The O'Reilly Brothers

I’ve always been a fan of Western movies. It doesn’t matter if is John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, or Quentin Tarantino, the genre speaks to me for its complexity, coolness, and unique view of the human condition. For me, it’s the purest form of action. Regardless of what the actual plot of the movie might be, it all comes down to “man vs environment”, because, ultimately, is that environment that causes the conditions for the action to happen. Most Westerns are set in the desert or the mountains, in isolated places where the poor conditions of the place have forced its characters to live or die by the gun. This might come as a violent statement, but is true. That’s the way people back then could defend themselves. They didn’t have the complex justice systems and social programs we have today. They had to face bands or criminals, whose reasons for existing also came from the unfairness of the environment. There were no opportunities. So, people had to do what had to do to survive. And that’s something we can see in almost every Western, whether it be The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The Magnificent Seven, or even Shanghai Noon. That’s what makes it so fascinating to me.

But it also fascinates me (or, should I say, intrigues me) the way there was almost no regard for human life. In pretty much every Western we see, people are killing each other without the slightest concern or regret. Not always… but most of the time. And, to be honest, I don’t doubt that people could be that way, because, well, a lot of people are like that, even today. I mean, I’m from Mexico, and here you see a lot of violence. A lot of death and suffering, but those who caused it don’t seem affected by it. And so, that’s what compelled me to write this Western.

Open South is a rare Western in which its characters are confronted by their actions, whether it be by the law or by themselves, and where we also get to explore why they did it. The story follows Henry Lee O’Reilly, a retired gunfighter who must come back to action after his brother, Pat, joins a dangerous band and is hunted down by a cruel U.S. Marshall. On the surface, this might seem like just a Western about family loyalty, and while it certainly explores such a subject, it actually goes deeper than that as it comes to explore why Henry Lee feels responsible for Pat, why Pat joined a dangerous gang, and even why the Marshall is so cruel or why the leader of the gang turned to crime life. The answer is simple – the need. They all answer to someone. They are all doing what they think is right to look out for their families or society. Again, this is a world where there aren’t many opportunities, and people have to do what they have to do to survive, but they are also confronted by their actions. No action goes without a consequence and, many times, what they had to do because they had no other option, is what condemns them. Henry Lee will have to deal with the loss of innocent lives that his pursuit to help his brother caused, while Pat deals with what his own insecurities have caused to his family, the U.S. Marshall faces the consequences of his violent techniques, and Walter Dixon, the gang leader, loses that he so sought to protect.

Hence why Open South will bring something different for Western fans. While there are still a fair amount of action/adventure moments, it will also provide some thought-provoking subjects that might change the way we see violence in movies and real life. There are always consequences.

A FEW REVIEWS...

"The writer has a clear sense of structure, as this was an extremely well plotted script. The stakes were built perfectly, as Henry clearly would not be able to allow his brother to die. The tension mounts with Henry's deception, as the reader knows that eventually Walter will learn he's working with the Marshall, and the Marshall will learn he's helping out the gang. The relationship between Henry and Pat is the strongest of the script, and their bond as brothers carries a majority of the emotional weight throughout. Both men refuse to give up on each other, and Henry's love for Pat helps us to understand that Pat is a good man deep down before we even meet him." - Action/Crime/Mystery Film & Screenplay Festival