Does anyone know if there was something in the script that didn't make it onto the screen that explained what was up wit
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Silverado
jlharmon — 18 years ago(April 09, 2007 04:15 AM)
Does anyone know if there was something in the script that didn't make it onto the screen that explained what was up with Jeff Goldblum's character? I just watched the movie the other day (I might have seen it before ages ago), and his character just baffled me.
He comes to town, a gambler looking for a good game, and he seems to be a stranger to everyone. So - why did he sell out Jake and why was he helping the sheriff? People were getting killed left and right, and he didn't seem to be 'aligned' with either side. So why didn't he just keep out of it? -
hollankreil — 18 years ago(April 09, 2007 03:29 PM)
I was confused by him as well- why did he expose the knife in his boot when it looked like Tyree and Jake were going to attack each other? I got the distinct impression he was going to aid Jake rather than Tyree (not sure of course).
"You're from the 60s! Peace love dope! Back, back to the 60s! No place for you in the future!" -
budman57 — 18 years ago(April 15, 2007 05:45 PM)
I agree completely with lmcvo. I think "Slick" was simply a gambler and an opportunist. When he almost drew the knife in the bar, I think he was simply getting ready to do it for protection. I think he was keeping his head down and sitting on the fence until it seemed as though Jake, Emmett and Mal were in over their heads. Then he simply felt there were advantages to be gained by aligning himself with Cobb and McKendrick.
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silverr8c — 14 years ago(April 16, 2011 02:26 PM)
I think we was aligned completely with himself he went with the prevailing wind. Thus, I think he aligned himself, eventually, with the sheriff. He, of course, thus reaped a storm when the wind turned.
It reminds me of the way Don King switches alliances over to which ever ever fighter wins the bout.
Of all the things I have lost I miss my mind the most -
jeremy3 — 18 years ago(July 07, 2007 02:54 PM)
I don't think he was in with the Sheriff (or even knew him), unless he was a "spy" for the sheriff. I don't think the latter was the case, because Dennehey's character doesn't know the gambler when he first comes to town. I think that the gambler was trying to showoff in a delusional way. He wanted the girl, and was jealous of her brother. He also was arrogant, and thought he could take the brother out, and live to brag about it.
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thebuckleys-06 — 18 years ago(August 03, 2007 08:08 PM)
Actually, Slick came to town to "run an honest game" but how many honest gamblers carry a knife in their boot and a gun up their sleeve? Never mind the name "slick"!
Slick was looking out for himself. He was probably hoping to side with the winner once the dust settled and believed that the sheriff would win since he had the whole town in his pocket and so sought to help as quietly as he could. -
belacane — 18 years ago(August 11, 2007 03:04 PM)
It seems to me that Slick was a character slipped in so Mal would have someone specific to take down at the end. They could have eliminated all of the Slick story and not really had any holes in the story, though probably the whole Rae part would have had to be written out too.
"Hello, Melchett! Still worshipping God? Last I heard, he'd started worshipping ME!" -
jeremy3 — 18 years ago(September 28, 2007 08:55 AM)
I also see Slick as being deranged. He became infatuated with Rae Dawn Chong's character. In a delusion way, he was trying to show his love that he was a bigger man than his brother. Of course, he was no match.
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richardpaperboy — 18 years ago(February 09, 2008 07:56 PM)
Rae was played by Lynn Whitfield not Rae Dawn Chong. Slick worked in the saloon that was owned by the sheriff, he was watching the fight but didnt start fingering his knife until Paden got involved, it was Paden that ran the gambling end of the business, someone that Slick would want to help. When Paden went to the other side it was only natural that Slick would stay on the sheriffs side since he was the saloons owner. But slick was not a gunfighter so he tried to help out the only way he could, by finding Stella, who led him to Rae, knowing he could not take Mel in a fair fight he tried to trick him not knowing they were on to him.
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Bilwick1 — 16 years ago(May 21, 2009 10:41 AM)
"Actually, Slick came to town to 'run an honest game' but how many honest gamblers carry a knife in their boot and a gun up their sleeve?" IN the Old West, from what I can tell, quite a few. Especially since many towns had laws against carrying firearms, so hide-out weapons were not uncommon.
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glpatton — 18 years ago(February 10, 2008 05:10 AM)
As one of the posters said, he was an opportunist, and doing things for him. He wanted to sit in the bar and gamble and aligning himself with the sheriff would assure that. He kept himself just on the edge of what was going on to gain allies from both sides, assuming that Paden and company would be eliminated.
His setting up Mal by visiting Rae was deeper than he would normally go, hence his demise. -
kevinsmithf1master02 — 17 years ago(September 21, 2008 01:11 PM)
In reference to Jeff Goldblum, I had a hard time watching him. Not that any of his acting was bad, it's just I find he's too modern an actor (Ghostbusters, Jurassic Park, etc) for being in a western, and maybe slightly too recognizable.