Character Relationship Map: Zachariah

Characters

• Zachariah (played by John Rubinstein) — protagonist

  Main protagonist who seeks adventure with his friend Matthew. After killing a saloon aggressor and briefly joining The Crackers, he refuses a deadly challenge from Job Cain. He finds spiritual guidanc...

• Belle Starr (played by Patricia Quinn) — protagonist

  Runs a brothel/spa in the sin city of El Camino, claiming to only sleep with affluent gunslingers. Zachariah briefly charms her but leaves, rejecting her hedonistic lifestyle. Matthew later hints at c...

• Matthew (played by Don Johnson) — supporting

  Zachariah's best friend and a blacksmith. After leaving The Crackers, he joins Job Cain's organization and plots to surpass him. He reunites with Zachariah, kills Cain in El Camino, and goads Zacharia...

• Job Cain (played by Elvin Jones) — supporting

  A legendary outlaw who practices gun skills through musical drumming. He challenges Zachariah and Matthew to a deadly test, which Zachariah refuses. He later leads his men to El Camino, where Matthew...

• Member of The Crackers (played by Greg Dewey) — supporting
• The Dude (played by Dick Van Patten) — supporting
• Member of The Crackers (played by Peter Albin) — minor
• Member of Job Cain's Band (played by Joe Walsh) — minor
• Man in Bar (uncredited) (played by Lawrence Kubik) — minor
• The Fiddler (played by Doug Kershaw) — supporting

  A taunting musician in the desert who alerts Zachariah to the whereabouts of the legendary outlaw Job Cain, prompting the two friends to seek him out.

• Pancho the Doorman (uncredited) (played by Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez) — minor
• Member of The Crackers (played by Mark Kapner) — minor
• Member of The Crackers (played by Doug Metzner) — minor
• Member of Job Cain's Band (played by Jimmy Fox) — minor
• Member of Job Cain's Band (played by Dale Peters) — minor
• Belle Starr's Band (played by The New York Rock Ensemble) — minor
• Bank Teller (uncredited) (played by Peter Bergman) — minor
• Old Man (played by William Challee) — supporting

  A solitary desert dweller who provides Zachariah with spiritual guidance and a shelter rule (leave gun outside). He teaches a mantra about slowing down, confronts Zachariah about his return to violenc...

• Stage Manager (played by Robert Ball) — supporting
• Member of The Crackers (played by Country Joe McDonald) — supporting

  One of the members of the criminal band 'The Crackers' that Zachariah and Matthew briefly join before abandoning due to the group's incompetence.

Story Analysis

A journey of two friends seeking adventure as gunfighters who ultimately find wisdom in the desert

Plot Progression

1. The Call to Adventure — Zachariah and Matthew discover a gun and decide to leave their small town to become gunfighters, seeking excitement beyond their mundane lives.
2. False Starts and Disillusionment — The friends join The Crackers, realize their incompetence, and seek out the legendary outlaw Job Cain, leading to a pivotal confrontation.
3. Diverging Paths — The friends take different paths when Zachariah refuses to shoot Matthew, leading to separate journeys of self-discovery.
4. Desert Enlightenment — Zachariah meets the Old Man who teaches him wisdom about slowing down and appreciating the natural world, while Matthew rises in Cain's organization.
5. Inevitable Confrontation — Matthew kills Cain and returns to challenge Zachariah, leading to a final showdown that reveals their true bond beyond gunfighting.