In 1964, Jack Nicholson and Director Monte Hellman collaborated on an adventure film, FLIGHT TO FURY. They formed a working relationship that would spill over into a new film project. Jack Nicholson penned a script for a Western film called RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND, which Hellman agreed to direct. The only thing they lacked was proper funding. They took Nicholson’s script and pitched the concept to producer Roger Corman. In true Corman fashion, he offered to finance the film with one caveat—Nicholson and Hellman must agree to film another Western back-to-back with RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND. So the duo agreed to take on another low budget project, THE SHOOTING, featuring the same crew and cast. When the films both debuted in 1966, they proved to be successful at drive-ins across the country, and allowed Nicholson and Hellman to make their mark in the Western genre. VCI Home Entertainment acquired the rights to release these films (which have never been seen on home video) on newly remastered special edition DVDs with the input of Monte Hellman himself.

When the rodeo they were to perform in got canceled, two riders, Wes (Jack Nicholson) and Vern (Cameron Mitchell), they intend to make the return trip home to Texas. As they are travelling down a path, they discover a lynching victim dangling from a pole. They decide to move on, but stumble across a gang of outlaws who are responsible for the hanging. Instead of making trouble, the gang leader, Blind Dick (Harry Dean Stanton) offers Wes and Vern food and shelter. Wes and Vern are not in a position to turn down their host’s invitation, and share in the gang’s food and company. Wes and Vern set up camp next to the outlaws’ shack and get a good nights sleep. They are awakened in the morning by the gunfire of a large posse that has been organized to take out the outlaw gang. The posse begins to blow away the gang members, and unfortunately, because Wes and Vern are on the premises, they are assumed to be members of the outlaw gang. Even though they are innocent, Wes and Vern flee into the canyons, and the posse members begin the long chase to capture them.

Having shot or lynched the outlaw gang, the posse turns their attentions towards Wes and Vern, whom they believe are members of the outlaw gang. Wes and Vern know they will be hanged if they are caught so they become desperately nervous. They need horses if they expect to get away from the posse. When they come across a frontier family, desperation forces Wes and Vern to take the mother and daughter (Millie Perkins) hostage. They use the mother and daughter to lure the father into a trap. When they preside over the entire family, they inform the father that they must take his horses to escape the posse that is searching for them. Just when they are about to leave on horseback and release their hostages, a posse leader comes to check on the family. Wes and Vern send the father out to turn away the posse member, but instead the father whispers that his family is being held hostage inside their cabin. Wes and Vern make a break for it, but the posse dogs them the entire way. How will Wes and Vern escape with their lives and clear their names?

Jack Nicholson’s script carefully avoids the cliches that befall most Western films. Nicholson removes the entire good hero vs. greedy villain scenario that is present in every Western film ever made. In the world of RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND, there are no heroes and no villains. The posse is made up of law enforcers, and the protagonists are simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. This sense of tragedy is what gives the film its power. RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND focuses less on action, and more on authenticity, atmosphere, and melodrama. That’s not to say that there is no action; there is actually quite a bit of gunplay and lynchings. It’s just that Monte Hellman’s artistic approach stretches out the action with plenty of tense moments and grim emotion. Hellman takes his time to establish a mood by doing things like focusing the camera on an old man who washes his face. Hellman does this for a reason of course. Later in the film when the old man is washing his face, it is a moment of great suspense. Hellman pulls out all his cinematic bag of tricks to make RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND rise above it’s low-budget roots.

Hellman reduces The Western genre to its basic essentials. Outlaws trapped in a shack are smoked out by unforgiving lawmen. The protagonists are on the lam from a lynch mob. Tense, purse-lipped dialog between reluctant kidnappers and their hostages. All wrapped up in the Hellman’s artsy approach that is often compared to that of Wim Wenders or Jim Jarmusch. Hellman uses his trademarked naturalistic style and pace with invisibly punchy editing rhythms and mystical cinematography. Hellman imbues RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND with a simplistic tone with authentic cowboy vernacular. There is a feeling of sadness between each and every line. Add to this the brilliant underplaying of Jack Nicholson and Cameron Mitchell, and you have one of the most authentic Westerns of all time.

Today, we see Jack Nicholson deliver big performances in this phase of his career. How refreshing it is to see him play small, before he became the icon that he is. Even back then when he was working for Corman, you can clearly see that he has that something special that would make him a star. Cameron Mitchell turns in a subtle, unmannered, personal performance. His controlled facial expressions and the look in his eyes convey his character’s sense of vulnerability and despair. In the conclusion, Mitchell delivers one of the most memorable and realistic farewells in Western history. Millie Perkins (as the hostage, Abigail) delivers a suitably geeky performance as this young range woman, who is quite different from her hell bent character from THE SHOOTING. Perkins is a rare actress in that despite being beautiful, she’s also quite intelligent and talented.

VCI Home Entertainment has come a long way with their DVD menuing systems and related features. While this DVD is not overflowing with extras, the stuff that is here is worthwhile. From the extras menu, you can access the Photo Gallery, which provides a glimpse at nine black and white production photos. There are talent bios/filmographies for these cast and crew members: Monty Hellman, Jack Nicholson, Millie Perkins, Cameron Mitchell, Harry Dean Stanton, Greg Sandor, Gary Kurtz, and Paul Lewis. VCI included a text-based analysis of RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND by one of the film’s biggest boosters, Quentin Tarentino. The highlight of the extras menu is unquestionably the audio commentary. The commentary is hosted by film journalist David Bartok, who fields questions to director Monte Hellman and actress Millie Perkins. Both Hellman and Perkins reminisce about the genesis and filming of RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND. They have a lot of nice things to say about their former cast members, and provide some amusing anecdotes. Some commentaries are laden with humor and gossip, but Hellman’s commentary comes off as straight-laced and professional—but never boring.

Also included are trailers for these Hellman offerings:

-  Darren Collette