It’s a short step to ‘Heaven’s Gate’

I’ve had several other references to films shot in and around Spokane, which was the topic of a column that I wrote for Friday’s 7 section. One prominent film missing from the list was Michael Cimino ’s 1980 neo-Western “Heaven’s Gate,” which was shot partially in Wallace, Idaho . Reader Don Cain sent me the following note:

“I believe that you left out a big film. ‘Heaven’s Gate’ (1980, filmed in Wallace , Idaho, Montana and Alberta). Michael Cimino wrote and directed this western based on the Johnson County Wars of the 1840s. Actors included Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, John Hurt, Sam Waterston, Jeff Bridges (Mickey Rourke and Willem Defoe were young bit players). I am not familiar with any of the female actors.

“You may remember that it caused a bit of a stir with Cimino’s original cut length of 219 minutes (3 hours, 19 minutes). It was re-cut to 149 minutes for commercial release, criticized as ‘too long’ for main stream movie theaters. I think that it was more interesting at the original length.

“My father (a retired railroad engineer) worked on the film as a steam engine consultant to the fellow who owns the train set that was used during the filming. That gentleman (also a retired engineer) owned and operated the small set of period steam engine and cars. He contracted his equipment out to a number of western-style films, doing almost all of the operating of the locomotive himself.

Wallace was completely transformed into an old western town. Most residents were involved in some way, shape or fashion.”