Silverado
Four unwitting heroes cross paths on their journey to the sleepy town of Silverado. Little do they know the town where their family and friends reside has been taken over by a corrupt sheriff and a murderous posse. It's up to the sharp-shooting foursome to save the day, but first they have to break each other out of jail, and learn who their real friends are.
Working with a moderate budget of $23.0M, the film achieved a steady performer with $32.2M in global revenue (+40% profit margin).
Nominated for 2 Oscars. 1 win & 4 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Silverado (1985) demonstrates meticulously timed story structure, characteristic of Lawrence Kasdan's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 13 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Paden
Emmett
Jake
Mal
Sheriff Cobb
Cade McKendrick
Stella
Hannah
Main Cast & Characters
Paden
Played by Kevin Kline
A drifter and gunslinger who reluctantly becomes a hero while seeking his stolen horse and gear.
Emmett
Played by Scott Glenn
A skilled cowboy traveling to Silverado to reunite with his family and start fresh.
Jake
Played by Kevin Costner
Emmett's younger brother, a charming but impulsive outlaw trying to escape his troubled past.
Mal
Played by Danny Glover
A Black cowboy seeking to reclaim his father's land and confront systemic injustice in Silverado.
Sheriff Cobb
Played by Brian Dennehy
The corrupt sheriff of Silverado who enforces the will of wealthy ranchers through intimidation and violence.
Cade McKendrick
Played by John Cleese
A ruthless land baron who uses Cobb and hired guns to control Silverado and steal land from settlers.
Stella
Played by Linda Hunt
A saloon owner and Paden's former lover who is trapped under Cobb's corrupt rule.
Hannah
Played by Rosanna Arquette
Mal's sister, a strong-willed settler fighting to keep her family's ranch from McKendrick's grasp.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Emmett is ambushed and shot in his cabin by unknown gunmen, establishing a world of sudden violence and betrayal in the Old West.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 15 minutes when Emmett discovers his brother Jake is scheduled to hang in Turley, forcing him to abandon his plans and stage a jailbreak.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 32 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This illustrates the protagonist's commitment to The four riders choose to ride together into Silverado, actively deciding to enter a town controlled by corrupt forces rather than avoiding trouble., moving from reaction to action.
At 67 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Paden is betrayed and framed by Cobb, thrown in jail. The false friendship is exposed, and the heroes realize they cannot coexist with the corrupt powers—they must choose sides., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 97 minutes (73% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Mal's father is killed by McKendrick's men in a devastating ambush. The homesteaders' hope dies, and the family's dream is destroyed., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 106 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 79% of the runtime. The four heroes reunite and choose to make their stand. They realize they must become what the town needs—not just drifters, but protectors willing to fight for community and justice., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Silverado's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Silverado against these established plot points, we can identify how Lawrence Kasdan utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Silverado within the western genre.
Lawrence Kasdan's Structural Approach
Among the 8 Lawrence Kasdan films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.8, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Silverado represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Lawrence Kasdan filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional western films include All the Pretty Horses, Shenandoah and Lone Star. For more Lawrence Kasdan analyses, see The Accidental Tourist, French Kiss and Grand Canyon.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Emmett is ambushed and shot in his cabin by unknown gunmen, establishing a world of sudden violence and betrayal in the Old West.
Theme
Paden, rescued from the desert, discusses with his savior how "the world is what you make of it," establishing the theme of choosing who you become in a lawless land.
Worldbuilding
Four strangers cross paths on the frontier: Emmett survives his ambush, Paden is rescued, Jake is imprisoned, and Mal rides to find his father. The corrupt power structure of Sheriff Cobb and rancher McKendrick is established.
Disruption
Emmett discovers his brother Jake is scheduled to hang in Turley, forcing him to abandon his plans and stage a jailbreak.
Resistance
The four men reluctantly band together through circumstance: Emmett breaks Jake out of jail, Paden recovers from his desert ordeal, and Mal joins them. They debate whether to stay together or go separate ways, ultimately heading toward Silverado.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The four riders choose to ride together into Silverado, actively deciding to enter a town controlled by corrupt forces rather than avoiding trouble.
Mirror World
Mal reunites with his family and meets the homesteaders being oppressed by McKendrick, introducing the thematic conflict between community building versus lawless exploitation.
Premise
The heroes explore Silverado's world: Paden reconnects with old partner Cobb (now corrupt sheriff), Jake romances saloon girl Hannah, Mal helps his father's homestead, and Emmett investigates McKendrick's operation. Each discovers the depth of corruption.
Midpoint
Paden is betrayed and framed by Cobb, thrown in jail. The false friendship is exposed, and the heroes realize they cannot coexist with the corrupt powers—they must choose sides.
Opposition
McKendrick's forces intensify attacks on the homesteaders; Mal's father is murdered; the heroes are scattered and hunted. Cobb and McKendrick consolidate power while the heroes lose ground.
Collapse
Mal's father is killed by McKendrick's men in a devastating ambush. The homesteaders' hope dies, and the family's dream is destroyed.
Crisis
The heroes face their darkest moment scattered and defeated. Mal mourns his father, the homesteaders prepare to flee, and it seems McKendrick has won. Each must decide whether to run or fight.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
The four heroes reunite and choose to make their stand. They realize they must become what the town needs—not just drifters, but protectors willing to fight for community and justice.
Synthesis
The climactic battle for Silverado: the heroes systematically dismantle McKendrick's organization, Paden faces Cobb in a showdown, Mal avenges his father, and the corrupt power structure is overthrown through coordinated action.
Transformation
The four riders prepare to leave Silverado, but now as heroes who chose to fight for others. Paden accepts the sheriff's badge, transforming from drifter to protector, while the others ride on as changed men.