Noon Wine (DVD)

Originally broadcast on PBS as part of its American Playhouse series, Noon Wine is a hauntingly rich and mysterious tale of the old West. Adapted from Katherine Anne Porter’s short novel, it is set on a small Texas farm at the turn of the century, where a Swedish immigrant (Stellan Skarsgard, Mamma Mia!) asks for work and begins a new life. Through no fault of his own, he causes the downfall of his new employer, Royal (Fred Ward, Tremors), when a suspicious visitor comes to call (Pat Hingle, Batman). Written and directed by Michael Fields (Bright Angel) and produced by Ismail Merchant and James Ivory (Howards End), Noon Wine is a brilliantly tense and moody Western.