Watch movie and answer discussion questionsMcCabe & Mrs. Miller Discussion Points
1. Discuss the following “formal” aspects of the film, IF they seem notable to you:
a. sound (overlapping dialogue, etc.)
b. music (use of Leonard Cohen songs on soundtrack)
c. photography
d. sets, costumes, etc.
2. If you are familiar with Westerns, compare this film to an archetypal Western (or you can choose a specific one). What elements are the same, different, opposite? Is this an “anti-Western”?
3. The protagonists of this film and Belle de jour are both prostitutes. Are there similarities in the way they are portrayed? What about the image of prostitution in general in each film?
4. What about McCabe & Mrs. Miller from a feminist viewpoint? Does it contain a positive, negative, or mixed image of women?
5. McCabe is the protagonist of this film. But is he a hero? Compare him to other film heroes, including Holly Martins (The Third Man), Jeff (Rear Window), and/or heroes-protagonists in any other film (your choice).
6. This film was released in 1971. Are there aspects which seem especially relevant to that period?