Riders of the Purple Sage
Tags: revenge

Plot synopsis:
The events depicted in Riders of the Purple Sage occur in mid-spring and late summer 1871. Early in Riders of the Purple Sage, Jane Withersteen's main conflict is her right to befriend a Gentile. (The word Gentile means "non-Mormon" and is used a lot in the book). Jane Withersteen’s father wished Jane to marry Elder Tull, but Jane refused saying she did not love him, causing controversy and leading to persecution by the local Mormons.
Jane’s friend, (cowboy) Bern Venters is "arrested" by Tull and his men, but is not clear under what authority. Jane defends Venters, declaring him her best rider. Her churchmen refuse to value the opinion of a woman:
"Tull lifted a shaking finger toward her. 'That'll do from you. Understand, you'll not be allowed to hold this boy [Venters] to a friendship that's offensive to your bishop. Jane Withersteen, your father left you wealth and power. It has turned your head. You haven't yet come to see the place of Mormon women ...'"
It is here we first hear of Lassiter. Ironically, at the moment when Venters mentions Lassiter’s name, the actual Lassiter is seen approaching in the distance by Tull’s men.
Upon his arrival, Lassiter expresses his trust in the word of women, at which Tull rebukes him, telling him not to meddle in Mormon affairs. Tull’s men begin to take Venters away, and Venters realizes who he is and screams "Lassiter!" Tull understands that this is the infamous Lassiter and flees.
Lassiter inquires as to the location of Millie Erne's grave, to which a transfixed Jane agrees to take him. Venters later tells Jane he must leave her. When she protests, Venters delivers this statement: " ... Tull is implacable. You ought to see from his intention today that ... but you can't see. Your blindness ... your damned religion! Jane, forgive me ... I'm sore within and something rankles. Well, I fear that invisible hand [of Mormon power in the region] will turn its hidden work to your ruin.", showing that Venters could see far into the future, and although Jane rebukes his statement, he is indeed correct.
Jane’s red herd is rustled shortly afterward and Venters tracks it and returns it to Jane. Bern finds the herd, but, in his travels, wages a gun battle with two of Oldring’s rustlers, killing one and managing to wound Oldring’s notorious Masked Rider. Upon further examination, he removes the mask and shirt of the wounded rider and learns that the Masked Rider is a young woman named Bess whom he believes had been abused by Oldring. Venters experiences a large amount of guilt about shooting a girl and decides that it is his duty to save her.
Venters discovers Surprise Valley and Balancing Rock, where he takes Bess, the girl he has found. Bess gradually gains health and begins to fall in love with Venters who begins to fall in love with Bess. Each explain their individual stories ambiguously, but through Venters' dedicated care for Bess, the pair forms a mutual love that leads to their resolve to marry. Bess also discovered the truth concerning Oldring’s rustlers, who rustled cattle only to disguise their true lifestyle of surviving off gold in the streams and business deals with the Mormons.
Venters then determines that there is a need for supplies warranting a trip back to Cottonwoods. On his way, Venters sees Jane Withersteen’s prize horses being stolen. He kills the thieves and retrieves the horses for Jane, but unfortunately loses his horse, Wrangle.
Jane’s horses are returned to her, and are locked in the entry hall to Withersteen's house. Venters officially breaks his friendship with Jane at this time. He goes into the village and proclaimed that he was breaking his friendship and leaving. After he leaves, Jane’s other herd gets stolen.
Jane at first pretends to love Lassiter — knowing he came to Utah to avenge his sister Milly Erne — to prevent him from murdering Mormon elders she knew were guilty. The two characters grow to love each other. Then Jane's adopted daughter Fay is kidnapped and Lassiter kills Bishop Dyer while risking his own life.
The four main characters — Venters, Bess, Lassiter, and Jane — realize that they can no longer safely stay in Utah. Lassiter convinces Jane to prepare to leave with him, Lassiter determines the name of a Mormon who contributed to the ruin of Milly and Jane implicates her father in the proselytizing of Milly. In a state of shock, Jane packs.
Meanwhile, in Surprise Valley, Venters and Bess are preparing to leave as Jane and Lassiter departing, except on burros. Lassiter sets fire to Withersteen House and flees on horseback with Jane. They encounter Venters and Bess in travel. Before they part, Lassiter explains that Bess is not really Bess Oldring, but actually Elizabeth Erne, the lost daughter of Milly Erne.
Jane gives Venters her horses, Venters and Bess gallop for Venters' Illinois home, and Lassiter and Jane find refuge in Venters' valley paradise. On the way, Lassiter rescues Fay, but they are pursued to Surprise Valley. As Tull and his men begin to climb up the cliffside, Jane shouts to Lassiter to "roll the stone," which he does. The ensuing avalanche closes the outlet to Deception Pass "forever." (This is, of course, not true, as Jane, Lassiter, and Fay return in Grey's sequel, The Rainbow Trail/The Desert Crucible.)
=== Reflections ===
Unlike many Western novels, which are often straightforward and stylized morality tales, Riders of the Purple Sage is a long novel with a complex plot that develops in many threads. The story is set in the cañon country of southern Utah in 1871. Jane Withersteen, a Mormon-born spinster of 28, has inherited a valuable ranch and spring from her father, which is coveted by other Mormons in the community. When Jane refuses to marry one of the (polygamous) Mormon elders and instead befriends Venters, a young Gentile rider, the Mormons begin to persecute her openly. Meanwhile, Lassiter, a notorious gunman, arrives at the Withersteen ranch in search of the grave of his long-lost sister, and stays on as Jane's defender while Venters is on the trail of a gang of rustlers that includes a mysterious Masked Rider. Jane is intent on preventing Lassiter from doing further violence to Mormons and is eventually driven off her ranch as the persecution escalates, but she and Lassiter fall in love, Lassiter solves the mystery of his sister's death and the fate of her child, the Masked Rider is unmasked, and Venters finds his own romance. Along the way, Jane also finds time to adopt Fay Larkin, a young Gentile orphan who accompanies her and Lassiter at the end of the story
Riders of the Purple Sage was written in 1912 and is set in a remote part of Utah after the influx of Mormon settlers (1847-1857) as a backdrop for the plot (1871). The Mormons had been centered in Kirtland, Ohio in the 1830s and Zane Grey would have been aware of the Mormon sect given that he grew up in Zanesville, Ohio.
Plural marriage was only officially prohibited by the Mormons with the issuing of the First and Second Manifesto in 1890 and 1904 respectively, enacted primarily to allow the territory to attain statehood. In 1871, mainstream American society found plural marriage offensive. Even after the Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act was passed in 1862, the practice continued. Therefore, Zane Grey described the distaste of the institution through Lassiter in 1912, some 22 years after the practice had officially ended.

Review: If you liked the movie and haven't read the book, read it..
I watched this movie out of curiosity because I have the book and have read it; five times.
That seemed like a lot for a two hour (I believe it was two hours) movie.
I wanted to see how good the movie was and what parts of the book the movie omitted.
I liked the movie despite the fact that it very understandably omitted a lot from the book.
I read through the other user comments quickly and found two that said they like the movie better than the book.
I would like to encourage those of you who have seen the movie but not read the book to get the book and read it.
Parts of the book tend to be grandiose, which might be why the two users said they liked the movie better.
To me, the book tells a great story with meaty characters that you get to know and care very much about.
Central is Jane Withersteen who is being intimidated by the top Mormon men of her community.
Good and Evil depends on ones point of view.
Good and Evil depends on ones point of view.
Just as the person before me in his review stated, if you haven't read the book, you might want to, so that you will understand the obvious points that had to be left out of the movie.
It really is important to make some understanding of the thought's that Zane Grey, one of the premiere western writers of the past.
He was ahead of his time giving psychological reasoning for his character's as well as one of the best describers of surrounding beauty that the characters are enveloped in.The evil men in this portrait of the depravity of men (even those of "religious' belief's) is portrayed vividly by the men of the Mormon church as they saw their duty.
Portrayed brilliantly by an outstanding cast.Then comes Lassiter, who is violent in his own way and yet gentle and kind.
He steps up to the plate and helps Jane Withersteen (played by Amy Madigan in one of her most impressive acting to date), while Lassiter (played in a hard as rock characterization by Ed Harris) still after those who caused his family member to commit suicide.
I believe these characters played by this particular cast very brilliantly portrayed just as those envisioned by Zane Grey in his book "Riders of the Purple Sage".The screen play is very well done by Gill Dennis from the book written by Zane Grey.
If it was not a movie made for television, it would rank up there with the best like Eastwoods "The Unforgiven" and Costner's "Open Range" with each of those carrying "star power" and Rider's unsung actors.Tough interpretation of a hard subject, still beyond it's time..
In most movies, gunslingers are cold men with hot bullets, but in this movie Ed Harris convinces the audience that no-one is beyond redemption.
Killing out of hatred has not turned Lassiter into a robot with a gun, but a human being plagued by the life he has chosen.
The most realistic, honest western I've ever seen.
Unlike the "western saga" with noise and unbelievable actions scenes, this movie is like watching the events as they happen.
You are taken back to the time Zane Grey wanted to capture with his pen, and it was well translated in this film.
Harris and Madigan bring a reality to a classic tale..
Having read the original novel after seeing the film, I was most impressed how well it adhered to the original plot line from the Zane Grey novel.
Ed Harris, an actor that I usually do not care for, was very, very impressive in this film.
As Lassiter, I loved his delivery of the line to the bad Mormons: "Where I come from, a woman's word is law." Harris conveys the right portion of menace and due respect when necessary in his role.I saw this on TV; I wish it had been on the big screenToo bad Zane Grey never saw this version; I sure he would have been very happy with this production..
I've heard/seen the title "Riders of the Purple Sage" for as long as I can remember, but never read the book, nor did I ever see any of the previous versions of this Zane Gray novel.
It wasn't until I became a big Ed Harris fan that I started looking for more of his films, and ended up buying "Riders." I knew it was going to be good, but wow!, I couldn't have imagined it would be teriffic -by far the best western, and one of the best films, period, I've ever seen.There is so much to this story.
the two love stories of course; the hypocrisy of the "righteous", and the redeeming qualities of those who on the surface may appear to be "evil" or "bad guys"; the power of love between the most unlikely couples; and the spiritual power of love and trust, just for starters.I don't know if the script was taken directly from the book, but  the dialogue was magical in many scenes.
Amy Madigan and Ed Harris were magical too, partly due to their personal relationship I'm sure, but their work together in this film was unforgetable.
This is one of the films I will be watching over and over again.
See the movie and read the book - both are enjoyable.
For any fan of a good western and Zane Gray this movie is well worth the viewing time.
I had read the book several times over the years and found this movie lived up to my expectations.
The movie was as true to the book as any movie of this nature can be.
The action will draw you in, I had to go back and reread the book to see if I missed something.
The authenticity of the scenery as well as the beauty really helped make the movie.
Lassiter starts out as a somewhat questionable hero but quickly you realize that he is one of the quiet good guys.
Reminded me of some of the older western movies like "Shane" or some of the newer ones like "Tom Horn" or "The Sackets.
Read the book, see the movie, and then read the book again it will be worth your time..
Very enjoyable film...pretty true to the book as I remember it..
I was an avid Zane Grey reader as a teenager in the forties & have not re-read the book since.
However,when viewing the movie, I felt the same aura of old west romance that I remembered from many years before.
I have always felt that, in spite of his rather blatant racism, Zane Grey wove exciting and entertaining stories.
I wish there would be additional efforts to bring more of his books to either the small or large screen, and that they would be as well made as "Riders of the Purple Sage"..
Solid Western action.
I was pleasantly surprised when I watched this movie.
Ed Harris plays arough and tumble gun-slinger named Lassiter.
The romantic action between Harrisand Amy Madigan is subtle and beautifully portrayed.
Some of thesupporting cast are a bit one dimensional but the overall film issmooth paced, well-done, and has a happy ending.
If you arelooking for a good modern western film, this is it..
Does the book justice.
Trying to create a film adaptation of one of the most popular books of all time almost 100 years after the book's original publication could delight and disappoint many.
In doing so, the director must do the book justice while adapting it to a visual format that will engage modern audiences.
When director Charles Haid helmed the second film version of Zane Grey's Riders of the Purple Sage, he pulled off the task of making a film that both entertains Grey neophytes and long-time readers.
He accomplished this by sticking to what made the book tick: beautiful settings and archetypal characters.Since Haid shot his film on location in Moab, UT, he merely had to let the camera pan to accomplish half what he needed to in the film.
Many times in the film, the characters simply provide an excuse for the presentation of the canyon lands around them.
While the book describes Venters state of mind in laborious detail, Haid merely lets his shooting location tell the tale.Very little of the plot which first appears in Grey's book is changed in Haid's film version.
Other than small, necessary changes that streamline the film and make it watchable, the characters and conflict run true to the book.
While the book specifically names Mormons as the evil force out to ruin Jane, the movie opts instead to create a Unitarian-type Protestant church without picking by name on the Mormons.
Where Grey uses three men to make up Jane's stable help, the film combines all three into one.
While not the same as the book, the change works to simplify the film while not significantly changing the book's story.In terms of characterization, an older Ed Harris and Amy Madigan play the leading roles of Lassiter and Jane.
While Harris's skullet (bald with mullet) and Madigan's wrinkles may not accurately represent the young and beautiful vibrancy of the book's characters, these veteran actors more than make up in acting what they lack in appearance.
You believe Jane's ambivalence towards her church and Lassiter when you hear Madigan's earnestly delivered lines.
You find yourself taken in by Lassiter's tortured past and consuming present when Harris squints, rides, shoots, and weeps under the Utah sky.
Even little Elliot from E.T., Henry Thomas, pulls off a convincing, grown up performance as the spurned Venters.In the end, this movie will entertain any fan of the Western film genre, while at the same time satisfying even the most devoted Zane Grey fan.
With great settings from Moab, UT, a screenplay that does little to depart from the original text, and sound performances from good actors, this film works.
a v.g. as in very good western.
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Harris, like Mr. and Mrs. Paul Newman, Mr. and Mrs. Frederic March, Mr. and Mrs. Hume Cronyn, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Colman, even Mr. and Mrs. Jack Benny work beautifully together as they help make sense out of Zane Grey's, "Riders Of the Purple Sage."Unfortunately, that wonderful all-west title was borrowed by some sort of psychedelic band calling themselves, "New Riders of the Purple Sage."I'll stick to the old riders, thank you just as the movie sticks closely to the original book.The movie is up to its eyeballs in philosophy, but it is not so deep that the residents of Dolt City would be confused.The background music is quite good, even if it does not include the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.The story will keep you interested from top to bottom.
In dialogue it is more than a tad above Gene, Roy, and Tex, etc., all of whom i deeply enjoy."Riders Of the Purple Sage" is a thinking person's western, while in no way losing the flavor of a western film.Go see it.
Gunfighter comes seeking missing sister and niece., Sub-story has 2 young adults from opposite sides meet..
This is a movie that I enjoyed so much that I have watched it every chance I have had since then.
The ending so intense that I was right there with the couple feeling like I was fighting with all my might for life and love.
If anyone else likes this movie, may I suggest Sam Elliott and his wife Katherine Ross in "Conagher" and "The Shadow Riders"?
Harris and Madigan are superb as usual.
The best version based on Zane Gray's novel, in fact it surpasses the book, Amy Madigan and real life husband Ed Harris perform well together.
A good feel of the true west and some of the religious fanatics and bigots that lived then.
A GREAT WESTERN..
A GREAT WESTERN..
Enjoyed the story, acting, photography and location (Moab, Utah).
They don't make many westerns (or movies, for that matter) like this anymore.
Ed Harris was nominated for best actor in Screen Actors Awards from best TV drama for his performance.
Best western you've never seen.
Most of the new westerns being made these days (i.e. Unforgiven, Tombstone, etc.) are exceptional, but this may be the pick of the lot - the characters are real, the plot is believable, the photography is superb.
I've never read the book, but I may now..
Excellent movie, better than book.
Harris/Madigan terrific!.
I have watched this movie countless times and shown it to all my co-workers.
It is one of the best movies I've ever seen.
The screenplay extracted the best parts from the book, and it became a fantastic western romance.
Lassiter is the baddest gunsliger I've ever seen.
Amy Madigan was wonderful as Jane Lassiter.
Lassiter and Jane's romance is so touching, the reveal-all scene on her porch during the rainstorm touches my heart every time I see it.
The final scene is so beautiful I wish I had a picture of it, a kiss in the sunset.
Mohab Utah is the real star of the film .......
I've seen a lot of Westerns, "spaghetti" and otherwise, but none better photographed than "Riders of the Purple Sage".
This is flat out one wonderful movie, greatly enhanced by the unbelievable setting and outstanding photography.
The story of Mormon brain wiring is well told, and is quite bloody and exciting.
Ed Harris as the revenge seeking gunslinger has never been better, and he works well with Amy Madigan and Henry Thomas.
The film is loaded with surprising revelations that put a different spin on the story.
This rarely seen Western should be on your "must see" list.
I have not watched or read westerns since I was about 10 years old - many years ago.
The presence of Ed Harris and Amy Madigan was also persuasive.
I'd liked Madigan in Twice in a Lifetime 15 years ago, and hadn't seen her in anything since.
And when Harris fights so hard and long to make a movie about the life of artist Jackson Pollock, he must care very much about the sort of movie and script he'll do - his presence thus becomes a sort of guaranty of a fine movie.
He and Madigan were the executive producers of this made for cable movie.I'd heard of Zane Grey of course - as I had of Louis Lamour or Bret Harte.
But that's it - I haven't read any of their books and had no particular interest.
Gee, if Zane Grey is THIS good, I've got to start reading!There is an uncompromising ferocity to this movie that is arresting - yet it all seems quite real.
It's an interesting concept that I don't think I've seen before in any kind of movie, Western or not.Madigan's hesitation to believe ill of the town is so apparent, her reluctance to break with it so real - this is what makes the movie for me - but I'm sure for some it will be more Harris's character's change which is also very moving.
The last scenes - thinking of what will happen to Madigan and Harris after the movie ends - is very powerful..
I think this a very good movie over all.
Ed Harris is on the vengeance trail after the ones that kidnapped his sister and her new born daughter.
Gee in my book that is rape.
Any way she commits suicide and her young daughter is placed with a rustler.
Amy Madigan is apparently a Mormon who will not do as the leaders want and marry Tull.
Ed Harris is Lassiter and he has killed a few men including the three Mormon's who kidnapped his sister and her daughter.
He comes to Madigan's ranch and helps her out, finds the truth behind his sister's kidnapping, goes after some of the scum who have done more than they should have.
The title of the picture hearkens back in time to a Western Gene Autry or Roy Rogers might have appeared in.
I rather surprised myself by checking the credits for this film and found that it had been made four times previous, going as far back as 1918 and prior to this version, the most recent was 1941's treatment starring George Montgomery in the Lassiter role.
A further surprise turned out to be that this was actually a made for TV film, quite shocking since the quality of the cast and cinematography compare favorably to a theatrical release.Jim Lassiter, portrayed by Ed Harris, struck me as a High Plains Drifter type, a lone gunman traveling the American West and rising to the occasion when trouble comes his way.
Here he has a mission, to find the man who drove his sister to suicide following the loss of her daughter via a kidnapping.
The portrayal of the unnamed religious sect is given harsh treatment in the story.
It was shocking to see and hear Pastor Dyer (G.D. Spradlin) lecture Jane Withersteen (Amy Madigan) from the pulpit, essentially condemning her for remaining unmarried at her age.As the story plays out, and if you've seen enough of these types of films, one handily comes to the conclusion that Oldring's rider Bess (Robin Tunney) is the missing young niece that Lassiter is searching for.
If the story by Zane Grey on which the film is based answers the question, I imagine It will be some time before I find out.If you liked this picture and Harris' portrayal of gunslinger Lassiter, I'd recommend the 2008 Western "Appaloosa" in which Harris teams with Viggo Mortensen as two hard bitten lawmen on the trail of outlaws who kidnap Renee Zellweger.
Just like Lassiter, Harris' character Virgil Cole is a man of absolutes who doesn't compromise on seeking retribution for wrongs committed against the innocent.