The first time that I saw this movie, it didn't really have an impact on me. I think that this was because I wasn't giving it my full attention. But the few times that I have seen it since it has made deep impressions on me that only a few films have done. Harry Dean Stanton's performance should be ranked among the great performances of all time in the movies. He doesn't have to say much in the first half of the film but the expressions on his face tell us he is in pain, almost like his soul has been ripped from his body. But we only find out later the reason for this.
(Spoilers) Travis (Stanton) we find is suffering from guilt and the pain of losing the things in life that he loved the most. Most men that have loved will see part of themselves in Travis' stories of how jealousy drove him to not let his wife out of his sight, but we don't take it as far as Travis, drink drove his jealousy to new heights. Even though some of his stories would appall us, now we have seen how he destroyed his life, or the drink destroyed him, we now feel sorry for him. The two monologues with Jane are, in my opinion, two scenes that will stay with every viewer for a long time. Travis cannot even look at Jane because it would cause him too much pain and break him even further. But before he leaves Jane he needs to tell her why he did the things to her that he did, only then could Travis find some peace and maybe regain a part of the soul that he lost.
Like John Wayne in "The Searchers" Travis realises at the end of the film that he has to go and leave alone, that he ruined his chance of a happy life with Hunter and Jane, or he realised that he could never be happy with her, for the intense love that he felt for Jane would always bring jealousy and suspicion would that would always be at the front of his mind.
The music also deserve a mention. The southern, bluesy slide guitar by Ry Cooder is so simple but so effective in adding to the lazy pace of the movie.
(Spoilers) Travis (Stanton) we find is suffering from guilt and the pain of losing the things in life that he loved the most. Most men that have loved will see part of themselves in Travis' stories of how jealousy drove him to not let his wife out of his sight, but we don't take it as far as Travis, drink drove his jealousy to new heights. Even though some of his stories would appall us, now we have seen how he destroyed his life, or the drink destroyed him, we now feel sorry for him. The two monologues with Jane are, in my opinion, two scenes that will stay with every viewer for a long time. Travis cannot even look at Jane because it would cause him too much pain and break him even further. But before he leaves Jane he needs to tell her why he did the things to her that he did, only then could Travis find some peace and maybe regain a part of the soul that he lost.
Like John Wayne in "The Searchers" Travis realises at the end of the film that he has to go and leave alone, that he ruined his chance of a happy life with Hunter and Jane, or he realised that he could never be happy with her, for the intense love that he felt for Jane would always bring jealousy and suspicion would that would always be at the front of his mind.
The music also deserve a mention. The southern, bluesy slide guitar by Ry Cooder is so simple but so effective in adding to the lazy pace of the movie.