Back to the Future Part IIIwasn’t the first time that Christopher Lloyd and Mary Steenburgen teamed up in a western comedy, but the movie they made 12 years earlier was completely different. The final installment of theBack to the Futuretrilogy sent Marty back to the 1880s to save Doc Brown from dying in the past. It returned the series to its roots, and told a more grounded time-travel story after the first sequel was a bit more chaotic. As far as fitting trilogy endings go,Back to the Future Part IIIis an excellent finale.
UnlikeBack to the Future Part II, the threequel added a new character in the form of Mary Steenburgen’s Clara, and it shifted focus away from Doc and Marty. Clara’s inclusion also added stakes to the trilogy capper, and allowed Doc Brown to become a fully realized character after being more of a caricature in Marty’s life.The ending ofBack to the Future Part IIIconcluded the entire series, and it also gave Doc a heartwarming new life with Clara. Christopher Lloyd and Mary Steenburgen had great chemistry inBTTF 3because it wasn’t their first western comedy together.
Christopher Lloyd & Mary Steenburgen Appeared In Goin' South Before Back To The Future Part III
The Dark Comedy Is Nothing Like The Back To The Future Sequel
Comedy comes in all forms, andBack to the Future Part IIIwas completely different from the 1978 film,Goin' South,which brought Christopher Lloyd and Mary Steenburgen together for the first time. Directed by Jack Nicholson,the film stars Nicholsonas a notorious thief named Moon who is saved from the gallows by a woman (Steenburgen’s Julia) who agrees to marry him. Though the partnership is purely business in the beginning, the duo eventually finds that they have real feelings for one another. Their marriage and financial arrangement are then disrupted by the arrival of Moon’s old gang.
Goin' Southcurrently holds a 69% onRotten Tomatoes.
The western comedywas Mary Steenburgen’s first film role, and her turn as the cunning Julia earned her a Golden Globe nomination. On the other hand, Christopher Lloyd was already more than a decade into his career, and reunited with Nicholson after the pair had previously worked together onOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Lloyd plays Deputy Towfield, a cop who wants nothing more than to hang Moon for his various crimes.Steenburgen and Lloyd don’t share a lot of screentime, and they certainly aren’t a couple like inBack to the Future Part III.
The charisma of both Steenburgen and Lloyd is on full display inGoin' South, and it’s no wonder they were reunited for another western comedy a decade later.
WhileGoin' Southhas become somewhat obscure, it is a showcase of strong acting from its ensemble cast.Nicholson turns in another amazing performance, and MarySteenburgen holds her own despite starring opposite such a powerhouse of Hollywood. Christopher Lloyd does his best when he’s given a zany character, and Towfield is appropriately over-the-top to match the movie’s comedic tone. The charisma of both Steenburgen and Lloyd is on full display inGoin' South, and it’s no wonder they were reunited for another western comedy a decade later.
Goin' South Is Almost The Exact Opposite Of Back To The Future Part III As A Western Comedy
Goin' South Is A Much Darker Western Comedy Overall
BothGoin' SouthandBack to the Future Part IIIrepresent their respective era’s outlook on the western, and that outlook influenced what kind of comedies the films became.BTTF 3is glossy and positive, and finds humor through its characters as they try to escape such a ridiculous time-travel predicament. Meanwhile,Goin' Southis a dark comedy that uses humor to pick apart the idealized vision of the American West that’s shown in classic western movies. The late ’70s was the era of the anti-western, while the early 1990s saw a resurgence in the genre’s classical ideals.
1978
69%
$7.4 million
1990
79%
$245 million
The films couldn’t be any different, and represent two diametrically opposed positions.Back to the Future Part IIIhas stood the test of time because of its wholesomeness, butGoin' Southis a bit dated because it represents feelings that might not always be in style. Also, dark comedy is always a risky proposition, and there are aspects ofGoin' Souththat haven’t aged particularly well. In its attempt to pick apart the western genre, it muddies its own message by peppering in humor over very serious issues. Neither are perfect films, butBTTF 3has more universal appeal.
Doc Brown & Clara’s Romance Is The Heart Of Back To The Future Part III
Back To The Future’s Finale Gave Doc Brown His Own Storyline
One thing that helped elevateBack to the Future Part IIIover its predecessor is that it was a more streamlined story with a human approach. Doc Brown had spent the first two movies as a mere guide for Marty’s adventure, but the third film gave him agency. His love story with Clara is the heart of the threequel, and eventually gives him a fitting ending that wasn’t always obvious from the start. The strong writing is helped along by Christopher Lloyd’s and Mary Steenburgen’s chemistry, and the two seasoned vets carry the film.
