City Slickers is a Reverse Cain and Abel
Previously in Cain and Abel coverage: “If Cain asks me to go anywhere with him, I won’t ask questions. I’ll just hold his hand and go!”
The story of Cain and Abel is the story of the first murder, of the early rupture between settled farmers and nomadic pastoralists, establishes the Old Testament motif of the unexpectedly-favored younger brother and subsequent sibling rivalry in a desert society.
The 1991 Billy Crystal comedy Western City Slickers is the story of Cain and Abel in reverse, telling the story of harmonious brothers Barry and Ira Shalowitz, of the unexpected comradeship possible between settled agriculturalists (Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, and Bruno Kirby) and nomadic pastoralists (Jack Palance), and the possibility of interfamilial male bonding in a desert society (Bill Henderson and Phill Lewis as father-son dentists).
Mitch Robbins: Hey, you know, the first time I tried to talk to you, you embarrassed me. So I teased you a little bit, which maybe I shouldn't have done. So I’m sorry. And now you’re sitting over there, playing with your knife, trying to frighten me — which, you’re doing a good job. But if you’re gonna kill me, get on with it; if not, shut the hell up — I’m on vacation.
Genesis 4:6: And the Lord said unto Cain, “Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?”
Mitch Robbins [to a pair of cowhands menacing Bonnie]: Listen, guys, what are you doing, huh? This isn’t exactly nineties behavior, I’ve gotta be honest with ya.
Genesis 4:7: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”
Barbara Robbins: You just happen to have one of those jobs that’s difficult to—
Mitch Robbins: Believe that a grown man does without losing his mind? I mean, what is my job? I sell advertising time on the radio. So basically I sell air. At least my father was an upholsterer. He made a sofa, a couch you could sit on.
Genesis 4:2: And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the soil.
Clay Stone: You came out here city slickers. You’re gonna go home cowboys.
Genesis 4:3-5: And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.
Phil Berquist: When somebody dies, I don’t change places with him. I appreciate the fact that I’m not dead.
Genesis 4:9: And the Lord said unto Cain, “Where is Abel thy brother?” And he said, “I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Mitch Robbins: You know what the cook said about him? He said he killed a man in a knife fight. He said he slit him from neck to nuts. I’m not happy about this.
Ed Furillo: The guy’s a cowboy. One of the last real men.
Genesis 4:10-12: And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;
When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
City Slickers is a biblically resonant text, is all I’m saying. There’s also plenty of Jacob-and-Esau material.
Cookie: You ain’t gonna be getting no nouveau, almondine, thin crust, bottled water, sautéed city food. Food’s brown, hot, and plenty of it.
Genesis 25:29-34: And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, “Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint:” therefore was his name called Edom. And Jacob said, “Sell me this day thy birthright.” And Esau said, “Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?” And Jacob said, “Swear to me this day;” and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.
Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentils; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
Mitch Robbins [speaking of Curly]: Did you see that guy? That is the toughest man I’ve ever seen in my life! Did you se how leathery he was? He was like a saddlebag with eyes!
Genesis 25:25-27: And the first [twin] came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau…And the boys grew, and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field.
Ed Furillo: I’m fourteen and my mother and father are fighting again. You know, because she caught him again. This time, the girl drove by the house to pick up him. And I finally realized he wasn’t just cheating on my mother, he was cheating on us. So I told him, “We don’t love you. I’ll take care of my mother and my sister. We don’t need you anymore.” And he made like he was gonna hit me, but I didn’t budge. Then he turned around and he left. never bothered us again. But I took care of my mother and my sister from that day on. That’s my best day.
Mitch Robbins: What was your worst day?
Ed Furillo: Same day.
Proverbs 20:20: Whoso curseth his father, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
Thank you for your time.