Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations

→ in
Tools    





You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
The rest of my list I don't know how many I'll have time for.

The Kentuckian (1955)
Ride Lonesome (1959)
The Shootist (1976)
The Ballad of Little Joe (1993)
Black Jack
No Name on the Bullet (1959)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
Shane (1953)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Death Rides a Horse
My Darling Clementine (1946)
The Magnificent Seven (1960)
3:10 to Yuma (1957)
Deadly Companions (1961)

These are the movies from your watchlist that I'd recommend that you watch before submitting your list:

The Shootist (1976)
No Name on the Bullet (1959)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Shane (1953)
My Darling Clementine (1946)
3:10 to Yuma (1957)


These movies aren't among my favorites, but I'm sure that other people here would recommend that you watch them before submitting your list:

The Wild Bunch (1969)
The Magnificent Seven (1960)
__________________
.
If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.



Well, I'm not going to make The Shootist or No Name on the Bullet priorities.

I'll bump up Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I just watched the knife fight scene and it really cracked me up.

The Wild Bunch and The Magnificent Seven I could take or leave.

I think I'll bump up My Darling Clementine, but I'm not sure how I feel about Shane and 3:10 to Yuma.



The Ballad of Cable Hogue looks good too.

So many look good, it's really hard to narrow down what to watch.

Has anyone seen Willie Boy (1969)?

I'm really interested in Katharine Ross, and she plays a native girl in this. It kind of reminded me of Apache.



The Ballad of Cable Hogue looks good too.

So many look good, it's really hard to narrow down what to watch.

Has anyone seen Willie Boy (1969)?

I'm really interested in Katharine Ross, and she plays a native girl in this. It kind of reminded me of Apache.
I've seen Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969), it was different and kind of cool. I would rewatch it if I had the time.



I've seen Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969), it was different and kind of cool. I would rewatch it if I had the time.
I thought the dynamics between him escaping and the posse chasing him were really interesting compared to a lot of movies that have this kind of theme.

What do you think of Katharine Ross, not just in Willie Boy, but in general?



I thought the dynamics between him escaping and the posse chasing him were really interesting compared to a lot of movies that have this kind of theme.

What do you think of Katharine Ross, not just in Willie Boy, but in general?
Geez, it's been so long since I seen that movie I can't even remember her being in it...but I just checked and I did review it. So here's the review link



Geez, it's been so long since I seen that movie I can't even remember her being in it...but I just checked and I did review it. So here's the review link
It's funny how you and I have totally opposite opinions on a lot of movies.



I think I'd appreciate The Ballad of Cable Hogue more with a second viewing. I watched it several years ago when exploring Peckinpah's work. I wasn't expecting such a light-hearted tone, so I was disappointed by the absence of his trademark grit and violence. I remember especially hating the sped-up, Looney Tunes-style running in some scenes.

Was that your first time watching Destry Rides Again? I included it on my 30's ballot, but it won't be receiving any points from me in the Westerns Countdown. Dietrich was great in it, whether it was her musical numbers or those knock-down, drag-out catfights you mentioned in your review. For me the film was strongest in the first half before it veered into more serious, traditional territory. Una Merkel seems to pop up in a lot of 30's movies. I like her and her voice. Too bad she always seems relegated to small supporting roles. In a way she reminds me of a poor woman's Joan Blondell.

Monte Walsh is one of the first movies I ever posted about on here, before I'd even reached the minimum requirement to attach pictures. I had to use the search engine to go back and read what I thought of it, as it hasn't stuck with me whatsoever:

Monte Walsh (1970): Not quite your typical western. Instead it's much more of a character-study about a middle-aged cowboy struggling to find his place in an evolving west. The movie emphasizes characters over plot, and the movie is at its best during the small, quiet, poignant moments. I particularly enjoyed the scenes between Lee Marvin and Jack Palance, as well as the scene where Lee Marvin causes quite a bit of damage while attempting to break an unruly horse in the middle of the night. It's a sad, somber movie with subtle performances and a less-is-more script, but I wasn't quite as involved with it as I'd hoped. Good movie, but nothing special or particularly memorable
I watched The Hangman a couple days ago, which wasn't on my radar until reading your review. I found it somewhat pedestrian, but the story was compelling and I appreciated the moralistic themes. It's a film without much fat. Robert Stewart probably held back my enjoyment somewhat, as I just don't care for him as an actor; and I especially hated the romantic resolution, which rang false to me. Also recently watched one of your favorites: The Big Country. Amazing film. Borderline masterpiece. Just epic cinematic storytelling of the highest order. It'll definitely be on my ballot.
__________________



I think I'd appreciate The Ballad of Cable Hogue more with a second viewing.
I think it's one of those movies that offer up a framework of possibilities...Then with each repeat viewing a person can create their own internal narrative to fill in those missing moments. I think that's how people come to love a film like this.

Was that your first time watching Destry Rides Again?... Una Merkel seems to pop up in a lot of 30's movies. I like her and her voice. Too bad she always seems relegated to small supporting roles. In a way she reminds me of a poor woman's Joan Blondell.
I thought I'd seen it before, but I didn't remember a damn thing about the movie. So maybe it had went unwatched by me. I always enjoy Una Merkel. Good call, she is a lot like Joan Blondell, but maybe even more like Glenda Farrell.

I like what you wrote about Monte Walsh and 'less is more' is apt for that movie. I love less is more movies, probably why I think so highly of Meek's Cutoff.

I watched The Hangman a couple days ago, which wasn't on my radar until reading your review. I found it somewhat pedestrian, but the story was compelling and I appreciated the moralistic themes. It's a film without much fat. Robert Stewart probably held back my enjoyment somewhat, as I just don't care for him as an actor; and I especially hated the romantic resolution, which rang false to me.
Agreed about the romantic resoulion, she ended up with the wrong guy...besides Robert Taylor's character was jaded and set in his ways, and so the film would've benefited from him losing out on the girl.

Also recently watched one of your favorites: The Big Country. Amazing film. Borderline masterpiece. Just epic cinematic storytelling of the highest order. It'll definitely be on my ballot.




He Rides Tall (R.G. Springsteen 1964)

A b budget western that you've probably never heard of and don't really care to see. This plays out like a tv episode of Gunsmoke, only Gunsmoke would've been a bit better! Dan Duryea does he part to liven up the film but the low budget and script holds it back...I had to laugh though when the Indians attack and demand the white woman who's Duryea's girlfriend...After a half heartened attempt to trade them horses instead, Dan declares, 'sure take her she's all yours'.


Also noteworthy for having 'Mrs Khan' from Star Trek, better known as Madlyn Rhue.




Attachments
Click image for larger version

Name:	He Rides Tall 1964.jpg
Views:	207
Size:	212.3 KB
ID:	64637   Click image for larger version

Name:	Madlyn Rhue .jpg
Views:	214
Size:	55.9 KB
ID:	64638  




Blood on the Moon (Robert Wise 1948)

This might have made my western countdown ballot if I had watched it in time. It's a noir western, that's both filmed in the traditional noir style with low key lighting and shadows galore...and the plot of an outsider who comes into trouble is handled like a film noir. The plot keeps one involved while the fate of Robert Mitchum seems to hang in balance with each new scene. Robert Wise is of course one of the great directors having made his share of Oscar winning films, the man knows how to handle a scene! It was a joy watching this as I could tell right away it was a cut above the average western.

There's a strong cast too that gets to shine thanks to the direction. Besides the aforementioned Robert Mitchum, there's Robert Preston as the shifty friend, Frank Faylen get's some choice screen time as does western veteran Walter Brennan & Barbara Bel Geddes.

This is one western I would like to watch again.
Attachments
Click image for larger version

Name:	BLOOD-ON-THE-MOON.jpg
Views:	225
Size:	131.3 KB
ID:	64639  




Silver Lode (1954, Alan Dwan)

On the 4th of July the town's leading citizen Dan Ballard (John Payne) is marring the sheriff's daughter (Lizabeth Scott) as the vows are about to be spoken in comes a U.S. Marshall with blood in his eye (Dan Duryea). The Marshall has a warrant to arrest Dan who's accused of shooting the Marshall's brother in the back. Dan claims he's innocent and the town rallies around him...but only for awhile. One by one the town starts turning their back on Dan Ballard and he has to fight for his life.

Silver Lode has been compared to High Noon. Indeed it's a morality tale of the McCarthyism gone amuck. One innocent man accused of a heinous crime and he's literally convicted by the town before they know the facts.

Silver Lode is not as hard hitting as High Noon and the lead John Payne has almost no charisma but plot is unique enough and the script has the film moving fast enough to make a good go of it.

+
Attachments
Click image for larger version

Name:	Silver Lode 1a.jpg
Views:	196
Size:	170.7 KB
ID:	64641  




Track of the Cat (William Wellman 1954)

Legendary director William Wellman made what he called: 'a color black & white film.' I won't explain that. If you watch it just pay close attention to the lack of color, save for one bright red jacket worn by Robert Mitchum.

One of the film's highlights is the first act with one helluva dysfunctional family. There's lots of psychologically damaging barbs being thrown around between the disgruntled family members. Who are bottled up in a mountain top cabin. Into that mix comes an aged Native American who believes the ways of white men is like the supernatural black panther of Indian legends. One of the brothers believes the old Indian is a spiritual being and even carves little statutes of the black panther to keep it at bay. The oldest brother Robert Mitchum thinks the old Indian and his brother are full of mysticism crap. He doesn't want to honor the spirit of the black panther, he wants to kill it!

The youngest brother Tab Hunter doesn't have a backbone and can't stand up to his strong willed family, especially his mother Beulah Bondi. Mom has nothing but loathing for his fiance. Then there's a spinster sister Teresa Wright who's let her mother beat her into submission. And finally a drunken fool of a dad. What a family! To me that's the best part.

The other cool thing is the on location shooting at Mt Rainer where I live close by. Mitchum later said that shooting in the snow at such high elevation was the hardest acting work he's done.

This isn't a typical western that fills in the blanks for you. There's a lot of subterfuge and underlying themes. It might be uneven at times but the sum of it's parts are well worth watching the movie for.
++


Attachments
Click image for larger version

Name:	Track of the Cat (1954).jpg
Views:	196
Size:	153.1 KB
ID:	65010  




Rawhide (Henry Hathaway 1951)

An unexperienced stagecoach hand (Tyrone Power) and a feisty woman passenger (Susan Hayward) with a baby, are held hostage by four outlaws in a remote stagecoach station. CR

Reportedly this movie was the inspiration for Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. But then again I can think of a couple other old westerns that had hostages being held in stagecoach stations. Maybe it was the same station because this was located in the Alabama Hills rock formation in California. The same station was probably used before. It sure looked familiar.

Anyway this is a good movie. The bad guys are interesting enough to seem bad and seem human too and that's important. Jack Elam in an early movie performance, is real good here as the most unhinged of the desperadoes. Elam gets a lot of airtime and makes the most of it. Tyrone Power is good as the not so tough guy out from the east, trying to keep himself and the woman alive. Susan Hayward is feisty! She's so good here.

The print I saw looked fully restored to HD quality.

++

Attachments
Click image for larger version

Name:	Rawhide 1951 b.png
Views:	208
Size:	162.0 KB
ID:	65011   Click image for larger version

Name:	Rawhide 1951 a.jpg
Views:	171
Size:	60.3 KB
ID:	65012