Why is McCabe and Mrs. Miller called an anti-western?

McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971) is characterized as a revisionist "anti-western" because it subverts the traditional tropes and mythologies associated with the western genre.1

Rather than presenting a heroic narrative, the film offers a symbolic critique of corporate capitalism set within a turn-of-the-20th-century boomtown in the Pacific Northwest. The protagonist, John McCabe, is portrayed not as a legendary gunslinger, but as a dense, small-time gambler whose ambitions ultimately exceed his capabilities.1

The film further distinguishes itself from conventional westerns through its atmospheric naturalism, achieved via Robert Altman’s signature use of overlapping dialogue, patient pacing, and a lingering camera. This grounded, realistic approach is complemented by the poetic cinematography of Vilmos Zsigmond and a dreamy musical score by Leonard Cohen, creating a tone that stands in stark contrast to the idealized depictions often found in classic western cinema.1