The Certified Fresh Western That Plays to Classic ‘Rawhide’ Themes

Of all the classic Western shows that emerged during the early era of television, Rawhide still holds up as an entertaining spin on the classic genre. In addition to spawning the careers of countless Golden-Age stars, including the genre icon Clint Eastwood, Rawhide presented a far grittier and more ethically ambiguous depiction of the “Wild West” than what was commonly seen on television (and most movies) at the time. Eric Fleming’s Gil Favor was a reluctant hero who was nonetheless forced to be an instrument of justice, and the series often tackled such incendiary topics as racial discrimination, social upheaval, civil disunity, and the breakdown of the traditional family unit. Although the series went off the air in 1966, Rawhide’s influence can still be seen in the Westerns of today. The underrated 2021 Western Old Henry is a thrilling revisionist take on the genre that is perfectly suited for Rawhide fans.

Old Henry

A farmer takes in an injured man with a satchel of cash. When a posse comes for the money, he must decide who to trust. Defending a siege, he reveals a gunslinging talent calling his true identity into question.

Release Date

October 1, 2021

Director

Jason Ponciroli

Runtime

99

Main Genre

Western

Writers

Jason Ponciroli

What Is ‘Old Henry’ About?

Set during the dawn of the 20th century in the wake of the Reconstruction Era, Old Henry follows the lonely widower Henry McCarty (Tim Blake Nelson) as he tends to a farming area owned by his brother-in-law, Al (Trace Adkins). Tim’s wife’s death looms over his behavior, as he no longer finds any joy in life, and seems content to simply remain in solitude for the rest of his career. Tim’s only motivation is to protect his son, Wyatt (Gavin Lewis), who is blissfully ignorant to the cruelty of the world. Old Henry succeeds in grounding its genre elements in a strong father-son relationship, allowing the viewer to get invested in the two main characters before the action ramps up. The gloomy take on the Western genre is representative of its unique historical context, as it takes place during a period where traditional Western iconography began to make way for industrialization.

Although Henry is determined to ensure that Wyatt isn’t tempted to strike out on his own adventure, conflict reaches their ranch when the brutalized drifter Curry (Scott Haze) makes his way onto their property in a state of near-death. Claiming to be a lawman who is in possession of a valuable stash of money, Curry reveals that he is being tracked down by the ruthless outlaw Sam Ketchum (Stephen Dorff). Old Henry goes from being an intimate character drama to a propulsive revisionist action thriller once Ketchum arrives and attempts to dissuade Henry from protecting Curry. Despite his attempts to mask his intentions, it’s evident that Ketchum’s greed will lead him to commit savage acts of violence, and will put both Curry and Wyatt’s lives in danger.

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Although it contains a fair amount of memorable shootouts, Old Henry succeeds by forcing the viewer to question the characters’ motivations at every turn. While Curry is clearly fearful of the men that are pursuing him, there’s nothing about his behavior that would suggest he’d extend the same kindness to Henry and Wyatt had their roles been reversed; in fact, the fact that he’s willing to reveal so much to complete strangers suggests that he’s willing to bring others into harm’s way in order to protect himself. Writer/director Potsy Ponciroli does a great job at analyzing these ethical dilemmas, and forcing Henry into a morally compromising position. He is forced to reckon with the unfortunate reality that honor and security are not always the same thing, and that the law does not apply to those who live on the outskirts of society where frontier justice reigns.

Tim Blake Nelson Gives His Best Performance in ‘Old Henry’

Although he has appeared in many great movies, Nelson gets the rare opportunity to play the protagonist in Old Henry. Nelson is often cast by Joel and Ethan Coen as idiosyncratic characters who are defined by their eccentricities, but Old Henry allows him to play a brooding, dark loner who only rarely speaks about his internal desires. It’s a multifaceted performance because Henry is forced into positions where he must take action; like Gil from Rawhide, Henry rejects standard notions of heroism, and does not consider himself to be morally upstanding. While it’s a performance that risked being impenetrable due to his emotional coldness, Nelson is able to show the importance that raising Wyatt plays in Henry’s life. His desire to give his son a better life than the one he was afforded is due to genuine empathy, and not just a paternal sense of duty.

While the setup of an innocent family being drawn into the cyclical violence of the Wild West is a fairly common one in the genre, Old Henry becomes infinitely more interesting due to plot twists that reveal secrets about Henry’s past. As Henry’s aptitude for self-defense comes as a shock to both Curry and Ketchum, Wyatt begins to realize that his father may share a connection with a certain notorious outlaw who has been depicted in other media: Billy the Kid. The reveals are delicately interwoven into the narrative, as Henry only reveals the truth about his past to Wyatt when it is absolutely necessary to their survival. This allows both Wyatt and the viewer to reckon with the emotional ramifications of what they have learned.

‘Old Henry’ Subverts the Revenge Thriller Formula

While the titular hero’s bloodlust is amplified by the rising action, Old Henry is not a typical revenge thriller by any stretch of the imagination. Henry’s deepest conflict is the one he has with himself, as he has come to despise the violence that he was once associated with. While it’s evident that Henry can more than handle himself in a gunfight, he doesn’t want to act in a way that could in any way influence Wyatt’s behavior.

Old Henry serves as a clever commentary on the mythologization of the west, as it shows the painful reality that fearsome outlaws face when they are forced to live a normal life. Similar to Rawhide, it’s a Western that succeeds by acknowledging historical truths rather than ignoring the era’s more ugly aspects. Thanks to the twisty screenplay and excellent star turn by Nelson, Old Henry is a terrific throwback that feels decidedly modern with its insightful approach to the Western genre.

Old Henry is streaming on The Roku Channel.

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