End of the Rope

After watching a disaster last week I was very cautious this week... this time the Western was watchable and I could say: a pleasant one to watch, regardless the low budget and the length! In spite of the somewhat harsh lighting and editing, Charlie Griak's cinematography was not too bad, and the actors in this film give a respectful and honest rendition of a disturbingly real-life event, with dialogue that feels genuine rather than the paint-by-numbers dross that has become the norm in Hollywood over the past ten years. Unfortunately, I doubt that this film will ever receive the 'box office' respect that its effort deserves... so, enjoy it while it's still out there...

I am so happy to have stumbled on this little gem. Always on the lookout for worthy Western dramas, too often I find cheesy costume dramas with paper thin screenplays and stuntmen pretending to be actors. This Depression era crime drama is set in a rugged little hamlet in the hinterlands of North Dakota. It's a true story told with uncommon sensitivity. The setting is reminiscent of Year of the Dog, but IMHO this is a far superior film. The characters are very well developed and surprisingly complex, and all of the acting is superb. Although it's onviously not a big summer tentpole movie, the production values are impressive. Aside from the odd habit of several male characters wearing their fedoras indoors (which I guess might be a real thing in the chilly Dakotas) all of the costumes were appropriate to the era and the characters, right down to the fabrics of their clothes. The music track and cinematography were perfect for the subject matter. There are some nifty vintage autos and one nifty antique tractor, which add some welcome color to the bleak country setting. Overall this is the kind of indie movie the world could use more of. Maybe regional production is the last hope of serious cinema as foreign filmmakers latch onto Hollywood's genre traditions and Hollywood wallows in juvenile action fantasies and cookie cutter action flicks. Bravo!

"End of the Rope" is a true-crime drama/western. Characters are introduced during a hoedown in Schafer, North Dakota. Characters are quickly introduced with a loud music background. During the event, Sheriff CA Jaconson's (Joseph Gray) farmhouse burns down killing his two daughters. Fram hand Charles Bannon (Nick Saxton) survives and claims it was an accident. A few years later in 1931 CA gave up his post as sheriff and went back to farming. He owes money because of the drought and grasshoppers. He has to borrow money from Albert Haven (Charles O'Haver) and discovers that Haven has hired Bannon as a farmhand. When the Haven family goes missing, Charles is suspected. The film turns into an investigation as CA attempts to save Bannon from the mob. The film was a slow burn. Not knowing about the Bannon case turned the feature into a mystery. Acting was decent, just slow at times. Guide: No swearing, sex, or nudity.

Recommended. It's a good Western tale of caution, dealing with the emotionally charged choices between mercy and the difference between justice and vengeance. The film explores these universal truths: if lawful justice is not served, evil acts either grow worse or regrettable vengeance rises in place of the law. The film's message speaks to our time when corruption and lawlessness seems to be getting a pass, and there are those who are calling those who are calling for accountability and justice as people who are seeking revenge. There is a difference. It's about intent. At the end of the rope must be about justice, not revenge. But in avoiding revenge, we must not thwart justice. This film speaks to that dynamic tension.

First thing first. Objectively speaking, the movie is good on all technical levels. It's also a good re-telling of an historical fact. I've read someone saying "the fire at the beggining is all fiction" this is not true. The fiction is that being the sheriff's family. But it's recorded "the Schafer community also believed Bannon murdered three children of another family he had worked for and burnt their house". You can even google this if you don't believe me. So basically, the adaptation of real facts is not "fiction" in a way that deserves critique. All movies based on a true story "stretch" the truth a bit to fit it in the narrative. But overall, you can't tell me this movie doesn't actually attempt to depict the facts of the town with sincerity. It should be told, that the movie doesn't take a strong stance regarding lynching and the death penalty. It just narrates the story, and shows you the grim reality of it all. There's no propaganda involved. It's very objective in this regard, which I respect. It's not a movie I regret watching. But It's not a movie I'll rewatch a lot. Everything on it was good. But you can't the deny the movie is slow. Too slow for it's own good. The movie would've worked better with a runtime of 1h:30 minutes. Or as a miniseries divided into three weekly episodes. It's a good docu-film. It's just not a fun movie to watch. You can watch the first hour easily. But I had to watch the second hour the day after.

The last 20 seconds of the ending film credits tells it all, it is a work of fiction. Sadly, I was really looking forward to this film, as I read the book, but I was really disappointed for many reasons. Both sides of my family for 3 generations lived in the Watford City, ND area, and many generations of both sides of my family are buried in the Schafer Cemetery. I grew-up hearing about the brutal Bannon crimes committed on the Haven family farm, who are also buried in the Schafer Cemetery. The film is entirely too long and slow. The invented fire backstory was fiction, and only made Bannon seem sympathetic, which historically he was not! Charles Bannon, by my relatives firsthand accounts, was a greedy, ruthless murderer of men, women, and children. The code of silence from the lynching in and around Schafer and Watford City, North Dakota persists until today, almost 93 years later. My grandfather showed me photos of Bannon in a Watford City museum when I was young, and he appeared to be the embodiment of evil. Conversely, the actor in this film looked like an alter boy. This film was a REAL missed opportunity to tell a truly tragic history, and while laws were broken, justice prevailed. Hopefully, someday, there will be a more historically accurate and chilling 'reboot' of this film and story.

If you are willing to overlook the 'Cellphone Camera' cinematography and the some what harsh lighting and editing, this film does stand tall in script, the Actors give both an honest and respectful truth to the disturbingly real life event script with a dialog that stands out as actually human, rather than the cut and paste dross one has come to expect over the past decade of paint by numbers Hollywood ... sadly I doubt this film will ever get the 'box office' respect it deserves in terms of effort made as there are no Marvel Superheros in the real world, only true tales seasoned by the likes of Truman Capote, Cormac McCarthy and as it now seems, Daniel Bielinski and Co.

"End of the Rope," a film based on the true story of North Dakota's last lynching, had the potential to be a gripping historical drama. Unfortunately, its excessive length of 2 hours and 19 minutes ultimately undermines its impact. The acting is decent, and the background music complements the story well. However, the pacing is sluggish, and the film could easily have been trimmed by 30 minutes or more without sacrificing any essential plot points. A few anachronistic details, such as items not in use in 1931, detract from the historical accuracy. While these may seem minor, they disrupt the immersion for viewers who are familiar with the time period. Overall, "End of the Rope" would have earned a 6 out of 10 rating if it were a tighter, more focused film. However, its excessive length significantly detracts from the viewing experience, ultimately earning it a 3 out of 10. The performances and music are commendable, but the film's pacing issues and unnecessary scenes make it a slog to watch. Despite its flaws, "End of the Rope" still offers a glimpse into a dark chapter of American history. If you're a fan of historical dramas and don't mind a slower pace, it may be worth watching. However, if you're looking for a tightly edited and fast-paced film, you may want to look elsewhere.

It'd be curious that a journalist who covered the case in person at the time was entirely written out of this 'based on a true story' film (they have one guy show up with a camera and he gets shooed off right away - twice, and speaks no lines.), except that this is, at the least, a half-fictionalized account. Meanwhile, it spends a languorous amount of time showing a mob gin itself up with hate-rage inside a church. There are also no historical facts recorded that 22-yr-old Bannon burned down a family home with three children in it. None. This is adding an extra justification for the hanging that never existed. The pacing is somewhat uneven, with a few needless stretches of filler content. That stuff could've been replaced by scenes depicting the murdered family members' characters instead. But nope, the victims are totally invisible in this. Any of the action and drama that lead to the crimes being committed is also left out. Was this done out of respect or neglect? So, it's rather poorly written, and has silly dialogue at times. And, while it's hardly unlikely to have occurred, it just seems ridiculous to hand out badges and guns for a manhunt to what are clearly depicted as a bunch of unruly townie hotheads. One of the actors in the posse couldn't even ride a horse right during the chase scenes. Also, are they kidding?: The sheriff hands the prisoner a sliced open can with the jagged lid still on it?! Suicidal/homicidal opportunities much? I mean, yeah, they totally didn't protect the accused while in jail IRL, which lead to his death instead of a trial, but Come On! Sadly, the production overall just isn't very good. It's noticeably amateurish on many levels, but most markedly in the script, direction, and the acting. Chris Bylsma as state attorney Sam Taylor, and Joseph Bezenek as the town's alcoholic, sexist crap-stirrer, Jarvis, give noticeably uneven performances that are less than believable throughout. Joseph Gray is quite good when not directed to be overly stone-faced, anguished, or aggressive.

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