Main Cast: John Candy, Richard Lewis, John C. McGinley, Ellen Greene, Robert Picardo
Release Year: 1994
Country: US
Run Time: 106 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Comedian John Candy, who died during the making of this poorly received comic western, plays James Harlow, a 19th century wagon master who is heading back east with a wagon train full of oddball characters who have had their fill of Western life. They include ex-doctor Phil Taylor (Richard Lewis), kind-hearted prostitute Belle (Ellen Greene), and a bookseller, Julian (John C. McGinley). Harlow is a drunken, washed-up leader who frequently gets lost. The travelers eventually discover that he was a member of the famous Donner party, which resorted to cannibalism when stranded in the mountains. Railroad magnates try to turn back the party, figuring it's bad publicity for people out East to learn that the West is not really a paradise. The tycoons hire gunfighters and villains to stop the expedition, but local Indians protect the wagons, because they are glad to see disgruntled white settlers leaving their lands. This "backwards" western was based on a story by Jerry Abrahamson. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
Ed Lauter - John Slade; Rodney Grant - Little Feather; William Sanderson - Zeke; Melinda Culea - Constance Taylor; Robin McKee - Lindsey Thurlow; Russell Means - The Chief; Charles Rocket - Gen. Larchmont; Ryan Cutrona - Tom; Thomas F. Duffy - Clayton Ferguson; David Dunard - Harry Bob Ferguson; Steve Eastin - Bartender; Randy Hall - Pony Express Rider; Chad Hamilton - Ricky Jones; Don Lake - Lieutenant; Denver Mattson - Card Player; Marvin J. McIntyre - Irving Ferjuson; Joel McKinnon Miller - Zack Ferguson; Ethan Phillips - Smedly; Jimmy Pickens - Scout; Tony Pierce - Junior Ferguson; Bud Davis - Desperado Leader; Mauricio Martinez - Card Player; Abraham Benrubi - Abe Furguson; Joe Bays - River Townsman; Lochlyn Munro - Billy
Credit
Hector Romero - Art Director, Richard Pagano - Casting, Debi Manwiller - Casting, Sharon Bialy - Casting, Tory Herald - Casting, Jim Davidson - Co-producer, Adolofo "Fito" Ramirez - Costume Designer, Gary Marcus - First Assistant Director, Peter Markle - Director, Scott Conrad - Editor, Lynwood Spinks - Executive Producer, Michael Small - Composer (Music Score), Pud Cusack - Musical Direction/Supervision, Vince Cresciman - Production Designer, Angel Goded - Cinematographer, Frank Tidy - Cinematographer, Henner Hoffman - Cinematographer, Robert Newmyer - Producer, Barry Rosen - Producer, Jeffrey Silver - Producer, Gary Goodman - Producer, Enrique Estevez - Set Designer, Miguel Angel Gonzalez - Set Designer, Jerry Abrahamson - Screenwriter, Matthew Carlson - Screenwriter
After the 1860s Wild West, a group of misfit settlers including an ex-doctor Phil Taylor (Lewis), a prostitute Belle (Ellen Greene), and homosexual bookseller Julian (John C. McGinley) decide they cannot live in their current situation in the west so they hire a grizzled alcoholic wagon master by the name of James Harlow (Candy) to take them on a journey back to their hometowns in the East. This leads to a comedy of errors when the drunken wagonmaster leads them into Sioux territory and they are pursued by the cavalry. They also have to contend with hired gunslingers who have been sent by railroad magnates to stop the journey in fear of bad publicity of the west, and their discovery that Harlow had been part of the infamous Donner Party.
Production
On March 4, 1994, Candy died of a heart attack in his sleep on location in the Mexican state of Durango after the day's shooting for this film had finished. The film makers claim he had completed all his scenes for the film at the time of his death but this claim is disputed by critics and audiences.
Some sources state that Candy died before he had completed his remaining scenes and he was either replaced by a stunt double or his remaining scenes were re-written not to involve him.[1] At least one scene, of Candy in a bar emptying a liquor bottle, was re-used later on in the film with the background altered.[2]
Both the VHS and DVD boxes read: "This motion picture is dedicated to the memory of John Candy".
This was the last film Candy was shooting before his death but not the last film he appeared in to be released. His last film Canadian Bacon, was released in 1995. He had completed Canadian Bacon before filming of Wagons East! began but his death caused the film's delayed release.
Reception
The film was released five months after Candy's death and was widely panned by critics and audiences alike. Despite being Candy's posthumous release, it was a box office disaster and reviews were universally negative, criticizing the acting, story and comedic material. Critic Roger Ebert notably called the film as "a sad way to end John Candy's career", but stated that his legacy was already permanent, and would survive this film.[3] The film has a rating of 0% on Rotten Tomatoes.[4]
