Upamanyu Biswas
‘Rebel Ridge‘ tells the story of Terry Richmond, a former Marine who gets embroiled in a corruption ring within the ranks of a small-town locality named Shelby Springs. After cycling into town with the hopes of posting bail for his cousin Mike, Terry’s bag of money is seized by the police under falsehoods. Subsequently, he has to fight tooth and nail to rescue Mike before something terrible happens to him. However, his worst nightmares come to fruition when Terry is whisked to the Samaritan Hospital Center, where he learns his cousin has been admitted. Therefore, the hospital plays a prominent part in the narrative by allowing the protagonist to have some personal time with his cousin and in determining the conclusion of the story! SPOILERS AHEAD.
Samaritan Hospital is a Fictional Medical Center With a Pivotal Role in the Narrative
From the beginning, Terry and Chief Sandy Burnne refuse to see eye-to-eye on several things, including Mike’s bail from prison. While Terry is desperate to get his cousin out of jail, fearing that something terrible might happen to him if he is transferred to the stateside prison, his efforts ultimately end up not making a difference because of the Chief’s corrupting influence. Therefore, Terry is distraught when he is dropped off at the Samaritan Hospital Center by Burnne and Officer Marston, who reveal to him that his cousin was stabbed in prison and has subsequently been admitted to the hospital. The medical center is a fictional creation of Jeremy Saulnier, who wrote, directed, and co-produced the movie.
Although the hospital is fictional, there are numerous healthcare establishments across the country with a similar name. For instance, the Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California, and the Samaritan Hospital in Troy, New York. Both real-life places share similar designations with the fictional hospital in ‘Rebel Ridge.’ However, the Samaritan Hospital in the movie differs because it is situated in a rural area, where not a lot of healthcare establishments are available for miles. Filming for ‘Rebel Ridge’ took place in Louisiana, where the southeastern state’s backdrop doubles up as Shelby Springs. It is likely that the scenes featuring the Samaritan Hospital were shot at a pre-existing establishment that was remodeled by the production crew.
Samaritan Hospital has a recurring role throughout the narrative. It is the place where Terry is reunited with Mike after several trials, albeit in a tragic manner, as his cousin passes away on the premises of the medical center. The hospital also makes an appearance at the very end of the film, when Terry drives an injured Marston and Summer to the place, hoping to rescue them before things get too late. The movie concludes with Terry sitting down in the hospital’s reception area with the dash cam footage from the police cruiser on his lap. Despite the essential aid it provides the main characters, Samaritan Hospital is a fictional setting that cannot be found in reality.
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