Cutter’s Way (aka Cutter and Bone) is yet another film that was destined to be a tough sell and ultimately thrown away by a studio that had no clue what to do with it. But its stature has steadily grown over the years. While not necessarily a cult film, critics and historians continue to cite it as a unique, character-driven and thematically-rich example of neo-noir.
But even today, Cutter’s Way remains somewhat polarizing, at least among those who’ve actually seen it. I know people who absolutely love the film, and just as many who wish they could get 109 minutes of their life back. Then there are those (such as yours truly) who didn’t care for it at first, but grew to appreciate it upon subsequent viewings.
Jeff Bridges plays Richard Bone, a shiftless, womanizing salesman who thinks he might have witnessed a powerful local businessman, J.J. Cord (Stephen Elliott), dump the body of a teenage girl into a trash can. Bone’s best friend, disabled Vietnam veteran Alex Cutter (John Heard), takes a keen interest in this and comes up with a plan to blackmail Cord…not to get money out of the man, but to incriminate himself for trying to buy their silence. Cutter even manages to coerce the victim’s sister, Valerie (Ann Dusenberry), to go along with the plan.
Bone, however, is repeatedly wishy-washy over the idea (typical of his noncommittal tendencies). Sometimes he’s onboard, other times Cutter has to talk him into it. None of this sits well with Cutter’s beleaguered wife, Maureen (Lisa Eichorn), who remains committed to her husband while never being particularly happy with him (or herself). But here’s the most intriguing aspect of the plot…it’s never made quite clear who actually dumped the body in the first place. We also get the impression that Cutter doesn’t really care.
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| After his escape from New York, Snake unwinds with a road trip. |
Most of the time, Bone is a hapless observer of both Cutter’s actions and Maureen’s spiral into depression (though it doesn’t stop him from sleeping with her). I suppose comparisons could be made between Bone and Bridges’ most iconic character, Jeff Lebowski, though the former is better looking, more sharply dressed and far less likable. He’s well played by Bridges, but the movie belongs to Heard, whose all-in performance makes Cutter a morbidly fascinating trainwreck.
Elsewhere, moral and narrative ambiguity permeates the film, which has always intrigued some viewers and frustrated others. But Cutter’s Way was never intended as a straight crime thriller. While drawing clear inspiration from film noir, it’s just as much a character study of two protagonists whose lives were already on the downturn before we even meet them. And though their relationship is often antagonistic, the unconditional love and loyalty these two have for each other is ultimately touching, which renders the climax pretty powerful.
Those who consider Cutter’s Way an underappreciated gem will love this new 4K release from Radiance Films, who pulled out all the stops in putting together a sturdy, handsomely packaged boxed set with great new artwork. It features an excellent transfer on both 4K and Blu-ray, as well as an abundance of new and archival bonus features.
EXTRA KIBBLES
4K AND BLU-RAY COPIES
PIETY, PATRIOTISM AND VIOLENCE: THE LEGACY OF CUTTER’S WAY is a new retrospective analysis and appreciation of the novel and film.
FEATURETTES - Cut to the Bone: Inside the Score features music editor curt Sobel; Bertrand Tavernier is a French director who discusses his love for the film.
3 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By novelist Matthew Specktor; 2) By assistant director Larry Franco & production manager Barrie Osborne; 3) By Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman.
INTERVIEWS - Individual interviews with director Ivan Passer, actor Lisa Eichorn, producer Paul Gurian, United Artists exec Ira Deutchman.
SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - A 77-page, perfect-bound book featuring three brand new essays, a Q&A with director Ivan Passer from 1989, cast & crew credits
ISOLATED SCORE TRACK
INTRO BY JEFF BRIDGES
PLAY WITH ORIGINAL CUTTER AND BONE TITLE SEQUENCE
TRAILER
GALLERY
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