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A 1999 made for TV Western about a ruthless band of outlaws that end up in the town of Refuge. At first it seems to be a bandit's dream come true, where even the Sheriff won't use a gun. Of course nothing is as it seems, and it turns out that Refuge is a last chance town for the marginally good to redeem themselves after they die by living peacefully for ten years.
Tropes used in Purgatory include:
- The Atoner: Everyone in Refuge, though Lefty Slade fails.
- Blasting It Out of Their Hands: Wild Bill Hitchcock can do it while firing one handed.
- Bolt of Divine Retribution: Special delivery from God.
- Broken Masquerade: It slowly falls apart due to Sonny recognizing the townspeople.
- Divine Intervention: Shockingly, God isn't too pleased with Blackjack & Co. screwing around with his town.
- Fate Worse Than Death: Death is nothing compared to the penalty for violence.
- Fire and Brimstone Hell: The entrance to Hell is a river of fire.
- A Form You Are Comfortable With: The Indian and coach driver are angels.
- God: Running the whole show.
- God Is Good: Gives people a second chance and understands the need to defend your home.
Coach driver: "The Creator may be tough, but he ain't blind." |
- Hooker with a Heart of Gold: - Dolly Stone, though she says the dime novels exagerate it.
- Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy: People die, but it takes a lot of firing to do it. Except when the plot calls for it, of course.
- Insult Backfire: At the final shootout.
Blackjack: "Your mother's a whore." |
- Knife Nut: Betty McCullough, though her victim deserved it.
- Magical Native American: More specifcially, St. Peter in Indian form.
- The Masquerade: None of the townspeople will admit to who the were.
- Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane: Lightning hits the knife thrower.
- Redemption Equals Death: Granted he was never really bad, but Sonny did want to join Blackjack's band, knowing fully what they did. Of course, he doesn't have too far to go once he dies.
- Resigned to the Call: The townspeople decide to take up arms even though (they think) it'll mean going to hell.
- Retirony: The Sheriff, who is a few days from going home when Blackjack shows up. Inverted in that "retiring" means dying, and subverted in that he gets to go to heaven anyway.
- Romantic False Lead: Dolly is set up as the romantic interest for Sonny, especially when she ends up in Refuge, but he ends up with Dolly.
- The So-Called Coward: The entire town, who are actually some of the most dangerous people in The Wild West.
- Villain Protagonist/Decoy Protagonist: Blackjack's gang.
- The Western: With supernatural elements.
- When It Rains, It Pours: The only rainstorm in the movie is a massive downpour, though it wasn't natural.