The Dead Don’t Hurt

Vivienne, a florist, and Holger, a carpenter, meet in San Francisco. Vivienne values her independence and refuses to marry but agrees to move with Holger to Nevada. The two immigrants build a life together: Vivienne works as a waitress, and Holger builds barns. Their happiness is disrupted when the American Civil War breaks out, and Holger feels morally obliged to fight for the abolition of slavery. Left to fend for herself, Vivienne must survive alone while being relentlessly pursued by the son of the town’s powerful businessman. The film combines the gritty realism of a western with a tender portrayal of a woman determined to survive in a man’s world.