Patrick Wayne

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)

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.

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

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)

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...

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

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

Broken Arrow (1950)

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

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)

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

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 ).

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)

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

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)

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

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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Marlene Dietrich

Marlene Dietrich remained popular throughout her long career by continually re-inventing herself. In 1920s Berlin, she acted on the stage and in silent films. Her performance as Lola-Lola in The Blue Angel, directed by Josef von Sternberg, brought her international fame and a contract with Paramount Pictures in the US. Hollywood films such as Shanghai Express and Desire showcased her glamour and exotic looks, cementing her stardom and making her one of the highest paid actresses of the era. Dietrich became a US citizen in 1939 during World War II, she was a high-profile frontline entertainer. In 1939, she played the cowboy saloon girl Frenchie in the light-hearted western Destry Rides Again opposite James Stewart. The movie also introduced another favorite song, "The Boys in the Back Room". She played a similar role in 1942 with John Wayne in The Spoilers. Although she still made occasional films in the post-war years, Dietrich spent most of the 1950s to the 1970s touring the world as a successful show performer.
Marlene Dietrich official websight.
Marlene Dietrich clip of her last performance.
Dietrich's final on-camera film appearance was a cameo role in Just a Gigolo (1979), starring David Bowie.

Destry Rides Again(1939)

Destry Rides again Cat Fight.

Destry Rides Again (1939) is an exciting and comical western...one of the best films ever made

Another winner from that golden year of 1939 was this classic western, Destry Rides Again, that mixed comedy with gunplay quite effectively. This film was labeled as Marlene Dietrich's comeback film. She plays Frenchy, the saloon singer of the corrupt town called Bottleneck. And Dietrich is absolutely amazing. She belts out about 3 songs with the first one being the energetic Little Joe and then later on she sings See What The Boys in the Back Room Will Have. Of course this movie is called Destry and he is the character every one talks about. Truth is Jimmy Stewart who plays Tom Destry Jr, doesn't even show up until about 20 minutes into the movie. But once he arrives at the bequest of his father's old friend, he pretty much makes the movie his own. Stewart is so effortless in his acting ability that it seems like he's just hanging out with friends, having a good time. His Destry doesn't believe in guns, since they didn't do his father any good, who was gunned down in the streets. But Tom does believe in law and order and sets to clean up the town of Bottleneck. He runs into trouble in the form of Kent, a sleazy Brian Donlevy, who owns the saloon, and has a scam of cheating land owners out of their property with some crooked poker games. Kent then charges for cattlemen who come through the town a hefty price to pass through with their cattle. The former sheriff of Bottleneck was killed because he was about to shut Kent down, and the mayor, who is corrupt too, appoints the town drunk as the next sheriff, so their won't be any trouble from the law. But the surprise is when the sheriff calls in Tom Destry to be his deputy. When Destry first meets everyone at the saloon, he becomes the butt of their jokes. But he makes an impact on Frenchy, not in a good way. He breaks up her fight with Lily Belle (played by the hilarious Una Merkel) who husband (the equally hilarious Mischa Auer) was cheated by Frenchy in a card game. Their cat fight is a riot and Tom politely breaks it up by pouring a bucket of water on them. One of many funny scenes from this enjoyable movie. Destry Rides Again is one of the best films to come out ever, and the fact that it came out in 1939 only emphasizes that point of how good it really is.

Pat Hingle

Pat Hingle started out as a schoolteacher, musician and a building contractor. Hingle enlisted in the U.S Navy in December 1941. He served on the destroyer USS Marshall during World War II. He returned to the University of Texas after the war and earned a degree in radio broadcasting.

In 1960, he had been offered the title role in Elmer Gantry, but could not do it due to a near fatal accident. He was caught in an elevator in his West End Avenue apartment building that had stalled between the second and third floors, he crawled out, trying to reach the second floor, lost his balance and fell 54 feet down the shaft, fracturing his skull, wrist, hip and most of the ribs on his left side, breaking his left leg in three places and losing the little finger on his left hand. He lay near death for two weeks and his recovery took more than a year.

Hingle was best known for playing judges, police officers. One of his most notable roles was the father in Splendor in the Grass (1961). While he was best known in more recent times for playing Commissioner Gordon in the film Batman(1989) and its three sequels, Hingle had a long list of television and movie credits to his name, going back to 1948. Among them are Hang 'Em High (1968), Sudden Impact (1983), Road To Redemption (2001), When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? (1979), Brewster's Millions(1985), Maximum Overdrive (1986, The Grifters (1990), Citizen Cohn (1992), The Land Before Time (1988), Wings (1996), and Shaft(2000). Hingle played as Dr. Chapman in the TV series Gunsmoke(1971), and he played as Col. Tucker in the movie Gunsmoke: To the Last Man (1992). Hingle originated the role of Gooper in the original Broadway production of Tennessee Williams Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. He also starred as Victor Franz in the premiere production of The Price by Arthur Miller. In the 1997 revival of the musical 1776, Hingle played Benjamin Franklin, with Brent Spiner as John Adams. In 2002, he was a regular cast member of ABC's series The Court. He also played Horace in 1995's The Quick and the Dead. He also had a role on an episode of the 60's TV show The Fugitive. He also played the head cop in San Palo in the fourth Dirty Harry installment, Sudden Impact. In 2006, he appeared in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, as the original owner of Dennit Racing. Info From: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Pat Hingle talks about is carrer and his life.
My favorite Pat Hingle movies:
The Gauntlet (1977)
Hang 'Em High (1968)
Nevada Smith (1966)
Norma Rae (1979)
Splendor in the Grass (1961)
Sudden Impact (1983)

HANG EM' HIGH (1968)

Hang 'Em High (1968). Western. Director: Ted Post. Produced and co-written by Leonard Freeman. Cast: Clint Eastwood, Inger Stevens, Ed Begley, and Pat Hingle .

Jed Cooper is caught by 9 men and accused of killing one of their neighbors and stealing his cattle. Unfortunately, he does not convince them of his innocence and they hang him. Close by there is a U.S. Marshal on the trail and he saves Cooper, who is then brought to Fort Grant to stand trial. Soon it is discovered that the man Cooper bought the cattle from was the killer. Cooper is released, but wants to bring in the 9 men who hung him. The judge warns Cooper about taking the law into his own hands, Cooper says that he knows the law, being a former lawman. The judge then offers Cooper a job as a Marshal. Will he finish the job?

One of my favorite Clint Eastwood Westerns. This film will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Eastwood gives a good performance as Marshall Jed Cooper. The story of having to work within the law in conflict with his own personal views is played out very well by Eastwood. Also, Pat Hingle and Ed Begley both give excellent performances.



Scene from the western movie "Hang 'em High" where the Marshall Jed Cooper (Clint Eastwood) has a confrontation with Reno (played by Joseph Sirola), one of the guys who hanged him.

Bruce Part Two

One of my all time favorite films is James Garner's Support Your Local Sheriff, I have seen this film on the big screen at least 20 times and I know most of the lines by heart.


 The Trailer for Hang Em High.

BRUCE DERN

Bruce Dern first performed as a guest star, in many 1960s television shows, including Route 66, Naked City, Sea Hunt, Surfside 6, 77 Sunset Strip, The Outer Limits. In 1964, Bruce Dern performed in an Alfred Hitchcock film, Marnie. Also in 1964, he had small role in flashbacks in Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte. During the next 5 years, Dern continued performing in several TV war, crime and western shows, but with multiple episodes per show, as different characters, including: Wagon Train (3), The Virginian (3), Rawhide (1), 12 O'Clock High (4), The Fugitive (5), The F.B.I.(2), The Big Valley (5), Gunsmoke (4) and Bonanza (2). During that period, he also performed in several films, The Wild Angels (1966), The War Wagon, The Trip (1967), Psych-Out, Will Penny(1968), and the early Clint Eastwood film, Hang 'Em High (1968) Support Your Local Sheriff!(1969). Among Dern's first 20 film roles was a part in the Sydney Pollack film They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, in 1969. In 1972, he played in 4 films: as the enemy and killer of John Wayne's character in The Cowboys; then in the sci-fi film Silent Running; with Jack Nicholson in The King of Marvin Gardens; and also in Thumb Tripping. By 1974, he performed with Robert Redford and Karen Black, with a major role in the The Great Gatsby. He has a reputation of playing villainous characters, although his best-known role may be that of Freeman Lowell, the caretaker of Earth's last forests in Silent Running (1972). Other roles include Tom Buchanan in Robert Redford's The Great Gatsby; or a psychotic blimp pilot who launches a terrorist attack at the Super Bowl in Black Sunday(1977), and as Capt. Bob Hyde in Coming Home(1978), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

WILL PENNY (1968)

Will Penny (1968). Western. Director: Tom Gries. Cast: Charlton Heston and Donald Pleasence. Based on an episode of the 1960 Sam Peckinpah television series The Westerner called "Line Camp," which was also written and directed by Tom Gries. Heston mentioned that this was his favorite film in which he appeared.

Will Penny (1968). Movie Trailer.

Charlton Heston Is Will Penny

I must be getting old, I forgot to alert you to the fact that TCM is running the 1968 western Will Penny with Charlton Heston, and Joan Hackett. Tommorow at 11:00 am Pacific ,check local listings. It's the best western Heston has ever done and one of his favorite films. He plays a aging "saddle tramp" having to cope with a murderous preacher and a lonely woman during a long winter in Montana. And Thats All you will get from me.The DVR is all set

RIO BRAVO (1959): Fun Facts:

Rio Bravo is one of my favorite westerns. Wayne is such a awesome movie actor. The story is wonderful and the supporting cast is perfect (Walter Brennan steals many scenes ). I believe this movie is one of the great western classics.

FUN FACTS:

The sets in Old Tucson are built to 7/8th scale, so the performers look larger than life.


Although Harry Carey Jr. was listed in the credits on-screen, he does not appear in the picture. Carey had a drinking problem at the time. He called director Howard Hawks on one of his first days on the set, infuriating Hawks. His contract, including his pay and his screen credit, was honored, but his part (a townsman) was cut.


The song "My Rifle, My Pony and Me" was originally used as the theme for Red River (1948), another John Wayne western. The original title was "Settle Down".


The movie was made by Howard Hawks and John Wayne as a counter-response to the underlying theme and point of view of High Noon (1952).


John Wayne and Ward Bond's 22nd and final movie together.


Ward Bond's death scene was filmed from a distance because it was actually a double. Bond had already left the set to be back on location for "Wagon Train" (1957).


John Wayne was nervous about the love scenes between his character and Feathers, since he was 51 and Angie Dickinson was 26.


On May 8th, just one week into shooting ‘Rio Bravo’, Ricky Nelson celebrated his 18th birthday. As a gift, John Wayne and Dean Martin gave him a 300 lb. sack of steer manure, which they then threw Nelson into as a rite of passage.


Montgomery Clift turned down the role of Dude, because he didn't want to work again with John Wayne and Walter Brennan.


Dean Martin's agent approached Howard Hawks to consider his client for the role of the drunken deputy Dude. Hawks agreed to meet with Martin at 9:30 the next morning. When Hawks learned that Martin had done a show in Las Vegas until midnight, and hired a plane to fly him to the meeting, Hawks was so impressed that he simply sent Martin to get a costume and told him he had the part.

The last movie in which John Wayne wore the hat he had worn since Stagecoach (1939).


More or less remade as El Dorado (1966) and Rio Lobo (1970).

Info From: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Rio Bravo is my favorite western of all time....

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My favorite western of all time. A slam bang film which has John Wayne as Sheriff John T. Chance who has a murderer locked up in the jail and must withstand repeated attempts to free the bad guy. It's a whole posse of hired thugs and all Chance has is an old crippled deputy and another deputy Dude (played by Dean Martin) trying to stay sober. Chance eventually gets more help in the form of bad girl turned good (Angie Dickinson) and a young hotshot named Colorado (Ricky Nelson) who is quick with his mouth and his gun. This is how you make a great western. Terrific heroes, evil bad guys, rousing action, and frequent humor. All involved give solid performances especially Martin, Nelson, and Dickinson. Of course, The Duke is awesome as usual.

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Pat Wheeler: I told him you were one of the best.
Colorado Ryan: Well, I'll tell you what I'm a lot better at, Mr. Wheeler... that's minding my own business.

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THE RIVER OF NO RETURN (1954)

River of No Return (1954). Romantic/adventure/ western. Director: Otto Preminger. Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Robert Mitchum and Rory Calhoun.

In the beautiful Northwest Mountains 1875, there was a small town made up tents filled with saloons, gamblers and entertainers trying to make a living. Just released from prison Matt Calder, rides into the city looking for his 9 year old son, who he had sent there from Illinois. When he finds his son Mark, the boy insists on saying good by to Kay, the saloon singer who has been keeping an eye on him. Kay scolds Calder for leaving his son alone. He thanks Kay and quickly leaves. On the ride home, Calder promises Mark that they are going to have a good life together.

At the saloon, Kay's fiance, gambler Harry Weston, rushes in to tell her that he has won a gold claim in a poker game and must go to the City to file the deed. Kay believes that Weston cheated to get the money, but he talks her into go along. Soon they are floating in a raft down the river toward the big City. They have trouble in the rapids, but fortunately they are near Calder's farm, and are pulled to safety.

One of my favorite scene in the movie is when, Calder tells Weston that he is crazy to brave the river, Weston offers to buy his rifle and horse so that he can ride to the City. Calder says that he needs his rifle and horse to protect the farm. Weston steals the rifle and horse and claims that he will return them, then knocks him out when Calder tries to stop him. Stunned, Kay decides to stay behind and take care of Calder while Weston rides off. When Calder comes to, he sees that Indians have been watching and are about to attack, so he quickly loads Mark and Kay onto the raft and head down the river. Calder watches as the farm is burns. That night, they camp by the river, Kay tries to explain that Weston, is really not a bad man. When she realizes that Calder intends to go after Weston she tries to cut the raft free, but Calder stops her and does not understand her devotion to a man who would leave a child to die. She reminds him Harry never killed a man like he did. Mark overhears their argument and Matt is forced to tell the truth about his past to his son. They return to the river and so begins their adventure as they fight off Indians and the elements, trying to keep from starving and trying to learn each others secrets. The story is charming, and beautifully photographed. I thought Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe made a great team. The ending will pull at your heart strings.
THE RIVER OF NO RETURN MOVIE TRAILER.
FUN FACTS:

The 3 pairs of jeans that Marilyn Monroe wore in the movie were among a collection of her personal items that were sold for $42,550 at auction at Christies Auction House to designer Tommy Hilfiger.

This movie was not the first meeting of Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe. Mitchum had worked at Lockheed Aircraft with Monroe's, first husband James Dougherty. The two had met on at least one occasion during the mid 1940's.

Marilyn Monroe's singing voice was dubbed by Gloria Wood.

John Wayne' s Tribute to Carey.

John Wayne tribute. Movie clip.

Western star Harry Carey died in 1947. Director John Ford cast Carey's wife (Olive Carey) as Mrs. Jorgensen (the mother) and Carey's son (Harry Carey Jr.) as one of the sons (Brad) as a tribute to Carey. In the closing scene with John Wayne framed in the doorway, Wayne holds his right elbow with his left hand in a pose that Carey fans would recognize as one that he often used. Wayne later stated he did it as a tribute to Carey. Off-camera, Olive watched.

The Searchers (1956) is epic film-making at it's best....

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Classic western with a powerful performance by John Wayne. Directed by ace John Ford, this film has Wayne as Ethan Edwards, a returning soldier who visits his brother and his family. While out one morning looking for signs of a Comanche marauding party, the family is slaughtered and the young girl Debbie (played by Natalie Wood) is abducted. So begins a quest by Wayne and family friend Martin, who is part Cherokee (played by Jeffrey Hunter) to find Debbie. As Ethan, Wayne hates Indians with a vengeance. He comes across as a vengeful man. But you will notice changes in him as the film progresses. It's one hell of a performance. I would have given him the Oscar for this role instead of the one for which he won in True Grit. The Searchers is a beautifully filmed movie with several exciting action scenes. Definitely on that list of great westerns ever made.

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Ethan: Well Reverend, looks like you've got yourself surrounded.
Reverend Clayton: Yeah and I figure on getting myself unsurrounded.

BELLE STARR (1941)

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.