We recently learned the news that 1883’s Sam Elliott absolutely HATED this year’s Oscar favorite western, The Power Of The Dog, as he called the movie a “piece of shit,” among other things, in a fiery rant on Marc Maron’s WTF Podcast.
He claimed it didn’t portray the true lifestyle, alluded to homosexuality, and even criticized director Jane Campion for being a New Zealand native who probably has little knowledge on American western history.
“What the fuck does this woman, she’s a brilliant director by the way, I love her work, from New Zealand know about the American West? And why the fuck did she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana?
So that fucking rubbed me the wrong way pal and the myth is that they were these macho men out there with the cattle. I just come from Texas where I was hanging out with families, not men, but families. Big, long, extended, multiple generations families that made their living, and their lives, all about being cowboys. So when I saw that I said ‘what the fuck?’”
If there’s somebody who has a good bit of insight to the western cowboy way of life in its purest form, it’s probably Sam Elliott.
He’s played in movies and shows, including 1883, that accurately depict the lifestyle, and is friends with a number of cowboys and their families.
Needless to say, it’s a sensitive subject to him, and he had no intentions of holding back about the Jane Campion film.
“I mean, Cumberbatch never got out of his fucking chaps. He had two pair of chaps… a wooly pair and a leather pair, and every time he’d walk in from somewhere, I don’t know where because he never was on a horse.
He walk into the fucking house, storm up the fucking stairs, go lay in bed in his chaps and play his banjo.
What the fuck? What the fuck? Where’s the Western in this Western? I took it personal, I took it fucking personal, pal.”
Of course, considering the movie is up for an Oscar, there’s a number of people out there who disagree with him.
In fact, Elliott’s statements drew a plethora of responses from Twitter, and many were calling for his head, to say the least:
Everyone who's giddy over the Marc Maron interview with Sam Elliott is telling on themselves. "Oh, it's so great to hear someone be honest for once!" Yeah, we never – EVER – hear from old white dudes who hold outdated views on sexuality, toxic masculinity & gender! Fucken hell🤦♀️
— Erin M (@pfinger18) March 1, 2022
"…What the fuck does this woman from [New Zealand] know about the American West? And why the fuck does she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana?"
Man Sam Elliott is gonna flip when he learns why they call Spaghetti Westerns "Spaghetti Westerns"
— lewis (@generalquixote) March 1, 2022
I’m very sad to take Sam Elliott out of my crush rotation for being a wizened, rusted, toolbag, but also very amused that he doesn’t realize ROAD HOUSE was extremely homosexual. See also: TOMBSTONE. https://t.co/2LKuz2n0vK
— Suleikha Snyder (@suleikhasnyder) March 1, 2022
welp there goes anyone ever calling Sam Elliott a national treasure ever again 😂😂
— The Lonesome Chef (@Reyes_Is_Kings) March 1, 2022
Because a woman writes the screenplay & directs it can't possibly accurate?
So who's going to tell Sam Elliott that the film based on an American novel written by Thomas Savage on his actual experiences as a rancher in the American West at that time?
Who is going to tell him? https://t.co/ugHI9kPBMI
— Gracada (@GeekyGracada) March 1, 2022
Sam Elliott is an ass. He's not a cowboy or an historian. He's just an actor from Malibu.
— MeC (@mecreature) March 1, 2022
Holy shit do I like Sam Elliott a lot less now. This is some barely even trying to hide it homophobic, misogynistic, xenophobic shit. https://t.co/IGTdu0tYrl
— Kev Dead Redemption (@Kev_Dies_Twice) March 1, 2022
Sam Elliott watching Power of the Dog pic.twitter.com/Z1dk6fvXXC
— Amber from Scream (2022) News & Updates (@henryevil) March 1, 2022
actual image of sam elliott leaving the theater after seeing the power of the dog and being sad because it was a lil gay and directed by a woman pic.twitter.com/LDLvPmNiIY
— baja blasted 24/7 (@asmilingbag) March 1, 2022
I like Sam Elliott but someone probably needs to remind him he's an actor from Sacramento who lives in Malibu, not an actual cowboy
— stuart (@punished_stu) March 1, 2022
Actor Sam Elliott calls “The Power of the Dog” a “piece of sh*t”, then criticizes it for “allusions of homosexuality”, and takes issue with the female director: “What the f*ck does this woman from down there, New Zealand, know about the American west?”. Dude needs to chill out. pic.twitter.com/MWzinsCa6C
— Mike Sington (@MikeSington) March 1, 2022
Based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name, and directed by Jane Campion, The Power Of The Dog is billed as a western psychological drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
The 94th Academy Awards are set for Sunday, March 27th.
