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Over this past week I have watched all seven episodes of the Netflix Western series, “Godless.” Jeff Daniels is one of the main characters and I have never seen him do a better job of acting than he does in this film. I heartily recommend this series. It is a wonderful western with a great story, fantastic scenery and fantastic filming of that scenery. And there is gun play – lots of it. And lots of Winchesters. Mainly M1873 Winchesters but also Henry rifles and, for me, the star of the show, a M1876 .50-95. The sheriff had a nickel plated M1873. But the cool thing is the vast majority of the Henry’s and Winchester’s are fired by women. And a lot of it is high action, rapid firing. One of the main female characters has a Henry rifle and she is darn good with it. The other female lead… early on … I caught glimpses of the rifle and it was in the configuration of a M1873. And I assumed it was a ’73 as I had observed many of the rifles were 73’s. But, it nagged at me – in some of my brief glimpses … it looked a little over-sized. I started to get hopeful. And sure enough I was rewarded – more than I could have dreamed. There’s a scene where she walks into a general store for supplies. She gets a pound of flour, etc. and then says, “and a box of cartridges for the Winchester.” The clerk asks, “44’s?” and she responds, “no, .50-95’s.” I don’t want to spoil it for those that might see it but haven’t. but let me say, she eventually gives that .50-95 one heck of a workout. And you do get to see it very clearly in the last episode (it is beautifully case colored).
Another neat aspect – the women shoot these guns a lot but it is also realistic in they are shown doing the commensurate amount of needed reloading of their pieces. It shows them loading their arms and it is realistic. There are a few women who are very familiar with their rifles but most aren’t. So some realistic fumbling is shown – also realistic as they are reloading under high pressure so plenty of dropping of cartridges. Oh, and one woman has what looks like a Merwin & Hulbert revolver. She is not only shown shooting it but she is shown reloading it.
Clearly, someone who both knew and loved antique Winchesters and other antique rifles/revolvers had a key role in the making of the film. The scenery, the actors, the guns are all equal stars of this film.
The only way to watch this series that I know of is Netflix streaming (pretty darn inexpensive and you can cancel after a month). It is 2017 production and had an 8.3/10 IMDb rating.
By the way, I was not involved in the making of this series (I wish I was) nor do I have any financial ties to Netflix. 
So glad you mentioned that! I watched the first episode some time ago and fully intended to watch more, but somehow it slipped my mind. Based on what I saw I wholeheartedly agree with your review. Re-added to the lockdown watchlist!
Steve
WACA Member. CFM Member. NRA Lifer.
I’ve watched it all the way through twice now and it’s a VERY GOOD western IMO. Picked up on a few things watching it the second time. As already mentioned, significant expense, time and effort was spent making it as period correct as possible.
Not as good as Lonesome Dove, but good never the less. Definitely worth your time if you enjoy a good western. It’s currently running on regular Netflix.
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
It took me a while to warm up to it, but in the end, I enjoyed it.
I think a lot of movies try to aspire to the grittiness of the book “Blood Meridian”. If we are lucky, no movie will ever faithfully do it. I don’t want to see that. Book, yes, movie, no. Godless, Deadwood and others have tilted toward it, but thankfully shied away.
What was that weird looking hand gun that got dropped on the porch toward the end of the process of handing out guns? I think it was going to the brunette whore that wasn’t familiar with guns and who was always in opposition to the hard woman. If my eyes were not deceiving me, it did not have a loading gate and did not top-break. Rather, it looked like it was sliding apart to load?
Huck Riley said
It took me a while to warm up to it, but in the end, I enjoyed it.I think a lot of movies try to aspire to the grittiness of the book “Blood Meridian”. If we are lucky, no movie will ever faithfully do it. I don’t want to see that. Book, yes, movie, no. Godless, Deadwood and others have tilted toward it, but thankfully shied away.
What was that weird looking hand gun that got dropped on the porch toward the end of the process of handing out guns? I think it was going to the brunette whore that wasn’t familiar with guns and who was always in opposition to the hard woman. If my eyes were not deceiving me, it did not have a loading gate and did not top-break. Rather, it looked like it was sliding apart to load?
I wonder if that wasn’t the one that was a Merwin and Hulbert? The M&H does not have a loading gate nor is it a top break.
steve004 said
I wonder if that wasn’t the one that was a Merwin and Hulbert? The M&H does not have a loading gate nor is it a top break.
My guess is you are correct. I youtubed Merwin Hulbert and watched a guy load and unload one, and that is what I recall from the movie. It went so fast on the movie that I wasn’t sure what I was seeing. Thanks. I’d never heard of or seen one before.
Huck Riley said
My guess is you are correct. I youtubed Merwin Hulbert and watched a guy load and unload one, and that is what I recall from the movie. It went so fast on the movie that I wasn’t sure what I was seeing. Thanks. I’d never heard of or seen one before.
I’ve never owned an M&H but from what I hear they are precision pieces. They talk about a, “vacuum” to them – which is a function of the tolerance they were made to. Anyone more familiar with them?
I owned a M&H “Pocket Army” revolver, which despite concept the term “pocket” perhaps to conjure otherwise, a full sized 44 WCF revolver in my example.
I do recall the swivel barrel followed by forward motion on cylinder axis to eject spent rounds. But far better than my discussing, good old “Wiki”, to the rescue.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merwin_Hulbert#Pocket_Army
If you will click on the lower page menu for Pocket Army, there to garner some lnfo. But moreover, the illustration in the right side box to open a vista of other photos. More significantly, some old ads which far more clearly reveal these swivel barrel models open, clearly illustrating their mechanism. On mine, I believe a Third Model (3 1/2″ barrel), a sliding latch in front of the trigger guard, released the barrel/cylinder assembly to rotate free and be pulled forward as noted above. Mine was a great handgun in terms of ‘period design’ & quality. I really liked it… but for the condition which required work and minor parts. It departed a half century ago in a moment of funds necessarily applied to my education.
As a final aside, as to be noted in the above Wiki article, there were M&H revolvers with vertically sliding, drop down loading gates. I don’t remember any such on mine!
Hope this helps!
God Bless & Keep Safe!
Happy Easter!
John
Online
I collect Merwin & Hulbert revolvers. Feel free to ask any questions and detailed photographs can be provided, if desired.
Chuck said
Weren’t these made by Hopkins & Allen or at least in the H&A plant?
Yes, & I’ve always thought it strange that a manufacturer noted for producing low-cost guns could turn around & produce an unusually high quality model sold under a different name!
Thanks for the “heads up” about Godless. I had started watching episode 1 a while back when it first came on Netflix but since reading your review I took another look and quite enjoying it. Just like in the old TV “Oaters” every man and some women seems is packing a Colt and pulling it out at the least provocation even pulling down on a store keeper for yelling at a kid that broke a candy jar! . I am sure the old west wasn’t like this especially by 1884 but it is in keeping with the genre. In keeping with the times there is LGBTQ content and the bad guys are racist towards black and Indians. As mentioned it’s not quite on a par with Lonesome Dove IMO but nevertheless a very good effort. Nice to those those Winchester and Colts getting a workout and quality of the photography especially the scenery of New Mexico is absolutely beautiful.
Dave K. said
In keeping with the times there is LGBTQ content and the bad guys are racist towards black and Indians. As mentioned it’s not quite on a par with Lonesome Dove IMO but nevertheless a very good effort. Nice to those those Winchester and Colts getting a workout and quality of the photography especially the scenery of New Mexico is absolutely beautiful.
No scenery, no photography, no display of guns, compensates for having to accept PC crammed down my throat; FTS.
clarence said
No scenery, no photography, no display of guns, compensates for having to accept PC crammed down my throat; FTS.
May I assume you didn’t watch it? ?
November 7, 2015
Offline
Any DVD sightings? Cable and internet are pretty poor offerings around here and I’ve sworn off satellite.
Mike
TXGunNut said
Any DVD sightings? Cable and internet are pretty poor offerings around here and I’ve sworn off satellite.
Mike
Mike, you should be able to rent the DVD at Netflix kiosks outside 7-11s, Kroger grocery stores etc.
Godless season two?
https://www.thecinemaholic.com/godless-latest-news-plot-wiki-imdb-reviews/
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
Not a Western but I was searching movies the other day and caught the last 15 minutes or so of Halloween staring Jamie Curtis. She was using a Win 1873.
I just learned how to use Netflix on my boob tube and saw lots of westerns available. Many I have never seen or heard of. I think most were modern but would be what we called in the old days “B” movies. Every once in while you’ll find a gem in that category, so . . . If you’re sitting around on your self-isolation and not reloading, cleaning your guns or doing anything constructive, it might be worth the look. I might try one out when the wife is out doing art in her studio. I will let you know if I find a gem, where the guns are the stars.
My wife set me up awhile back and I watched a lot of Canadian Westerns. I have already forgotten how to get back on. I need to check out Godless. My wife did but she couldn’t get into it. Maybe not enough gossip???
Also search YouTube. I see lots of full length old Hollywood western and spaghetti western movies are being posted there and some are quite high quality plus they are free. Best if you have a smart TV or a Roku box.
I caught an error in Godless in episode 5 in a flash back with a boy Roy Goode on horseback beside the villain Frank and Frank says something like “this is a Winchester 73” and starts to pull a an 1866 out of the saddle scabbard to show him.
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