Shoot the Sun Down

Shoot the Sun Down

Year: 1978

Runtime: 100 mins

Language: English

Director: David Leeds

Western

Set in 1836, the American West is portrayed as a scorching desert teeming with bushwhackers, scalp hunters and treasure seekers scouring for lost gold. Into this volatile landscape, a pair of strangers rides into a remote town, each driven by their own distinct purpose.

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Timeline & Setting – Shoot the Sun Down (1978)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Shoot the Sun Down (1978). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

late 1870s

The story unfolds in the late 1870s, a period of unsettled borders and shifting power in the American Southwest. Mexican governance and frontier conflicts color daily life, while the vast desert amplifies peril and delay. Wealth and danger intertwine as characters pursue Montezuma's gold.

Location

Santa Fe, New Mexico, American Southwest Desert

Set in the American Southwest deserts north of Texas, about three days from Santa Fe. The landscape is a harsh, arid frontier where law and order are scarce and survival dominates daily life. The journey traverses the Viaje de la Muerte, a perilous desert route shaped by tribes, soldiers, and traders.

🏜️ Desert 🗺️ Frontier 🕰️ 19th Century

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:27

Main Characters – Shoot the Sun Down (1978)

Meet the key characters of Shoot the Sun Down (1978), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Mr. Rainbow (Christopher Walken)

A former Confederate soldier who deserted after being ordered to hunt and kill Indigenous people. He moves through the desert with wary pragmatism, weighing loyalties and survival. Though entangled in a deal with the Captain, he ultimately risks himself to aid the Woman and the Tribe against trap and tyranny.

🧭 Pragmatic 🗡️ Wary 🕊️ Redeeming

Scalphunter (Geoffrey Lewis)

A buffalo hide trader driven by the lure of gold, he is cunning, ruthless, and willing to betray partners to get ahead. He orchestrates shifts in alliances and uses captured tribes to press his own agenda. His pursuit of wealth destabilizes the group and escalates the desert ordeal.

🎭 Ruthless 🧭 Cunning 🪙 Greedy

The Captain (Bo Brundin)

A former ship captain intent on finding Montezuma’s gold, he is manipulative and power-driven. He ties Rainbow to the rocks and leverages the Woman’s servitude to advance his plans. His greed makes him a dangerous, unreliable ally or enemy, depending on the moment.

🧭 Ambitious 🪙 Greedy 🗡️ Manipulative

The Woman from England (Margot Kidder)

A former chambermaid who signs a five-year indenture for passage to America, she longs for freedom and a chance to reach New Orleans. Her determination to break the contract drives her collaboration with Rainbow. She embodies resilience and a desire for self-determination.

🎯 Determined 🗺️ Resourceful 🕊️ Freedom-Seeking

Navajo Woman (Sacheen Littlefeather)

An elder of the Tribe who frees Rainbow and urges him to save her people. She represents tribal leadership and the urgency of defending family and kin in a hostile landscape. Her actions anchor a moment of agency within the larger struggle for survival and autonomy.

🪶 Respect 🗺️ Wisdom 🤝 Alliance

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:27

Major Themes – Shoot the Sun Down (1978)

Explore the central themes of Shoot the Sun Down (1978), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🪙 Greed

Greed for Montezuma's gold drives characters to betray and manipulate one another. The Scalphunter and Captain form dangerous alliances to secure wealth, highlighting how pursuit of fortune corrupts trust and amplifies risk. The golden wheel becomes a potent symbol of desire and the ruin it brings.

🏜️ Survival

The desert journey tests endurance as the group crosses the Viaje de la Muerte under extreme heat and scarce resources. Constant threat from Native tribes and Mexican soldiers compounds the struggle to stay alive. Each character reveals their resourcefulness and limits when confronted with hunger, thirst, and violence.

🕊️ Freedom

Freedom versus bondage threads through the plot: the Woman seeks escape from indenture, Rainbow faces moral choices, and tribal autonomy clashes with captors' plans. Autonomy and protection clash in a lawless landscape where loyalty is volatile and liberty is hard-won.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 18:27

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Shoot the Sun Down Summary

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Shoot the Sun Down Summary

Shoot the Sun Down Timeline

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Shoot the Sun Down Timeline

More About Shoot the Sun Down

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Shoot the Sun Down (1978) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

Shoot the Sun Down (1978) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

Shoot the Sun Down (1978) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow