Rust – Legende des Westens (Rust)
U.S.A. 2024

Opening 1 May 2025

Directed by: Joel Souza
Writing credits: Joel Souza
Principal actors: Travis Fimmel, Alec Baldwin, Frances Fisher, Jake Busey, Josh Hopkins

It’s 1882 and springtime in Sedgwick County, Kansas. Lucas, just thirteen years old, does his best to take care of his younger brother Jacob. Due to an unfortunate circumstance, a man is shot, and Lucas is found guilty of murder. He lands in prison with the death penalty, only to be rescued by Harland Rust (Alec Baldwin), who turns out to be his grandfather (i.e., the father of his deceased mother Wilhemina), whom he has never met. At this point we have a road movie as they take off through Wyoming and Colorado, to end in New Mexico. They are followed by US Marshal Wood Helm (Josh Hopkins), as well as bounty hunter Fenton “Preacher” Lang (Travis Fimmel). Travel is difficult, considering it’s the late 1800s and transportation is either by carriage or on horseback. Sometimes each person rides a separate horse, sometimes there are two together on one horse. Sometimes they ride alongside others, including Indians.

Filmed in New Mexico and Montana, horses play an important role, as do the main actors—all men. “A man chooses who he is.” Excellent is fifteen-year-old Patrick Scott McDermott, who plays thirteen-year-old Lucas. Women are mostly in the background with just a few short scenes featuring Lucas’ aunt Evelyn Bassett (Frances Fisher), whom Rust visits for information. Guns play a role and when not riding through beautiful landscapes, the men are shooting. In real life shooting had an important effect on the making of Rust, causing production to stop in October 2021. Actor Alec Baldwin’s gun was unexpectedly loaded. He shot unaware, injuring cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and director Joel Souza. Hutchins died as a result.  Amazingly, filming restarted, and Rust was completed and dedicated to Halyna Hutchins. (Becky Tan)