1923 review: Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren elevate the Yellowstone franchise
With Ford and Mirren setting the pace, Taylor Sheridan's promising prequel for Paramount + features strong performances and compelling storylines
TV Reviews Yellowstone
1923, the latest Paramount+ drama from the prolific producer and writer Taylor Sheridan, isn’t your average spinoff. For starters, the second Yellowstone prequel features two of the most venerated and decorated actors of their generation: Harrison Ford (in his TV debut) and Helen Mirren (in a rare return to the small screen for the dame). And while critics were only given the pilot to screen for review, it soon becomes clear that Ford and Mirren, who previously co-starred as husband and wife in The Mosquito Coast, still share a magnetic screen presence that can elevate 1923 beyond another overwrought Western.
Set four decades after the events of 1883, the limited series that chronicled the Dutton family’s arduous journey to the land that ultimately became the Yellowstone Ranch, 1923 finds the now-thriving ranch under the control of Jacob Dutton (Ford), the older brother of James (Tim McGraw from 1883), and Jacob’s Irish wife, Cora (Mirren). After arriving in 1894, Jacob and presumably Cora began raising James’ sons, John (James Badge Dale) and Spencer (Brandon Sklenar), as their own. John now has an adult son, Jack (Darren Mann), who is eager to continue the Duttons’ ranching legacy—even if it means delaying his wedding to the more prim-and-proper Elizabeth Strafford (Michelle Randolph), who might not have been completely aware of what comes with marrying a cowboy, for a cattle drive.
But, in true Yellowstone style, regardless of the year, the Duttons are facing threats on multiple fronts. And as Isabel May, who starred in 1883, says in an early voiceover in 1923, “Violence has always haunted this family.” Following the turmoil of World War I and the Spanish flu pandemic, the characters are forced to contend with prohibition, cattle disease, a rise in locusts, and the economic conditions of the looming Great Depression. Central to the new Duttons’ story in Montana, however, is a drought that has led to a grass shortage for grazing, causing a growing sense of competition and resentment between the cowboys and shepherds in town. With his piercing eyes and thinly veiled threats, Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn), a belligerent Scot who leads the group of local sheep herders and has a certain vendetta against the Duttons, makes it clear that he will be one of many familiar foes for the Duttons to contend with. (Timothy Dalton, the former James Bond, will also play a villain, but he does not appear in the first episode.)
While Jacob rounds up livestock and attends to business in town as the livestock commissioner, Cara, despite being in her later years, continues to tend to the homestead and relish the quiet freedom she has on the ranch without her husband—something that she reminds Elizabeth in an attempt to keep the peace between her and Jack. (But make no mistake: Cara knows how to fire a double barrel shotgun when she needs to protect her family.)
No stranger to iconic action heroes, Ford cuts a naturally imposing and threatening figure as a classic cowboy, although his character’s stiff expression seems to be stuck in a perpetual scowl except when he’s with his wife. By contrast, Cora feels more dynamic and emotionally accessible, with Mirren tapping into the matriarch’s quiet humanity and strength. Because of its leads, 1923 functions more interestingly as a family drama and will only benefit from a deeper exploration of Jacob and Cora’s shared history as partners. Together, Ford and Mirren’s witty repartee even helps to add a few moments of levity in an otherwise taut and tense hour that attempts to juggle two other storylines that don’t really feel connected to the ranch but are arguably more compelling than spats over land rights.
A world away, Spencer, Jacob and Cora’s war veteran nephew, has developed a reputation as a kind of marksman hunting dangerous big cats that are threatening the lives of villagers and travelers in Africa. Traumatized by his experiences in the battlefield, which were shown in a lengthy and graphic flashback that illustrates 1923’s innate cinematic quality, Spencer has decided against going home to Montana in favor of searching for the parts of himself that he lost in the Great War. Sklenar bears such an uncanny resemblance to Ford that, at first glance, one might think Sklenar was playing Jacob in a flashback. As a ruggedly handsome safari hunter, Sklenar commands the screen by playing one of the show’s most immediately compelling characters.
Sheridan has not shied away from the historical mistreatment of Indigenous peoples, but he’s taken that theme a step further in 1923 with the introduction of Teonna Rainwater (an excellent Aminah Nieves), a strong-willed young woman on the verge of reaching her break point who is forced to attend one of the horrific residential schools of that era. When she lashes out, Teonna faces the wrath of her sadistic nun teacher, Sister Mary (a terrifying Jennifer Ehle), and a slightly more compassionate but even more ruthless headmaster, Father Renaud (a menacing Sebastian Roché), who has his own perverse way of asserting his power over both women.
Sheridan continues to walk an ever-so-fine line between exposing the murder and mistreatment of Indigenous peoples in history and falling into sensationalist exploitation. While it remains imperative to depict these difficult parts of American history, these scenes in the school are deeply unsettling and uncomfortable to watch—so much so that they feel like a different show altogether—and these unflinching depictions of violence can run the risk of being gratuitous. It’s still unclear from the first episode alone how all of the storylines will inevitably converge, or if all of the storylines even work to begin with, but if executed correctly, Sheridan’s prequel can be a worthy star vehicle for its sprawling ensemble.
1923 premieres December 18 on Paramount+.
46 Comments
really sad for harrison ford. one of the greatest movie stars of all time is acting in a streaming spin off. ugly.
It’s not a fucking sitcom on NBC, and his theatrical movie career is hardly over.
Exactly. He’s not playing the third lead in a new Law and Order spinoff so this definitely not a step down for him as an actor.
He acts when he wants, in whatever he wants.And he’ll still be grumpy about it
His costar in those big movies that he did wasn’t even on camera for his TV shows.
I hear they’re prying his star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame because of this.
Is it tiring being a negative and insufferable tw..? It must be, because reading your transparent vapid b.s. certainly is…
Yeah I’m really sad for a guy with 100 million dollars and who lived an amazing life of megastardom too.
It’s really strange that you leave Helen Mirren and, uh, Timothy Dalton out of your concern trolling.
I think part of it is because Helen Mirren and Timothy Dalton seem to actually enjoy acting and put variance in their characters while Harrison Ford always seems like he’d rather be doing something else.
lmao yeah those two are really on the same level as harrison ford
True. Hellen Mirren is arguably a level or two above him, as far as acting careers go.
I’m sure he’s as torn up as Costner to be getting nicely paid to chill in the Rockies and ride horses around, plus hang with Helen Mirren.
I’m pretty sure 90% of this show is filmed in Harrison Ford’s (800 acre) back yard.
If you look closely you can see the remains of a small aircraft stashed behind the bushes.
Yes, the millions of dollars he got will be no comfort to him at all.
Get over yourself and down the driveway. I would have a hard time as an actor turning down an original period piece leashed to a popular franchise written by one of our best writers working today co-starring a hand picked talented veteran cast with star billing. This isn’t some second string bare budget teen horror show on some off-brand network. Same as Tulsa King, I am having a blast watching, and even more so being able to enjoy great actors doing some exceptional work.
You realise the stigma between television and movies basically isn’t a thing these days, right?
He can ride horses on his ranch in Wyoming for free, or he can get paid to ride horses in Montana.
Harrison Ford (in his TV debut)Not so. He was apparently in a bunch of stuff pre-Star Wars (appearances in the likes of Ironside, Gunsmoke, and Kung Fu), but even since then there’s the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special and an appearance in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.
He got his acting start while building sets for The Streets of San Francisco, where the crew took a liking to his look and put him in several minor roles.
People took a liking to Harrison Ford’s look? How unexpected.
Yeah, somebody saw this guy and said, “you know, I might be crazy, but I think I could turn this weird looking kid into a movie star!”
He almost starred in Jacques Demy’s film Model Shop in the late 60s but the role went to Gary Lockwood cause the studio didn’t have faith in Ford. He’d have to wait another decade to prove himself.
Man, he would have livened it up considerably. Lockwood was the weak link, with the charisma of a mop. What a shame.
I haven’t seen it, though I love Umbrellas of Cherbourg, but it’s a very interesting what-if situation. His career would have probably been a lot different had he gotten it but would we have the Ford we know and love today?
Lighten the hair and he’d pass for a young Steve Martin.
He was acting before that.
There’s this thing? It’s called the interwebs? and a site called “interwebs movie data-thingy” or some such “page”. And sometimes, you can find ALL SORTS of interesting facts about your favorite stars, like if they were on teevee before they did a starwar…
Star of a TV show is a first for Ford.
I’m most interested in how Dalton seems to be playing a darker version of his already sleazy character from the 1978 miniseries Centennial.
It’s interesting: Dalton played the kind of role that Ford is playing in this show. I wonder if he will be playing a hired gun to take out the sheep farmers, like Dalton’s character hired in “Centennial”.
No I was thinking he was going to reprise a version of Hot Fuzz Dalton
You know what’s always haunted MY family? Kidney stones. Not as cinematic.
You have my COMPLETE sympathy, and without even knowing who you are I devoutly hope the gene has skipped you.
Nope. I’m up to 8? 10? I lost count. Three surgeries.
this is interesting. Didn’t know Ford and Mirren were doing TV together, let alone in a spin-off. Never watched a yellowstone before but i am intrigued to watch this over the holidays.
It’s WILDLY successful. It’s got my mid-70s Mom creating memes around the characters to send to her friends. From how she’s described it, it’s got strong Game of Thrones “palace intrigue” vibes for people who prefer horses to dragons.
Yellowstone is fascinating. Imagine “Succession” as a western where the family members are all exactly the same but the show thinks they’re all noble and pure.
I enjoyed 1883, though, despite the giant Tim McGraw sized hole in its middle. Wonderful performance by Elliott and by Isabel May. And I have really loved a lot of Sheridan’s other stuff. So will give this a shot.
Yellowstone is like Dallas but with more swearing, graphic violence and more location shooting. If you ever watched and liked Dallas, then you’ll like Yellowstone.
I think the anthology storytelling of going to different time periods in the same family is more compelling than the main Yellowstone series. There’s only so much story, and so many spins on relationship dynamics you can really do. Allowing a new cast in a different period gives so much more material and ways to address themes without retreading the same ground.
I loved the intro to Ford’s character. That close-up on his face as it gazes out at the locust-filled devastation of his cattle. Very beautiful cinematography. I thought it was a pretty solid first episode. Nothing amazing but as far as putting the pieces of the story in place, it got me intrigued. Definitely want more scenes of Ford and Mirren actually together. The editing is a little inelegant but I also had to watch this in two sittings so maybe that made it feel a little off and shaky.
Harrison Ford’s TV debut was the Star Wars Holiday Special.
I’m going to watch it, but every time Harrison Ford’s character isn’t on screen, I’m going to be asking “Where’s Harrison Ford?”
So what was the context of that opening scene? Is that destined to take place sometime later during the season?
Yep. Episode three which aired yesterday answers that opening scene in a pretty big way.