Have Gun - Will Travel : Pilot
Genre: Western
Director: Frank Darabont
Writer: Dwight Gallo
Based on the television series
Cast: Walton Goggins, Benedict Wong, Adrianne Palicki, John Savage, Duncan Ollerenshaw, Blake Shields and Rebecca Mader
Plot: 1865. San Francisco. A gentleman who goes by the name Paladin (Walton Goggins) sips his coffee at the Hotel Charlemagne. He is brought the daily newspaper by the bellhop, Chan (Benedict Wong). Paladin reads in the paper that President Lincoln has been shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth. Paladin is disgusted by the turn of events and closes the paper. He asks Chan to get him his mail. A woman, Helena Pervis (Adrianne Palicki) enters the dining area and sits down. Paladin mentions that not a lot of women stay at this particular establishment and asks Helena what brings her there. She tells him that her husband has sent her to stay there while he's away on business. She starts to go into detail that he's in the gunslinging business, but he already had all the explanation he needs and asks Chan to bring Helena a cup of coffee on him. He explains to her that the entire hotel is only for gunfighting sorts, as a safe place to lay low. Helena expresses surprise that someone as well put together and fancily dressed like Paladin could ever be a gunfighter. Paladin advises her against judging a book by its cover and excuses himself back to his room.
In his stack of mail, Paladin finds a package containing a book of poetry by Keats. He opens it to find a letter from Winston Ainsley who purports to be a gunfighter of some note himself. The name sounds vaguely familiar so Paladin reads on. The letter asks Paladin to come to Carson City to see him about a job. Paladin asks Chan to get him a ticket for the stagecoach to Carson City. When Paladin arrives in Carson City, the other passenger, Matt Barker (Duncan Ollerenshaw), from the coach staggers out in a drunken stupor and starts yelling for his brother Andy to no avail. Paladin explains to the driver that he's there to see Ainsley, the driver takes both men inside the station. The station master give Matt his brother's things and informs him that Ainsley killed Andy in a gunfight earlier that day.
Winston Ainsley (John Savage) enters the station and hears the station master demanding payment from Matt for storing his brother's things. Ainsley offers to pay the charges and tells Matt that they can discuss the situation that happened once he is good and sober. Matt lunges at Ainsley and punches him. Ainsley takes the punch, refusing to draw his gun on the grieving man. When Matt charges at Ainsley again, Paladin steps in the way and tells Matt to back down. Matt refuses, so Paladin punches Matt in the gut. The Carson City Sheriff (Blake Shields) enters the station and Ainsley suggests that he get Matt out of town. The lawman refuses, even after Ainsley offers to pay for the ticket. The sheriff tells Ainsley that he should get out of town if he doesn't like the situation. The sheriff then turns to Paladin and warns him that Ainsley has killed nearly a dozen men over the years. As Ainsley and Paladin leave the station to go talk, Matt vows to kill the gunslinger, challenging Ainsley to a gunfight.
Ainsley takes Paladin to his home and shows him his extensive book collection. Ainsley's daughter Annie (Rebecca Mader), enters and congratulates Paladin on his ability to make a living as a gunfighter. Paladin tells her that he does his best to make his living without drawing his weapon. Ainsley tells Paladin he has an odd job for him: he wants Paladin to shoot him fair and square in his gun hand so that people will stop challenging him to gun fights. Paladin asks why Ainsley doesn't just leave town, but Ainsley insists he's too well-known and that Carson City is a good location for him to live due to respiratory issues. He explains that he wants Paladin to claim he was hired to kill him, they'll have a little shoot-out, and Paladin will end up wounding his hand. Paladin worries that he could miss and accidentally kill Ainsley. Annie wonders aloud why Paladin doesn't just shoot her father immediately. Paladin, annoyed by her barbs, hands her his pistol and invites her to shoot her father if she thinks it's that easy. She refuses and leaves the room.
Later, Paladin runs into the sheriff. The lawman informs him that Ainsley has filed a complaint against Paladin but that Paladin won't have any trouble with the law as long as it's a fair gunfight. Paladin asks why the sheriff isn't helping Ainsley, and the lawman says that Ainsley didn't care for the law when he was killing men, and some of his victims had family. Paladin tells the sheriff and the other bystanders that Ainsley is worth twelve of them. He might kill Ainsley but he won't be proud of it.
The next day, Paladin walks out on the street and discovers that the townspeople are setting up to watch the gunfight. They wish Paladin luck and he calls out to Ainsley. Meanwhile, Matt takes up a position on a second-story stairway and aims his rifle. The townspeople yell for Ainsley to come out and he finally emerges. As they prepare to stage their fake gunfight, Matt opens fire, forcing both men to take cover. Ainsley ducks behind a water trough while the townspeople run off in terror. Matt shoots the water trough and calls to Ainsley that once the water runs out, the wood won't stop the bullets. Ainsley runs out of bullets and Paladin gets an idea. He calls to Ainsley to toss him his gun and then reloads it, but he tosses it back just short of the trough. Ainsley realizes what Paladin intends and reaches out with his right hand. Matt shoots him in the hand, crippling him, and Paladin runs out and shoots Matt dead.
Anna runs to her father, who is happy that his career is finally over. Paladin offers to fight Ainsley left-handed, but the townspeople rally around Ainsley. The sheriff tells Paladin to get out of town, explaining that they may not like a man but they won't stand by and let him be murdered. Paladin tells Ainsley that his employer will be satisfied now that the older gunfighter is crippled and leaves Carson City for good. Upon his return to San Francisco, Paladin happily settles into the dining room of the Hotel Charlemagne with the book of Keats poems and a nice cup of coffee.
In his stack of mail, Paladin finds a package containing a book of poetry by Keats. He opens it to find a letter from Winston Ainsley who purports to be a gunfighter of some note himself. The name sounds vaguely familiar so Paladin reads on. The letter asks Paladin to come to Carson City to see him about a job. Paladin asks Chan to get him a ticket for the stagecoach to Carson City. When Paladin arrives in Carson City, the other passenger, Matt Barker (Duncan Ollerenshaw), from the coach staggers out in a drunken stupor and starts yelling for his brother Andy to no avail. Paladin explains to the driver that he's there to see Ainsley, the driver takes both men inside the station. The station master give Matt his brother's things and informs him that Ainsley killed Andy in a gunfight earlier that day.
Winston Ainsley (John Savage) enters the station and hears the station master demanding payment from Matt for storing his brother's things. Ainsley offers to pay the charges and tells Matt that they can discuss the situation that happened once he is good and sober. Matt lunges at Ainsley and punches him. Ainsley takes the punch, refusing to draw his gun on the grieving man. When Matt charges at Ainsley again, Paladin steps in the way and tells Matt to back down. Matt refuses, so Paladin punches Matt in the gut. The Carson City Sheriff (Blake Shields) enters the station and Ainsley suggests that he get Matt out of town. The lawman refuses, even after Ainsley offers to pay for the ticket. The sheriff tells Ainsley that he should get out of town if he doesn't like the situation. The sheriff then turns to Paladin and warns him that Ainsley has killed nearly a dozen men over the years. As Ainsley and Paladin leave the station to go talk, Matt vows to kill the gunslinger, challenging Ainsley to a gunfight.
Ainsley takes Paladin to his home and shows him his extensive book collection. Ainsley's daughter Annie (Rebecca Mader), enters and congratulates Paladin on his ability to make a living as a gunfighter. Paladin tells her that he does his best to make his living without drawing his weapon. Ainsley tells Paladin he has an odd job for him: he wants Paladin to shoot him fair and square in his gun hand so that people will stop challenging him to gun fights. Paladin asks why Ainsley doesn't just leave town, but Ainsley insists he's too well-known and that Carson City is a good location for him to live due to respiratory issues. He explains that he wants Paladin to claim he was hired to kill him, they'll have a little shoot-out, and Paladin will end up wounding his hand. Paladin worries that he could miss and accidentally kill Ainsley. Annie wonders aloud why Paladin doesn't just shoot her father immediately. Paladin, annoyed by her barbs, hands her his pistol and invites her to shoot her father if she thinks it's that easy. She refuses and leaves the room.
Later, Paladin runs into the sheriff. The lawman informs him that Ainsley has filed a complaint against Paladin but that Paladin won't have any trouble with the law as long as it's a fair gunfight. Paladin asks why the sheriff isn't helping Ainsley, and the lawman says that Ainsley didn't care for the law when he was killing men, and some of his victims had family. Paladin tells the sheriff and the other bystanders that Ainsley is worth twelve of them. He might kill Ainsley but he won't be proud of it.
The next day, Paladin walks out on the street and discovers that the townspeople are setting up to watch the gunfight. They wish Paladin luck and he calls out to Ainsley. Meanwhile, Matt takes up a position on a second-story stairway and aims his rifle. The townspeople yell for Ainsley to come out and he finally emerges. As they prepare to stage their fake gunfight, Matt opens fire, forcing both men to take cover. Ainsley ducks behind a water trough while the townspeople run off in terror. Matt shoots the water trough and calls to Ainsley that once the water runs out, the wood won't stop the bullets. Ainsley runs out of bullets and Paladin gets an idea. He calls to Ainsley to toss him his gun and then reloads it, but he tosses it back just short of the trough. Ainsley realizes what Paladin intends and reaches out with his right hand. Matt shoots him in the hand, crippling him, and Paladin runs out and shoots Matt dead.
Anna runs to her father, who is happy that his career is finally over. Paladin offers to fight Ainsley left-handed, but the townspeople rally around Ainsley. The sheriff tells Paladin to get out of town, explaining that they may not like a man but they won't stand by and let him be murdered. Paladin tells Ainsley that his employer will be satisfied now that the older gunfighter is crippled and leaves Carson City for good. Upon his return to San Francisco, Paladin happily settles into the dining room of the Hotel Charlemagne with the book of Keats poems and a nice cup of coffee.
Setting aside Walton Goggins' showy performance and a good guest role for John Savage, I feel like (and this has become a recurring trend with Last Resort Television) the supporting characters aren't given any room to breathe and thus are under developed. Benedict Wong and Adrianne Palicki aren't given much to do and it bothered me a bit. I'll still be there next week though, the pilot was really solid.
Walton Goggins oozes charisma in a rare leading role for the veteran character actor. He carries every scene he's in with ease and he's a joy to watch from the beginning until the end.
The Last Resort Films studio has revived the western genre and its television counterpart just snagged a darn good old-fashioned western from acclaimed writer Dwight Gallo. I would have like to hear a little more about the Charlemagne and its occupants, but as far as the pilot goes, it looks pretty good to me.
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