Taglines: If you lived in this town, you’d be dead by now.
Last Man Standing movie storyline. John Smith is an amoral gunslinger in the days of Prohibition. On the lam from his latest (unspecified) exploits, he happens upon the town of Jericho, Texas. Actually, calling Jericho a town would be too generous–it has become more like a ghost town, since two warring gangs have ‘driven off all the decent folk.’ Smith sees this as an opportunity to play both sides off against each other, earning himself a nice piece of change as a hired gun. Despite his strictly avowed mercenary intentions, he finds himself risking his life for his, albeit skewed, sense of honor…
Last Man Standing is a 1996 American action thriller film written and directed by Walter Hill and starring Bruce Willis, Christopher Walken, Alexandra Powers, David Patrick Kelly, Karina Lombard, Bruce Dern, Ned Eisenberg, Leslie Mann and Michael Imperioli. It is a credited remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Yojimbo, and was influenced heavily by the plot of A Fistful of Dollars, which is nearly the same.
About the Story
In 1932 Prohibition-era Texas, aimless wanderer John Smith (Bruce Willis) drives his Ford Model A Coupe into the small bordertown of Jericho. As he arrives, a young woman named Felina (Karina Lombard) crosses the street, catching Smith’s eye. Moments later, a group of Irish mobsters, led by Finn (Patrick Kilpatrick), surround Smith’s car. They warn him against staring at “Doyle’s property” and puncture his tires and smash his windshield.
Smith leaves his car in the street and goes to speak with Sheriff Ed Galt (Bruce Dern). Sheriff Galt doesn’t bother to conceal his cowardice or corruption, saying he won’t act against Doyle’s gang and advises Smith to wait for his car to be repaired and to leave town. Instead, Smith walks to the town hotel, run by Joe Monday (William Sanderson) where Smith orders a drink, books himself a room, and arms himself before announcing his intention to petition Finn for damages.
Smith enters Doyle’s building, finds Finn, and asks him to pay for the damages to his car. Finn mocks him and threatens to shoot Smith. Smith and Finn get in a gunfight, which Smith wins with alarming speed. Smith departs, leaves the remaining gangsters alive as witnesses, and returns to the hotel bar, much to the surprise of Jericho’s residents.
Following Finn’s death, Fredo Strozzi (Ned Eisenberg), the head of Jericho’s Italian gang, offers Smith a job in his outfit. Strozzi predicts a gang war between his and Doyle’s gang, and is hiring as many skilled soldiers as he can. Smith accepts the job and sits down to dinner with the Strozzi gang where he meets Giorgio Carmonte (Michael Imperioli), son of a prominent Chicago mobster who is monitoring Strozzi’s activities in Jericho. Carmonte expresses his distrust with Smith, who leaves the dinner, and meets and seduces Strozzi’s mistress, Lucy (Alexandra Powers).
Smith accompanies Strozzi and his men to a remote Texas road. Together with Ramirez, a corrupt Mexican police capitán providing security for Doyle, Strozzi ambushes and kills Doyle’s men and seizes his entire liquor shipment. Following the ambush, Carmonte travels to Mexico to cut more deals with Ramirez. Meanwhile, Doyle (David Patrick Kelly) and his right-hand man, Hickey (Christopher Walken) return to Jericho and hear about the recent events, from Smith’s arrival to Finn’s death and the loss of their liquor shipment.
Last Man Standing (1996)
Directed by: Walter Hill
Starring: Bruce Willis, Christopher Walken, Alexandra Powers, David Patrick Kelly, Karina Lombard, Bruce Dern, Ned Eisenberg, Leslie Mann, Michael Imperioli
Screenplay by: Walter Hill
Production Design by: Gary Wissner
Cinematography by: Lloyd Ahern
Film Editing by: Freeman A. Davies
Costume Design by: Dan Moore
Set Decoration by: Gary Fettis
Art Direction by: Barry Chusid
Music by: Ry Cooder
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive strong violence and some sexuality.
Distributed by: New Line Cinema
Release Date: September 20, 1996
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