Open Range is a 2003 American Revisionist Western film directed and co-produced by Kevin Costner, written by Craig Storper, based on the novel The Open Range Men by Lauran Paine, starring Robert Duvall and Costner, with Annette Bening, Michael Gambon, and Michael Jeter appearing in supporting roles.

It presents a range war that follows when free-grazing herder "Boss" Spearman (Duvall) and his cowboys enter the Montana territory of cattle baron Denton Baxter (Michael Gambon).

In Montana in 1882, "Boss" Spearman is a seasoned open range cattleman, who, with hired hands Charley Waite, Mose, and Button, is driving a herd cross-country.

The town is controlled by ruthless Irish immigrant and rancher Denton Baxter, who hates open-rangers for using his land to feed their herds.

Mose is badly beaten and jailed by the town's corrupt marshal, Poole, after defending himself in a fight with some of Baxter's men.

They leave Button at the doctor's house and go into town; with help from Percy, they capture Poole and his deputies, subdue them with chloroform stolen from the Barlows, and lock them up in their own jail.

An intense gun battle erupts in the street, with Boss, Charley and Percy outnumbered before the townspeople begin to openly fight against Baxter.

Boss shoots open the jailhouse door and engages him in a brief close-quarters gunfight which leaves Baxter mortally wounded.

After Button has recovered, Charley and Boss decide to retire from the cattle business after delivering their current herd and settle down in Harmonville, taking over the saloon.

Cinematographer J. Michael Muro, was hand-picked[citation needed] by director Kevin Costner for his work on Dances with Wolves.

The site's consensus states: "Greatly benefiting from the tremendous chemistry between Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall, Open Range is a sturdy modern Western with classic roots.

"[5] Roger Ebert gave it three and a half out of four stars, calling it "an imperfect but deeply involving and beautifully made Western".

[6] Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film four out of five stars, writing, "Duvall gives his best performance in ages" in a "tough, muscular, satisfying movie".