The Postman (film)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The Postman is a 1997 film adaptation of the award-winning post-apocalyptic themed novel of the same name, written in 1985 by author David Brin.
It was filmed in north-eastern Washington (Metaline Falls) and central Oregon, and was directed by Kevin Costner. The film stars Kevin Costner as lead, Will Patton, Larenz Tate, Olivia Williams, James Russo, Daniel Von Bargen, Tom Petty, Scott Bairstow, Roberta Maxwell and Mary Stuart Masterson.
Plot summary
The year is 2013 and war has crippled the earth. Into this apocalyptic wasteland comes an enigmatic and initially nameless drifter (Kevin Costner), with his mule named Bill and a talent for Shakespeare.
While fleeing a neofascist army run by General Bethlehem (Will Patton), Costner's character survives a cold night by hiding in a rusted-out mail truck that he literally stumbles onto. While taking refuge in the truck, the drifter takes the bag of undelivered mail (after reading some of the letters), puts on the dead owner's postal uniform, and 'the Postman' is born. Arriving at one of the settlements scattered throughout Oregon, Costner's character attempts to save his life by pretending to have official business, that is, by assuming the identity of a postman who has been appointed by what he falsely describes as the newly restored government. While some in the settlement are skeptical of his story, the people seem generally to want to believe, and they proceed to give the Postman more mail to deliver.
While the Postman and Abby (a woman pregnant with his baby) hide from General Bethlehem in the woods until she comes to term, he becomes an almost mythical symbol of hope. By spring, a young man named Ford Lincoln Mercury (Larenz Tate)—inspired by the Postman's example—has organized a postal service connecting the communities of the Pacific Northwest. Ultimately, the Postman leads the villagers against General Bethlehem's army.
The film concludes with a scene, which is set in the year 2043, in which the Postman's daughter—who had already been providing some narration throughout the film—looks back on her father's achievements. A statue of the Postman is unveiled nearby, as speeches proclaim the historic role that he played in helping to restore civil society once more.
