‘Butcher’s Crossing’ Producer on Casting Nicolas Cage and Working with the Blackfeet Nation to Tell the Story of Buffalo Decimation in America
variety.comJazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Many stories have been told about Westward expansion, but few have focused on the impact and consequences.
John Williams’ 1960 novel “Butcher’s Crossing” follows William Andrews, a Harvard student who leaves his life behind to join a buffalo-hunting expedition, facing many harsh realities on his journey.
Producer Molly Conners sat down with Variety for the film’s DVD release to discuss director Gabe Polsky’s journey adapting the story, financing the film, casting its star Nicolas Cage and working with the Blackfeet Nation to tell the story about the destruction of the buffalo population in 19th century America. There’s a surge of interest in the Western genre thanks to shows like “Yellowstone” and “1883,” was it always going to be a feature film? Gabe was developing this as a feature for many years before I became involved.
But I felt like this was something that actors would respond to. We talked about it as a television show at one point, but I felt it was a movie that you’d want to see in a theater with an audience and on the big screen. How did Nicolas Cage get involved? Gabe and Nic met on “Bad Lieutenant.” I worked with him on “Joe,” but I think they had talked socially about it when they were working together, so it was something we were kicking around for many years – before “Yellowstone,” and it was more challenging to get Westerns financed.
Read more on variety.com