Odd or Even…that is the question…

…that formed the basis of the Odd or Even Blogathon, hosted by RealWeegieMidget Reviews and Taking Up Room. But, njahahahaha, while I was all game to let them decide (fairly, I might add, by coin toss) if I was to write about my odd-yeared or even-yeared movie, I had come up with my own little twist. You see, I simply gave them “O and 2003” for the movie made in an odd year and “B ” for my choice of movie made in an even year. The coin was tossed…Open Range (2003) it was. Yaaaay! Had been wanting to re-watch that movie for a while.

Boss Spearman (Robert Duvall), together with his three loyal hands Charley Waite (Kevin Costner), Mose (Abraham Benrubi) and Button (Diego Luna), is driving his cattle across the great open plains. Out of necessity, some supplies are required and Mose is sent to the closest town. When Mose doesn’t come back after 2 days, Boss and Charley head on into town to see what’s happened (they know something is wrong because Mose is a gentle soul, just like the group’s loyal dog Tig). Finding Mose in jail brings them their first encounter with disgraceful Sheriff Poole (James Russo, who is always so brilliant as the bad guy in westerns (ok, fine, I’ve only ever seen him in westerns)) and Denton Baxter (Michael Gambon). They had been waiting for Boss to come on through because Baxter, a rich land baron who rules the town with his group of thugs and of course Sheriff Poole, dislikes “free grazers” or, open range cattlemen, a threat to his own stock. This sets the stage for many further encounters which, of course, come to a blasting climax.

Kevin Costner directs this movie and I must admit, I really enjoy his works. Be it in front of or behind the camera. He brings with him a sense of calmness but this is not to be confused with boring as Open Range is nothing like that. It is about men who want to move forwards with their life because the past wasn’t something to be proud of. Of men who just can’t walk away when their friends and lives (and livelihoods) are threatened. And about not simply moving aside for those who feel they are better, more powerful just because of their supposed status and wealth. About dreams and missed opportunities. And living. So, while this western doesn’t start with gun-fight after gun-fight after gun-fight but rather a character study and introduction to these men and why they have such utter respect for each other, the end becomes more powerful because they are pushed back into what they once were (and were trying to forget). Throughout the movie we are left wondering how each situation will develop.

The scenery is stunning and, well, need I mention the acting? Robert Duvall is always a pleasure to watch. I especially like him in these “mentor”* roles where, without trying he earns utter respect from those around him, including me, the viewer. I admire how he handles situations, thinks things through and says it how it is when warranted. Kevin Costner is perfect as Charley with that calm demeanor (most of the time) yet one can see the internal battles going on. In fact, the casting here is absolutely perfect – those actors already mentioned are complemented by Annette Bening, Michael Jeter, Dean McDermott and many more.

*By the way, my “even” year choice for this was Broken Trail (2006) and coincidentally also starts Robert Duvall in a similar role. Another recommended movie to watch if you haven’t done so already.

So glad I picked this as one of my choices and that Gill’s hubby tossed the coin. Watching this was long overdue. Head on over to RealWeegieMidget Reviews or Taking Up Room for more entries to this wonderful Blogathon. Gill, Rebecca, thanks for hosting. It has been great fun!

 

 

What makes you so sure?

That you’d gun down 4 men? You were sure it was them. You were hell-bent on revenge. You just knew it was them. Even though they begged and pleaded. Claimed they were innocent. Yet blinded by revenge, grief, hatred, you did it anyway.

I’d passed over The Bravados (1958) many a time because it just sounded heavy. And so it was. One of those westerns that isn’t purely for escapism but thought provoking. Jim Douglass (Gregory Peck) rides in to a village constructing some gallows for hanging 4 men. The same four men, it turns out, that Jim has been relentlessly pursuing. They murdered his wife. Those bastards. And he intends to see them pay for it. With their lives of course.

(Stop here if you don’t want spoilers)

But, they escape (with a kidnap victim) . And Jim, with the help of his former love, Josefa Velarde (Joan Collins) hunts them down once more. This time, however, he kills them one by one. They are, after all, kidnappers, villains and rapists (some of them). As he gets to his final outlaw the truth is revealed. The four men had never been to Jim‘s ranch. They just happened to be passing there at the wrong time, when Jim was blinded by events and made assumptions. And failed to see the obvious. The real killer who was never on the run. It is at this point that the heaviness of this movie really hits home. How, no matter how much we often think we know events or the truth, no matter how much someone else tells us otherwise, we act based on our opinions, often to realise too late how horribly wrong we were. When things cannot be undone.

Yes, the 4 outlaws might have been guilty of many crimes (hence the pending hanging) which, in this case weren’t for the murder of a young mother and wife, but, does it justify the revenge taken for one crime that never happened to be “transferred” to other crimes that really were committed? Jim killed the men for all the wrong reasons. It was not his justice to have. As much as the villagers thought otherwise. He knows he is now just as guilty as them. How can he live with himself? I don’t think he does but his belief system is definitely changed. And that makes him deserve a second chance at a life with his daughter and Josefa. She is the voice of reason he needs to come to terms with himself and make a new future.

Josefa raises some interesting points to ponder. About love’s chances lost. What would have been had she and Jim made it as a couple. Would everything have been different? No murder to revenge? No beautiful child? I’m always fascinated by these ideas. That life takes you on a path but would circumstances have made it any different or would the same events have happened anyway? Or, was it all how it was meant to be? That ultimately Josefa and Jim were to be together but only with the journey they had to make to get there.

Gregory Peck, as always, is absolutely convincing, and sometimes even a little scary, in this serious role. He is ruthless, cold and hard as nails. And that’s were Joan Collins balances him out perfectly. She brings a lightness along that is never undermining now is she overshadowed by Peck‘s presence. And isn’t afraid to buy him a beer.

Now, I must admit, this was the first role I’d ever seen Joan Collins in. I’d only ever heard of her or seen photos from the last 20 years or so. But never had I encountered the young beautiful actress I found in The Bravados. While her role was relatively small, I thoroughly enjoyed her and will keep an eye out for other roles.

Amazing that even one of my favourite cowboy actors Gregory Peck couldn’t initially entice me to watch this western (and you all know I’m a huge Gregory Peck and western fan). Neither could perfect villain Lee Van Cleef. But along came the Joan Collins Blogathon, hosted by Gill over at RealWeegieMidgetReviews, and I just couldn’t let her (Gill and Joan) down. So glad I finally watched it. For other entries to this wonderful Blogathon, head on over here: here

The Gundown…(not) so bad. It’s good.

Yep, here we have a movie, deemed by many to be bad (4.5/10 on IMDB and scoreless on Rotten Tomatoes). But, I find it good. No great or excellent, but good. It is one of those movies I find myself watching at least once…let me go check (yes, I’m the nerd who keeps a DVD database including watch frequency)…well, every couple of years. And I even own in on DVD. All too often we expect the caliber of the big epic Hollywood movies and forget the “smaller” ones, those with less attention, often deemed as B-movies. The Gundown (2011) is one worth mentioning.

I came across it a few years back after having watched another poorly rated The Mountie (aka Lawman) (now, that’s a Western I only watched once and still am not sure if I enjoyed it or not), but it introduced me to actor Andrew W. Walker whom I thought did a really decent job of being a cowboy. As it goes with my desperate attempts to find unseen Westerns, I looked him up and voila, came across this one. Here he is quiet Cole Brandt, seeking revenge for the murder of his wife and child. Bringing in two wanted men to the town of Dead River, he inadvertently has more on his hands than he bargained for. Travis McCain (William Shockley) the local thug and brothel/hotel owner has found that forcing the townsfolk to pay him for protection (from his own outlaw gang) is easy work. Of course, he doesn’t count on Cole taking a deputy sheriff position or a liking to Cassey (one of the working ladies).

And so you have a very watchable Western with gun-fights, wagon chases and some romance thrown in. While much of it is predictable (come on, so many movies are anyway) and the acting and dialogue sometimes rigid, it really is a decent bit of escapism. I always enjoy Andrew W. Walker (I admit to watching quite a few of his made for TV romance movies) and together with the supporting cast of Peter Coyote (you’ll recognise him from A Walk to Remember), Sheree J. Wilson* (who does a fine job of taking over the saloon here), Allison Gordon, Paul McCarthy-Boyington amongst others, they manage to hold this one together.

Yes, it isn’t The Magnificent Seven, Once Upon a Time in the West, 3:10 to Yuma or put any another big-budget Western here. But who cares? Sometimes the most unexpected and underrated movie, with no prior expectations becomes perfect.

That’s why Taking Up Room‘s annual So Bad It’s Good Blogathon is welcome because for me, we can unashamedly write about movies that are deemed bad even though we think they are good (well, that’s one way of interpreting the Blogathon and I’ll stick with it). Although, movies we enjoy, no matter what the rating should always be allowed to shine, if only for oneself. Thanks Rebecca for your wonderful Blogathon – it always is fun writing about (and reading others) those “dud” movies. You can find more entries (here)

*Oooh, RealWeegieMidget Reviews, she’s been in 127 episodes of Dallas!?

~Legends of Western Cinema Week Tag~

Ahhh….anything Western just catches my attention and so I came across Caftan Woman‘s Post titled LEGENDS OF WESTERN CINEMA WEEK: Post 2, Tag (originating at Along the Brandywine here.) And in this European heat wave…a tag is just perfect…especially with the Western theme. Ok, ok, a Western tag is perfect come rain or shine, hot or cold… 🙂

1) Do you tolerate, like, or love westerns?

What kind of question is that???? I looooooove Westerns! But those “traditional” style ones. These new-fangled modern-day Westerns aren’t for me.

2) What do you enjoy about them and, more broadly, the west itself (e.g. the history, accompanying paraphernalia, etc)?

I just love that “romantic” notion that the Western movie brings me. There’s something special about a cowboy driftin’ the plains. The honkey tonk music somewhere in a distant saloon where someone is bound to come crashing to the boardwalk through the swinging doors. And then there are the cowgirls, the ladies who can swing into the saddle and wrangle as good as any man. She can hold her own in the dusty west yet always has a tender side.

3) What’s the first western you can remember watching?

The War Wagon with John Wayne on the Super 8 reels my parents had salvaged from a store who was about to throw them out when VHS and Beta Videos came out and the Video Store was born. I think part of my passion comes from that certain something that came with watching movies on our white lounge walls and ever so often having to change burnt out light bulbs or salvage stuck film before it melted.

4) Who are your favorite western stars, the ones whose presence in a western will make you pick it up off the shelf?

Gosh, this is a difficult one. When I was younger, John Wayne (but a young or middle-aged John Wayne) was a definite watch. Gary Cooper and Paul Newman weren’t too bad either. But over the past few years, Gregory Peck has become my favourite. But this too is bound to change. I like modern day actors in Westerns too – Michael Fassbender does a good job as does Karl Urban.

5) What’s your favorite performance by an actress in a western?

I thoroughly enjoy Sharon Stone in her role as The Lady in The Quick and the Dead. But Shelley Winters as cigar smoking Kate in The Scalphunters is absolutely brilliant.

6) What is your “go-to” western, the one you’ll typically reach for?

Yellow Sky. And now and then The Magnificent Seven (1960). But yes…Yellow Sky. I’d say it is my favourite western.

7) Do your family/friends share your interest in westerns, or are you a lone ranger (pun completely intended)?

My father loved a good western but these days I’m out on the prairie alone.

8) Pick one western to live inside for a week, and explain why you chose it.

I’d have to pick Yellow Sky…and of course I’d be “Mike” (Anne Baxter) as she’s tough as nails yet behind all that lies a woman who’d love a beautiful dress or that flowery bonnet. And it is just so wonderful how her friendship with “Stretch” (Gregory Peck) develops. Ok…fine, I just love this movie so I’ll admit it…I’d dream of living it…

 

Although, as a little girl I used to see myself as some character in Big Jake and make up my own derivative story.

9) Share one (or several!) of your favorite quotes from a western.

Ha ha…I don’t even need to look this one up: “You can call me father. You can call me Jacob. You can call me Jake. You can call me a dirty son-of-a-bitch. But if you ever call me Daddy again, I’ll finish this fight.” – Jacob McCandles (John Wayne) to his son James (Patrick Wayne) in one of my other favourites, Big Jake.

Wild Rovers with William Holden

The second round of the Golden Boy Blogathon has arrived. This year I decided to tackle Wild Rovers. Another one my parents had on Super 8 but I honestly couldn’t remember it (I know I’ve watched it though). So, nothing better than a Blogathon for some motivation. Time to give it another watch.

Often, when re-watching, bits come back but not with this one at all…well, except for the last 20 minutes or so. Amazing how some scenes suddenly stick. Oh, and the one where William Holden chases a herd of wild horses.

William Holden plays Ross Bodine, an aging cowboy who dreams of retiring in Mexico but doesn’t have the money to do so. Frank Post (Ryan O’Neal) is half Ross‘ age with dreams of his own. One night the two get involved in a fight at the local saloon and to pay for damages, boss and ranch owner Walt Buckman (Karl Malden) informs the two that deductions will be made from their salary. It is at this point that they decide to rob the bank in town. The rest of the story is about their ride to Mexico with Walt‘s sons, John and Paul (played by Tom Skerritt and Joe Don Baker respectively) on their trail.

While this isn’t a fast-paced Western, to me, it is more about the journey and decisions made by the two men (and others). William Holden is fantastic as the older, wiser more level-headed Ross. He fits the role perfectly. Being reasonable or firm when he needs to but adding some wonderful lighter moments in other circumstances. He is the perfect balance to Ryan O’Neal‘s arrogant, sometimes thoughtless and wilder Frank. I found myself smiling so often at the way Ross “reels in” Frank when he gets a bit too hot-headed. And William Holden‘s facial expressions are wonderful in this one.

Directed by Blake Edwards, it looks like this western didn’t do too well when it was released. Running at just over 2 hours, this was meant to be a 3 hour epic but never made it and was even cut down to just over 1 hour 40 minutes or so for the theatrical release.

I covered William Holden in The Revengers for last year’s Golden Boy Blogathon. Before you know it, the 3rd one will be upon us. Ok, ok…it’s only April. But can’t wait anyway. Thanks for hosting Virginie.

 

 

Save

Save

Save

Save

Movie Rob’s Genre Grandeur: Once Upon a Time in the West (Western)

For this month’s first review for Genre Grandeur – Westerns, here’s a review of Once Upon A Time in the West (1968) by Catherine of Thoughts All Sorts Thanks again to Catherine of Thoughts All Sorts for choosing this month’s genre. In case you missed any of this month’s reviews, here’s a recap: Broken Trail – […]

via Genre Grandeur January Finale – Once Upon A Time in the West (1968) – Thoughts All Sorts

Or read it here…

Movie Rob’s Genre Grandeur: The Magnificent Seven (1960) (Western)

For this month’s next review for Genre Grandeur – Westerns, here’s a review of The Magnificent Seven (1960) by Catherine of Thoughts All Sorts Thanks again to Catherine of Thoughts All Sorts for choosing this month’s genre. Next month’s Genre has been chosen by Sean of SeanMunger.com We will be reviewing our favorite Nautical Film. “Loosely defined […]

via Genre Grandeur – The Magnificent Seven (1960) – Thoughts All Sorts

Or read it here…

Movie Rob’s Genre Grandeur: Open Range (Western)

For this month’s next review for Genre Grandeur – Westerns, here’s a review of Open Range (2003) by Catherine of Thoughts All Sorts Thanks again to Catherine of Thoughts All Sorts for choosing this month’s genre. Next month’s Genre has been chosen by Sean of SeanMunger.com We will be reviewing our favorite Nautical Film. “Loosely defined […]

via Genre Grandeur – Open Range (2003) – Thoughts All Sorts

Or read it here…

Movie Robs’ Genre Grandeur: Broken Trail (Western)

For this month’s first review for Genre Grandeur – Westerns, here’s a review of Broken Trail (2006) by Catherine of Thoughts All Sorts Thanks again to Catherine of Thoughts All Sorts for choosing this month’s genre. Next month’s Genre has been chosen by Sean of SeanMunger.com We will be reviewing our favorite Nautical Film. “Loosely defined […]

via Genre Grandeur – Broken Trail (2006) – Thoughts All Sorts

Or read it here…

The Scalphunters (1968) – Fun Western

Burt Lancaster teams up with Ossie Davis, Telly Savalas and Shelley Winters in this comedic Western directed by Sydney Pollack.

Fur Trapper Joe Bass (Lancaster) is travelling with his latest haul when he is stopped by Kiowa Indian Two Crows (Armando Silvestre) and a group of his men who “trade” Bass‘ furs for their captured slave Joseph Lee (Davis, who was nominated for a Golden Globe in this role). Highly educated and very professional, Joseph Lee and Joe Bass, who can’t even write his name, head off to get the furs back. What they don’t count on is Jim Howie (Telly Savalas) and his band of scalphunters relieving the Kiowa of both the furs and their own hair. Through circumstance, Jospeh Lee ends up with Howie and Joe Bass continues his fur-retrieval efforts alone.

Davis definitely deserved the Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor for this one. He is absolutely fantastic as the former house slave heading for Mexico, now claiming to have “full Indian citizenship” (He was property of the Comanches before the Kiowa got him). Watching him interact with Lancaster and Savalas is absolutely wonderful. And who better than Shelley Winters as Kate to contrast Savalas as his wife/partner. Oh what a wonderful ensemble who seem to gel so well together.

Even music, courtesy of Elmer Bernstein, adds so much character to this movie. From the opening credits (which are likewise well done), to the end, aurally, it is a pleasure, with the main theme sticking in your mind long after you’ve finished watching. In fact, the theme is one of the things I clearly remembered now after not having seen this for a good 15 years.

So, fun Western. Keep a lookout for Burt Lancaster‘s circus background coming through in a “oh really?” moment near the end.

Head on over to MovieRob for his monthly Genre Grandeur series which is the Western genre this month. I’ll be sending my Grandeur-worthy entries to him for publishing at the end of the month.

Save

Save

Save

Save

The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973)

I’ve had a “love-hate”, hmmm, that’s a bit too strong… rather a “like-dislike” relationship with this movie ever since I can remember watching it. I go through phases where I like it and then dislike it. Having re-watched it again last night, I’m leaning towards the “like” this time round. And I can’t put my finger on what it is that keeps swaying me.

Catherine Crocker (Vera Miles) is running (riding) away from her husband, Willard (George Hamilton) when she inadvertently comes across Jay Grobart (Burt Reynolds) and his gang in process of carrying out a train robbery (the reasons for which will become revealed as the story unfolds). As they flee the scene, Jay tells one of his gang members to capture her horse, however, despite being a “prim and proper” lady, Catherine refuses to give up beautiful steed, so is taken along too. Jay, while being tough with his gang and Catherine, is also the one to ensure she isn’t abused by two of his men, Billy and Dawes (Bo Hopkins and Jack Warden respectively), at every lust-filled chance they get. With railroad detective Harvey Lapchance (Lee J Cobb) and his posse, joined by Willard, hot on their heels, they make for Indian territory. As they go, the gang starts coming undone, Jay‘s motivations become clear and Lapchance starts doubting Willard.

Based on the novel by Marilyn Durham, directed by Richard C. Sarafian and music by John Williams, I don’t think it a bad movie. In fact, I enjoy watching Catherine Crocker‘s change from side-saddle, umbrella-carrying lady to one who wears pants and takes a stand where needed. I also enjoy Jay‘s kind side. I can’t really pinpoint why I sometimes don’t enjoy it…but could be that every now and then Catherine comes across a bit “needy” or “clingy”. But then, riding off into the unknown from your life of luxury to be taken along with a gang of outlaws, I don’t know how I’d react. Could also be that Willard doesn’t seem to show enough conviction in tracking her down. On the other hand, I quite like that ‘romanticised’ notion of a lady riding with the men.

Jay is the “The Man who Loved”, but who is “Cat Dancing”? I guess you’ll need to watch this one to find out. It may not be easy to obtain this DVD though – the only way I got it was through the Warner Archive Collection’s Burn on Demand offering at quite a price. But then, I’m glad I got it as it forms part of my collection of movies that I used to watch on Super 8 reels. Thus, this probably becomes a better movie to me purely because of the nostalgia and memories associated with it.

Not the Grandeur-worthy one that I’m looking for in this month’s Western genre over at Movie Rob‘s Genre Grandeur series. But definitely not bad. I have watched it more than once, after all.

 

Save

Save

Vera Cruz (1954) – Super Western

As part of finding the Grandeur-worthy Westerns for Movie Rob‘s Genre Grandeur series (head on over to his page if you want to join), I’ve pulled out a whole pile of DVDs from my collection, hoping I’ll get through a fair number of them.

Vera Cruz is one of the westerns my parents had in their Super 8 collection. I always enjoyed watching it and must admit, haven’t seen it for years (10 years, according to my geeky little movie/DVD database I have). Re-watching movies after such a period of time always leaves me feeling a little like it is a new one – purely because I forget some of the scenes and dialogue.

Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster star in this one, together with Ernest Borgnine and Charles Bronson, amongst others, in smaller roles. Two drifters, Ben Trane (Cooper) and Joe Erin (Lancaster) form an uneasy friendship as they hire on to serve Mexican Emperor Maximilian‘s (George Macready) soldiers, lead by Marquis Henri de Labordere (Cesar Romero), to escort Countess Duvarre (Denise Darcel) to the city of Veracruz. Naturally, things are not so straightforward with lots of back-stabbing and ulterior motives all around. Plenty of good shootouts ensue.

Having been filmed and set in its entirety in Mexico (as per the closing credits), it brings across a different feel from the “typical” Western in having lots of music and fiestas. This is wonderfully juxtaposed with the elegant ball held by Emperor Maximilian.

Likewise, the two ladies of the story, the Countess and Nina (Sarita / Sara Montiel) contrast each other. I absolutely love the scene with Nina driving the supply wagon out of the ambush. I suppose this is to be expected as our leading men likewise are not similar at all: Ben Trane is the former Confederate soldier who appears to be calm and collected whereas gunslinger Joe Erin is the dirty scoundrel with his bunch of just as dirty scoundrels. Oh, the scenes that show these differences…just fantastic.

What always amuses is the big toothy grin provided by a dust covered Joe Erin. He’s introduced to us in another great scene where he sells someone else’s horse to Ben Trane. Perfect character summary I’d say. But, make no mistake, Ben Trane isn’t totally good guy either. As to be expected, all involved have a reason for their supposed support of the Marquis and Countess.

So…super Western directed by Robert Aldrich, despite the sometimes “clipped” dialogue. Almost, almost Grandeur-worthy. A whole lot of fun with great one-liners and/or more comical scenes. Ernest Borgnine also has a knack of bringing fun to the screen. And even Charles Bronson makes me smile as he convinces the band to play on at gunpoint.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Not bad…In a Valley of Violence

Movie Rob gave me the honour of selecting this month’s Genre for his Genre Grandeur series (head on over to last month’s post if you want to join in). What a perfect excuse to watch a whole lot of Westerns. I’m keeping the ones worthy of the “Grandeur” for Rob to publish at the end of the month. In the meantime, here’s my take on the newest Western I’ve watched:

OK…(releasing my breath)…I’m not sure where I stand with this one but it was an interesting ride. In a Valley of Violence (2016) is pretty much just that…a valley of violence. And into this valley comes stranger Paul (Ethan Hawke) and his dog Abby (Jumpy). They are just passing through (the reasons are briefly explored) but unfortunately get caught up with the marshal’s son Gilly (James Ransone) and his group of no-good hangers-on . Being left for dead, Paul swears on revenge and won’t rest until every last one of them is taken care of. And everyone who ends up in his way…including Marshal (John Travolta)

I wasn’t sure what to expect of this one but one thing I can say is that the performances were fantastic. From all involved. James Ransone, Karen Gillan (I’d never heard of her and now I see her 3 times in the space of 2 weeks), Taissa Farmiga and the list goes on (although, not too long as there are only 13 credited cast members). Ethan Hawke has redeemed himself in my movie-eyes since seeing him in The Magnificent Seven and Before Midnight, both of which I didn’t really feel for him. In this role, he’s back to showing us what he can do. John Travolta is, well…John Travolta. But the real star is Abby the dog, played by Jumpy…the dog. What a character!

While the story probably isn’t too original, I must admit that I was holding my breath in suspense to see how this would all unfold. The beginning also left my wondering who this Paul is and what he is up to.

What impressed me was the fantastic soundtrack. It worked so well and definitely stood out, which isn’t often the case. Oh, and those opening credits were so brilliantly done.

So, all-in-all, not bad.

Save

Save

Save

Save

My childhood hero in Big Jake and The War Wagon

John Wayne…the first actor I fell in “love” with. Maybe not so much with the man himself but with the on-screen persona. The larger-than-life cowboy. And maybe not so much love but admiration.

The War Wagon (1967) is probably one of the first movies I recall watching. And…I watched it over and over and over and over….at one point I knew most of the dialogue by heart.

Here John Wayne plays Taw Jackson who was wrongfully imprisoned by Pierce (Bruce Cabot) who also takes Jackson‘s ranch on which there is gold. On his early release, Taw Jackson plans to steel gold that Pierce is transporting in an armoured stagecoach (complete with a mean Gatling gun mounted on top) called the War Wagon. Together with Lomax (Kirk Douglas) he plans and executes this job only to have some unexpected change in events. Directed by Burt Kennedy it also stars Howard Keel as Levi Walking Bear amongst others.

What I’ll never forget is John Wayne doing a running-jump-mount onto his horse as only he could do and look good. I must admit, I’m long overdue for a re-watch of this movie. I wonder if so many years later it still holds the same appeal. If anything, it will most certainly take me down a nostalgic path.

The second John Wayne movie I recall so clearly from those days, and prefer it to The War Wagon, is Big Jake (1971). From this one I can still recall the dialogue by heart especially “You can call me father, you can call me Jacob, you can call me Jake, you can call me a dirty son-of-a-bitch, but if you ever call my daddy again, I’ll finish this fight” which he says to his on-screen son James, played by real-life son Patrick Wayne after being called Daddy a few times too many. Throughout the movie there are some wonderful lines which add wonderful character. I’ve just re-watched it this week and still enjoy it as much as I did a number of years ago.

The story is simple. Little Jake McCandles (Ethan Wayne) is kidnapped by John Fain (Richard Boone) and his gang. Martha McCandles (Maureen O’Hara) says that finding Little Jake  “is, I think, going to be a very harsh and unpleasant kind of business and will, I think, require an extremely harsh and unpleasant kind of man to see to it.”. Enter John Wayne as her estranged husband, Jacob McCandles, the man for the job. Joined by his sons James and Michael McCandles (played by Christopher Mitchum and Patrick Wayne respectively), friend Sam Sharpnose (Bruce Cabot) and Dog, they set out to Mexico with a large box of ransom money. What unfolds is a great Western that already shows hints of the new world to come: Michael has a fancy modern looking hand gun and the automobile is already making its film debut. All with the patriarch resisting the change. Directed by George Sherman, I believe John Wayne also had a directing role albeit uncredited. I enjoy watching The Duke being all tough and no-nonsense when he needs to but being the father/grandfather figure in other situations (even if it means being a bit tough and no-nonsense). As much as I’d just love to share some more quotes from Big Jake, I’d rather leave them up to you to discover.

While some may not consider these two the best of John Wayne‘s works, they definitely are the most special to me. And, although there are no cowgirls far and wide, they instilled in me that romantic dream of being a cowgirl. I would have loved nothing better! In fact, to this day, if I could be transported to a “world” of my choosing, I’d be a cowgirl back then.

*Quotes taken from watching the movies

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Girl Week: The Lady (The Quick and the Dead (1995))

“The Lady”, now that’s a cowgirl. I mean who has such presence that, when riding into a dusty little town, everyone stops to stare? And she hasn’t even done anything yet.

Sharon Stone takes on the role of this mysterious stranger who rides into the town of Redemption to enter the Quick Draw Contest. This tournament is held by ruthless and evil mayor Herod (Gene Hackman) who also takes 50c of every Dollar in town. In return “they gets to live”. The reasons for her being there unfold as quickly as the tournament progresses. A lady of few words, she wants to finish what she came for but things don’t happen as quickly and easily as she’d like them to. In a way, this is her saving as it gives her much needed time to plan. And gives us some insight into this woman. At times, she is hard yet very often we see her nurturing, kind side – she shows this with The Kid (a very young Leonardo di Caprio), Mattie Silk and Katie during various situations. She stands up to the men that need standing up to and is side-by-side with those who earn that of her. What most people don’t see in her is that she’s scared. But then, if she wasn’t, it wouldn’t be normal. Having these qualities brings admiration and support from the town. That says it all.

This Western, directed by Sam Raimi, is always great to watch. Yes, these are some “oh really?” moments, but come on…it’s a movie! Sharon Stone is perfect in her role and comes across as a realistic match to Herod. That said, Gene Hackman must be one of the meanest villains (and mostly verbally so). Leonardo di Caprio, 21 years old, already shows his great acting skills as The Kid who’s mouth is as fast as his gun. And then there’s Russell Crowe as former outlaw turned preacher (and hmmm…the only one who ever mentions The Lady’s real name).

Save

Save

Dallas Blogathon? Young Guns? Here’s the connection…

Dallas…I’ve never seen an episode in my life so on seeing the Darlin’ Dallasers Blogathon announced I almost passed it by. At the last moment (you know that point that you’re closing down a browser window and something catches your eye?) I saw a vital bit of information: “You don’t need to have seen Dallas”. Yay!

I trawled through IMDB’s cast list and voila I can write about Lou Diamond Phillips, a sidewalk thug in one episode of Dallas and starring in Young Guns (and Young Guns II but I’m not going there). The last time I watched said movie was exactly 10 years ago. How times flies so I think a re-watch is in order…I’ll be back a little later.

A little later…

And I’ve just finished watching. It was so much fun with its 80s music and general feel. Back to the Blogathon topic though…Lou Diamond Phillips. He plays outlaw ‘Jose’ Chavez y Chavez the perfect balance in the bunch of regulators who are out to avenge the murder of John Tunstall (Terence Stamp), the man who took them in. With hot-headed and impulsive William H. ‘Billy the Kid’ Bonney (Emilio Estevez), ever reasoning Josiah Gordon ‘Doc’ Scurlock (Kiefer Sutherland) and the remaining gang personalities, Chavez seems to be the calmest of the lot. I’ve always enjoyed watching him think and reason before rushing into a situation. Make no mistake, when required, he’s in the middle of the action, putting his neck (or knives) out for his pals (there’s something elegant and powerful about his knife-throwing skills). And when he’s not in the main foreground goings-on (and visible in the background), notice his facial expressions or actions. I’d say now, as was the case back then, he’s still my favourite outlaw of the gang. Off on a tangent for a moment – I’d totally forgotten about Dermot Mulroney as tobacco chewing/spitting, rotten toothed Dirty Steve Stephens in this one.

I’ve been doing some reading today and found that the movie characters do, in fact, tie up with some of the real members of the Lincoln Country Regulators. Including Chavez. It appears that he was an outlaw from an early age and around his 20s joined the Regulators. He seemed to have quite an interesting lifestyle being at times a murderer, a Deputy Sheriff and even having a death sentence (or two) handed to him. Unlike what is portrayed in Young Guns II, he was not gunned down but actually died of natural causes in 1924, having been long pardoned by this time.

While Young Guns (1988) may not be the best western out there, it is still lots of fun and didn’t even score too badly on IMDB (6.8 rating). It was good to pull this DVD out again and I think I’m going to give Young Guns II a re-watching despite the fact that Young Guns finished off nicely stating fairly realistically what happened to those who survived the final shootout.

PS: I fondly remember how Young Guns was the only western my school friends knew at one stage. If I said I like westerns, it was typically “Oh, Young Guns” to which my response was “No, not really”. I had to laugh.

Some trivia from IMDB: Apparently Tom Cruise is to be seen donning a moustache in the final shootout but as hard as I look, I just can’t spot him.

 

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

The 2016 TCM Summer Under the Stars Blogathon – Anne Baxter

Anne Baxter (7 May 1923 – 12 December 1985)

This is an entry for the 2016 TCM Summer Under the Stars Blogathon.

(Hosted by Journeys in Classic Film)

Anne Baxter. I’m embarrassed to say that I’d never heard of her before watching Yellow Sky (1948) (but that’s now a good number of years ago and I’m the wiser now). The only reason I came across Yellow Sky was because I was searching for movies that weren’t of the “romance” genre but still had some sort of romance. I have a weakness for Western, Action or Adventure type movies where the main character/s fall in love (and I’m not fussy – I’m happy with an understated romance).

I was rewarded with what was to become one of my favourite movies but also with an introduction to a really wonderful actress. The story is about a gang of bank robbers who, while fleeing the law, survive a grueling trip across a desert to finally make it to a seemingly abandoned mining town. They discover ‘Mike’ Constance Mae (Anne Baxter) and Grandpa (James Barton) whom they come to suspect as having struck gold. As the gang is stirred up with their own politics (gold can cause tension), so are ‘Mike’ and James ‘Stretch’ Dawson (Gregory Peck), the gang leader.

What a great role to have been introduced to Anne Baxter. I like her because she strikes a chord with me. Ever since I was a little girl I had this romantic notion of being a cowgirl  who could hold her own. And ‘Mike’ does just that. She is tough yet feminine and never clingy or whiny. To top it off, she also stands by her ethics of hard work and honesty (she tells ‘Stretch’ and the gang that they know nothing of building up a life, a dream. She accuses them of being takers. Which they are I guess. Although, one could motivate each one’s actions). ‘Mike’ is totally dedicated to her Grandpa and will do anything to protect him and what they have worked for together (She almost wants to protect him more than herself). However, just because she lives with her Grandpa and no other company around, she isn’t totally ignorant or naïve, having very natural responses when she encounters ‘Stretch’.  Yes, she can’t immediately pin-point them but she knows he makes her feel good. Despite her pants and gun belt she’s still a lady under all that outer toughness and even has a leaflet of a beautiful dress pinned up in her room. She’s clear on exactly what she wants and what not – rudeness and scruffiness are certainly not going to be accepted and, outlaw or not, she makes that very clear to ‘Stretch’. And he takes it…now that’s a woman. This said, she’s never nasty or mean. Just and fair, I’d say.

Anne Baxter takes on this role with ease and it comes across that she’s not scared to get her boots dusty. I believe that every role finds its relevant actor/actress and this one she most definitely pulls off. I couldn’t imagine another actress from her day taking on this character, so natural and convincing…she’s really ‘Mike’. With the spunk and the looks, she never comes across as a “tart” or ditsy woman. I’d say she’s perfect.

‘Stretch’ tells Grandpa “You’ve got yourself quite a granddaughter Mister”. Absolutely.

 

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Sombre and Cold: Das Finstere Tal

“Shhwwoooooow” I exhale a breath. I’ve been holding it for two hours now. Make that 1 hour 54 minutes – the approximate duration of Das Finstere Tal (The Dark Valley) (2014). Gee….I’m going to need some time to process this one.

I wasn’t sure what to expect. Other than an Alpine Western which I don’t know what it is anyway. All I know is that I have a weakness for Westerns and another for those set in small European towns, where the sets and dialects are authentic, making these movies so special. Something set far away from the mainstream big city lights is so refreshing.

The story, without me spoiling it, is about a stranger finding his way to a small alpine village tucked away in a valley. Predictably, his appearance has something to do with the happenings in the town. You’re in the dark, literally and figuratively, as to the disturbing secret that drives the story. It is very clear though, that something is about to give. I must admit I did have a suspicion as to the reasons for his appearance but on the other hand some scenes caught me by surprise. I also found myself questioning his motives and morals, especially in the last 15 minutes or so. That’s what’s important though – to make me think. To make me question.

From the very first frame (or lack of) it is dark and dreary and you just know it’s going to be heavy. Suspenseful music is heard before you see anything on the screen thus setting the tone for what is to come. Beginning to end. And perfectly enhances just the right scenes throughout.

The arrival of the stranger Greider (Sam Riley) is interesting. You first get this Western feeling but with snow-capped mountains which doesn’t seem quite right but you’re still thinking that it may well be somewhere in America or Canada. And then…a typical Austrian alpine village? What? (Ok, fine, I knew it was set in Austria but for a moment I forgot about that) It all makes for a very unusual feel. Add the dialect without which it would have fallen flat (just give yourself time to tune into it). German or even English just wouldn’t have worked. Before seeing the movie I kept wondering what role Sam Riley would have in such a movie*. But that’s the whole point! That’s his role. The American stranger speaking German. It all adds to the mystery.

But oh, the cinematography. It is a work of art. There are amazing shots throughout. From snow-covered mountains, thick fog, fires, white wedding dresses juxtaposed with lots of shadows to generally brilliant capturing of the sombre, cold environment (although, the fact that I was freezing on my couch watching this probably added to the whole feel). Two images, however, are still crisp and clear in my mind: a wonderful close-up of spurs…yes, spurs! and another of smoke “whisping” up from the rifle that Greider has just fired. Despite the horrid theme, it is so beautifully shot.

The acting is something else. Sam Riley is perfectly cast as the mysterious stranger. I’ve seen him in quite a few roles and he never disappoints. I’m not familiar with any of the other cast members but they all came across like they belonged in the village and the acting never felt forced. Some of the leads are Tobias Moretti, Paula Beer (she’s wonderful) and Thomas Schubert. Andreas Prochaska directs.

In closing, this official foreign language film entry by Austria into the Academy Awards is well worth a watch but not if you’re looking for something light and happy.

*Sam Riley is actually an English actor living in Berlin.

Das Finstere Tal is based on the book of the same name by Thomas Willmann.

 

Jane Got a Gun, Slow West, The Salvation and more Westerns

With so few good Westerns coming our way these days, I make a point of watching those that do. And, in the last few months I’ve had quite a choice. In fact, I’m in Western heaven right now…to a degree. In a nutshell, here’s what’s come my way recently: Diablo, Forsaken, Slow West, Jane Got a Gun, The Salvation, The Keeping Room, The Homesman (to watch) and Das finstere Tal (also to watch).

I’ll start with the worst of the lot first so we can move along. In fact, it is barely worth mentioning. It was that bad. I’m talking about Diablo (2015). I had really hoped that Scott Eastwood would bring across some of his father’s magic but…sigh. There is just a certain oomph missing – in fact, from all the actors (Granted, the story itself was poor so I can’t really put all the blame on them). Diablo has Jackson (Eastwood) tracking down his kidnapped wife (Camilla Belle) while the viewer discovers who he really is. The potential for a gripping film was there but alas, it was totally wasted and quickly ran out of direction and depth. Quite frankly, I was close on abandoning the whole shebang especially once Walton Goggins‘ character became clearer….the hope that maybe things would turn out better kept me going…only to see it get worse.

Having got that out the way, I can move on…

Forsaken (2015), starring Donald and Kiefer Sutherland as father and son wasn’t too bad. Kiefer plays former gunslinger John Henry Clayton, who, after many years of absence returns home to make amends with his father Reverend William Clayton (Donald). All this while the town is being tormented by railroad land grabbers. This isn’t an action-filled western but rather a broody/sombre one yet still moving along at a reasonable pace and doing a good job of leaving me wondering when enough was finally enough for John Henry. I always enjoy watching Michael Wincott and was surprised by his character’s actions. Demi Moore and Brian Cox also star. So, altogether, not a bad one but I must admit,  I watched roughly ten minutes, abandoned it and only continued to the end a few days later.

The Salvation (2014) starring ever brilliant Mads Mikkelsen was brutal and heavy. Enjoyable? Not sure. Don’ think  so as ‘enjoy’ is something that makes you feel better. But good it was. I was definitely holding my breath while Jon Jensen (Mikkelsen) sought personal revenge for the murder of his family. The attention to detail, perfectly cast characters and great sets make for superb viewing. The beautiful (South African) scenery, albeit with a few superimposed bits, is the only light relief you’ll get from this one. Well worth the watch.

Now for my favourites. They are the ones that I can’t get out of my mind after watching. The ones I absolutely need in my collection:

Jane Got a Gun (2015) was great despite the poor ratings it has received (personally, I never go by these, I make up my own mind). Jane Hammond (Natalie Portman) and Dan Frost (Joel Edgerton) made for great partners against Ewan McGregor‘s villain Colin McCann. Jane, married to outlaw Bill, approaches Dan for help in saving her and her family from McCann. But, it isn’t a straightforward case of Jane-asks-Dan-for-help-they-win-everyone-happy. There is more to the story than meets the eye and it unfurls itself at just the right pace, not giving it all away, letting you wait, letting you process, letting you think. At the beginning I was wondering why Jane had done the things she did but by the end, I understood, with the film hitting home. While we often expect the villain to be loud and boisterous, those like McCann who appear calm and collected can be just as bad. He was spot-on and for a moment even showed he had a heart. (Keep a look-out for Rodrigo Santoro – you’ll never recognise him)

And finally….Slow West (2015). Ahhh, what a movie. Refreshing. Brilliant. I was glued from beginning to end. Acting, cinematography, music…everything just right. Once again, a moderate-paced western (seems to be the current trend) but not for a moment did Slow West ever feel slow. Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) comes to America from Scotland to find his true love. Having managed on his own so far yet still “wet behind the ears” he comes across Silas Selleck (Michael Fassbender) (or, maybe it is Silas who comes across Jay), an outlaw, who so kindly offers to guide him across the dangerous country (naturally there are ulterior motives). Well, they encounter some interesting characters and things are, obviously, not what the seem. I did not see the ending of this one coming. Definitely one for the collection.

Oh, just quickly…The Keeping Room (2014), technically not a Western, was not at all what I expected. Despite the grim topic of three women (Brit Marling, Hailee Steinfeld and Muna Otaru) left to defend their home during the American Civil war, it was really, really good. If like me, you’ve never seen Sam Worthington in an antagonist role, watch it. He’s uncomfortably convincing as the “bad guy”.

The Homesman (2014) starring Tommy Lee Jones and Hilary Swank is on my list to watch soon. Hope it is a good one. Das Finstere Tal (The Dark Valley) (2014) starring Sam Riley is also patiently gathering dust until I get to it – I’m intrigued as to what this Alpine Western will bring. I’ll keep you posted. (Update: Sombre and Cold: Das Finstere Tal )

Seeking Revenge with William Holden

These Blogathons are interesting…I was oblivious to William Holden being known as the “The Golden Boy” until I came across The Golden Boy Blogathon (hosted by The Wonderful World of Cinema). I’m no connoisseur of his works and only know him from 4 works one being The Revengers, the others Wild Rovers, The Bridge on the River Kwai and The Wild Bunch. The former is the one I remember most of (the others just snippets) despite the fact that it didn’t seem to have done well at the box-office. But then, for me, reviews and box-office stats don’t matter, my enjoyment does and here I’d say is a movie that isn’t half bad. Possibly, remembering William Holden from this 1972 movie is why I didn’t really see him as the Golden Boy as he was already 54, an older (note, not old) version of the handsome man I see in the various Blogathon banners.

The only scene that has always come to mind when thinking of this western was the one with his son’s lifeless body dangling from the loft near the beginning. Clearly time to dust those memory cobwebs before I continued writing and tada…last night was the night! Lucky for me, a few years back I managed to buy the DVD and I had a good evening remembering various scenes. Amazing how the moment they start they become so clear.

The tagline “He bought six men out of hell and they brought it with them” pretty much sums it up, well, to the extent that “hell” was portrayed in those days (these days, I think the equivalent would be more brutal, bloodier and violent). Beginning with wonderful stereotypical western music, all upbeat and fun, John Benedict (William Holden) rides home with a herd of horses to be greeted by his family. Naturally, something needs to happen. Especially with the title The Revengers. And it does. All too soon – naturally. I won’t spoil the plot for those who haven’t seen this film but pretty much everything that John Benedict held dear is brutally ripped away from him sending him on a mission to track down the man responsible. From a prison called “The Hole” (hell) he hires 6 convicts to help him do the job. The “prisoner selection” scene is so much fun! They make for a wonderful combination of characters. Especially notable is Ernest Borgnine as William/Bill Hoop. Ah, he balances William Holden’s  ever more serious revenge-driven character perfectly. In fact, all actors make for a wonderful ensemble, each one complementing the other. I’m sure they must have had a good laugh on set. Anyway, the story is about John Benedict’s journey of revenge and therefore one of personal change.

What I really appreciate in this film is William Holden‘s ability to portray a loving father who supports his family. His acting managed to get me to feel with and for him and convinced me that he really was a father. Similarly, as he hardens up and is purely set on revenge, he still manages to bring across to the viewer his emotions and yet again I felt for him, understanding his reactions and decisions even when not necessarily the right ones from an outsider perspective. Especially the scene between John Benedict and Chamaco (Jorge Luke) discussing paternity possibilities brings across such emotion that only great actors can achieve.

All-in-all, a fun western to watch with some great acting.

Directed by Daniel Mann, it also stars Woody Strode, Roger Hanin, Reinhard Kolldehoff, Jorge Martinez de Hoyos and a small role from Susan Hayward.

Random info: If anyone has seen the 2002 film Sorority Boys, you won’t believe that Dave’s dad is the same actor, James Daughton, who plays Morgan, John Benedicts’ son in The Revengers.

Save