The Unholy Trinity and The Western’s Global Frontiers

With Yellowstone and its endless line of spinoffs, Taylor Sheridan revived the cowboy as the quintessential presence on popular television. But, the westerns that once defined Hollywood at home and abroad have yet to make their comeback, much less reclaim their glory as the American movies’ greatest genre.

In an industry so fueled by franchise IP, most would shy away from the type of midbudget frontier flicks upon which Hollywood built itself. Luckily, Australian director Richard Gray thinks the western has plenty of life left in it. And so do Pierce Brosnan and Samuel L. Jackson, the stars of his latest project, The Unholy Trinity.

Set in the Montana Territory in the wake of the Civil War, the film follows Henry Broadway (Brandon Lessard) to the town of Trinity, where he seeks vengeance against the sheriff responsible for his father’s hanging. But when an Irish lawman (Brosnan) and a reprobate gold hunter (Jackson) bring the amateur gunslinger into their orbit, Broadway finds that frontier town life is a complex web of posse rage and lopsided power dynamics in which the Scots-Irish, outlanders, and natives vie for their own futures and that of the nation.

Gray sat down with The Pamphleteer to discuss the enduring power of the genre, working with action movie icons, and connecting Australia’s and America’s western mythoi.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Australia is the only other culture besides the U.S. in which the Western genre is central to national identity. How did your Australian perspective factor into directing an American western?

In Australia, we have a cowboy tradition like America, and it’s a major part of our society when you get ninety minutes to two hours out of the city. I was lucky enough to grow up watching westerns, and my dad would take me to see westerns, so it was just something that rang true. The Man From Snowy River was a really big movie for us in Australia, and it’s a connection that we have–Australians with Americans–that runs deep.

It runs deep with the native people as well. I’ve been to a lot of conferences with Native Americans and Aborigines, and they have shared stories that really resonate. My grandfather, who I never got to meet, was in the U.S. Army, and grew up in Washington, so it’s probably why I gravitated to Montana, not knowing why I did. I think Aussies and Americans get along really well, and Westerns just work for us.

All of the characters in The Unholy Trinity are from outsider groups. You’ve got Brosnan’s Irish Sheriff, Samuel L Jackson’s free man, and Q'orianka Kilcher’s Blackfoot loner. Do you see this film as allegorical? Within such a localized, regional piece, there are lot of implications in the film about the foundations and ethics of empires as well as where we are now.

That’s spot on. So the Irish, Scottish, Native American, and African American contexts after the Civil War really fascinate me—particularly in Montana. Who was here after the railroads? You had the free men and the Mormons and the Irish and African Americans, and it was just such a melting pot. That’s why the story stood out to me. Because I’m not sure that the classic westerns were a true replication of what was actually happening in the West—particularly after the Civil War.

So, we were trying to focus on why the Irish fled Ireland and the Scots fled Scotland. There was more going on. We had people that fought on both sides–not necessarily good and not necessarily bad. Everybody was just dealing with their own shit. It happened to be a pretty intense time in America.

You’ve mentioned how Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven was a big influence. And in this particular film, you also have all of these characters with their own codes. What was the process like of achieving that nuance. This could have easily been a very black-and-white movie thematically and it’s not at all.

It was trying to represent everybody properly. You know, Pierce’s character is dealing with a lot in his past. Samuel L. Jackson’s just coming for what’s rightfully his. And the kid is just trying to find out his father’s past and history and what is owed, or not owed, to him. Doing that in a feature—in two hours and not in a series—was really difficult.

I felt like the script gave everybody an opportunity. For example, Veronica Ferres playing the hero’s wife, who’s basically running the town when he’s not in town. They’re all just doing their thing that they think is fair. Whenever you send a script to an actor, you always want to make sure that you’re giving them enough to work with.

You're directing James Bond and Nick Fury. What’s the process of working with some actors who are less experienced and Hollywood veterans who have been in these iconic roles?

I grew up with GoldenEye. I’m old. I had it on Nintendo 64. You're trying to not be a fanboy. If you grew up as a filmmaker from that same era, Pulp Fiction was also pretty high up on the list. You have to put on the big boy pants for sure, but it doesn't matter, as long as you bring it. The actors just want to see in your eyes that you care enough about the story and about them. Once they learn that you’re living this film and you’ve been living it for multiple years, then there’s trust. 

It doesn’t matter even if it’s the extra or the bit player that has one line. I do it all the same way. It’s certainly more stressful for a director dealing with this level of talent, but all the pressure brings is better performances. It just means you prepare better and you work harder. 

Pierce brought his sons up to Montana. He’d never been to Montana before. His sons both act in the movie, so that was beautiful. We would have family dinners. And Sam comes with his own work family—about five guys and girls that are just awesome. We try to make it as family-oriented as possible. But no, it doesn't matter if it’s a big role or a small role. It’s the same job.

Is there anything else you want Nashville audiences to know about the film besides that it co-stars Nashville resident David Arquette?

We’re very lucky to have [distributors] Roadside Attractions and Saban Films taking this theatrical-only on June 13. Montana is a beautiful place. The movie was shot with the location in mind, and it’s best seen in the theaters. It’s hard for independent films to get such a big theatrical release, and it would be exciting if people saw it in the cinema.

The Unholy Trinity is now playing in theaters.