing, the beauty of his images and the quality of his interpretations will be enough to captivate the audience with this well-crafted story that is soon to be released. A second season has already been confirmed.
The 1923 series can be discovered this Sunday, April 2 exclusively on the Paramount+ platform!
Source: Allocine
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
