Saddles and Spurs: The Great Westerns.

HELL ON WHEELS is a great new Western series

2012-01-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

The new western series, Hell on Wheels, which premiered on AMC back in November of last year is winding down for the season with one more new episode left for this Sunday night. Set in the 1860's it centers on former confederate soldier Cullen Bohannan, whose quest for vengeance has led him to the Union Pacific Railroad's westward construction of the first Transcontinental Railroad. Newcomer Anson Mount is great as Cullen. And he is supported by a great cast. Including Colm Meaney as railroad baron Durant. Common as Elam, Cullen's right hand man. Tom Noonan as the local reverend. Dominique McElligott as the headstrong Lily Bell, a woman whose husband worked for Durant and was killed by Indians. And Christopher Heyerdahl as The Swede, who runs the railroad camp with a strong hand.

Anson Mount as Cullen

Colm Meaney as Durant

Common as Elam

Dominique McElligott as Lily

Cullen is looking for the men who killed his wife and as he finds them, he kills them one by one. Along the way he works as the boss of the railroad and makes friend with Elam. Which riles the other men since Elam is a Negro and is seen as nothing but a slave. And he buts head with The Swede on a daily basis. And plus there is conflict with the local Indians as the railroad is forging ahead through the land where they live.

All in all, there is so much going on here, that it is a joy to watch each and every week. If you love westerns, then this is a very entertaining series. It is quite graphic and the language is raw but not as strong as Deadwood was. Catch this great series, now airing on AMC. Oh and if you're wondering, Hell on Wheels is the name of the town where it is set. And it has this awesome theme music that grabs you right away.

Montana Belle (1952).

2012-01-04T03:14:00.000-08:00

Montana Belle (1952). Western directed by Allan Dwan. Cast: Jane Russell. The story is a fictionalised biography of Montana outlaw Belle Starr.

Russell plays notorious outlaw sharp shooter Belle Starr, who after being saved by the Dalton Gang from the hangman's noose, falls in love with Bob Dalton. This doesn't stop Belle and Dalton from trying to stab one another in the back. Things take a turn for the better,(for a short time) after Belle Starr meets gambler Tom Bradfield who finally offers Belle a new start in life.

Supporting players George Brent and Forrest Tucker, who take turns getting out of Jane's way. Russell, makes a perfect Belle, you will enjoy seeing her in the saloon singing, "The Gilded Lily".

Jane Russell (June 21, 1921 – February 28, 2011). Was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s.

Russell moved from the Midwest to California, where she had her first film role in 1943 with The Outlaw. She starred in over 20 films throughout her career.

Western Woman.

2012-01-01T14:43:00.000-08:00

There are many wonderful stories of courageous women who helped to settle the West, told through dramas, musicals and comedy. Here is a list of some of the better known.. Western Woman Classic films:

Belle Starr (1941). Director: Irving Cummings. Based on the life of outlaw Belle Starr. Cast: Gene Tierney, Randolph Scott and Dana Andrews.

After her family's mansion is burned down by Yankee soldiers for hiding Captain Sam Starr, Belle Shirley promises to take revenge. Breaking Starr out of prison, she joins his group who make plans to attack banks and railroads and enemy troops. Belle and Sam are married and trouble begins when Sam lets a couple of ruthless rebels into the gang.

I remember seeing this film many years ago and fell in love with it. I have always liked civil war films. Gene Tierney is beautiful as always, but..did not care much for her southern accent throughout the film. Randolph Scott is wonderful as captain Sam Starr. I do not want to give the ending away.. Good performances at end.

FUN FACT: Originally, Alice Faye was to play the title role.

Annie Oakley (1935). D: George Stevens. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Preston Foster, Melvyn Douglas, Pert Kelton, Andy Clyde. Biography of female sharpshooter Stanwyck and her on-again off-again romance with fellow performer Foster. Moroni Olsen, plays Buffalo Bill. I have not seen this one yet.

Annie Get Your Gun (1950). Musical biography of sharpshooter Annie Oakley. Cast: Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Edward Arnold. Dir: George Sidney. Fun Facts: Judy Garland and Frank Morgan, who appeared together in The Wizard of Oz (1939), were scheduled to reappear together in this film. Garland was fired because of health problems, and Frank Morgan died shortly after filming began. As a result of this, Betty Hutton took over Judy Garland's role as Annie Oakley, and Louis Calhern succeeded Frank Morgan as Buffalo Bill. Howard Keel broke his leg during filming when a horse fell on it. I thought Betty Hutton was wonderful in this film. She may not have been the singer that Garland was, but she did a excellent job with her performance, as Annie with her amazing personality and humor.

Show Boat(1951). A beautiful musical of riverboat lives and loves. Cast: Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner and Howard Keel.

Westward the Women (1951) Director: William A. Wellman. Cast: Robert Taylor, Denise Darcel and John McIntire.

In 1851, Roy Whitman decides to take a group of women west to join his lonely men, hoping they will put down roots and settle down in his California valley.

Roy has the women pick their prospective husbands from pictures he has posted to a board. Two saloon girls, Fifi Danon and Laurie Smith, change their clothes when others like them are rejected. Roy is not fooled, but believes they are sincere in trying to change their ways and decides to let them join the other ladies. Roy hires a hardened trail boss, Buck Wyatt, to lead the wagon train.

On the trail, Buck shoots one of his men for raping Laurie. All but two of the trail hands leave in the middle of the night, taking eight of the women with them. This leaves only the Japanese cook, and Jim Stacey, who has fallen in love with an already-pregnant Rose Meyers to lead the train. Buck, decides the group must turn back. The women refuse to accept his decision. Roy believes that the women can learn to do "a man's job". The women go through one hardship after another. Will Fifi's bravery and determination change Buck's opinion of women?

This movie is very entertaining! It's funny, It's touching, It's violent. It's everything you'd expect from a film called Westward the Woman.

Mail Order Bride (1964). An aging cowhand tries to help a young rancher settle down by buying him a wife. Cast: Buddy Ebsen, Keir Dullea, Lois Nettleton. I have not seen this one yet.

Montana Belle (1952). The Daltons force Belle Starr to help them on a dangerous raid. Cast: Jane Russell,
George Brent and Scott Brady. I do not remember if I have seen this one or not.

Red River(1948).

2011-08-20T13:54:00.000-07:00

Red River(1948). Directed by Howard Hawks. Cast:John Wayne, Montgomery Clift, Joanne Dru, Walter Brennan, Coleen Gray, Harry Carey, John Ireland, Hank Worden, Noah Beery Jr. and Harry Carey, Jr.

Thomas Dunson, is a man who has big dreams of running a successful cattle ranch in Texas. As he begins his journey to Texas with his trail hand and best friend, Nadine Groot, Dunson learns that the woman he loves was killed in an Indian attack. Heartbroken, Dunson and Groot ride on, only to come upon a orphaned boy named Matthew Garth, who Dunson takes under his wing.

With only a cow and a bull, Dunson and the boy cross the Red River and Dunson, quickly stakes his claim. Two Mexican men appear on horseback and tells Dunson that the land belongs to their boss. Dunson, kills one of the men and tells the other man to inform his boss that Dunson, now owns the land. Dunson, names his new ranch the Red River D and promises to add M to the brand, after Matt has earned it.

Fourteen years have passed and Dunson, now has over ten thousand cattle. After the Civil War, the price of cattle in Texas has dropped. Dunson, decides to drive his herd hundreds of miles north to Missouri, where he believes they will find a better price.

After, hiring some extra men to help out with the drive, including professional gunman Cherry Valance, they set off on their cattle drive. Along the way, a stampede started by one of the men making noise while trying to steal sugar from the chuck wagon.

The real trouble begins, when Dunson's temper affects the rest of the men. When Dunson, attempts to lynch two of the men who tried to desert the drive, Matt stands up to Dunson. With the help of the other men, Matt takes over of the drive and heads for Abilene, Kansas. Dunson, now vows to track down Matt and kill him.

On the way to Abilene, Matt and his men save a wagon train from Indians. One of the people they save is Tess Millay, who falls in love with Matt.

He leaves one night in the middle of a rain storm. Later, Tess meets up with Dunson, who is hot on Matt's trail, and tries to change his mind.

Matt reaches Abilene, and accepts a good offer for the cattle. The next morning, Dunson arrives in Abilene, with a group of men to kill Matt. The two men begin a fight for their lives, will Dunson be successful in his promise.

The film Red River, ranks as one of the great epic westerns. Montgomery Clift and John Wayne, give some of their best performances.

Fun Facts:

Texas Longhorn cattle had been nearly extinct as a breed for about 50 years when this film was made. Only a few dozen animals were available. In the herd scenes most of the cattle are Hereford crosses with the precious Longhorns prominently placed in crucial scenes.

The theme song, "Settle Down" was later used under the title "My Rifle, My Pony and Me" in Rio Bravo, another John Wayne western.

Five dams were built to bring the San Pedro River in Arizona, where the crossings were shot, to flood stage.

In a 1974 interview, Howard Hawks said that he originally offered the role of Thomas Dunson to Gary Cooper but he had declined it because he didn't believe the ruthless nature of Dunson's character would have suited his screen image.
Cary Grant (who had worked with Howard Hawks on Bringing Up Baby and Only Angels Have Wings) turned down the role of gunslinger Cherry Valance, a part that was subsequently minimized in the final film.

During production, many members of the cast and crew caught illnesses and injuries. Howard Hawks was hospitalized for several days after being stung by a centipede. John Wayne caught a severe cold. Joanne Dru suffered from influenza.

The only film that father, Harry Carey, and son, Harry Carey Jr. appeared together in.

Joanne Dru (January 31, 1922 – September 10, 1996). After moving to Hollywood, she found work in the theater. Dru was spotted by a talent scout and made her first film performance in, Irish Rose (1946).

She was cast often in western films such as Howard Hawks's, Red River (1948), and John Ford's, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), and Wagon Master (1950).

She gave a well-received performance in the dramatic film, All the King's Men (1949) and co-starred with Dan Dailey in, The Pride of St. Louis (1952).

She performed in, Thunder Bay (1953) and then a Martin and Lewis comedy, 3 Ring Circus (1954). Her film career faded by the end of the 1950s, but she continued working in television, as "Babs Wooten" on the 1960-61 sitcom, Guestward, Ho!. She performed for the rest of the 1960s and the first half of the 1970s, with one feature film performance, in Sylvia (1965).

Along The Great Divide(1951).

2011-06-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

Along the Great Divide(1951).Directed by Raoul Walsh. Cast: Kirk Douglas, Virginia Mayo, John Agar, and Walter Brennan.

The story begins when, Federal marshal Len Merrick and his two deputies save cattle rustler and murder suspect Tim "Pop" Keith, from a lynch mob headed by rancher Ned Roden, whose son was killed. Roden, sends his other son, Dan James Anderson, to round up his men. After Roden leaves, Merrick finds a pocket watch.

Keith suggests that they spend the night at his home and Merrick begins to regret his offer when Keith's daughter Ann, starts shooting at them. Merrick, is able to get her gun from her. When they leave, Ann decides to go with them. Thinking he won't be followed Merrick, decides to take an the long hot desert route. Unfortunately, he is overtaken by Roden and his men. In the gunfight, Merrick's best friend and deputy, Billy Shear, is wounded and dies.

Merrick and Ann start falling in love. The marshal tells her why he takes his job so seriously, is because the one time he didn't, it cost his father his life. He was a deputy to his marshal father, and refused to help escort two prisoners. All three were lynched. Ann, warns him that her first loyalty is to her father.

Dan convinces the deputy, Lou Gray, to help him escape by promising him a ranch. When the group reaches a waterhole, they find the water undrinkable. Everyone, except Merrick want to head south. Knowing the river is on the Mexican border, Merrick insists on continuing on to Santa Loma. Gray draws his gun, but Merrick shoots it out of his hand.

Later exhausted, Merrick falls from his horse. Keith grabs his gun, but can not bring himself to shoot. When Gray goes for his rifle, Keith kills him, then hands the gun back to Merrick.

At the trial in Santa Loma, Merrick tells the jury that Keith is not a killer, but all the evidence is against him, and he is found guilty. Will Merrick save Keith from being hanged?

This Western , has everything you need : Gunfights, fistfights and the scenery is beautiful. Most of the film was shot in the Alabama Hills, just west of Lone Pine, California. Over 300 movies have been filmed at the base of Mt. Whitney.

Ray Teal (January 12, 1902 – April 2, 1976), performed in more than 250 movies and some 90 television shows in his 37-year career. His longest running role was as Sheriff Roy Coffee in the western, Bonanza (1960–1972). He also played a sheriff in the film, Ace in the Hole.

Teal had a recurring role as a police officer in the 1953-1955 Where's Raymond?, renamed The Ray Bolger Show. Ray Bolger played Raymond Wallace.

In 1955, Teal played a ruthless cattle baron in the episode "Julesburg" Cheyenne, starring Clint Walker, the first hour-long western series.

Teal, a saxophone player, worked his way through UCLA as a bandleader before becoming an actor. He was a bit part player in western movies for several years before landing a role in, Northwest Passage (1940). Another of his roles was as Little John in, The Bandit of Sherwood Forest (1946). In his most memorable movie role he played one of the judges in, Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) with Spencer Tracy.

Roy Rogers: "King of the Cowboys".

2011-06-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

Roy Rogers, (November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), was a singing cowboy actor. He and his wife Dale Evans, his golden palomino, Trigger, and his German Shepherd dog, Bullet, were featured in more than 100 movies and The Roy Rogers Show. His shows usually featured a sidekick: Pat Brady, (who drove a Jeep called "Nellybelle"), Andy Devine, or George "Gabby" Hayes.

Roy Rogers, moved to California to become a singer and formed the Sons of the Pioneers, in 1934. The group's most popular songs include: "Cool Water" and "Tumbling Tumbleweeds".

Rogers, played a supporting role in the John Wayne film, Dark Command (1940).

Most of his films were in Trucolor during an time when B-movies were filmed in black-and-white. Some of his movies his horse Trigger, would go off on his own for a while, with the camera following him.

There were Roy Rogers action figures, cowboy adventure novels, as well as a comic strip, Roy Rogers Comics, written by Gaylord Du Bois. Roy Rogers was second only to Walt Disney in the amount of items featuring his name.

Rogers and Evans were also well known as advocates for adoption and as founders and operators of children's charities. They adopted several children In Apple Valley, California, where they made their home, numerous streets and highways as well as civic buildings have been named after them in recognition of their work.

Rogers and Evans's famous theme song, "Happy Trails", was written by Evans; they sang it as a duet to sign off their television show. In the fall of 1962, the couple co-hosted a comedy-western-variety program, The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Show. He also made numerous cameo or guest appearances on other popular television shows, starring as himself or other cowboy-type characters, such as in an episode of Wonder Woman called "The Bushwackers". Rogers also owned a Hollywood production company which handled his series.

Rogers owned a Thoroughbred racehorse named Triggairo, who won 13 career races including the 1975 El Encino Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

John Wayne.

2011-05-27T05:41:00.001-07:00

John Wayne(May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979) was a film actor, director and producer. He is famous for his distinctive voice, walk and height.

His last film was The Shootist (1976), whose main character, J. B. Books, was dying of cancer—the illness to which Wayne himself succumbed 3 years later. It was based on the 1975 novel of the same name by Glendon Swarthout Scott Hale and Miles Hood Swarthout (son of the author) wrote the screenplay. Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard and James Stewart co-starred and Don Siegel directed.

The movie begins with a clip montage of some of John Wayne's earlier western movies, showing the life of the "shootist" John Bernard (J. B.) Books.

Books arrives in Carson City, Nevada on January 22, 1901, looking for the medical opinion E. W. "Doc" Hostetler. Hostetler confirms a Colorado doctor's prognosis of cancer, so Books rents a room from the widow Bond Rogers and her son Gillom.

Marshal Walter Thibido, hot on his heels, visits the house to tell him to leave town. Books tells him about his cancer. The Marshal then tells him, "Don't take too long to die."

Old enemies and glory seekers come looking for him. Mike Sweeney wants to avenge a brother's death. A newspaperman wants the story of his life. Books is forced to shoot two strangers who try to ambush him in his sleep. Gillom is impressed, but his mother does not want him in her home.

Serepta, a girlfriend from his past also shows up to ask Books to marry her. He is not to happy when he learns that she wants to use his name to make money.

Books and Bond, begin to become friends and she seems to be truly upset when he tells her that he has little time left. Gillom, sells Books horse to give back to his mother the money she lost.

Later, Book asks Gillom to tell three bad men, Mike Sweeney, Jack Pulford and Jay Cobb, that they can find him in the morning at the Metropole saloon. In the shootout, will Books kill all of his opponents before he dies himself?

Fun Facts:

To add a sense of realism to John Wayne's character, archive footage from several of his westerns was used to introduce J.B. Books after the beginning credits. Included was footage from Red River (1948), Hondo (1953), Rio Bravo (1959) and El Dorado (1966).

When J.B. Books (John Wayne) arrives at Dr. E.W. Hostetler's (James Stewart) office, Hostetler mentions that it has been 15 years since they last saw each other. The inside joke is that Wayne and Stewart last worked together on The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), 15 years before.

John Wayne liked working with Lauren Bacall in their first film, Blood Alley (1955) so much that he hand-picked her as his leading lady for this film.

Please click here to learn more about John Wayne.

Two Mules For Sister Sara (1970) is a good western thanks to Shirley MacLaine and a little help from Clint Eastwood

2011-04-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

That post title might sound strange considering this film co-stars Clint Eastwood, who was coming off the famous A Man With No Name trilogy and Hang Em High. He is good here as the gunfighter Hogan, who crosses path with Sister Sara (MacLaine) a nun who is attacked by three desperadoes. Hogan saves her and the two become joined at the hip. Hogan is recruited by a Mexican colonel to help prevent the French Army from overtaking that country. Sister Sara lends a hand in her own special way. Two Mules is not your typical western and definitely not your typical western for Clint. He gets a lot more dialogue than usual and his character is actually fleshed out more than it was when he played The Man with no Name in those three Leone westerns. But he is still one mean hombre when things hit the fan. But it's MacLaine who makes the movie for me. As her Sister Sara speaks her mind and takes charge when she has to. She drinks and curses a little on occasion. She and Clint have good chemistry too. I enjoyed this film with it's easy going vibe and two solid performances that mixed humor with suspense and a little action. Plus it has one cool music score by Ennio Morriconne.
B

Frank, Dean, Anita and Ursula are 4 For Texas (1963)

2011-04-23T17:11:00.000-07:00

This 1963 western paired up friends and Rat packers Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin in a breezy western about two sharpshooters who meet up on a stagecoach that is attacked by robbers. The duo managed to fight them off but Dean (as Joe Jarrett) makes off with the $100,000 Frank (as Zack Thomas) was guarding. The two will meet up again in Galveston as Dean arrives and decides to open up a casino with the help of lovely Max (played by Ursula Andress). Zack has to deal with his unscrupulous partner played by Victor Buono, who hires killer Matson (Charles Bronson) to take out Zack. And throw in the exotic beauty Elya Carlson (played by Anita Ekberg) who runs a barber shop, who is Zack's lady love. Lots of gunplay and humor are prevalent in this easy going western. It opens with an exciting 10 minute sequence involving the stagecoach robbery. And ends with a wild melee involving over a hudred guys and a surprisingly violent shoot-out between Sinatra and Bronson. A good western that will please both guys and girls. The men have the Ekberg and Andress to look at while the ladies can watch Dino and Ol Bue Eyes do their thing. Oh and there's a cameo by the Three Stooges.

B-

VIVA MARIA! is part musical, part western and it is wonderful...

2011-03-19T06:25:00.000-07:00

I don't even know how to describe this movie. It's part musical, part western, part comedy, part adventure. And somehow mix all that together and it works. Set in Middle America in 1907, the fiery Maria 2 (played by Brigitte Bardot) meets up with a traveling circus after her terrorist father is killed. She ends up blowing up the bridge that the soldiers are on who have killed her father and is now on the run. The circus she hooks up with has veteran singer Maria 1 (played by Jeanne Moreau). As luck would have it, the circus has just recently lost a singer, Maria 1's sister and Maria 2 jumps at the chance. During her first appearance she accidentally invents the strip-tease and the circus becomes hugely successful. Things are going great until the pair meet up with a socialist revolutionary and finding themselves leading this revolution against the dictator, the capitalists and the church.

Like I said this mix of music, action, and comedy somehow all works. I think this may be Brigitte Bardot's best film performance. She is headstrong and doesn't back down from anyone. Moreau gives a good performance as well, more understanding and sympathetic. And plus they both look stunning. For the ladies they have George Hamilton to ogle over as a local hero who falls for Moreau. I liked this movie. Be warned it is subtitled but I didn't mind one bit at all.

Santa Fe Trail (1940).

2011-03-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

Santa Fe Trail(1940). Western directed by Michael Curtiz. Cast: Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. The film was the seventh of eight films that Flynn-de Havilland made together. The outdoor scenes were filmed at the Lasky Movie Ranch, on the Lasky Mesa area of the Simi Hills in the western San Fernando Valley.

The story begins when Cadet Carl Rader, is dishonorably discharged from West Point Academy for conspiracy. His friends Jeb Stuart and George Custer, graduate and are assigned to duty at the most dangerous post in the army. While traveling, Custer and Stuart meet Cyrus Halliday, the man responsible for building the railroad and his daughter, Kit Carson. After arriving at the fort, they find Brown's army, has been terrorizing the countryside with their raids.

During a raid on a wagon, Stuart and Custer capture Brown's injured son Jason and before dying, Jason tells them where his father's hideout is. In disguise, Stuart rides into the hide out and is recognized by Rader, who takes him at gunpoint to Brown. Stuart, finds himself trapped in a burning barn but is saved by Custer and his troops. Brown does not go down without a fight.

Olivia De Havilland, plays a Calamity Jane type character, who gave Errol Flynn and Ronald Reagan as George A. Custer, a run for their money.

Errol Flynn(20 June 1909 – 14 October 1959), was best known for his romantic swashbuckler roles and his flamboyant lifestyle.

Flynn co-starred with Olivia de Havilland in eight films, Captain Blood (1935), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Four's a Crowd (1938), Dodge City (1939), The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), Santa Fe Trail (1940), and They Died with Their Boots On (1941.

High stakes for Dean Martin and Robert Mitchum in Five Card Stud (1968)

2011-03-09T06:37:00.000-08:00

More of a mystery than a western but it does take place in the Old west times. When a card cheat is caught in a high stakes poker game, he is hanged by a lynch mob of the other card players. Dean Martin is the one player who tries to stop it but to no avail. Weeks past by when those same men are mysteriously killed one by one and Dean has to try and solve who's the killer before it's too late. Robert Mitchum comes in as a wandering preacher hoping to save the lost souls of this small town. Him and Dean have great chemistry together. Roddy McDowall is perfect as a weasel and card player who hates Dean for trying to date his sister. McDowall, even with that stiff British accent is quite good in a western. He plays a low down sniveling weasel pretty good. Inger Stevens is on hand as owner of a barber shop. Said barber shop also gives more than shaves and haircuts, if you know what I mean. I liked Five Card Stud, since it was more than just a western. Dean is super cool as usual as the gambler with a conscience. And also Yaphet Kotto in one of his first roles as a bartender and friend to Dean. Look out for a good performance by Katherine Justice as McDowall's love lorn sister.

Robert Mitchum as The Reverend Jonathan Rudd

Dean Martin as gambler Van Morgan and Inger Stevens as Lily Langford

Yaphet Kotto as Little George and Dean Martin

Katherine Justice as Nora Evers and Dean Martin

Robert Mitchum

Happy Birthday Claire Trevor (1910-2000)

2011-03-08T16:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to the wonderful Claire Trevor, who made her mark in several entertaining westerns. Most notably Stagecoach (1939), Dark Command (1940), Texas (1941), Man Without A Star (1955) and The Stranger Wore A Gun (1953) to name a few. She also appeared in non-western films such as Murder My Sweet (1944), Key Largo (1948) and The Babe Ruth Story (1948). Happy Birthday Claire.

The Desperadoes (1943).

2011-03-08T12:27:00.000-08:00

The Desperadoes (1943). Cast: Randolph Scott and Glenn Ford. It was the first Columbia Pictures production to be released in Technicolor.

When the bank is robbed in the small town of Red Valley, Utah, banker Stanley Clanton offers to repay fifty percent of his depositors' losses. Unknown to the town, Clanton has masterminded the bank robbery with Uncle Willie McLeod, the town postmaster and stable owner. Uncle Willie, is furious with Clanton for hiring Jack Lester, who killed three men during the robbery.

While looking for the bank robbers, sheriff Steve Upton, stops to water his horse. A man approaches from behind him and demands his horse at gunpoint. The man is Cheyenne Rogers, the gunslinger hired by Uncle Willie to rob the bank. Cheyenne, rides into town and at the stable meets Uncle Willie's daughter, Allison McLeod. Allison, is charmed by cowboy, who now calls himself, Bill Smith.

Cheyenne, heads for the saloon , where he meets "The Countess," his childhood friend. The Countess, does not believe that he will ever be able to "go straight".

Soon they hear explosion, then Nitro Rankin, Cheyenne's partner walks in with a injured his leg from the blast and Cheyenne refuses to leave town until his partners leg has healed. Later that night, when Cheyenne returns to the stables to see Allison, Steve is waiting to arrest him. When Steve recognizes the horse thief as his old friend Cheyenne, he invites him for a drink. As they walk toward the saloon, Uncle Willie recognizes Cheyenne as the man he hired to rob the bank advises him to leave town.

When the bank is robbed again, Cheyenne becomes, the prime suspect and his friend seems to be the only one who believes in his innocence.

One of my favorite scenes is, during the cow stampede started by a blast of nitro, used as a distraction while Cheyenne, rushes to help the wrongly imprisoned sheriff. Wonderful performances from a cast including: Edgar Buchanan, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams, Raymond Walburn and Irving Bacon as a bartender whose saloon keeps getting destroyed during fights.

Randolph Scott(January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) career spanned from 1928 to 1962. Scott performed in many types of genres, including: dramas, crime dramas, comedies, musicals, adventure tales, war films, horror and fantasy films. He is best known for his image as the Western hero. Out of his more than 100 film performances more than 60 were in Westerns.

Texas (1941).

2011-03-08T10:24:00.000-08:00

Texas (1941). Cast: Glenn Ford and William Holden. Directed by George Marshall.

The story begins when, Dan Thomas and Tod Ramsey, two cow pokes who served in the Confederacy together, meet railroad promoter Windy Miller, when he pays their trespassing fine. To pay off their debt, Tod agrees to fight professional boxer Dutch Henry, who breaks his leg while jumping into the ring.

Soon after, while riding on the trail to Texas, they witness a gang of outlaws holding up a stage. The two cow pokes ambush the robbers and take the money, which Tod wants to return but Dan wants to keep. While Dan rides off to find dinner, the sheriff rides up with his posse and finds Tod with the stolen money. Just as the posse is about to lynch Tod, Dan rides in, saying that they are being attacked by Indians. Dan and Tod are able to escape, then decide to go their separate ways . The two friends do not see each other again for a long time. When they do meet up again, they find themselves on different sides of the law, where they may find themselves in a stand off.

I thought the film Texas, was a wonderful western, with two young superstars, William Holden and Glenn Ford. Two young cowpokes competing for the same girl, played by Claire Trevor. Also enjoyed seeing veterans George Bancroft and Edgar Buchanan. The film, blends humor and drama which makes for a good western.

Claire Trevor (March 8, 1910 – April 8, 2000) was nicknamed the "Queen of Film Noir", because of her many performances as a "bad girl”. She performed in over 60 films.

Her first credited film role was in the film, Life in the Raw(1933), with her feature film debut coming that same year in Jimmy and Sally (1933).

In 1937, she starred with Humphrey Bogart in the film, Dead End, which would lead to her being nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

Some of her most memorable performances were opposite John Wayne, including the film, Stagecoach(1939), which was Wayne's breakthrough role. She also starred opposite Wayne in the film, Allegheny Uprising that same year, and again in the film, Dark Command (1940). Over a decade later, she would again costar with Wayne, gaining her final Oscar nomination for the film, The High and the Mighty.

Two of Trevor's memorable roles were starring opposite Dick Powell in the film, Murder, My Sweet and Born to Kill. She performed in the film, Key Largo, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Trevor moved into supporting roles in the 1950s, with her performances becoming increasingly rare after the mid-1960s. She played Sally Field's mother in the film, Kiss Me Goodbye (1982). She made a special appearance at the 70th annual Academy Awards in 1998.

The Mark of Zorro (1920).

2011-03-07T07:19:00.000-08:00

The Mark of Zorro (1920). Silent film. Cast: Douglas Fairbanks and Noah Beery. This swashbuckler adventure was the first movie version of The Mark of Zorro. Based on the 1919 story "The Curse of Capistrano" by Johnston McCulley, which introduced the masked hero, Zorro, the screenplay was adapted by Fairbanks as "Elton Thomas" and Eugene Miller.

The film has been remade twice, once in 1940, starring Tyrone Power and again in 1974, starring Frank Langella.

The Mark of Zorro, is story of Don Diego Vega, the very awkward son of a wealthy ranchero Don Alejandro, in the old Spanish California. Seeing the mistreatment of the poor people by the colonial government, Don Diego, takes on the identity of the masked Zorro, who appears out of nowhere to protect them. Armed only with his sword and his sense of humor, Zorro scars the faces of the bad guys with his mark, "Z."

When not in the disguise of Zorro, Don Diego tries to court Lolita Pulido, but.. she cannot stand him. Lolita, is also courted by Captain Ramon and by the dashing Zorro, who she is in love with.

When Lolita's family is jailed, Don Diego without his mask, whips out his sword. Will he be able to force Governor Alvarado, to give in and win the hand of Lolita?

Fun Facts:

Film debut of Noah Beery Jr..

The Zorro costume of black clothes, black mask, and round black hat that audiences know today was introduced in this film. Also, Fairbanks had a huge influence on actor, Burt Lancaster.

The Mark of Zorro, inspired comic book artist Bob Kane when he and Bill Finger created the Batman character in 1939. This inspiration has been worked into the comics themselves, establishing that The Mark of Zorro (either this version or the 1940 remake starring Tyrone Power) was the film which the young Bruce Wayne watched with his parents at the cinema the night he witnessed their murders. Zorro, was Bruce's childhood hero.

I thought this was a very entertaining silent film, which provides Douglas Fairbanks a nice showcase. While other versions of the Zorro legends maybe more familiar, this one is one of my favorites... along with the 1940 version with Tyrone Power.

Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. (May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films such as: The Thief of Bagdad, Robin Hood, and The Mark of Zorro.

Fairbanks, signed a contract with Triangle Pictures in 1915 and began working under the supervision of D.W. Griffith. His first film was, The Lamb. He soon the caught the attention of Anita Loos and John Emerson, who directed many of his early romantic comedies. In 1916, Fairbanks established his own company, the Douglas Fairbanks Film Corporation and worked for Paramount. By 1918, Fairbanks was Hollywood's most popular actor.

Fairbanks met actress Mary Pickford, at a party in 1916 and they fell in love. In 1917, the couple joined Fairbanks' friend Charlie Chaplin selling war bonds by train across the U.S.

To avoid being controlled by the studios, Fairbanks, Pickford, Chaplin, and D. W. Griffith formed United Artists in 1919, which created their own distributorships and gave them complete artistic control over their films.

Fairbanks and Pickford married on March 28, 1920, divorced 1936. They were greeted by large crowds in London and Paris during their European honeymoon, becoming Hollywood's first celebrity couple.

By 1920, Fairbanks had completed twenty-nine films, which showcased his athletic ability. By 1920, he had the inspiration of a new type of adventure-costume film, The Mark of Zorro. For the remainder of his career in silent films, he continued to perform in the costume films: The Three Musketeers (1921), Robin Hood (1922), The Thief of Bagdad (1924), The Black Pirate (1926, the first full-length Technicolor film), and The Gaucho (1927).

Fairbanks and Pickford placed their hand and foot prints in wet cement at the newly opened Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on April 30, 1927. Fairbanks was elected first President of the Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences that same year, and he presented the first Academy Awards at the Roosevelt Hotel.

His last silent film was, The Iron Mask (1929). His athletic abilities and general health began to decline. He and Pickford chose to make their first talkie as a joint venture, playing Petruchio and Kate in Shakespeare's, The Taming of the Shrew (1929). The last film he acted in was the, The Private Life of Don Juan (1934).

Marguerite De La Motte (June 22, 1902 – March 10, 1950), began her entertainment career studying ballet under Anna Pavlova. In 1919 she became the dance star of Sid Grauman's theater. In 1918, at the age of 16, she made her screen debut in the Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. film, Arizona. That same year she lost both of her parents in an automobile accident and film producer J.L. Frothingham assumed guardianship of her and her younger sister.

De La Motte spent the 1920s performing in films, often cast by Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. to play opposite him in the adventure films, The Mark of Zorro(1920) and The Three Musketeers. She developed a close friendship with Fairbanks and his wife, actress Mary Pickford.

De La Motte's career as an actress slowed dramatically at the end of the silent film era of the 1920s. She did continue acting in bit parts through the sound era and made her final performance in the film, Overland Mail(1942).

Dallas(1950).

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Dallas(1950). Cast: Gary Cooper, Barbara Payton and Raymond Massey.

Gary Cooper, pretends to be a U.S. Marshal dressed in a fancy coat and hat to track down the bad guys who burned down his Georgia plantation and killed his wife and son. Turning him into a man with a price on his head.

The film begins with the Marlow boys rustling cattle from rancher Don Felipe. Marlow doesn't understand how stealing cattle will help his older brother, get the money back that he has loaned Don Felipe. "I don't buy mortgages to get paid back. I buy them to foreclose." Will Marlow tells his brothers, Bryant and Cullen.

Don Felipe, accuses Will and his brothers of rustling his cattle. Will, is shocked by Don Felipe's, accusations. Luis sees through Will's double-talk. Bryant and Cullen hide out close by and Cullen shoots Luis in the thigh against Will's orders. Don Felipe, warns Will that his lawless day are numbered because a U.S. Marshal is on his way.

Martin Weatherby, the new marshal, is hopelessly out of place in the West, dressed as a dandy. Weatherby finds himself caught in the middle of a shoot-out between Blayde Holliste and the famous Wild Bill Hickox that leaves Blayde in the dust. As we find out later, Blayde and Wild Bill staged the duel so that Blayde doesn't have to worry about bounty hunters. Blayde accompanies Weatherby to Dallas, but he swaps clothes with him so he can pretend to be him. No sooner than he rides into Dallas, Blayde blows holes in Cullen and takes up with, Tonia Robles, who doesn't quite understand what is going on.

Martin receives a pardon, but he slow to give it to Blayde since he is stealing his girl away from him. Blayde's real identity slips out when a former member of his Georgia regiment comes to Dallas. Marlow take off on horseback to Forth Worth and Blayde is not far behind. Marlow reaches Forth Worth first and convinces the authorities to arrest Blayde. Blayde starts fire to get out of jail and chase Marlow. Will Blayde ever get his revenge on Will Marlow ?

Cooper seems to be having fun impersonating Martin Weatherby and making a fool out of the Marlows. One of my favorite scene is when Copper uses the bad guys horse to lead him to their secret hideout.

Raymond Massey (August 30, 1896 – July 29, 1983). His first movie role was in, High Treason(1927). He played Sherlock Holmes in, The Speckled Band(1931), the first sound film version of the story. He went on to perform in the film, The Scarlet Pimpernel(1934) and, he also starred in, Things to Come(1936). Despite being Canadian, Massey became famous for his American roles such as John Brown in, Santa Fe Trail(1940) and again as John Brown in the film, Seven Angry Men.(1955).

He received great reviews on Broadway in Robert E. Sherwood's play, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, and repeated his role in the 1940 film version (for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor). Massey again portrayed Lincoln in the 1956 production of, The Day Lincoln Was Shot on Ford Star Jubilee and in the film, How the West Was Won (1962).

Massey starred in, The Doctor's Dilemma(1941), opposite Katharine Cornell, opening just one week before Pearl Harbor. During the war, he teamed up with Cornell and other leading actors in a revival of Shaw's Candida to benefit the Army Emergency Fund and the Navy Relief Society.

Massey portrayed the character of "Jonathan Brewster" in the film version of, Arsenic and Old Lace. The character had originally been played by Boris Karloff for the stage version and the character was written to resemble Karloff (an ongoing joke in the play and film). Massey and Karloff, performed together in the suspense film, The Old Dark House(1932).

He rejoined the Canadian Army for World War II, though he would eventually be released from service and return to acting work.

Following the war, he became an American citizen. His most memorable film roles include: Possessed(1947) and The Fountainhead(1949), opposite Gary Cooper.

Massey became well-known on television in the 1950s and 1960s, especially as Doctor Gillespie in the popular series Dr. Kildare. He and his son, Daniel, were cast as father and son in, The Queen's Guards(1961). Massey played a Canadian on screen only once in, 49th Parallel (1941).

Springfield Rifle(1952)

2011-01-27T14:06:00.000-08:00

Springfield Rifle(1952). Directed by Andre de Toth. The film is set during the American Civil War. Cast: Gary Cooper, Phyllis Thaxter and Lon Chaney Jr..

The Union army needs horses and a small group of men from Fort Hedley try and bring in herds, led by Lt. Col. Hudson, but.. raiders sympathetic to the Confederacy manage to steal them right out from under the nose. Col. Sharpe suspects a southern spy is tipping them. Later, another band of Union soldiers led by Major Kearney, along with a herd of horses try and cross a mountain pass once again, only to be headed off by the raiders. Rather than risk the lives of his men, Kearney lets the raiders have the horses and heads back to the fort. Kearney reports to Hudson, they are interrupted by Capt. Tennick, who demands that Kearney be court-marshaled for being a coward. Kearney, even with the support of his men, is found guilty and is dishonorably discharged from the army, has actually volunteered to go undercover to try to prevent raids against shipments of horses to continue. Falling in with the raiders and Confederate soldiers, he gradually gains their trust and soon discovers who has been giving them secret information.

I really enjoyed this movie full of twist and turns and for those of us who like their westerns action filled this film is for you..

Phyllis Thaxter, November 20, 1921, Portland, Maine), was the daughter of Maine Supreme Court Justice Sidney Thaxter, and his wife, a former actress. Her movie debut was opposite Van Johnson in the war-time film, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo.

At MGM, she usually played the wife to a number of leading men. She played a cattle owner's daughter alongside Barbara Bel Geddes in, Blood on the Moon (1948).

In(1952)Thaxter performed mostly in character parts in television: Wagon Train(1959) and the The Twilight Zone episode 'Young Man's Fancy'(1962). Thaxter was cast along with Glenn Ford as Ma and Pa Kent in the film, Superman(1978).

The Lion and the Horse(1952).

2011-01-26T05:23:00.000-08:00

The Lion and the Horse(1952). Cast: Steve Cochran, Ray Teal, Bob Steele, Harry Antrim, George O'Hanlon and Sherry Jackson.

While working with a group of wild horse hunters, Ben Kirby comes across a beautiful, black stallion. Wanting the horse for himself, Ben captures it, but before he can raise the money, Matt sells the stallion to a rodeo showman. Ben searches for the horse by working the rodeo circuit, he eventually finds the owner, Dave Tracy and the horse. Tracy refuses to sell Ben the horse, as he is making a good living at rodeos and fairs. Believing that the rough treatment will soon destroy the stallion, Ben leaves Tracy $600, the amount Tracy paid for the stallion and sets the horse free. With Ben following close behind. The stallion heads for the back country, where Ben then recaptures him. Looking for a place to stay he comes across the ranch of Cas Bagley, Ben soon is working as a ranch hand in exchange for board and a place to train his stallion.

Overtime, Ben tames and trains Wildfire and the horse later safes his life when he pulls Ben out of quicksand. When a circus lion escapes from a traveling show, he stalks Jenny and causes a stampede of wild horses, but Ben, saves Jenny in time. Later that same day, Tracy has been searching for Wildfire shows up at the ranch threatening to have Ben arrested for horse theft. Tracy tries to steal the horse during the night, Wildfire fights back and kills him. Bagley warns Ben that the law requires the destruction of any animal causing a man's death and gives him a head start to the state line before calling the sheriff. Ben and Wildfire travel to Wyoming through back country. While Ben is asleep, the lion attacks Wildfire, but after a very tense struggle, (you can see that sometimes the lion is not real, but.. still very well done)Wildfire stomps the lion to death. The next morning, the sheriff, with Bagley and Jenny, catch up with them, Ben sets Wildfire free and is ready to put up fight rather than see his horse destroyed. Will the sheriff see their side of the story? Filmed on location in Wyoming, a good film for adults and children. What caught my interest in this film was the title.

Steve Cochran (May 25, 1917 - June 15, 1965). From 1949 to 1952, he worked for Warner Brothers (mostly supporting roles, often playing boxers and gangsters). He performed in films: The Chase (1946), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), Copacabana (1947), A Song Is Born (1948), Highway 301 (1950), The Damned Don't Cry! (1950), and Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison (1951), which inspired Johnny Cash to write his song "Folsom Prison Blues".

One of his most memorable roles was as, Big Ed Somers, in the film, White Heat (1949). In 1953, Cochran formed his own production company, Robert Alexander Productions a couple of his movies were: Come Next Spring (1956), and Michelangelo Antonioni’s Il Grido (1957).

Cochran starred in a string of B-movies including, Carnival Story (1954). He also frequently appeared in episodes of the most popular television series of the era, including guest spots on Bonanza, The Untouchables, Route 66, Bus Stop, and The Twilight Zone.

Cochran was the grandfather of film and television producer Alex Johns, who co-executive produced more than seventy episodes of the animated television series, Futurama.

For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943).

2011-01-20T05:22:00.000-08:00

For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943). Based on the novel by Ernest Hemingway. Cast: Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman, Akim Tamiroff and Katina Paxinou. This was Ingrid Bergman's first technicolor film. Hemingway handpicked Cooper and Bergman for their roles. The film was adapted for the screen by Dudley Nichols and was directed by Sam Wood. It was also nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning one.

During the Spanish Civil War, Republican soldier Robert Jordan keeps his promise to kill his compatriot Kashkin if he is ever wounded, so that Kashkin will not be captured. Soon after, Robert travels to Madrid, to report to Republican General Golz, who assigns Robert, to blow up a strategic bridge, just before the Republicans surprise air attack. Golz sends Robert, to hide in the mountains with a Spanish guide by the name Anselmo, who leads Robert to a mountain cave, which is a hideout for a small group of guerrilla soldiers and Gypsy refugees. Robert hides the dynamite in the cave and meets his new compatriots, Pablo, Pilar, Rafael, Primitivo, Andres, Fernando and Maria, a young Spanish refugee. Robert needs the gypsies' help to carry out his orders, but, worried about his friends safety Pablo refuses. Late that night, Maria warns Robert to be wary of Pablo, who now is angry because Pilar has taken control of the group. The next morning, Fernando reveals that he had sneaked away from camp and overheard Nationalists discussing rumors of a Republican attack at the bridge. Pilar, can see into the future and talks Maria, into joining Robert for a night under the stars. Excellent performances by Gary Cooper and Ingrid Bergman in this action packed adventure, love story that you will not soon forget. A Beautiful movie with a good atmospheric score. Cooper is not only handsome, but gives a wonderful performance. It is a "must see" for Cooper and Bergman fans.

Fun Fact:

When Ernest Hemingway told Ingrid Bergman she would have to cut off her hair for the role of Maria, she shot back, "To get that part, I'd cut my head off!" She would rehearse tirelessly until all hours of the night, begging to repeat a scene long after the director was satisfied.

Katina Paxinou (December 17, 1900 – February 22, 1973) was a Greek film and theatre actress.She trained as an opera singer, but changed career and joined the Greek Royal Theater in 1929. When World War II broke out, she was performing in London. Unable to return to Greece, she emigrated to the United States.

She is best known for her performaces in: For Whom the Bell Tolls(1943), winning an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture. Prince of Foxes (1949) and the religious epic, The Miracle(1959).

Along Came Jones (1945).

2011-01-12T05:38:00.000-08:00

Along Came Jones(1945). Gary Copper, Lorettea Young, William Demarest and Dan Duryea. The movie was adapted by Nunnally Johnson, from the novel Useless Cowboy, by Alan Le May. Directed by Stuart Heisler.

When wounded during a stage robbery, masked bandit Monte Jarrad, drops a rifle engraved with his name. Having only the robber's name the sheriff of Payneville offers a $1,000 reward for his arrest.

When Melody Jones rides into town with the initials "MJ" carved into his saddle, the townsfolk of Payneville believe him to be Monte. Mild-mannered Melody enjoys the attention and begins to swagger like a gunslinger until Cherry De Longpre, warns Melody to ride out of town.

Melody takes her advice and after he leaves, she visits the barn where she is hiding out the wounded Monte. Melody, soon realizes that she has set him up as a decoy and returns to the ranch to confront her. That night, Cherry is shocked to find Melody in her bed and tells him that she wants to help Monte, her childhood friend.

Cherry comes up with a plan.. to send Melody to lure the posse away from the ranch while Monte heads South. But the Melody is in love with Cherry and decides to return to the ranch with plans of his own.

I thought this was a very entertaining western with a wonderful combination of suspense, action, romance and comedy. It also features an interesting cast, Loretta Young gives a wonderful performance as a woman torn between the bandit and the cowboy. Cooper gives one of his funniest performance.

Dan Duryea (January 23, 1907), was an actor of film, stage and television. He made his name on Broadway in the play, Dead End, followed by The Little Foxes. He moved to Hollywood in 1940 toperform in the film version in the same role.

He performed in similar roles as a weak characters in movies such as, The Pride of the Yankees. As his career progressed throughout the 1940s he started to perform as a bad guy in a number of film noirs: Scarlet Street, The Woman in the Window, Criss Cross, Black Angel and Too Late for Tears.

From the 1950s, Duryea was more often seen in Westerns, Winchester '73 (1950), Thunder Bay (1953), The Burglar (1957), The Flight of the Phoenix (1965), and the primetime soap opera Peyton Place. He also appeared in one of the first Twilight Zone episodes in 1959 as a drunken former gunfighter in "Mr. Denton on Doomsday," written by Rod Serling. He also guest starred on, The Barbara Stanwyck Show. In 1963, Duryea appeared as Dr. Ben Lorrigan in the episode, "Why Am I Grown So Cold , on the show,The Eleventh Hour.

Video: Gary Cooper.

2011-01-07T02:37:00.000-08:00

The video below features movie clips of the best cowboy of Hollywood! Gary Cooper.

Plainsman, 1936
Westerner, 1940
North West Mounted Police, 1940
For Whom the Bell Tolls, 1943
Along Came Jones, 1945
Saratoga Trunk , 1945
Dallas, 1950
Distant Drums, 1951

The new True Grit does the original John Wayne version proud

2011-01-02T14:35:00.000-08:00

The updated western True Grit is the best film of 2010 as it does the original John Wayne version proud.

Fans of the original story remember that the young Mattie Ross (in this one played by newcomer Hailee Steinfeld) seeks vengeance on Tom Chaney (played by Josh Brolin), the man who murdered her father. Since the law doesn't seem to be in a hurry finding Chaney, she hires one-eyed and drunk U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (played by Jeff Bridges) to do the job. A Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf (Matt Damon) is also looking for Chaney for a different crime and joins the duo.

The Coen Brothers direct this film and tone down their usual shtick and makes an effective modern western. There is lots of humor and several exciting action sequences. The three leads are wonderful. Steinfeld is easily the best performer in the cast as she holds her own with veterans Bridges and Damon. Her Mattie Ross pretty much is the main character unlike the first film version which focused more on Cogburn. Speaking of Cogburn, Bridges is very good as the stubborn marshal and has several emotional scenes with Steinfeld. But he also gets tough when he needs to be when dealing with the Ned Peppers Gang, who have Chaney as part of their group. Damon actually provides a good deal of the laughs as he is in constant conflict with Cogburn. The cinematography and music score are also top notch. I enjoyed True Grit immensely and think it's even better than the original, save for the awkward ending. So I will honestly say that True Grit was my favorite film of 2010 and I can't wait to see it again.

A

3 Godfathers (1948)

2010-12-22T05:57:00.000-08:00

3 Godfathers (1948). Directed by John Ford and filmed primarily in Death Valley. Cast: John Wayne, Harry Carey Jr., Pedro Armendáriz, Mildred Natwick, Ward Bond, Mae Marsh, Jane Darwell, Guy Kibbee and Hank Worden. The screenplay, written by Frank S. Nugent and Laurence Stallings, is based on the novel of the same name written by Peter Kyne. Ford had already adapted the film once before in 1919 as Marked Men. The original silent adaptation by Ford is thought to be lost today. The story is something of a re-telling of the story of The Three Wise Men in an American western context.

Cattle rustlers Robert Hightower, Pedro 'Pete' Rocafuerte, and William Kearney rob a bank in the town of Welcome, Arizona, but Kearney is shot and they have to run into the desert for cover, with the the posse hot on their heels.

They lose their horses in a desert storm and end up walking searching for water, they come across a water hole, which has been destroyed. Near by, they find in a covered wagon a dying woman, who is about to give birth. With the help of the 3 men, she has a boy, whom she names Robert William Pedro after them. She makes the men promise that they will take care of her baby boy. The three desperado's do everything they can to keep their promise.

This is a wonderful Christmas Movie where the bible plays a major role. Excellent performances by john Wayne, Armendariz and Carey, Jr.. Ward Bond is excellent as the relentless Marshal.

Fun Fact:
This film was dedicated to John Ford's friend and early star, Harry Carey, whose son Harry Carey Jr. played one of the title roles. Tokyo Godfathers is partly based on this film.

John Ford had a greensman water a cactus overnight to allow it to be squeezed for water.

John Wayne's character, Robert Marmaduke Hightower, was named by director John Ford after his favorite stuntman, Bryan 'Slim' Hightower, who also worked on this picture.

John Wayne was badly sun burnt while filming 3 Godfathers (1948) and was briefly hospitalized.

Mae Marsh (born Mary Wayne Marsh, November 9, 1894– February 13, 1968) , her career spanned over 50 years. Marsh worked as a salesgirl and waited around the sets and locations while her older sister worked on a films. She first started as an extra and played her first starring role in the film, Ramona (1910) at the age of 15.

Marsh worked with D.W. Griffith in small roles when they were filming in California and in New York. Her big break came when Mary Pickford, refused to play the bare-legged, grass-skirted role of Lily-White in Man's Genesis.

Working with Mack Sennett and D.W. Griffith, she appeared in eight movies a year and often paired with Robert Harron in romantic roles. In The Birth of a Nation (1915) and In Intolerance (1916).

Marsh's last notable starring role was as a flapper for Griffith in, The White Rose(1923) with Ivor Novello and Carol Dempster. She re-teamed with Novello in 1925 for the film version of his hit stage play, The Rat.

Marsh returned from retirement to appear in "talkies" and played a role in Henry King’s remake of Over the Hill (1931). She began to perform in character roles. Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1932) and Little Man, What Now? (1934). She also became a favorite of director John Ford, appearing in The Grapes of Wrath (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), 3 Godfathers (1948), and The Searchers (1956).

The Virginian(1929).

2010-12-19T04:22:00.000-08:00

In 1925 the beginning of Gary Cooper acting career, he found work as an "extra", usually cast as a cowboy. It is reported that he has uncredited role in the Tom Mix Western, Dick Turpin (1925). The following year, he had screen credit in, Lightnin' Wins. After the release of this short film, Cooper accepted a contract with Paramount Pictures. He changed his name to Gary in 1925, following the advice of casting director Nan Collins.

"Coop," went on to perform in over 100 films. He became a major star with his first sound picture, The Virginian(1929). Cast: Gary Cooper, Walter Huston, Richard Arlen, Mary Brian, Chester Conklin and Eugene Pallette. Location: Filmed in City of Sonora, CA .

The film begins when, Virginian a foreman, working on small ranch and his best friend Steve, soon become rivals for a school teacher. Steve joins up with bad guy Trampas and the Virginian catches him cattle rustling. As foreman, he must give the order to hang his friend. Trampas gets away, but .. returns in time for a shootout .

Ride, Vaquero! (1953).

2010-11-26T09:51:00.000-08:00

Ride, Vaquero! (1953). Directed by John Farrow and produced by Stephen Ames from a screenplay by Frank Fenton and John Farrow. The music score was by Bronislau Kaper and the cinematography by Robert Surtees. The film stars Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Anthony Quinn, and Howard Keel with Kurt Kasznar, Ted de Corsia and Jack Elam. Movita appears uncredited in a small role.

Roughen Mexican bandit leader Jose Esqueda, warns the people in his village that they are about to lose their land to the homesteading "Americans", he promises his people to burn them out. Rio, an American who was raised by Esqueda's mother does not stand behind his brother. The first hacienda that is burned down is the home of rancher King Cameron for his wife Cordelia. Risking his life Cameron organizes a meeting to stop Esqueda's raids. Esqueda and Rio also attended the meeting, and when Cameron calls Esqueda a "murderer, a thief and a coward,"Jose only laughs at the insult. Cameron returns home and rebuilds his house, Esqueda sends Rio and his men to burn it down again. Father Antonio, the village priest, warns Cameron that Esqueda is planning an attack on his property and helps fight them off. The battle ends with the arrival of the soldiers and Rio is captured by Cameron. Instead of turning Rio over to the soldiers, Cameron makes a deal with him, to help bring horses over from Mexico. Even though Cordelia believes that Rio should not be trusted, the two men leave for Mexico. As the situation begins to get out of hand, will a the two brothers face each other in a showdown?

I loved the scenery in this film (Kanab, Utah). Also I think this is one of Quinn's best performances. Taylor plays the handsome hero very well. Ava Gardner's performance was equally as good. This maybe one of those underrated westerns.

Anthony Quinn (April 21, 1915 – June 3, 2001) was a Mexican-American actor, as well as a painter and writer. He starred in many successful films: Zorba the Greek, Lawrence of Arabia, The Guns of Navarone, The Message and Federico Fellini's La strada. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor twice; for Viva Zapata!(1952) and Lust for Life (1956).

Dodge City (1940) photos

2010-11-17T18:27:00.000-08:00

Here's some wonderful photos from the terrific western, Dodge City.

Virginia City (1940).

2010-10-18T06:02:00.000-07:00

Virginia City(1940). Cast: Errol Flynn, Miriam Hopkins and Randolph Scott, and featuring a mustachioed Humphrey Bogart in the role of the real-life outlaw John Murrell (Which is worth seeing the movie alone). The film was directed by Michael Curtiz, who also directed such film classics as The Adventures of Robin Hood and Casablanca.

Union officer Kerry Bradford, escapes from a Confederate prison after learning that the rebels plan to smuggle five million dollars in gold from Virginia City, Nevada, to Texas, to help the Confederates.

Bradford reports to Union headquarters and is sent to Virginia City, to find out where the gold is being kept. On the stagecoach, he meets and falls in love with Julia Hayne, who is a dance-hall girl and spy. Also on the stagecoach is a gun salesman, John Murrell, leader of a gang of bandidos. Bradford out smarts him and his gang and they leave with out the gold. Murrell also escapes by jumping into a river.

After the stage reaches Virginia City, Julia goes looking for Irby to warn him, who has been sent to manage the gold-smuggling operation. Bradford follows Irby to the hideout, behind a false wall in a blacksmiths' shop, but only finds that the gold has been moved .

Irby meets with the town doctor when Murrell shows up,needing him to set his broken arm. Irby offers Murrell $10,000 to attack the garrison. While the soldiers' backs are returning gunfire, Irby's men smuggle the gold out. Irby has Julia arrange a meeting between the two men so he can take Bradford prisoner.

The rebels' wagon train reaches a Union outpost, where they start a gunfight, and in the confusion Bradford escapes. Irby and his men, are hot on his heels when he rides his horse down a steep hill and ends up somersaulting down the hill. The rebels, leave him for dead. The train is traveling toward Texas, while Bradford sends a telegraph to the garrison. The major in charge of the garrison does not take his warning serious, so the chase falls ever further behind .

Murrell and his bandidos return, circling the wagons in a canyon, the rebels and their gold can not be found, when Bradford and his men arrive. Irby is wounded in the fight, but Bradford's and the rebels drive off the bandits. That night, knowing that in the morning both Murrell and the Union garrison will arrive, Bradford takes the gold from the wagons and hides it in the canyon.

The major and his men arrive just in time to ward off the bandits' attack, Bradford denies the gold ever existed. He is brought up in a court-martial, where he defends his actions by explaining that while, as a soldier, he knows the gold might be used to end the war. The court finds him guilty of high treason and sentences him to death .

On the day before Bradford's execution, Julia meets with the President and pleads for his life. Lincoln reveals that at that very moment, Generals Lee and Grant are meeting at the Courthouse to end the war. Will Lincoln pardon Bradford in time?

VIRGINIA CITY, is avery enjoyable western and is available in a Flynn western box set which also features: "San Antonio", "Montana" and the wonderful "Rocky Mountain".

True Grit (2010) trailer is awesome!

2010-09-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Can't wait for Christmas to see this. Sounds and looks very good.

Henry Fonda

2010-08-29T04:17:00.001-07:00

Henry Fonda, began his acting career on stage as a Broadway actor. He made his first Hollywood film in 1935. He became well known after his Academy Award-nominated performance as Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath(1940), an adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel about an Oklahoma family who moved west. Over six decades in Hollywood, Fonda had amazing performances in the films, The Ox-Bow Incident, Mister Roberts and 12 Angry Men. Later, Fonda performed in a very different role in the film, Once Upon a Time in the West and a much lighter role in family comedies like Yours, Mine and Ours.

Fonda comes from of a family of famous actors, daughter Jane Fonda, son Peter Fonda, granddaughter Bridget Fonda, and grandson Troy Garity.

One of my favorite Henry Fonda movies that TCM is featuring is, Fort Apache(1948). Western film directed by John Ford and starring John Wayne and Henry Fonda. The film was the first of the director's "cavalry trilogy" and was followed by She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and Rio Grande (1950), both starring Wayne. The story, which screenwriter James Warner Bellah based loosely on George Armstrong Custer and the Battle of Little Bighorn, was one of the first to show an authentic and sympathetic view of the Native Americans involved in the battle.

Some of the film's location shooting were in, Monument Valley, Utah. The exteriors involving the fort itself and the renegade Indian agent's trading post were filmed at the Corriganville Movie Ranch.

Olivia De Havilland and Errol Flynn

2010-08-27T04:30:00.001-07:00

Olivia De Havilland and Errol Flynn were known as one of Hollywood's most talented on-screen couples, performing in eight films together, but, were never romantically involved. The films in which they co-starred: Captain Blood (1935), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Adventures of Robin Hood and Four's a Crowd (1938), Dodge City(1939). Directed by Michael Curtiz and based on a story by Robert Buckner. As a classic western, it tells the story of the rise, after the end of the Civil War, of the frontier post of Dodge City, Kansas to civilized town and trading place for cattle. In the process, Dodge City has to get rid of the bad guys terrorizing the citizens, and it takes a new sheriff and his deputy to clean up the town.

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), Santa Fe Trail (1940) and They Died with Their Boots On (1941).

De Havilland stated, "He never guessed I had a crush on him. In fact, I read that he was in love with me when we made The Charge of the Light Brigade the next year, in 1936. I was amazed to read that, for it never occurred to me that he was smitten with me, too, even though we did all those pictures together." However, in an interview cited on Turner Classic Movies De Havilland claims she knew the crush was reciprocal and that when Flynn proposed, he was still married to actress Lili Damita.

The remake of the film "True Grit" .

2010-08-19T04:42:00.000-07:00

The "True Grit" remake, is directed by the Coen brothers. Jeff Bridges, is going to play the same role that won John Wayne an Oscar for the 1969 original.

The story centers on a 14-year-old girl (Hailee Steinfeld) who joins the aging US marshal, Rooster Cogburn , and another lawman to track the outlaw who killed her father. The original told the story from Cogburn's point of view, but the new version will be from the viewpoint of the girl.

The new movie will be closer to the Charles Portis novel on which the original film was based. It co-stars Matt Damon and Josh Brolin, and is scheduled to hit theaters this Christmas (December 25th).

Cast:
Matt Damon ... La Boeuf

Jeff Bridges ... Marshal Reuben J. Cogburn

Josh Brolin ... Tom Chaney

Barry Pepper ... 'Lucky' Ned Pepper

Domhnall Gleeson ... Moon

Hailee Steinfeld ... Mattie Ross

Happy Birthday Rhonda Fleming

2010-08-10T02:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to actress Rhonda Fleming (1923-present) who turns 87 today as she is still alive. While the famous redhead has appeared in such notable films such as Spellbound (1945), Out Of The Past (1947), and The Spiral Staircase (1945), she made a mark in several classic westerns. Those films include Gunfight at the OK Corral (1957) with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas; Pony Express (1953), Alias Jesse James (1959) with Bob Hope, The Redhead and the Cowboy (1951) and Gun Glory (1957).

Woody Strode.

2010-08-05T05:21:00.000-07:00

Woody Strode, was a decathlete and football star who went on to become a pioneering African-American film actor. He is probably best remembered for his brief Golden Globe-nominated role in Spartacus (1960). Strode made his first film performance in the film, in Sundown (1941). Woody Strode, became more active in the 1950s. He played dual roles (billed as "Woodrow Strode") in The Ten Commandments (1956) as an Ethiopian king as well as a slave, and in 1959 portrayed Private Franklin in Pork Chop Hill. He performed once on Johnny Weismuller's 1955-1956 television series, Jungle Jim.

Strode performed as villains opposite three screen Tarzans. Tarzan's Fight for Life(1958). He was cast opposite Jock Mahoney's Tarzan as both the dying leader of an unnamed Asian country and that leader's brother, Khan, in Tarzan's Three Challenges(1963). In the late 1960s, he performed in many episodes of the Tarzan television series.

He became a close friend of director John Ford, who gave him the title role in Sergeant Rutledge (1960). Shot on location in Monument Valley, Utah. The film starred Strode as a black first sergeant in the United States Cavalry accused of the rape and murder of a white girl at a U.S. Army fort in the late 1880s. His defense is handled by Lt. Tom Cantrel, Rutledge's troop officer. The story is told through a series of flashbacks, through the testimony of witnesses as they describe what happened. Circumstantial evidence all points to, Sergeant Rutledge.

He also performed in the Ford films, Two Rode Together (1961), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) and Seven Women (1966).

Strode performed in the films, The Last Voyage(1960), The Professionals(1966), Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). Soon after, he performed in many spaghetti Westerns. His starring role as Patrice Lumumba, in Seduto alla sua destra (released in the U.S. as Black Jesus), the film is largely forgotten now. He remained a popular actor throughout the '70s and '80s, and has become widely known as one of the important black film actors of his time. His last film was The Quick and the Dead (1995).

The Out Law of Jose Wales(1976).

2010-07-24T18:56:00.001-07:00

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976). Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Sam Bottoms, and Geraldine Keams. The film was adapted by Sonia Chernus and Philip Kaufman from the novel The Rebel Outlaw: Josey Wales (republished in 1975 under the title Gone to Texas) by Forrest Carter. In 1996, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.

Josey Wales is a peaceful farmer and family man, until renegades murdered his family, and destroyed his farm. Fueled by hatred, he becomes an outlaw looking for vengeance on the men who took everything he had.

This is one of those movies, where you will find yourself caught up in the story of a man who goes willingly into, a life of hell.

Fun Facts:

Because of Chief Dan George's age, he would have trouble remembering his lines so during takes, Clint Eastwood would mouth his lines without realizing it and had to be told to stop because it would ruin the take.

Clint Eastwood says Josey as his personal favorite of all the movies he's made.

The first of sixth movies made by real-life couple Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke.

Kyle Eastwood, is an actor and jazz musician. He studied film at the University of Southern California for two years before going onto a music career. After becoming a session player in the early '90s and leading his own quartet, he released his first solo album, From There to Here, in 1998. His most recent album, Metropolitain, was released 2 June 2009 by Rendezvous. Eastwood plays acoustic and electric as well as double bass. He is the son of filmmaker and actor Clint Eastwood.
Click to view Kyle Eastwood Website.

List of films:
Uncredited Kyle Eastwood (in film debut) can be glimpsed very briefly in the opening sequence helping his dad, Josey, work the land by their home.
Bronco Billy (1980) - orphan (uncredited)
Honkytonk Man (1982) - Whit Stovall
The Bridges of Madison County (1995) - James Rivers Band
L'Heure d'été (2007)
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Filming locations for The Outlaw Josey Wales:
Glen Canyon, Utah
Kanab Movie Ranch,Utah
Kanab, Utah
Lake Powell, Arizona
Mescal, Arizona
Old Tucson - Tucson, Arizona
Oroville, California
Paria, Utah
Wyoming

Filming Location: Gallup, New Mexico.

2010-07-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

Gallup, New Mexico, was founded in 1881 as a railhead for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. The City was named after David Gallup, a paymaster for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad. It is the most populous city between Albuquerque, New Mexico and Flagstaff, Arizona.Gallup is sometimes called the "Indian Capital of the World", for its location in the heart of Native American lands, and the presence of Navajo, Zuni, Hopi and other tribes. The historic El Rancho Hotel & Motel has hosted movie stars: John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Kirk Douglas, Doris Day, Gregory Peck and Burt Lancaster. The rugged terrain surrounding Gallup was popular with Hollywood filmmakers during the 1940s and 1950s for the on-location shooting of Westerns. Actors and film crews would stay at the hotel during filming. Films made in Gallup included Billy the Kid (1930), Pursued (1947), The Sea of Grass (1947), Four Faces West (1948),Rocky Mountain (1950), Only the Valiant (1951), Ace in the Hole (1951), Escape from Fort Bravo (1953), A Distant Trumpet (1964) and The Hallelujah Trail (1965).

Ace in the Hole (1951). Cast: Kirk Douglas as a disgraced reporter, who stops at nothing to try to land a job on a major newspaper.

Rocky Mountain(1950)

2010-07-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

Rocky Mountain (1950). Director: William Keighley. cast: Errol Flynn. It takes place during the American Civil War.

A small group of the Confederate cavalry, led by Captain Barstow, crosses the California state line. The soldiers are under orders from General Robert E. Lee to meet with outlaw Cole Smith, in order to convince him and his men to fight on the side of the South. They decide to meet at Rocky Mountain, also known as Ghost Mountain. When Barstow and his men are waiting for them, they see a war party of Indians attack a stagecoach. Barstow's men ride to help and return with the driver, and his passenger, Johanna Carter, who is on the way to join her fiancee, Union soldier Lt. Rickey. During the night, the Indians burn what is left of the stage, and the following morning, a small group of Union soldiers and Shoshone scouts come across the burnt stage. Barstow and his men capture Rickey and his soldiers. Barstow learns that the Union knows is looking for them. Smith leaves to get help. He tells Barstow that the Indians will escape and return with their tribe. That night, while Jimmy is on watch, the Indians make a run for it. The soldiers kill only two of them. That night, Rickey escapes, leaving Johanna behind. The following morning, the men find Smith's horse and realize that he has been killed. Now that the men know no help is coming and they decide to fight the Indians while Johanna and Craigie try and escape.

It has a very good beginning and a exciting and very emotional ending. Errol Flynn is perfect for the role of a man who has seen too much war. In real life, Flynn and several of the co-stars were very good horsemen.

Fun Facts:
Slim Pickens' movie debut.

Errol Flynn's last western.

Filming Location: Gallup, New Mexico.

Patrice Wymore's first film performance was in the 1950 film Tea for Two, starring Doris Day and Gordon MacRae. That same year she performed opposite Errol Flynn in Rocky Mountain, with whom she would become romantically involved. The two married in October 1950. Wymore continued to act, performing in. I'll See You in My Dreams, her second film alongside Doris Day. She also guest stared as herself in the 1951 film Starlift, performing the song "Liza (All the Clouds'll Roll Away)." In 1953, she performed with Virginia Mayo in, She's Back on Broadway, and that same year she starred opposite Randolph Scott in The Man Behind the Gun. In 1955 she performed with her husband Errol Flynn and Anna Neagle in King's Rhapsody. Following Flynn's death, Wymore returned to acting, mostly in musicals; Carnival!, Guys and Dolls, Irma La Douce, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Ocean's Eleven in 1960. In 1965, she was cast in the soap opera Never Too Young, and in 1966 she performed in the film Chamber of Horrors. Her last performance was on the television series F Troop in 1967.

Hopalong Cassidy

2010-07-11T06:28:00.001-07:00

Hopalong Cassidy is a cowboy hero, created in 1904 by Clarence E. Mulford who wrote the stories and 28 novels. The character appears as a rude, dangerous and rough-talking "galoot". Beginning in 1935, the character, played by William Boyd, was transformed into the clean-cut hero in 66 films, only a few of which were based on Mulford's works. Mulford actually rewrote his earlier stories to fit the movie and these led in turn to a comic book series modeled after the films.

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon(1949)

2010-07-11T05:14:00.000-07:00

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon(1949). Director: John Ford. Cast: John Wayne. The film was the second of Ford's trilogy of films focusing on the US Cavalry (and the only one in color), the other two films being Fort Apache (1948) and Rio Grande (1950).

Known for its breathtaking views of Monument Valley. Cinematographer, Winton Hoch, won the 1950 Academy Award for Best Color Cinematography. Ford and Hoch based much of the film's imagery on the paintings and sculptures of Frederic Remington.

Ford demonstrated a number of standard Cavalry procedures in horse management in this and other movies. Strict rotation between walk, trot, and leading the horses made them last as long as possible. They were still no match for the lightly burdened Indian horses for endurance, but US Cavalry horses were fed grain (when available), and this helped even the odds a bit.

The film is named after a song common in the U.S. military, "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon".

After the death of General Custer at Little Big Horn, a government stagecoach crossing the southwest desert is attacked and robbed. Capt. Nathan Brittles, who in charge the Seventh Cavalry at Fort Stark, is concerned that the attackers were Cheyenne Indians, because the Cheyenne rarely travel so far south.

Later, while thinking aloud by his wife Mary's grave, Nathan, who is retiring from the Army in six days, knows that his last mission will be to drive the Cheyenne back north.

The next day, Nathan's commander, Major Allshard, orders him to escort his wife Abby and niece, Olivia Dandridge, to Sudros Wells, where they are to catch a stagecoach to take them back East.

After registering a formal complaint with Allshard, Nathan leads the large patrol from the fort. When rival suitors Lt. Clint Cohill and Lt. Ross Pennell, see Olivia with a yellow ribbon in her hair each wonder if she is wearing the ribbon in their honor. Will Nathan complete his mission and safely deliver the two women?

In my opinion the film SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON is the kind of film you can watch again and again, and still find it interesting. If you haven't seen it yet, you're in for a treat!

Fun Facts:
When Sgt. Quincannon (Victor McLaglen) is addressing the troops and warning them to "watch them words," he asks who owns a dog, without receiving an answer. He concludes, "Nice dog! Irish setter!" The scene was improvised on the spot by director John Ford. The dog was an unnamed Navajo pet that had fallen asleep during the setup. Multiple takes were required because McLaglen kept blowing the line, calling the dog a "cocker spaniel."

Based on the paintings and illustrations of Frederic Remington, the artist renowned for his nostalgic packaging of the bygone "real" West.

Sergeant Tyree's horse is named "Laddie".

The exterior shots of Capt. Brittle quarters and the building where Major Mac Allshard, Commanding Officer Fort Starke has his HQ are still standing and in Monument Valley itself near to the town of Kanab. The HQ building is now a museum and both are open to the public.

As the regiment's blacksmith, named "Wagner", is seen at work, we can hear the orchestra playing the "Nibelung"-motif from Richard Wagner's famous opera, "Siegfried". In the opera the motif is connected with the forging of Siegfried's sword.

John Ford decided to cast John Wayne as Captain Nathan Brittles after seeing his performance as Thomas Dunson in Red River (1948).

According to Patrick Wayne, this was his father's favorite of the movies he starred in.

John Wayne, who was 41 when the film was made, won great acclaim for his convincing portrayal of the 60-year-old Captain Brittles.

In the graveyard, one of the crosses carries the name "DeVoto", this is likely an homage to Bernard DeVoto, a historian of the American West.

The horse that Ben Johnson rode in this film was a famous movie horse used by many stars in many 40s and 50s movies. It was a big sorrel stallion called "Steel" and was owned by Ben Johnston's father in law "Fat Jones" who ran one of the most successful horse renting stables in Hollywood. The horse, which was known for being very quiet but flashy, was ridden by John Wayne in "Tall in the Saddle" and "The Conqueror", Gregory Peck in "Yellow Skies" and Clark Gable in "The Tall T". The horse made stars look like good riders and Fat Jones always insisted if "Steel" was used in movies, the company hired every other horse used in the movie from his stable, so "Steel" was worth a fortune to him. "Steel" had his own double and the horse that Ben Johnston rides in the galloping scenes was not "Steel" but a spectacular galloper called "Bingo". "Steel" was no movie prima donna however. Ben Johnston also rode him when he won his world champion calf roping title. Ben Johnston also rode both "Steel" and "Bingo" in "Wagonmaster".

Joanne Dru, is best known for her performances in western films such as Howard Hawks's Red River (1948), and John Ford's She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and Wagon Master (1950). Joanne Dru, was the older sister of entertainer Peter Marshall.

Audie Leon Murphy

2010-07-05T04:38:00.001-07:00

Audie Leon Murphy, was the most decorated United States soldier of World War II during his twenty-seven months in action. He received the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military highest award for valor, along with 32 additional U.S. and foreign medals and citations, including five from France and one from Belgium.

When Audie Murphy came back from fighting in the War, Variety Clubs was financing a film to be called Bad Boy to help promote the organization's work with troubled children, but the president of Allied Artists did not want to cast someone with not much acting experience in a major role.

By this time, Texas theater owners had decided that Audie Murphy was going to play the lead or they weren't financing the film. Their money talked and he was cast, turning in such a fine performance that the Hollywood recognized his talent. Soon, Universal Studios signed Murphy to his first seven-year contract. After a few box-office hits, the studio allowed Audie to choose his roles, as long as plenty of action was included in the films.

In the 25 years he spent in Hollywood, Audie Murphy made 44 feature films, 33 of them Westerns. He is best known for the book and then film, To Hell and Back. He also appeared in several television shows, including the lead in the short-lived 1961western detective series Whispering Smith, set in Denver, Colorado. For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Audie Murphy has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1601 Vine Street.

In addition to acting, Murphy also became successful as a country music songwriter. teaming up with such talented musicians and composers as Guy Mitchell, Jimmy Bryant, Scott Turner, Coy Ziegler, and Terri Eddleman. Murphy's songs were recorded and released by such performers as Dean Martin, Eddy Arnold, Charley Pride, Jimmy Bryant, Porter Waggoner, Jerry Wallace, Roy Clark, and Harry Nilsson. His two biggest hits were "Shutters and Boards" and "When the Wind Blows in Chicago".

Audie Murphy Fun Fact: He owned ranches in Texas, Tucson, Arizona and Menifee, California.

Gunsmoke, is a Western drama series created by director Norman MacDonnell and writer John Meston. The stories take place in and around Dodge City, Kansas, during the settlement of the American West.

To be continued..

Alan Ladd

2010-07-04T06:08:00.000-07:00

Alan Ladd and Robert Preston performed in the western film, Whispering Smith(1948). Alan Ladd plays a railroad detective who is hired to stop a gang of train robbers. It is based on a novel by Frank H. Spearman and a previous 1926 film starring H.B. Warner in the title role with Lillian Rich, Lilyan Tashman, John Bowers, and Eugene Pallette as supporting cast.

In 1961, Whispering Smith became a 20-episode NBC series of the same name, with Audie Murphy, a film star and World War II hero, in the title role.

In (1953)Ladd played the title role in the 1953 western Shane. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It was listed at No. 45 on the American Film Institute's 2007 ranking of "100 Years ... 100 Movies."

Alan Ladd has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1601 Vine Street. His handprint appears in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theater, in Hollywood.

Shane (1953)

2010-07-04T05:39:00.000-07:00

Shane(1953). Produced and directed by George Stevens from a screenplay by A.B. Guthrie Jr., based on the 1949 novel of the same name by Jack Schaefer. Cast: Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur and Van Heflin and features Brandon De Wilde, Elisha Cook Jr., Jack Palance and Ben Johnson. The cinematography was by Loyal Griggs, with a music score by Victor Young.

A young Joey Starrett watches while a man on a horse approaches the house, then listens as Shane, talks to his father Joe that he is heading north, toward home.
When Joey cocks his rifle, Shane, startled by the noise, draws his gun with the speed of a gunslinger. Joe not liking what he saw, sends Shane on his way, as a group of men ride up. The men's leader, cattle baron Rufe Ryker, accuses Joe of squatting on his land and demands that he leave, giving up his homestead. Joe refuses, Ryker's men start trouble until Shane suddenly is standing at Joe's side.
The men leave and Joe's wife Marian, who saw everything, urges Joe to invite Shane to dinner. Joey is happy to have Shane spend the evening with them, Shane, really does not want talk about his past, goes outside to chop wood.

Joe joins him and the next day, the two men team up to pull a tree stump out of the ground. Later, Joey tells Shane that his parents want him to stay and shares with him that his father is worried about Ryker's threats. Shane, who has put away his gun, agrees to remain and help the family save their homestead.

Loved how they used the Grand Teton Mountains as a scenic backdrop in the movie Shane, one of my favorite western films. I thought the film was very realistic looking. For instance the scene in Grafton's saloon is dark and moody, far different from the colorful dance halls in other Westerns.

Fun Facts:
At the time of filming, Jack Palance was not comfortable with horses. The one good mount he achieved during the numerous takes was used in the film.

The last film of Jean Arthur.

Jean Arthur was over 50 years old when she played Marian Starrett - she was, in fact, ten years older than Emile Meyer, who plays grizzled old cattle baron Rufus Ryker.

Shane's fancy gun twirling in the climactic showdown was actually performed by Rodd Redwing. Earlier, when Shane demonstrates his prowess for Joey, and it is clearly Alan Ladd himself on camera, the actor had been given a different, easier-to-use revolver for the scene.

Ben Johnson

2010-06-16T06:48:00.000-07:00

Ben Johnson, was a ranch hand and would travel with his father on the rodeo circuit, as a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's Steer Roping World Champion in 1953. Johnson was inducted into the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association's ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 1973.

His career began with the Howard Hughes film, The Outlaw. Before filming began, Hughes bought some horses at the Oklahoma ranch that Johnson's father managed, and hired Johnson to get the horses to northern Arizona (for The Outlaw's location shooting), and then to take them on to Hollywood.

Once in Hollywood he did stunt work for the movie, The Fighting Gringo(1939), and throughout the 1940s he found work wrangling horses and doing stunt work.

His work as a stunt man caught the eye of director John Ford, who hired Johnson for stunt work in the movie, Fort Apache(1948), and as the riding double for Henry Fonda. During shooting, the horses pulling a wagon with three men in it stampeded. Ben being at the right place at the right time stopped the runaway wagon. Ford then promised that he would be rewarded, Johnson hoped it would be with another doubling job, instead he received a seven-year acting contract from Ford.

His first credited role was in one of my favorite films, 3 Godfathers(1948). Directed by John Ford and filmed (although not set) primarily in Death Valley. The screenplay, written by Frank S. Nugent and Laurence Stallings, is based on the novel of the same name written by Peter Kyne. Ford had already filmed the story once before in 1919 as, Marked Men. The original silent version by Ford is thought to be lost today. The story is a re-telling of the story of The Three Wise Men in a western theme.

Ford suggested him for a starring role in the film, Mighty Joe Young(1949). Ford cast him in two of the three films that have come to be known as Ford's cavalry trilogy, all starring John Wayne: She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), and a another favorite of mine, Rio Grande (1950). The story is about, Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke, who is posted on the Texas frontier to defend settlers against the attack of Apaches. Col. Yorke comes under stress because of serious shortage of troops.

Too add to his problems Yorke's son, Trooper Jeff Yorke, is one of 18 recruits sent to the regiment. He has flunked out of West Point and enlisted as a private in the Army. Not wanting to give the impression that he is showing favoritism towards his son, Col. Yorke ends up being harder on his son than he is with the others. Jeff is befriended by a pair of older recruits, Travis Tyree (Ben Johnson) (who is on the run from the law) and "Sandy" Boone (Harry Carey, Jr.), who take him under their wings.

In 1950, Ford also cast Johnson as the lead in Wagon Master (1950), a small film that was one of Ford's favorites.

Johnson played in supporting roles in Shane (1953), One Eyed Jacks (1961), Cheyenne Autumn(1964), Major Dundee (1965), The Wild Bunch, The Getaway, Junior Bonner (both 1972), Dillinger, Red Dawn(1984), Bite the Bullet(1975), Breakheart Pass(1975).

In the 1966-1967 television season, Johnson performed as the character "Sleeve" in all twenty-six episodes of the Western, The Monroes with costars Michael Anderson, Jr., and Barbara Hershey.

He teamed up John Wayne again, and director Andrew McLaglen, in two films; performing with with Rock Hudson in The Undefeated (1969), and in a prominent role in Chisum (1970).

He acted in four films directed by Sam Peckinpah between 1965 and 1972. In between the four Peckinpah films Johnson would win an Academy Award for his performance as 'Sam The Lion' in The Last Picture Show, directed by Peter Bogdanovich co-starring Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges and Cybill Shepherd.

He portrayed the character Cap Roundtree in the 1979 miniseries The Sacketts.

He also continued ranching during the entire time, operating a horse-breeding ranch in Sylmar, California. In addition, he sponsored the Ben Johnson Pro Celebrity Team Roping and Penning competition, held in Oklahoma City, the proceeds of which are donated to both the Children's Medical Research Inc., and to the Children's Hospital of Oklahoma.

Wagon Master(1950)

2010-06-16T06:25:00.001-07:00

Wagon Master(1950). Director: John Ford. Cast: Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., Joanne Dru, and Ward Bond.

Learning of their ability as experienced horsemen, Elder Wiggs, hires Travis Blue and Sandy Owens to guide a small group of Mormons across the West to the San Juan River country in southeastern Utah Territory.

Ford came up with the idea for the story, and Patrick Ford (John Ford's son) and Frank S. Nugent wrote the script. Ford and Merian C. Cooper, were co-executive producers, with Lowell J. Farrell as associate producer. Music was done by Richard Hageman.

Ford had been shooting the film She Wore a Yellow Ribbon the year before (1948) in Monument Valley, near the town of Mexican Hat, Utah, close to the locations where he had also filmed Stagecoach (1939), My Darling Clementine (1946), and Fort Apache (1948). He wanted a different look for his next film and drove to Moab. Wagon Master was shot in less than a month, in 1949, for less than a million dollars. Filmed in black and white, on location, mainly northeast of the town of Moab, Utah in Professor Valley (with additional shotting at Spanish Valley southwest of Moab, and a few stage shots were done at Monument Valley).

The television series Wagon Train (1957-1965), starring first Ward Bond and then John McIntire, was inspired by the film. (Ford directed one episode.)

The Harvey Girls (1946)

2010-06-11T06:17:00.000-07:00

The Harvey Girls(1946). Based on a 1942 novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams about Fred Harvey's famous Harvey House restaurants. Director: George Sidney. Cast: Judy Garland, John Hodiak, Angela Lansbury, Virginia O'Brien, Ray Bolger, and Marjorie Main. It won an Academy Award for Best Song for "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe", written by Johnny Mercer and Harry Warren.

A group of new waitresses for Harvey House restaurants, travel on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad to the little town of Sandrock. Also traveling by train is Susan Bradley, who is is on her way to marry the man whose beautifully written letters letters swept her off her feet. Unfortunately, the man doesn't want to get married, so they agree to call it off. When she learns that the letters were written by the owner of the saloon, Ned Trent, she storms off to confront him and gives him a piece of her mind, which somehow he finds very attractive.

Now needing a job, Susan joins the Harvey Girls, and soon finds herself fighting against Trent's business partner, Judge Sam Purvis , who wants to close them down. Em, who is in love with Trent, sees Susan as her rival and the war is on.. You have to watch to see which girl wins her man.

I thought the film was Beautifully filmed, also..a wonderful supporting cast who all get a moment to shine including Ray Bolger, Virginia O'brien, Marjorie Main, a very young Cyd Charisse and a stunning 19 year old Angela Lansbury.

Fun Facts:
Angela Lansbury, is a singer in her own right, her voice was considered unsuitable for the character she played and her singing in the film was dubbed by Virginia Rees. Cyd Charisse, who had her first speaking role in the film, also had her singing dubbed, by Marion Doenges.

"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"
(uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
Sung by Ben Carter, Marjorie Main, Ray Bolger, Judy Garland and chorus
Danced by Ray Bolger

The Sons of Katie Elder(1965).

2010-06-09T06:01:00.001-07:00

The Sons of Katie Elder(1965). Director: Henry Hathaway. Cast: John Wayne and Dean Martin. Filmed in Mexico.

The four sons of Katie Elder all meet in Clearwater, Texas, in for their mother's funeral. They all regret that they have not lived up to her high expectations of them.

The townspeople do not think much of the brothers, John a professional gunfighter, Tom has also ended up on the wrong side of the law as a gambler. Katie Elder was loved by everyone, all knew of her poverty and her love for her sons who neglected her. The brothers want to do something special for their mother, like help her keep her wish to send Bud to college, even though Bud wants to grow up to be like his brothers.

Morgan Hastings, now owns the Elders' ranch after their father death, claiming to have won it from him in a game of cards. He brings in a hired gun, Curley to help protect the ranch. When he learns about the brothers' investigations, Hastings frames them for murder of the sheriff.

I 'm writing this movie review to honor: Dennis Hopper, Dean Martin and John Wayne. Apart from the casting and music, much of the enjoyment of this film comes from the love of the westerns from the 50's and 60's. This film did have its touching moments.. like when they talked about the simple pleasures Mrs Elder found in her beloved rocking chair.

Fun Facts:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When John Wayne is dragged into the river, you can hear a child calling out, "Dad!". This was his three-year-old son Ethan Wayne, who was watching off camera and knew how ill his father was.

In western history, there is a famous Katie Elder: "Big Nose" Kate Elder, a prostitute and girlfriend of legendary gunfighter John "Doc" Holliday.

The hearse featured at the funeral of Katie Elder is currently in front of the Haunted Mansion at Walt Disney World.

Vera Cruz (1954).

2010-06-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

Vera Cruz (1954). Cast: Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster, and featuring Denise Darcel, Sara Montiel, and Cesar Romero. Director: Robert Aldrich from a story by Borden Chase and considered one of the most influential Western films ever filmed. The film's Mexican setting, and attitude about violence was thought shocking at the time, and changed the future of Westerns such as The Magnificent Seven, The Wild Bunch, and the films of Sergio Leone.

The story begins as the American Civil War is ending, and Mexico is beginning a revolution against Maximilian, some North American ex-soldiers head to Mexico to offer their services to either side. Ben Trane, who was a Confederate major during the Civil War, and Joe Erin, a western outlaw, meet up in Mexico when Ben has to replace his injured horse. Later, in a small pueblo, Ben receives a very cold welcome from other North Americans who, recognizing Joe's horse, assume that Ben has killed him and are about to beat him up when Joe comes forward. Joe then talks Ben into joining his mercenaries, and they meet with the Marquis de Labordere, who represents the emperor and offers to pay them well. When Ben goes to help a young Mexican woman, Nina, he is rewarded with the theft of his wallet. After Gen. Ramirez, tries to force their hand, Ben, Joe and their men join the marquis to Mexico City. There they attend a society ball at the emperor's home. Joe is very much out of place, but he and Ben manage to charm the Countess Marie Duvarre. Maximilian agrees to pay the men fifty thousand dollars in gold to take on the special mission of escorting the countess through Juarista territories to the port of Vera Cruz, where she will leave for France. The marquis and a troop of lancers led by Capt. Danette, will also join them. Ben and Joe soon believe that the coach is carrying more than the countess...

I thought Vera Cruz, was an excellent film, loved the wonderful score by Friedhofer. My favorite scene was in the plaza, with a great gunfight followed with the meetings of the main characters in the plot including hundreds of revolutionaries and Cesar Romero, whose character is the Emperor of Mexico, Maximillian.

Fun Facts:
Produced by Burt Lancaster's production company for $1.7 million, it grossed over $11million.

Burt Lancaster was quite happy to let Gary Cooper have top billing, knowing that he had more box office pull than he did.

Eli Wallach has said that the Mexican government was so upset about the negative portrayal of Mexicans in the film that they insisted that the making of The Magnificent Seven (1960) be monitored by censors.

This film is sometimes called the "first spaghetti western," due to the influence on the Italian directors such as Sergio Leone who popularized the genre.

Westward the Woman (1951).

2010-06-01T08:15:00.001-07:00

Forgotten Movie :The First Traveling Saleslady(1956)

2010-06-01T04:02:00.000-07:00

The First Traveling Saleslady (1956). Cast Ginger Rogers, Carol Channing, James Arness and Clint Eastwood.

The story begins when Rose and her friend Molly, decide to head west to sell barbed wire. Unfortunately, they end up in trouble with the local cowboys. The the cowboys try to run them out of town, certain that the wire will injure the cattle. The women's only friend is horseless carriage inventor Charles Masters.

I thought it was a sweet little film, but no more than that. It was fun to see a Clint Eastwood 26 years old and handsome. He does fit the western mold, although there is little evidence of the figure that Clint would soon become.

Fun Facts:

The script for The First Traveling Saleslady was first offered to Mae West, who declined, and many of the film's reviewers, Rogers might have been wiser to do the same. "Lame, offbeat, an interesting but failed experiment, The First Traveling Saleslady only underlined the emptiness of such backward-looking fare in changing times," wrote Patrick McGilligan, author of Ginger Rogers.

Ginger Rogers would joke that this picture shut down RKO (it was the last film produced by that studio).

Clint Eastwood's first on screen performance with a speaking part.

Happy 80th Birthday Clint Eastwood!!

2010-06-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Clint Eastwood, film actor, director, producer, and composer. He has received five Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, and five People's Choice Awards — including one for Favorite All-Time Motion Picture Star.

Eastwood is known for his action and western films. Following his performance as in the TV series Rawhide(1958), he went on to perform as the Man With No Name in the trilogy of Spaghetti Westerns in the 1960s and as Inspector Harry Callahan in the Dirty Harry films of the 1970s and 1980s. Eastwood also performed in Every Which Way but Loose and Any Which Way You Can, his two highest-grossing films.

In 1969, Eastwood performed in his only musical, Paint Your Wagon. With Lee Marvin. They played a couple of gold miners who share the same wife. Production for the film had many delays. The film was not a success, although it was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

Another favorite film of mine was, Two Mules for Sister Sara(1970) with Shirley MacLaine. The film, is a story about an American mercenary who gets mixed up with a woman disguised as a nun and aid a group of Juarista rebels during the time of Emperor Maximilian in Mexico. The film saw Eastwood perform as a mysterious stranger once more, unshaven, wearing a serape-like vest and smoking a cigar.

Eastwood turned his attention towards a story about a love between a middle-aged man and a teenage girl, Breezy(1973). During casting for the film, Eastwood met Sondra Locke for the first time, who performed in many of his films for the next ten years and in his life. Locke, who was 26 and was too old to play the Breezy part, actress Kay Lenz, who had performed in American Graffiti, was cast. The film was not a major critical or commercial success. But, I thought a very interesting story line. I have mixed feelings about this film because the girl is 18 and her love interest is 45.

For his work in the films Unforgiven (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004), Eastwood won Academy Awards for Best Director and for producer of the Best Picture and received nominations for Best Actor. These films in particular, as well as others such as Play Misty for Me (1971), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), Escape from Alcatraz (1979), Pale Rider (1985) and Gran Torino (2008), have all received great success. He has directed most of his star vehicles as well as films he has not acted in, such as Mystic River (2003) and Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), for which he received Academy Award nominations.

He also served as mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California from 1986–1988, tending to support small business interests on the one hand and environmental protection on the other.

Montana(1950).

2010-05-29T13:41:00.000-07:00

Montana(1950). Cast: Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith and S.Z. Sakall.

Australian sheep-man Morgan Lane comes to Montana riding in on his beautiful palomino looking for grazing land, and holds his sheep at the boundary line set up by the cattle barons to keep the sheep from eating all good grass. He goes to town, pretending to be a merchant and learns that Maria Singleton, owner of a large ranch, and Rodney Ackroyd, another ranch owner and Miss Singleton's fiancee, are the leaders of the cattlemen against the sheep-men.

Miss Singleton, quickly decides that Morgan has a much better name than Rodney but the cattle-vs.-sheep feud keeps them apart. Until they meet in the street for a showdown...

Another thing the movie Montana, is known for is a nice little cowboy duet that Errol and Alexis sing called Reckon I'm In Love.

Thunderheart on TCM What's the Problem?

2010-05-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

I've put off doing this post, but I feel I have to respond to whats being said over at the CFU, butI know better than to say anything over there, I'll just get attacked .

Any way it seems quite a few members are upset that TCM would dare show this "Val Kilmer" film , as it's in their view "not a classic".
HELLO! Have any of you people even bothered to watch the film?
OK the film was made in 1992. So What. It has Val Kilmer's great performance along with a thought provoking story. Check out the trailer

This is one of my favorite films and I for one thank TCM for having The GUTTS to include it in the Native American series. I would have been upset if they had not run it.

Whats your thoughts? Id' love to hear them. Does TCM have to
always be stuck in distant past?
Or can a newer film be a classic? I think you know where I stand.

Paul's Favorite John Wayne Westerns

2010-05-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

OK Just for the record here are my favorite John Wayne Westerns:

The Searchers
Red River
Rio Bravo
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence
Fort Apache
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
Three Godfathers
Hondo
Stagecoach
Big Jake
The Horse Soldiers
The War Wagon
I'll post my favorite non western John Wayne films at a later time

Monty's Favorite John Wayne Movies

2010-05-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

I broke my favorite John Wayne movies into 2 lists: westerns and non-westerns.

Westerns:
Rio Bravo
The Searchers
She Wore A Yellow River
El Dorado
The Comancheros
True Grit
The Shootist
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Stagecoach
The Sons of Katie Elder
North To Alaska
McLintock
The Train Robbers
*Red River - makes the list but I haven't seen it yet

Non-westerns

They Were Expendable

Sands Of Iwo Jima

The Quiet Man

Donovan's Reef

Hatari

McQ

Pittsburgh

Brannigan

Dawn's favorite John Wayne movies.

2010-05-26T07:18:00.001-07:00

The Shootist (1976)
Rooster Cogburn (1975)
Brannigan (1975)
McQ (1970)
The Train Robbers (1973)
The Cowboys (1972)
Big Jake (1971)
True Grit (1969)
Hellfighters (1968)
The War Wagon (1967)
El Dorado (1966)
The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)
McLintock! (1963)
Donovan's Reef (1963)
Hatari! (1962)
Rio Bravo (1959)

Happy Birthday John Wayne

2010-05-26T05:39:00.000-07:00

(1907-1979)

Hey Dawn and Paul,

In honor of it being The Duke's birthday, how about we each do a top 10 favorite list of Wayne's westerns.
Mull over our choices and each make a separate post about it by tonight or tomorrow. Have a great day everyone.

Little Big Man(1970)

2010-05-21T05:23:00.000-07:00

Little Big Man (1970). Director: Arthur Penn. Based on the 1964 novel by Thomas Berger. Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Chief Dan George, Faye Dunaway, Martin Balsam, Jeff Corey and Richard Mulligan. It is considered a Revisionist Western, with Native Americans receiving a sympathetic treatment uncommon for Western films in previous decades.

121-year-old Jack Crabb, story begins when Jack and his older sister Caroline survive the massacre of their parents wagon train at the hands of the Pawnee. Soon they are rescued by a Cheyenne warrior and taken back to a Cheyenne village. Caroline leaves during the night on horseback, but Jack decides to stay and is raised by the Cheyenne leader, Old Lodge Skins. Jack grows up happy, until one day, Jack accidentally makes an enemy of Younger Bear. Jack is given the name "Little Big Man" because he's short and proves himself very brave. During a fight with US soldiers Jack, quickly says that he is a white man to save himself. He is then turned over to Reverend Silas Pendrake and his wife Louise. Louise's attitude and her sexual appetite is too much for him to understand and he quickly leaves her home.

Jack becomes the apprentice of the snake-oil salesman Merriweather. They are tarred and feathered when their customers realize that Merriweather is a fake. One of the customers turns out to be Jack's sister, Caroline. Once Caroline realizes that Jack is her brother, she tries to turn her brother into a gunslinger named the Soda Pop Kid (because his favorite drink is soda pop). My favorite part of the movie is when, Jack meets Wild Bill Hickok at a saloon. When Hickok is forced to kill a man in self defense, Jack loses his interest in gun slinging.

Jack's next career, is to open a general store and marries a Swedish woman named Olga. Unfortunately for Jack, his business partner is a crook and Jack is forced to close the store. General Custer happens to ride past and suggests they head out west. Jack agrees, during their travels, their stagecoach is ambushed by the Cheyennes and Olga is kidnapped. On his journey, he is reunited with Old Lodge Skins, who is thrilled to see Jack. After a short visit with the tribe, Jack continues on in search of Olga.

He becomes a "muleskinner" for Custer's 7th Cavalry. He fights in a battle against the Cheyenne. When they begin killing women and children, he becomes enraged and leaves the U.S. Soldiers. In the nearby woods, Jack finds Sunshine giving birth. He saves Sunshine from the soldiers and returns to Old Lodge Skins' tribe. Sunshine becomes his wife and they have a child together. Jack runs into Younger Bear, who is now the henpecked husband of Olga. Olga does not recognize Jack, and he does not tell her who he is. Sunshine asks Jack to take in her three widowed sisters as wives and father children with them. He is reluctant at first but finally agrees.

One day, Custer and the 7th Cavalry attack the Cheyenne camp. A now-blind and elderly Old Lodge Skins is saved by Jack and the Circle of Life. Sunshine and their child are killed along with her sisters. Jack wants revenge, but at the moment, with a razor to Custer's neck, Jack loses his nerve, and Custer makes fun of him. Destroyed, Jack becomes the town drunk in Deadwood, South Dakota. He is recognized by Wild Bill Hickok, who gives him money to clean up. When Jack returns to the bar, Hickok is shot and killed. With his last breath, Hickok asks Jack to give his money to a a widow he was having an affair with. Jack goes to see the widow, a prostitute who turns out to be a Mrs. Louise Pendrake.

While out trapping, Jack hears the faint sound of Custer and his troops. Jack still wanting revenge takes a job as a scout, believing anything he says will be a lie, they do the opposite. Jack leads the troops into a trap at the Little Bighorn. Jack truthfully tells Custer of the Native Americans hidden in the valley. Custer does not believe him and leads the 7th Cavalry to its doom. During the battle, Custer begins raving. Ignoring the closing circle of warriors, Custer decides to kill Jack and points his pistol at him. Before he can pull the trigger, Custer is killed by Younger Bear, who takes the wounded Jack, back to Old Lodge Skins' tepee.

Jack walks with, Old Lodge Skins to a nearby hill, where he gives his speech to the Great Spirit, saying he is ready to die. It begins to rain. Old Lodge Skins sighs and says, "Sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesn't." It is not his time to die.

My family enjoys watching this long but enjoyable western epic, which gives you insight to the lives of the American Indians.. In my opinion one of Dustin Hoffman's, best performances.

In 1960, Chief Dan George, was already 60 years old, when he got his first job acting in a CBC Television series, Cariboo Country, as the character "Ol' Antoine". He performed the same role in a Walt Disney Studios movie, Smith!, adapted from an episode in this series (based on Breaking Smith's Quarter Horse, a novella by Paul St. Pierre). At the age of 71, George won several awards for his role in the film Little Big Man, including a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He continued to act in other films, such as The Outlaw Josey Wales, Harry and Tonto and Americathon, and on television, including a role in the miniseries Centennial, based on the book by James A. Michener, as well as appearing in a 1973 episode of the original Kung Fu series, with David Carradine.

THE LONE RANGER

2010-05-20T05:03:00.000-07:00

The Lone Ranger is an American radio and television show created by George W. Trendle and developed by Fran Striker.

The story is about a masked Texas Ranger in the Old West, first played by George Seaton, righting injustices with the aid of his, Native American sidekick, Tonto. Riding on the back of his white horse Silver, the Ranger would say "Hi-yo, Silver, away!" as the horse rode off into the setting sun.

The Bushwhackers(1952)

2010-05-19T07:22:00.000-07:00

Myrna Dell, started her career as a showgirl in the famous Earl Carroll Revue in New York, and made her first film, A Night at Earl Carroll's (1940). Signed by MGM, she performed in Ziegfeld Girl (1941), but MGM didn't pick up her option and she returned to Earl Carroll's. She soon began performing at the Billy Rose Nightclub, then spent a season in the "George White's Scandals" revue. Bitten by the acting bug, Hollywood never left her, and she went back in 1943 and performed in westerns with, Bob Steele and Hoot Gibson. She had a small part in the classic Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), and soon signed a contract with RKO Pictures. RKO kept her busy, putting her in more than 20 films over the next few years, even performing with future US President Ronald Reagan in, The Girl from Jones Beach (1949). She gave a good performance in the western The Bushwhackers (1952). She worked steadily over the years in films and on TV, and had a recurring role in the Dan Duryea adventure series "China Smith" (1952). She also wrote a gossip column, "Hollywood: Then and Now".

Confederate Veteran, Jeff Waring, arriving in Independence, Missouri shortly after the Civil War, wanting never to use a gun again. Until, he meets up with rancher, Taylor, and his henchmen, Sam Tobin and Cree, who are forcing out the settlers in order to take their land for the railroad. Myrna Dell, is Taylor's daughter and Dorothy Malone as the school marm.

They Call the Wind Mariah : From the film Paint Your Wagon(1963).

2010-05-13T07:57:00.001-07:00

"They Call The Wind Maria"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Sung by Harve Presnell & The Chorus

Lee Marvin

2010-05-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

Lee Marvin, is one of my all time favorite actors and also a fellow Tucsonian. He began his acting career after the war, while working as a plumber's assistant at a local community theatre in Upstate New York, Marvin was asked to replace an actor who became ill during rehearsals. He then began an amateur off-Broadway acting career in New York City and served as an understudy in Broadway productions. Soon after, Marvin moved to Hollywood. He found work in supporting roles. As a decorated combat veteran, Marvin was perfect in war dramas, where he assisted the director and other actors in portraying infantry movement, arranging costumes, and even adjusting war surplus military prop firearms.

His first film was in You're in the Navy Now (1951) and in 1952 he performed in, Duel at Silver Creek, Hangman's Knot, and the war drama Eight Iron Men. He performed opposite, Gloria Grahame, in The Big Heat (1953). Marvin, also performed in a memorable role in The Wild One (1953) opposite Marlon Brando, followed by Seminole (1953) and Gun Fury (1953). He also had a small but memorable role as sailor Meatball in The Caine Mutiny. He was again praised for his role as Hector the small town hood in Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) with Spencer Tracy.

During the 1950s, Marvin began playing more substantial roles. He starred in Attack (1956), and The Missouri Traveler (1958) but it took over one hundred episodes as Chicago cop Frank Ballinger in the successful 1957-1960 television series M Squad to actually give him name recognition.

In the 1960s, Marvin was given co-starring roles in films as The Comancheros (1961), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) and Donovan's Reef (1963), all with John Wayne. Marvin also guest-starred in Combat! and The Twilight Zone. Marvin performed in the groundbreaking film, The Killers (1964) playing an professional assassin. The Killers was also the first movie in which Marvin received top billing. Marvin won the 1965 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the western Cat Ballou starring Jane Fonda.

Following roles in The Professionals (1966) and the The Dirty Dozen (1967), Marvin was given complete control over his next film. In Point Blank, he played a criminal out for revenge. In 1968, Marvin performed in Hell in the Pacific. He had a hit song with "Wand'rin' Star" from the western musical Paint Your Wagon (1969).

Marvin had a much greater variety of roles in the 1970s and 1980s, with fewer 'bad-guy' roles than in earlier years. His 1970s films included Monte Walsh (1970), Prime Cut (1972), Pocket Money (1972), Emperor of the North Pole (1973), The Iceman Cometh (1973) as Hickey, The Spikes Gang (1974), The Klansman (1974), Shout at the Devil (1976), The Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday (1976), and Avalanche Express (1978). Marvin was offered the role of Quint in Jaws (1975) but declined.

Marvin's last big role was in, The Big Red One (1980). His remaining films were Death Hunt (1981), Gorky Park (1983), Dog Day (1984), and The Dirty Dozen: The Next Mission (1985); his final appearance was in The Delta Force (1986).

Gun Fury(1953)- Filmed in Sedona, AZ.

2010-05-13T05:37:00.000-07:00

Gun Fury (1953). Director: Raoul Walsh. Cast: Rock Hudson and Donna Reed. The film is based on the novel Ten Against Caesar by Kathleen B. George and Robert A. Granger.

Georgian Jennifer Ballard is on a stage headed for California, to met her fiance, rancher Ben Warren, but, first the stage has to cross Arizona. Unknown to her, a fellow passenger traveling under the name of Hamilton is really outlaw Frank Slayton and his partner, Jess Burgess. With an Army escort to protect the payroll box, the stage stops at a small town overnight to wait for replacements. Ben shows up to surprise Jennifer, he has ridden out to make the rest of the trip with her. Slayton, attracted to Jennifer, is not happy by Ben's arrival, invites them to dine with him.
The dinner conversation turns to the war, Ben, also a former Confederate, says the experience left him wanting the more peaceful life. Later, as Jess dances with Jennifer he advises her that she and Ben should take another stage to Tucson. Determined to get to California and marry as soon as possible, the couple stick with their original plans. The next day, the stage starts off with the Army escort, who have secretly been replaced by the Slayton's gang. After a short time, the gang stops the stage and kills the driver. Slayton revels his true identity, and when Ben tries to stand up to the gang, one of the other men shoots him. Leaving Ben for dead, Slayton and the gang take the payroll box and Jennifer to their hideout. Unknown to the gang, Ben follows, and although none of the townspeople he comes across are willing to help, he recruits three others who want revenge on Slayton.

My Darling Clementine(1946)

2010-05-12T06:29:00.000-07:00

My Darling Clementine(1946) Director: John Ford. Cast: Henry Fonda, Victor Mature, Walter Brennan.

The movie was adapted by Samuel G. Engel, Sam Hellman, and Winston Miller from the book Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal by Stuart N. Lake. The title is from the song "Oh My Darling, Clementine", which is the theme song of the movie (sung in parts over the opening and closing credits). Whole scenes from an earlier version, 1939's Frontier Marshal, directed by Alan Dwan, produced by Sol M. Wurtzel, were re shot by Ford for this remake.

In 1991, this film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

In 1882, the Earp brothers are driving cattle to California when they cross the Clanton family led by the "Old Man", who tells the bothers of a nearby town, Tombstone, the older brothers ride in, leaving the youngest brother James to watch over the cattle. The Earps find Tombstone a lawless town. When they return to their camp, they find the cattle rustled and James dead.

Seeking vengeance, Wyatt returns to Tombstone and takes the job of town Marshall, meeting with, Doc Holliday and the Clantons, to find out who was responsible. In the meantime, a young woman from Boston named Clementine Carter arrives in town...

Although the characters and setting of the Gunfight at the OK Corral is the plot of the film is loosely based on actual history. Important plot changes in the film, the death of James Earp, the death of Old Man Clanton and Doc Holliday (who was a dentist, not a surgeon, and actually died years later of tuberculosis), are inaccurately portrayed.

Absolutely the perfect western. "My Darling Clementine" is at the top of my favorite list of westerns ever made.

Ever Wonder?

2010-05-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

May be it's just my sick little mind, but haven't you ever wondered what would happen to Tonto if he and the Lone Ranger split up ? Wonder No More. From 1969.

The Trail of 98 (1928)

2010-05-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

The Trail of 98(1928). The cast; Dolores Del Rio, Ralph Forbes, Harry Carey, Karl Dane, Emily Fitzroy, Roscoe Karns, Tully Marshall & Doris Lloyd.

The western epic begins, in 1896 when gold was discovered in a creek in the Yukon's. Despite the trouble in getting there, over 30,000 people would travel to the boom town of Dawson City, looking to get rich. It would not take long before someone discovered $100,000,000 in gold.

The film story is about the lives of many prospectors, but there is one story that stands out, is that of a gold miner who strikes it rich and is heartbroken when he returns to his true love and discovers that she is dance-hall girl working for a known murderer.

The last of the great silent epics, M-G-M's The Trail of '98 has a wonderful music score, sound effects and a theme song, "I Found Gold When I Found You", by Hazel Mooney, Evelyn Lyn and William Axt. Based on Robert William Service's 1911 novel. The famous scene of the long climb to the Chilkoot Pass is one you will never forget. It is most remembered the harrowing journey down the Whitehorse Rapids. The scene cost the lives of four stunt players, including Ray Thompson, who played the ranch foreman in Buster Keaton's Go West (1925).

Stake Your Claim in: Paint Your Wagon(1969).

2010-05-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

Paint Your Wagon (1969). Musical. Adapted from the 1951 stage musical by Lerner and Loewe. Cast: Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, and Jean Seberg.

This one of those movies I'm embarrassed to admit I love. I really enjoy the friendship that develops between the two lead characters and their lack of singing talents, which is so bad that it becomes interesting.. The story begins as a wagon crashes into a ravine. Prospector Ben Rumson finds two brothers, one is dead and the other is injured with a broken arm and leg. As the one brother is about to be buried, gold is found at the graveside. As dirt is flying, Ben stakes a claim on the land and declares the other brother as his "Pardner". Later Pardner, a hopeless romantic sings a love song about a girl named Elisa.( Can you believe Clint Eastwood is really singing?) Pardner hopes to find enough gold to buy some farmland. Ben claims that while he is willing to fight, steal, and cheat at cards, he promises not to betray a partner, and that he will share what ever gold he finds with Pardner on the condition that Pardner takes care of him in his moments of melancholy.

Soon a tent city by the name, "No Name City" is built with the miners living a wild life. Singing songs: ("Hand Me Down That Can o' Beans") sung by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and my favorite song in the movie a beautiful balled ("They Call the Wind Maria"). By this time, the men are missing female companionship and the arrival of a Mormon, Jacob Woodling, with two wives are the last straw and they talk him into selling one of his wives to the highest bidder. Elizabeth, agrees to be sold believing that whatever she gets, "it can't be as bad as what she has." A drunken Ben has the highest bid. Ben is readied for the wedding by the other miners ("Whoop-Ti-Yay"), and Elizabeth is married to Ben under "mining law". She wants him to treat her with respect and to build her a wooden cabin. Ben promises to build her a cabin and with the help of towns men, Elizabeth has a roof over her head..

Elizabeth's presence soon becomes a problem for Ben. Just in time to save to Ben's sanity, they hear the news of the arrival of "six French tarts" coming to a neighboring town and quickly come up with a plan to kidnap the women and bring them to "No Name City" ("There's a Coach Comin' In"), providing the town with income as other miners from all over will travel to "No Name City" for... what should I call it... the night life.. Ben leaves Elizabeth in the care of Pardner. While Ben is gone, the two fall in love("I Talk to the Trees"). Elizabeth says that she also still loves Ben, and convinces them that if a Mormon man can have two wives, a woman can have two husbands. Everything seems to be going, what I will call.. reasonably well.. until a group of religious settlers is rescued from the snow, and is invited to spend the winter with Elizabeth and Pardner, who they believe to be her only husband. Ben has to stay in town. What will happen to this love triangle ?

This is a clip from behind the scenes of the film, Paint Your Wagon.

FUN FACTS:

Eastwood and Marvin did their own singing while Seberg's songs were dubbed. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has a cameo in the song "Hand Me Down That Can o' Beans".

This film was made near Baker City, Oregon, Big Bear Lake, California and San Bernardino National Forest. Eastwood said that the experience made him want to become a director. According to Robert Osborne," Marvin drank heavily during the filming of the movie, which may have enhanced his screen appearance, but led to delays and many retakes.". My gosh..can you imagine..

Soundtracks:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm On My Way"
(Main Title)
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Sung by The Chorus

"I Still See Elisa"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Sung by Clint Eastwood

"The First Thing You Know"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by André Previn
Sung by Lee Marvin

"Hand Me Down That Can Of Beans"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Sung by The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band & The Chorus

"They Call The Wind Maria"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Sung by Harve Presnell & The Chorus

"Whoop-Ti-Ay!"
(Shivaree)
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Sung by The Chorus

"A Million Miles Away Behind The Door"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by André Previn
Sung by Anita Gordon dubbing Jean Seberg

"I Talk To The Trees"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Sung by Clint Eastwood

"There's A Coach Comin' In"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Sung by Harve Presnell & The Chorus

"The Gospel Of No Name City"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by André Previn
Sung by Alan Dexter

"Best Things"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by André Previn
Sung by Lee Marvin, Ray Walston and Clint Eastwood

"Wand'rin' Star"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by Frederick Loewe
Sung by Lee Marvin & The Chorus

"Gold Fever"
Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
Music by André Previn
Sung by Clint Eastwood & The Chorus

"Finale"
(I'm On My Way)
Sung by Lee Marvin, Ray Walston & The Chorus

Movies filmed in Sedona, Arizona..

2010-05-06T17:11:00.000-07:00

My favorite place to visit is Sedona. Best known for its beautiful red sandstone formations, the Red Rocks of Sedona. The formations appear to glow in brilliant orange and red when illuminated by the rising or setting sun. The Red Rocks form a breathtaking backdrop for film makers.

Sedona is named after Sedona Miller Schnebly (1877–1950), the wife of the city's first postmaster, who was loved for her hospitality.

Westerns filmed in Sedona:

Call of the Canyon 1923
Riders of the Purple Sage 1931
Robber’s Roost 1932
Texas Trail 1937
Billy the Kid 1941
Angel and the Bad Man 1946
California 1946
Desert Fury 1947
Cheyenne 1947
Albuquerque 1948
Last of the Duanes 1948
Gunfighters 1948
The Fabulous Texan 1948
Corner Creek 1949
Tall in the Saddle 1949
Station West 1949
Blood on the Moon 1949
Comanche Territory 1950
Copper Canyon 1950
Eagle and the Hawk 1950
Broken Arrow 1950
The Red Head and the Cowboy 1951
Indian Uprising 1951
Half Breed 1952
Pony Soldier 1952
Flaming Feather 1952
Gun Fury 1953
Johnny Guitar 1953
Apache 1954
The Outlaw’s Daughter 1954
The Strawberry Roan 1954
Drum Beat 1954
Stranger on Horseback 1955
Shotgun 1955
The Last Wagon 1956
3:10 to Yuma 1957
Yellowstone Kelly 1959
The Legend of Lobo 1961
The Rounders 1964
Fire Creek 1965
Stay Away Joe 1967
The Legend of the Boy and the Eagle 1967
The Wild Rovers 1972
Gambler II 1983
The Quick and the Dead 1987
Riders of the Storm 1994
Deadman 1995

Cheyenne Autumn (1964)

2010-05-05T04:44:00.000-07:00

Cheyenne Autumn (1964) Epic/Western. Cast: Richard Widmark, Carroll Baker, James Stewart, and Edward G. Robinson. The film was the last western to be directed by John Ford, who proclaimed it an elegy. Much of the film was shot in Monument Valley Tribal Park on the Arizona-Utah border, where Ford had filmed scenes for many of his films, Stagecoach and The Searchers. The tribal leaders were played by Ricardo Montalban and Gilbert Roland , Dolores del Río and Sal Mineo , Ford hired members of the Navajo tribe for extras in this film.

This beautiful film begins with the Cheyenne Indians in 1970 being moved from their Wyoming home to a Oklahoma reservation. After waiting for a year for Federal aid , the tribe is losing the battle to survive and are dying off from disease and starvation. Wanting to save what is left of their tribe they decide to make a 1,500-mile journey to their Yellowstone hunting grounds. Traveling with them is their friend Deborah Wright, a Quaker schoolteacher. Hot on their trail is a cavalry troop headed by Captain Thomas Archer, Deborah's fiancee, who hopes to end what they believe is an uprising without bloodshed. Cheyenne brave Red Shirt, starts trouble in which several U. S. soldiers are killed. Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday are pressured into organizing a war party. Sympathetic Earp, purposely leads his posse in the wrong direction. With winter coming on, the Cheyennes split into two groups. Half continue on their long journey and half surrender to the heartless Captain Wessels, at Fort Robinson. Will the Indians survive this historic ordeal.

Films similar to Cheyenne Autumn, try to show that Geronimo, Sitting Bull and others were not criminals, they were only defending the land where they were born and raised.

FUN FACTS:

Ford added the segment with Stewart in place of an intermission. Ford didn't want people leaving the auditorium to go the bathroom or concessions counter, even though the film was long, and so he came up with the Wyatt Earp segment.

John Ford was urged to cast Richard Boone and Anthony Quinn as the Little Wolf and Dull Knife characters, as both had Native American blood. Ricardo Montalban and Gilbert Roland, who were of Mexican descent, were cast instead.

Spencer Tracy was first cast as the secretary of interior Karl Shultz, but had a heart attack and was replaced by Edward G. Robinson.

Music: A few Dollars More and Horses.

2010-04-28T11:31:00.001-07:00

Errol Flynn - The Warner Brothers Western Collection.

2010-04-28T08:06:00.000-07:00

Errol Flynn, is probably best remembered as Robin Hood and his swashbuckling adventure films. Flynn also did a few western films. They mabybe be not as popular as some of his other pictures, but they are still entertaining movies. (I think they mabe my next DVD box set). Warner Brother has put together a nice group of films: Errol Flynn - The Warner Brothers Western Collection.

MONTANA (1950)
Flynn plays Morgan Lane, an Australian who has relocated to the United States during the hey day of the Wild West who is hoping to purchase some land so that he can raise sheep.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN (1950)
Also known as Rocky Mountain Trail, this film, set at the end of the Civil War, finds Flynn, in his last western role, playing Captain Lafe Barstow, a man who has been assigned with the job of securing the western part of the United States for General Robert E. Lee.

SAN ANTONIO (1945)
Flynn plays Clay Hardin, a cattle rancher trying to make a living who come up against a gang of cattle rustlers.

VIRGINIA CITY (1940).
Flynn plays Kerry Bradford, an undercover Union officer who escapes from a Confederate jail and heads to Virginia City trying to prevent a train carrying a massive cargo of gold from getting to Dixie and funding the Confederate war movement.

The very quotable Tombstone...

2010-04-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

Tombstone is my favorite modern western, and second all time. And it is one of the most quote worthy movie of all time. Here are some of my favorite quotes:

Johnny Ringo: [Ringo steps up to Doc] And you must be Doc Holliday.
Doc Holliday: That's the rumor.
Johnny Ringo: You retired too?
Doc Holliday: Not me. I'm in my prime.
Johnny Ringo: Yeah, you look it.
Doc Holliday: And you must be Ringo. Look, darling, Johnny Ringo. The deadliest pistoleer since Wild Bill, they say. What do you think, darling? Should I hate him?
Kate: You don't even know him.
Doc Holliday: Yes, but there's just something about him. Something around the eyes, I don't know, reminds me of... me. No. I'm sure of it, I hate him.

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Ike Clanton: What is that now? Twelve hands in a row? Holliday, son of a bitch, nobody's that lucky.
Doc Holliday: Why Ike, whatever do you mean? Maybe poker's just not your game Ike. I know! Let's have a spelling contest!

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Doc Holliday: I'm your huckleberry...
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Morgan Earp: Look at all the stars. You look up and you think, "God made all this and He remembered to make a little speck like me." It's kind of flattering, really.

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Johnny Tyler: I swear, it's like I'm playin' cards with my brother's kids or somethin'. You nerve-wrackin' sons-a-bitches
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Doc Holliday: It's true, you are a good woman. Then again, you may be the antichrist.

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Wyatt Earp: You skin that smoke wagon and we'll see what happens!
Johnny Tyler: Listen mister, I'm getting awful tired of your...
[Wyatt slaps him]
Wyatt Earp: Are you gonna do something? Or just stand there and bleed?

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Johnny Ringo: [Ringo has taken Holliday up on his offer to 'finish the game'] All right, 'lunger'. Let's do it.
Doc Holliday: Say when.
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Doc Holliday: Why Johnny Tyler! You madcap!
Johnny Tyler: Doc?
Doc Holliday: Where you goin' with that shotgun?

Glenn Ford

2010-04-26T06:40:00.000-07:00

Glenn Ford's breakthrough role was in 1946, performing with Rita Hayworth in Gilda. He went on to perform with Rita Hayworth in a total of five films.

Ford had a successful career in the 1950s and into the 1960s and continued into the early 1990s. He is best known for thrillers, dramas and action films including A Stolen Life with Bette Davis, The Secret of Convict Lake with Gene Tierney, The Big Heat, Blackboard Jungle, Framed, Interrupted Melody with Eleanor Parker, Experiment in Terror with Lee Remick, Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Superman and westerns: The Fastest Gun Alive, 3:10 to Yuma and Cimarron. Ford also performed in a number of popular comedies, such as The Teahouse of the August Moon, Don't Go Near the Water, The Gazebo, Cry for Happy and The Courtship of Eddie's Father.

Fred Silverman head of CBS noticed that many of the featured films being shown at a Glenn Ford film festival were westerns. He suggested doing a western series, Cade's County. Ford played Sheriff Cade for one season (1971–1972).

List of Glenn Ford Westerns:

Border Shootout (1990)
Punch and Jody (1974) (TV)
Santee (1973)
Jarrett (1973) (TV)
"Cade's County" .... Sam Cade (24 episodes, 1971-1972)
Heaven with a Gun (1969)
Smith! (1969)
Day of the Evil Gun (1968)
The Last Challenge (1967)
A Time for Killing (1967)
Rage1966)
The Rounders (1965
The Gazebo (1959)
The Sheepman (1958)
Cowboy (1958)
3:10 to Yuma (1957)
The Fastest Gun Alive (1956)
The Americano (1955)
The Man from the Alamo (1953)
The Secret of Convict Lake (1951)
The Redhead and the Cowboy (1951)
Lust for Gold (1949)
The Loves of Carmen (1948)
The Man from Colorado (1948)
The Desperadoes(1943)
Men Without Souls (1940)
Heaven with a Barbed Wire Fence(1939)

The Secret of Convict lake(1951).

2010-04-26T05:31:00.000-07:00

The Secret of Convict Lake (1951). Black-and-white western film. Director: Michael Gordon Produced: Frank P. Rosenberg and music by Sol Kaplan. The film was a critical and commercial success for Ford and Tierney.

Unusual Western with a wonderful atmosphere with the black-and-white cinematography of the snowy setting. A group of five escaped convicts led by Glenn Ford and Zachary Scott, travel with the law not far behind, through the mountains during a snow storm. The convicts find a small town populated only with women, who have learned to defend themselves from outsiders.. The women agree to let the convicts stay in town, under armed guard, until the storm is over and then they must leave. The men agree but the trouble begins when they learn that one of the convicts may have left a lot of money in the area. The women guard the men at gun point and wait for the town's men to return. The barn is accidentally set on fire and the men jump in and help put out the fire, which breaks down the barrier if only for a few short moments. Canfield finds Marcia, where she pleads with him not to kill Rudy because he has been so kind to her. Canfield confesses that he did kill Morgan,(the real embezzler who he took the rap for)in self-defense, he did not steal his money or kill him in cold blood, as Rudy had testified. Canfield then wonders if Marcia is marrying Rudy out of gratitude rather than love, and unable to deny their attraction, they kiss. Marcia then asks Canfield not to kill Rudy, for her sake as well as his, but Canfield believes that it is too late.

The film tells a fictional history of the real-life location, Convict Lake.

Two other important female roles are those of Ann Dvorak as Tierney's prospective sister-in-law and Ethel Barrymore as, the matriarch of the settlement.

The finale is wonderful, the posse arriving on the scene just as the townsfolk are holding services over five graves... are they all the fugitives ?

I thought the film was very well-acted. Also I thought a very under-appreciated film, which reminded me of the western classics: THE OX-BOW INCIDENT (1943) and YELLOW SKY (1948).

Dodge City(1939) Barroom Brawl.

2010-04-24T06:59:00.000-07:00

Dodge City (1939)

2010-04-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

Dodge City Photos

Another classic film from that golden year in cinema of 1939. This rousing western stars Errol Flynn as ex-soldier, now cattle driver Wade Hatton. Yes, I said Errol Flynn..he of the swashbuckling films like Robin Hood, Captain Blood, and The Sea Hawk. And before you can say it won't work, Flynn is awesome from the get go. He is perfectly at home in a western with a six gun as he would be in Sherwood Forest flinging arrows. The story has him delivering some cattle to the wild and dangerous town of Dodge City. Along the way he also guides a wagon train through the treacherous countryside. That's where he meets Abbie Irving (played by the lovely De Havilland) and her troublesome brother. Well when her drunk brother causes a stampede and shoots at Wade, Wade shoots back and injures the kid. After that unfortunate incident Abbie has no use for wade. Finally when the wagon train arrives in Dodge City, Wade encounters the local bad guy..Jeff Surrett (played to the evil hilt by Bruce Cabot) who has a habit of killing men who he buys cattle off of and keeping the money for himself. Well Wade reluctantly agrees to become town sheriff after he sees a tragic accident and becomes Surrett's worst enemy. Eventually Abbie comes around and starts liking him too. Dodge City is a super western, staged with impressive action scenes including a wild saloon bar fight that leaves the place in shambles. The color is extraordinary and the music score is heavenly. Errol Flynn is perfectly cast as Wade as he shows that he won't take any guff from anyone. Olivia is just amazing. Every time I hear her voice, I fall in love with her. She has the most wonderful accent you will ever hear. Also Ann Sheridan, the Oommph Girl is on hand as a saloon singer who gets to belt out a couple of energetic numbers. Plus the banter between Errol and Olivia only solidifies why they were one of the best on screen couples ever. Dodge City is one of the best westerns ever to come out of Old Hollywood and I highly recommend it.

A-
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Wade Hatton: You know, out here the trail boss has sometimes even got to take the law into his own hands.
Abbie Irving: Oh, yes, pioneering I believe you call it, don't you?

Dodge City Photos

clear rating

Monty's Top Ten Westerns

2010-04-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

Dawn, I take it those are your favorite westerns on the sidebar. Great picks. I decided to add my top ten westerns of all time as well.

1. RIO BRAVO (1959) John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, Ricky Nelson
2. TOMBSTONE (1993) Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Powers Booth, Sam Elliott, Dana Delaney
3. UNFORGIVEN (1992) Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris
4. THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES (1976) Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke
5. THE SEARCHERS (1959) John Wayne, Natalie Wood, Ward Bond
6. THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960) Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Coburn, Charles Bronson
7. SHANE (1953) Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon de Wilde
8. BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID (1969) Paul Newman, Robert Redford
9. DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (1939) Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart
10. DODGE CITY (1939) Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland

Flixster - Share Movies

Wanted: Dead or Alive. From Season 1. With Steve McQueen.

2010-04-22T03:34:00.000-07:00

This show is new to me. I thought I would share. Wanted: Dead or Alive, is a Western television show starring Steve McQueen that ran for three seasons from 1958 to 1961.

McQueen's first break would not come in film, but on TV. Elkins contacted Vincent M. Fennelly, producer of the Western series Trackdown, to have McQueen try out for the part of a bounty hunter, Josh Randall, in a pilot for a Trackdown companion series. McQueen performed as the Randall character in an episode of Trackdown, working with Robert Culp, after which McQueen filmed the pilot episode. The pilot was approved for a series titled Wanted: Dead or Alive on CBS in September 1958. In the interviews included in the DVD of "Wanted", Trackdown's star Robert Culp takes credit for bringing McQueen out to Hollywood and for getting him the part in The Bounty Hunter. He also claims to have taught McQueen the "art of the fast-draw", adding that, on the second day of filming, McQueen beat him. Like many of Culp's claims, it is not supported by the evidence. Randall's special holster held a sawed-off 44.40 Winchester rifle nicknamed the "Mare's Leg" instead of the standard six-gun carried by the typical Western character, although the cartridges seen in the gun belt were dummy 45.70, chosen because they "looked tougher". Along with the negative image of the bounty hunter (noted in the three-part DVD special on the background of the series) this added to the anti-hero image along with a mixture of mystery that made this show stand out from the typical TV Western. Ninety-four episodes, filmed at Apacheland Studio from 1958 until early 1961.

Son of Pale Face (1952).

2010-04-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

Son of Paleface (1952), is a western comedy film and sequel to The Paleface (1948). Director: Frank Tashlin and written by Tashlin, Joseph Quillan and Robert L. Welch. It was thought to be better than the earlier movie. Cast: Bob Hope, Jane Russell, and Roy Rogers, who sings his song "A Four Legged Friend" to his horse Trigger. Russell plays a masked lady bandit who has been terrorising the town of Sawbuck Pass. Rogers is the undercover agent who is sent to catch her, while Hope travels to the west to collect his father's fortune.

Roy Rogers and Trigger.

2010-04-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

Trigger, performed in all of Roy's movies, 88 movies total by Roy's count. Trigger also performed with Roy in all 100 episodes (some sources say 104) of The Roy Rogers Show on television, which aired from 1951 - 1957.

Joel Mc Crea.

2010-04-15T04:28:00.000-07:00

Joel McCrea, began his movie career by performing as an extra in a serial starring Ruth Roland. By 1920, McCrea was a movie stunt double, and by the time he attended USC, he was regularly performing at the Pasadena Playhouse. McCrea's big Hollywood break came with a part in the 1929 talkie Jazz Age. He became one of the most popular action stars of the 1930s, making lasting friendships director Cecil B. DeMille and Will Rogers. It was Rogers who taught McCrea to have a strong business sense, as well as a love of ranching. Concentrating on westerns after performing in The Virginian (1946), McCrea became one of Westerns biggest box-office attractions. He extended his western fame to an early-1950s radio series, Tales of the Texas Rangers, and a weekly 1959 TV oater, Wichita Town, in which McCrea costarred with his son Jody.

List of Joel Mc Crea Westerns:

Dead End (1937)
Wells Fargo (1937)
Union Pacific (1939)
Buffalo Bill (1944)
The Great Moment (1944)
The Unseen (1945)
The Virginian (1946)
Ramrod (1947)
Four Faces West (1948)
South of St. Louis (1949)
Colorado Territory (1949)
The Outriders (1950)
Stars in My Crown (1950)
Saddle Tramp (1950)
Cattle Drive (1951)
Rough Shoot (1953)
Lone Hand (1953)
Border River (1954)
Black Horse Canyon (1954)
Stranger on Horseback (1955)
Wichita (1955)
The First Texan (1956), featuring son Jody McCrea
The Oklahoman (1957)
Trooper Hook (1957)
The Tall Stranger (1957)
Cattle Empire (1958)
Fort Massacre (1958)
The Gunfight at Dodge City (1959)
Ride the High Country (1962)
The Young Rounders (1966)
Sioux Nation (1970)
Cry Blood, Apache (1970), starring son Jody McCrea(pictured below).
Mustang Country (1976)

Colorado Territory(1949)

2010-04-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

Colorado Territory (1949). Cast: Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo and Dorothy Malone. A remake of the 1941 film noir High Sierra. Both films were directed by Raoul Walsh. The story was remade again in 1955 as I Died a Thousand Times with Jack Palance and Shelley Winters.

Outlaw Wes McQueen, escapes from jail and travels to Colorado Territory, where he is planning to meet , Dave Rickard, so they can plan a train robbery.. On the stage, he befriends Fred Winslow and his daughter Julie Ann, who headed for their new ranch. Outlaws kill both of the stage drivers, Wes brings the stage safely into town. Wes's next stop is a ghost town, where Duke Harris and Reno Blake are waiting for him . Wes is concerned about dance hall dancer, Colorado Carson, might cause trouble between the men. When she he warns him about the unreliability of Homer Wallace, he decides to let her stay. Later, he rides into town to visit the Winslows and learns that the land they bought is waterless. Wes's attraction to Julie Ann makes him want to settle down. Dave asks Wes to pull one last job before he quits. On his way back to the hideout, Wes stops again at the Winslows with a new dress for Julie Ann and money to help them to dig a well. Winslow, tries to let Wes down easy when he tells him that Julie Ann, is in love with Randolph. Back at Todos Santos, Wes learns that Colorado presence is causing trouble between the men and asks Colorado to move into his room. She tells him that she he is in love with him, he lets her know that his plans do not include her. Duke and Reno are captured by the sheriff's men. When Wes and Colorado arrive at Dave's with the money, they learn that he has died. Later, Wes finds Pluthner, trying to steal the money and kills him, unfortunately, Wes is also wounded in the fight. After sharing his and Colorado real identity with the Winslows, he asks for their help.. Winslow agrees to help, but Julie Ann, tries to turn him in for the reward. Wes quickly leaves with Colorado.

After Duke and Reno are hanged, they think it would be better if they separate. Wes rides toward Mexico, leaving Colorado at Todos Santos, where She learns the posse plan to surround Wes in the Canyon of the Dead. Will Colorado get there in time to save Wes?

I just recently saw Colorado Territory, for the first time. I think it maybe one of my favorite westerns . Joel McCrea is perfect for the character he plays. the scenery is beautiful. It looks like it was filmed in Canyon de Chelly, one of my favorite places...

The Man from Laramie (1955)

2010-04-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

The Man from Laramie (1955). Director: Anthony Mann. Cast: James Stewart. In their seventh movie. It was adapted from a story of the same title by Thomas T. Flynn first published in The Saturday Evening Post in 1954, and a novel by publisher Ward Lock in 1955.

Will Lockhart, after delivering supplies ends up in trouble with the Waggomans, an influential ranching family, as he continues his search for someone selling rifles to the local Apaches after his brother was killed.. In one of my favorite scenes: Cattle baron Alec Waggomanis comes to get Will out of jail. He confides to Will that he is haunted by visions of a stranger who intends to do him harm and is losing his eyesight and can't count on his son Dave.
Movie clip: Do you dream much?

Back to work Lockhart, believes he can collect salt for free, but Dave Waggoman accuses him of stealing and destroys every thing he owns. Lockhart returns to town, looking for Dave and ranch foreman Vic. After their fight, he goes to Alec Waggoman for payment for his loss. Alec sides with his son. Vic rides after Dave and catches him trying to sell guns to the Apaches. Vic shoots him and lets Alec believe that Lockhart was the one to shoot his son.. Lockhart takes refuge with rancher, Kate Canady. Alec wants to know for himself, if his son Dave was selling rifles to the Apaches. He is stopped by Vic, who pushes Waggoman from his horse and down a hill. Kate takes in Waggoman and tends to his wounds. Vic is worried because Waggoman is still alive and can identify him. He tries again to kill Alec but is stopped by Lockhart, who goes after Vic.Vic ends up attacked by the Apaches and is killed. Lockhart leaves town, but hints to Barbara Waggoman that some day he may return.

Another wonderful western by a man who gave some of his best performances.

Fun facts:

James Stewart starred in five classic western movies by director Anthony Mann. In all five, he plays a man who is haunted by the past. The films are famous for their use of the landscape to portray the characters' feelings.
Winchester '73 (1950)
Bend of the River (1952)
The Naked Spur (1953)
The Far Country (1954)
The Man from Laramie (1955)

Rawhide 3-3-1961

2010-04-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

Rawhide (1959-1966), with Eric Fleming and Clint Eastwood, Sheb Wooley, and Paul Brinegar. Rawhide was the fifth-longest-running television Western, beaten by nine years of The Virginian and Wagon Train, fourteen years of Bonanza, and twenty years of Gunsmoke.

Clint Eastwood got his role in "Rawhide" (1959) while visiting a friend at the CBS lot when a studio exec spotted him because he "looked like a cowboy.

Fleming co-wrote two episodes of "Rawhide" (1959) with Chris Miller: "A Woman's Place" and "Incident of a Night on the Town". He appeared in three episodes of "Bonanza" (1959) following his departure from "Rawhide".

Brinegar made over 100 appearances between 1946 and 1994, appearing in many western films, and played the barman in Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter in 1973. He was best known for his long-running role as the cook, "Wishbone," in Rawhide. In 1969, he performed in the Western Charro! starring Elvis Presley.

Rawhide was one of my favorite western TV shows in the 50s and 60s.

Patrick Wayne

2010-03-30T06:38:00.000-07:00

One of four children born to John Wayne with first wife. He made nine movies with his father John Wayne: Rio Grande (1950); The Quiet Man (1952); The Searchers (1956); The Alamo (1960); The Comancheros (1961); Donovan's Reef (1963); McLintock! (1963); The Green Berets (1968); Big Jake (1971).

Patrick made his film debut at age 11 in his father's Rio Grande (1950). He performed in films directed by family friend director John Ford: The Quiet Man (1952), The Sun Shines Bright (1953), The Long Gray Line(1955), Mister Roberts (1955), and The Searchers (1956). He went out to star in his own film The Young Land (1959). Realizing he was not quite ready to play the lead character he supported his father in The Alamo (1960), Donovan's Reef (1963), McLintock! (also 1963). He also performed in a role in Ford's epic Cheyenne Autumn(1964), a role as James Stewart's son in Shenandoa (1965) and in An Eye for an Eye (1966). In 1966, at the age of twenty-seven, Wayne performed with Ron Hayes and Chill Wills in the 17-episode ABC comedy western series The Rounders, based on the 1965 Glenn Ford and Henry Fonda film of the same name.

McLintock! (1963)

2010-03-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

McLintock! (1963). Comedy Western. cast: John Wayne, Patrick Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. Loosely based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. The film is famous (or infamous) for its two spanking scenes: the daughter by her suitor, the mother by her estranged husband. Fourth of five movies that paired John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.

McLintock, the owner of the largest ranch in the territory has his share of troubles. His wife, Katherine, who walked out on him two years ago without a word of explanation and has been living back east. And is being challenged by the homesteaders who are now supported by the government, hoping to farm on land that's barely large enough for cattle to graze on. An Indian agent, corrupt land agent and Governor Cuthbert H. Humphrey, are all trying to capture the Indians whose chiefs are being shipped off to a reservation. Katherine is coming back to take custody of their 17-year-old daughter, Rebbecca who's been at school back east. You would think that would be enough, but.. he also now has a young hired hand who is interested romantically in McLintock's daughter. What more could go wrong?

This is the story of the most dysFUNctional family in the West. Which was a lot of fun to watch.
McLintock, movie in full.

Marlon Brando: Fun Facts.

2010-03-28T05:39:00.000-07:00

Karl Malden claimed that, during the shooting of One-Eyed Jacks (1961), Brando would have "two steaks, potatoes, two apple pies a la mode and a quart of milk" for dinner, which caused constant altering of his costumes. During a birthday party for Brando, the film's director and crew gave him a belt with a card reading, "Hope it fits." A sign was placed below the birthday cake saying, "Don't feed the director." He reportedly ate at least four pieces of cake that day.

Karl Malden and Brandon were close friends for 60 years.

Took possession of his best friend Wally Cox's ashes from his widow to scatter them at sea but kept them hidden in a closet at his house. In his autobiography, Brando said he frequently talked to Cox. The Los Angeles Times on September 22, 2004 quoted Brando's son, Miko, that both his father's and Cox's had some of thier ashes scattered at the same time in Death Valley, California, a place that the actor cherished in a ceremony following Brando's death.

Brando, was born on the same day as, Doris Day.

One Eyed Jacks

2010-03-28T04:55:00.000-07:00

Movie buffs and Western fans will want to check out Marlon Brando’s flawed, overlong—but always interesting—directorial effort. Brando took over the reins after getting Stanley Kubrick fired as director. It was a rocky production, according to most sources, with an ever-changing screenplay (Rod Serling and Sam Peckinpah worked on early drafts). There’s an even a story that Brando had the cast and crew vote on how to end it. When Brando completed the film, Paramount was dissatisfied with the result and recut it. Brando never directed again.

The plot is a familiar one. After robbing a bank in Mexico, outlaw partners Rio (Brando) and Dad (Karl Malden) are surrounded by a posse. Dad goes for help, but decides along the way that his best chance for survival is to abandon his friend. Rio gets captured and spends five years in a Mexican prison. When he escapes, he heads to Monterey to rob a bank and kill Dad—who has reformed, become the town sheriff, and settled down with a wife and stepdaughter.

To compensate for the tired revenge plot, Brando focuses on the unique setting and the characters’ relationships. I can’t think of another “conventional” Western with a coastal setting. Charles Lang, Jr.’s exquisite photography (he earned an Oscar nomination) captures the beauty of the ocean (even Dad’s house is located on the beach).

And the waves crashing on the shore seem to reflect the inner turmoil of the characters. Rio plays a cruel deception on Dad’s stepdaughter Louisa, but feels remorse immediately afterwards. Dad’s fear of Rio is mixed with guilt over doublecrossing his friend. Louisa’s mother lies to Dad to protect her daughter, even at the expense of losing her husband’s trust.

The ending plays like a hastily-constructed one (which it probably was). But the poetic beauty of the closing scene on the beach reminds one that even when it’s being conventional, One-Eyed Jacks is different. That’s why it’s a movie worth seeing.

One Eyed Jacks. Full Movie.

One Eyed Jacks (1961), a film set in Sonora, Mexico, in the 1880s. A tale of revenge. The cast includes: Brando, Karl Malden as the villian you loved to hate, Katy Jurado, and other actors who went on the become highly regarded in their field: Slim Pickins, and Ben Johnson. Click link to watch movie in full.

The Shepherd of the Hills(1941)

2010-03-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

The Shepherd of the Hills(1941). Cast: John Wayne and Harry Carey. It was Wayne's first film in Technicolor. The film was based on the novel of the same name by Harold Bell Wright.

It has been along time since I have seen Shepherd of the Hills. So I can not go into too much detail, but.. I do remember the beautiful mountain locations. You really get the feeling of the remoteness and for the people living in the hills who had little contact with the outside world. They believe in superstitions, curses and long-running feuds. The film is about the sudden appearance of a stranger, played by Harry Carey.

Carey was once a major silent Western star, but his more well known roles to modern viewers are in films: Mr Smith Goes to Washington and The Angel and the Badman and Red River. Wayne and Carey, worked well together their scenes are some of the highlights of their films. There are many familiar faces in the film, The Shepherd of the Hills such as: Marjorie Main, as an old blind woman, Beulah Bondi as a mean matriarch, Ward Bond and Betty Field who is wonderful as Wayne's girlfriend .

Shepherd of the Hills, has its fistfights and shootouts, but.. it also has many surprises too.

Harold Bell Wright, was the best selling author of the first quarter of the 20th century. Published in 1907 The Shepherd of the Hills is one of his well known books. Set in the Ozarks, the plot begins with an educated man visiting the Ozarks. Where he learns about the intertwined families and their secrets. The landscape of the Ozarks is another important part of the story. You can learn more about Harold Bell Wright on his website.
Harold Bell Wright Websight.

Quigley Down Under (1990) is one of the great newer westerns...

2010-03-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Rousing western with Tom Selleck as american sharpshooter Matthew Quigley, who comes to Australia in the 1860's under the false pretense of hunting wild dogs for bad guy Alan Rickman. But once Quigley realizes he was brought in to kill aborigines, he decides to fight back against Rickman and his desperadoes. A different type of western but still a very good one. Selleck is awesome as Quigley and he carries one of the longest rifles I have ever seen. And trust me, he knows how to use it. Alan Rickman once again is dead on as the bad guy, who is a pretty good shot himself. And Laura San Giacomo is a hoot as Crazy Cora, a woman Quigley saves by accident. A good fun movie. Oh, and a great music score to boot. If the music sounds a little familiar, it's because the same guy who did Quigley also did the stirring Lonesome Dove. His name is Basil Poledorius and he is one of my favorite film composers of all time. But suffice to say Quigley is one of the best of the modern westerns.

Crazy Cora: Don't worry, on a new job it's quite common for things not to go well at first.

Broken Arrow -The TV Series

2010-03-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

Dawn, I found this short clip from the TCF-ABC series fron the mid 50's. Enjoy.

Broken Arrow (1950)

2010-03-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

Broken Arrow (1950). Director: Delmer Daves. Cast: James Stewart and Jeff Chandler. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, and won a Golden Globe award for Best Film Promoting International Understanding. It made history as the first major Western since the Second World War to side with the Indians.

In 1870, Tom Jeffords, a former soldier in the Union Army, is called to Tucson by Colonel Bernall. While riding through the territory of the Chiricahua Apache,(who have been at War with the settlers), Tom crosses paths and saves the live of an injured fourteen-year-old Chiricahua boy.

When Machogee is well enough to travel, he gives Tom a necklace in friendship and says that he must return home because he knows his mother will be wondering what happened to him. Tom for the first time learns that Apache mothers cry for their children. Then Machogee's father, Pionsenay, and a group warriors, finds them. The warriors capture Tom, then release him after they learn that he helped Machogee. At first, Tom believes that they may become friends, but soon changes his mind when they tie him to a tree and gag him while they kill the approaching miners.

Now back in Tucson, Bernall is convinced that he can win the war against Cochise in six months, but Tom believes that Cochise, will put up a good fight..Tom decides to negotiate with Cochise to allow the mail to pass through Apache territory unharmed.

Tom travels to Cochise's home in the mountains. During his meeting with Cochise, Tom agrees that the Americans have done the Apache harm, but believes they can live together as brothers. Cochise invites Tom to stay for a ceremonial dance and is pleasantly surprised by Tom's knowledge of the sunrise ceremony. Cochise introduces Tom to the beautiful Sonseeahray, who will be honored at the sunrise ceremony. Will the Settlers and the Indians be able to put their grievance and hatred behind them?

I thought broken arrow was a beautiful movie. Stewart gives a wonderful performance. The romance between Stewart's Indian maiden is totally believable. Jeff Chandler was wonderful in his performance as Cochise.
Broken Arrow Movie Clip.
FUN FACTS:

Filmed in Sedona Arizona.

At 41, James Stewart was 25 years older than Debra Paget, who was barely 16 at the time of filming.

Filmed in 1949 but released after Stewart's next western, Winchester '73(1950).

The film was considered groundbreaking because it portrayed the Native American Indians in a humane light, something that had scarcely happened since silent days. However, years later the film was criticized because the Indians were still played by white actors.

Jane Russell

2010-03-20T15:07:00.000-07:00

Discovered by Howard Hughes working as a receptionist for his dentist. In 1940, Russell was signed to a seven-year contract by Howard Hughes and made her film debut in The Outlaw (1943), a story about Billy the Kid that went to great lengths to showcase her figure. Although the movie was completed in 1941, it was released for a limited showing two years later. There were problems with the censorship of the production code over the way her cleavage was displayed. When the movie was finally passed, it had a general release in 1946. During that time, she was kept busy doing publicity and became known nationally.

Jane Russell became advocate for kids during the 1950's. Jane began a mission which has resulted in the adoptive placement of nearly 38,000 children through her organization, WAIF.

List of Jane Russell's Westerns:

Waco (1966)
Johnny Reno (1966)
The Tall Men (1955)
Foxfire (1955)
Montana Belle (1952)
Son of Paleface (1952)
Macao(1952)
The Paleface (1948)
Calamity Jane
The Outlaw (1943)

The Outlaw(1943)

2010-03-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

The Outlaw (1943). Western film. Director: Howard Hughes. Cast: Jane Russell Jack Buetel, Thomas Mitchell, and Walter Huston. Hughes also produced the film, while Howard Hawks served as an uncredited co-director. The film is notable as Russell's breakthrough role, largely thanks to the costuming, turning her into a sex symbol and a Hollywood icon.

Doc Holliday meets with his old friend Pat Garrett at a New Mexico train depot. Pat, who is the town's sheriff, learns that Doc is looking for his horse Red, who has been stolen. Pat takes Doc into town where Doc finds Red. Soon after, he confronts William Bonney, an infamous gunslinger known as Billy the Kid, who claims that he bought Red. Doc takes Billy's side when Pat tries to arrest him for being a horse thief. Angry, Pat orders Doc and Billy to leave town by sundown. Doc and Billy, ignore Pat and play cards in the cantina. Doc promises to give Red to Billy as a gift, but.. later he tries to sneak the horse out of the barn. Billy catches him. Out of the blue Billy is shot at in the dark, Billy overpowers his attacker, who turns out to be a beautiful woman named Rio McDonald. Rio accuses Billy for murdering her brother and promises to kill him. Billy admits to shooting Rio's brother, but.. insists that it was a fair fight. Later in the cantina, Billy is approached by a stranger who wants Billy's help confronting Pat and suggests they stage a mock fight. Realizing he is being set-up, Billy draws his guns before the stranger does and kills him. Billy refuses to give himself up to Pat and his deputies, and is shot by Pat. Doc shoots the gun out of Pat's hand. As Doc and a wounded Billy are about to leave the cantina, Pat says his friendship with Doc "finished." Doc takes Billy to Rio's house, unaware that Rio, his girl friend, had previously tried to kill Billy. After Doc leaves, Rio and her aunt Guadalupe nurse Billy through fever and chills. It takes him a month to fully recover. When, Doc returns and learns that Rio married Billy during one of his delirious periods, but.. has not told him that they are married..(Which I did not understand.) Doc seems to be angry by Rio's change of heart, he seems more upset about his horse. Billy offers Doc a choice between Red and Rio. Doc picks Red over Rio, and the two men ride off together. When they see Pat approaching, they believe that Rio revealed their travel plans. Doc wakes to find Billy gone and Pat at his side. Pat arrests Doc, while Billy sneaks into Rio's house and takes her by surprise. Later, on the trail, Doc and Pat find Rio tied between two rocks, with no water. Hoping that Billy will come looking for Rio, Doc and Pat wait for him. Billy shows up the next morning and they arrest him. While they are arguing, a hostile Indian group sends smoke signals announcing their presence. Pat, Billy and Doc jump on their horses and head for nearby Fort Sumner. Before they get to the fort they stop at a friends house to rest. Doc challenges Billy, to a duel when he insists once more that the horse belongs to him. Who will win the horse and the girl?

This was the first time I had seen the movie THE OUTLAW. It was fun to see Jane Russell's (age19) film debut as Rio McDonald, Doc's girlfriend turned Billy's lover. But, I have to admit I had a hard time trying to figure out the story.

FUN FACT:

Debut of Jane Russell.
The Outlaw Movie Trailer.

Program Alert -Two Rode Together

2010-03-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

On March 31st TCM is running(check local listings) the John Ford film Two Rode Together with James Stewart , Richard Widmark, and Shirley Jones. This is a another film that works best "going in cold, so I won't tell you anything except the following trailer really does not give you a complete feel for the film.

Monument Valley(Popular Movie Location ).

2010-03-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

John Ford filmed several movies in Monument Valley, Utah. Stagecoach (1929), My Darling Clementine (1946), Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Wagon Master (1950), Rio Grande (1950), The Searchers (1956), Sergeant Rutledge (1960) and his last western, Cheyenne Autumn (1964). John Ford film productions, gave a huge economic boost to the locals. Giving them jobs as extras and handymen.

John Ford's career spanned over more than 50 years, Ford directed over 140 films (although nearly all of his silent films are now lost) and he is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. Best known for his westerns Stagecoach and The Searchers.

Stagecoach (1939)

2010-03-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

Stagecoach Movie Trailer.Montage of the 1939 John Ford and John Wayne western-classic "Stagecoach", with Max Steiner's revision of the original score.

Stagecoach (1939). Director: John Ford. Cast Claire Trevor and John Wayne in his breakthrough role. The screenplay, written by Dudley Nichols and Ben Hecht, is an adaptation of "The Stage to Lordsburg", a 1937 short story by Ernest Haycox. The film is about a group of strangers riding on a stagecoach through Apache territory.

Ford had made many silent westerns, Stagecoach was to be his first sound western and the first of many that Ford made on location in Monument Valley, in the American southwest on the Arizona-Utah border, many of which also starred John Wayne.

Please check out Kim's awesome review at the Cafe.
What I loved most about the film Stagecoach, it is unlike any other westerns of it's time. Part of the story line is how different social classes look down at others. Also, Stagecoach has one of my favorite chase scenes on film. (When the stagecoach is attacked by Indians across the beautiful landscapes of Monument Valley).

Joan Hackett

2010-03-17T04:38:00.000-07:00

Joan Hackett started he carrer as an actress with the role of Gail Prentiss in the TV series Young Doctor Malone in 1959. In 1961 she won a Theatre World Award, an Obie Award, and a Drama Desk Award for her performance of Chris in a play Call Me By My Rightful Name. She performed a recurring role in a legal drama The Defenders (1961-1965). She had a leading role in The Twilight Zone episode "A Piano in the House" (1962). In the 1963-1964 season, she guest starred on the ABC drama about college life, Channing . She had one of the starring roles in the 1966 Sidney Lumet film The Group. One of her best known performances was in a Western Will Penny(1968), with Charlton Heston. Hackett also had notable parts in the classic Western comedy Support Your Local Sheriff!(1969), with James Garner, and the 1973 murder mystery The Last of Sheila. Hackett won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the 1981 movie Only When I Laugh, the last movie she made before her death. She could also be seen in the film One Trick Pony.

List of some of Joan Hackett films

1966: The Group
1968: Will Penny
1968: Assignment to Kill
1969: Support Your Local Sheriff!
1970: The Other Man
1970: The Young Country
1970: How Awful About Allan
1971: Five Desperate Women
1972: Lights Out
1973: The Last of Sheila
1974: Reflections of Murder
1974: The Terminal Man
1975: Mackintosh & T.J.
1977: Dead of Night
1980: Harnessing the Sun
1981: Only When I Laugh

Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969)

2010-03-17T04:28:00.000-07:00

Support Your Local Sheriff! (1969). Comedy/ western. Cast: James Garner, Joan Hackett and Jack Elam. Director: Burt Kennedy. Written William Bowers.

While burying an stranger in the small western town of Calendar Colorado, Prudy Perkins, the daughter of the towns mayor, spots gold in the open grave, leaps in and turns the funeral into a riot. Since the only road in or out of town is blocked by a ranch belonging to old Pa Danby, he demands 20 percent of every gold shipment that passes through. After three sheriffs have been killed off by the Danbys, an easy-going handsome stranger, Jason McCullough, rides through town on his way to Australia. Jason agrees to accept the job as sheriff to help pay his way. His first job as sheriff is breaking up a street brawl by hosing down the men, Jason makes Jake, the town drunk, his deputy and arrests Joe Danby for murder and throws him jail with no bars. When Pa Danby schemes fail to get Joe out of jail. Pa then calls all the Danbys in the territory to help get rid of the new Sheriff in town.. When they arrive, Jason tricks them into holding their fire until he has had time to tie Joe across the town's Civil War cannon. Will The Danbys drop their weapons?

I thought the the whole cast is perfect. Even though James Garner is funny he's still the straight man to to all the town's quirky characters.. Bruce Dern and Jack Elam are also hilarious. Harry Morgan is as funny as he's ever been. Walter Brennan is wonderful as the grumpy head of the bad guy's.

Program Alert

2010-03-16T09:20:00.000-07:00

OK Western Fans during the next few days we have a ton of classic westerns coming up

On Thursday March 18th TCM is running the following films Back to Back: John Ford's my Darling Clementine, Gunfight at The O.K. Corral, Hour Of The Gun, with James Garner, Masterson Of Kansas, and Dodge City. As al ways check local listings.
On Friday TCM is running Big Hand For The Little Lady, with Henry Fonda & Joanne Woodward. If you have never seen this film Nows the time. On March 24th TCM is running Nevada Smith with Steve Mcqueen & Karl Malden
On March 26th Fox Movie Channels is running The Man From Snowy River and John Waynes first staring role The Big Trail. while over at TCM The Nick Ray cult classic Johnny Guitar with Joan Crawford (JOAN CRAWFORD)is running. Can't decide? maybe this will help.

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