Michael Cimino wanted to make a Masterpiece. United Artists wanted the same, and they were captivated by the force and box-office impact of The Deer Hunter. So they made a deal, which Cimino steadily ignored. Was he mad, vainglorious, an outlaw, or a great artist? He knew that once a film is begun, it is very tough for its owners to back out. They may let the budget quadruple, hanging on, like desperate gamblers. Heaven's Gate broke United Artists when it came out-and made for the superb autopsy, Final Cut, by Steven Bach, one of the UA executives who signed off on the picture. So it is regarded now as a monster, a maverick, a rogue picture. Why not take another look? In which case, is this the last great Western, and maybe the first that actually wrestles with the politics of America?