Sam Elliott, dubbed ”Hollywood’s favorite modern cowboy,” has recently come under fire after sharing some harsh criticism for the Oscar-nominated film The Power of the Dog.
“You want to talk about that piece of s–t?,” he said during a recent episode of Marc Maron’s WTF podcast.
Prior to sharing his opinion about the Netflix film, Elliott discussed various TV shows and films on the hour-long episode with Maron.
It wasn’t until the end that Maron brought up the Western psychological drama.
Maron asked if Elliott liked the film, to which the 77-year-old actor quickly replied, “F–k no.”
Sam Elliott, synonymous with the Western genre, went on to explain that while filming for 1883 in Texas it really got him thinking about the film and how the American west was portrayed.
There was a f–kin’ full page ad out in the LA Times, and there was a clip, and it talked about the evisceration of the American myth. And I thought ‘What the f–k? What the f–k?’ … What are all those dancers, those guys in New York that wear bowties and not much else? That’s what all these f–king cowboys in that movie looked like, running around in chaps and no shirts. There were all these allusions to homosexuality throughout the f–king movie.
Maron confirmed Elliott’s suspicions. The Power of the Dog is based on a 1967 novel which explores the lives of two brothers who live on a ranch in Montana. One of them, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, is a closeted gay man who battles toxic masculinity throughout the film.
The film, which has received praise from critics and the average person, covers love, resentment, grief, and sexuality.
Elliott, known for his many appearances on-screen starring as cowboys and ranchers, continued to give his opinion about the film’s director, Jane Campion. While he called her a “brilliant director,” he questioned some of her choices.
What the f–k does this woman — she’s a brilliant director, by the way, I love her work, previous work — but what the f–k does this woman from down there, New Zealand, know about the American West? And why in the f–k does she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana and say, ‘This is the way it was.’ That f–king rubbed me the wrong way, pal. The myth is that they were these macho men out there with the cattle. I just come from f–king Texas where I was hanging out with families, not men, but families, big, long, extended, multiple-generation families that made their living and their lives were all about being cowboys.
What do you think about Sam Elliott’s comments?
Was he a bit harsh or is everyone entitled to their opinion? Let us know what your thoughts are, and if you’ve seen The Power of the Dog, what did you think?
