Quebec Bill Bohomme is a hardy schemer and dreamer, who, desperate to raise money to preserve his endangered herd through the rapidly approaching winter, resorts to whiskey-smuggling, a traditional family occupation. Quebec Bill takes his son, Wild Bill, on the journey. Also Henry Coville, an inscrutable whiskey smuggler, and Rat Kinneson, Quebec Bill's perpetually disconsolate ex-con hired man. Together, they cross the border into vast reaches of Canadian wilderness for an unforgettable four days "full of terror, full of wonder."
Acting
Kris Kristofferson's weathered gravitas carries this whole thing.
Cinematography
Quebec wilderness shot like a fever dream you can't wake from.
Score
Sparse and haunting, like the ghosts of better decisions.
Director
Jay Craven
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Director Jay Craven adapted this from his own novel, explaining why the magical realism feels so personal rather than tacked-on.
The 'Carcajou' character's name means wolverine in French-Canadian folklore—a trickster spirit that fits his narrative function perfectly.
US
