Back to the Future Part III wasn’t the first time that Christopher Lloyd and Mary Steenburgen teamed up in a western comedy, but the movie they made 12 years earlier was completely different. The final installment of the Back to the Future trilogy sent Marty back to the 1880s to save Doc Brown from dying in the past. It returned the series to its roots, and told a more grounded time-travel story after the first sequel was a bit more chaotic. As far as fitting trilogy endings go, Back to the Future Part III is an excellent finale.

Unlike Back to the Future Part II, the threequel added a new character in the form of Mary Steenburgen’s Clara, and it shifted focus away from Doc and Marty. Clara’s inclusion also added stakes to the trilogy capper, and allowed Doc Brown to become a fully realized character after being more of a caricature in Marty’s life. The ending of Back to the Future Part III concluded the entire series, and it also gave Doc a heartwarming new life with Clara. Christopher Lloyd and Mary Steenburgen had great chemistry in BTTF 3 because it wasn’t their first western comedy together.

Christopher Lloyd & Mary Steenburgen Appeared In Goin’ South Before Back To The Future Part III

The Dark Comedy Is Nothing Like The Back To The Future Sequel

Comedy comes in all forms, and Back to the Future Part III was completely different from the 1978 film, Goin’ South, which brought Christopher Lloyd and Mary Steenburgen together for the first time. Directed by Jack Nicholson, the film stars Nicholson as a notorious thief named Moon who is saved from the gallows by a woman (Steenburgen’s Julia) who agrees to marry him. Though the partnership is purely business in the beginning, the duo eventually finds that they have real feelings for one another. Their marriage and financial arrangement are then disrupted by the arrival of Moon’s old gang.

The western comedy was Mary Steenburgen’s first film role, and her turn as the cunning Julia earned her a Golden Globe nomination. On the other hand, Christopher Lloyd was already more than a decade into his career, and reunited with Nicholson after the pair had previously worked together on One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Lloyd plays Deputy Towfield, a cop who wants nothing more than to hang Moon for his various crimes. Steenburgen and Lloyd don’t share a lot of screentime, and they certainly aren’t a couple like in Back to the Future Part III.

While Goin’ South has become somewhat obscure, it is a showcase of strong acting from its ensemble cast. Nicholson turns in another amazing performance, and Mary Steenburgen holds her own despite starring opposite such a powerhouse of Hollywood. Christopher Lloyd does his best when he’s given a zany character, and Towfield is appropriately over-the-top to match the movie’s comedic tone. The charisma of both Steenburgen and Lloyd is on full display in Goin’ South, and it’s no wonder they were reunited for another western comedy a decade later.

Goin’ South Is Almost The Exact Opposite Of Back To The Future Part III As A Western Comedy

Goin’ South Is A Much Darker Western Comedy Overall

Both Goin’ South and Back to the Future Part III represent their respective era’s outlook on the western, and that outlook influenced what kind of comedies the films became. BTTF 3 is glossy and positive, and finds humor through its characters as they try to escape such a ridiculous time-travel predicament. Meanwhile, Goin’ South is a dark comedy that uses humor to pick apart the idealized vision of the American West that’s shown in classic western movies. The late ’70s was the era of the anti-western, while the early 1990s saw a resurgence in the genre’s classical ideals.

The films couldn’t be any different, and represent two diametrically opposed positions. Back to the Future Part III has stood the test of time because of its wholesomeness, but Goin’ South is a bit dated because it represents feelings that might not always be in style. Also, dark comedy is always a risky proposition, and there are aspects of Goin’ South that haven’t aged particularly well. In its attempt to pick apart the western genre, it muddies its own message by peppering in humor over very serious issues. Neither are perfect films, but BTTF 3 has more universal appeal.

Doc Brown & Clara’s Romance Is The Heart Of Back To The Future Part III

Back To The Future’s Finale Gave Doc Brown His Own Storyline

One thing that helped elevate Back to the Future Part III over its predecessor is that it was a more streamlined story with a human approach. Doc Brown had spent the first two movies as a mere guide for Marty’s adventure, but the third film gave him agency. His love story with Clara is the heart of the threequel, and eventually gives him a fitting ending that wasn’t always obvious from the start. The strong writing is helped along by Christopher Lloyd’s and Mary Steenburgen’s chemistry, and the two seasoned vets carry the film.