For Whom the Bell Tolls (1943).

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).

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.

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

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)

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).

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).

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).