Westerns Movie Log Journal & Recommendations

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I have a hunch there aren't for CR I'll need to check the films on your list, maybe there's something I might like.
The Hunting Party I have because of you




Along the Great Divide (1951)

Directed by Raoul Walsh who's known for his physical direct-action style of directing...Walsh doesn't disappoint here. He has his film hitting hard from the title scene where we see a sneering Kirk Douglas
just about to settle down to a nice dinner of camp fire beans, when he gets news of a lynching that's about to take place. Douglas kicks those beans into the fire and rides off in a fury. From the start it's clear Douglas, who plays a Marshall, is hell bent to do his duty and bring an accused murder into trial. Even if it gets everyone killed in the process.

The next scene is no slouch either when we see veteran character actor Walter Brennan with a noose around his neck. Loved the way Brennan taunts the Marshall, who's unhinged, throughout the entire movie. And his tough and tumble rancher daughter played by Virginia Mayo is another fine character performance.

This is good stuff! It's fast paced, dramatic with danger at every turn as we watch the wits of the men deteriorate as they travel across the open desert trying to reach civilization.


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Gosh, now I feel like I’m falling behind in my Western Watching! Netflix has a sad amount of Westerns, there were only two I was interested in, and I’ve watched them both. I’ll have to get some from the library, maybe I’ll go with Along the Great Divide next!




Way Out West (1937)
Movie #4
Suggested by Hashtagbrownies

This was a fun movie suggestion...not the greatest western of all time, but a neat, short little film to watch. That little dance they did was great fun, it went on much longer too and I have to say they're really good at it! There were some funny gags that made me laugh out loud. I liked the blonde fluzy too, oh and the donkey!





That dance, and recreating it on their 1953 UK tour, is a major plot point of Stan & Ollie (2018).

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That dance, and recreating it on their 1953 UK tour, is a major plot point of Stan & Ollie (2018).
Yeah, I was thinking of that movie when I watched Way Out West. I don't know if they did a lot of dancing in their movies or not? It's been decades since I seen a Laurel & Hardy film, use to watch them early morning as I got ready for grade school.




Pale Rider (1985)
Movie # 5
Suggested by Hashtagbrownies

Clint Eastwood returned to the screen in 1985 as the 'man with no name' character that he'd established in the 1960's in Sergio Leone's 'Dollar's Trilogy'. Pale Rider was directed and produced by Eastwood and combines the arch type, fabled style of story telling that was done in his earlier 'spaghetti westerns' with a realistic-humanistic approach to the old west and the people in it. In Pale Rider, Eastwood's character is the catalysis that allows the miner-settlers to stand up to the powerful and modern mining company that seeks to take their valley and us it for hydro blast mining.

I liked Eastwood here, and if you like Eastwood you will too. But my favorite character was
Michael Moriarty who imbibed the common man, who's not a coward, but not the hero either. I totally bought his character. And the miner/settlers in general were all well done.

The bad buy - the mine owner...was kind of milquetoast as was the deadly hired guns, aka the Marshall and his six deputies.

I loved the shooting locations and the sets looked authentic too. Though I wasn't quite sure why it snowed in town, but in the mining camps it was always sunny and warm enough for them not to wear coats. I guess the town was suppose to be way high up in elevation.

Fun movie...
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I saw Pale Rider back in the 80's. I know I liked it but I don't remember it well. It was one of my father's favorites.
So it's time for a re-watch It had been at least 15 years since I last saw it. I think I'll watch Unforgiven, I've only seen that once and long ago too.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.

Pale Rider (1985)
Movie # 5
Suggested by Hashtagbrownies

Clint Eastwood returned to the screen in 1985 as the 'man with no name' character that he'd established in the 1960's in Sergio Leone's 'Dollar's Trilogy'. Pale Rider was directed and produced by Eastwood and combines the arch type, fabled style of story telling that was done in his earlier 'spaghetti westerns' with a realistic-humanistic approach to the old west and the people in it. In Pale Rider, Eastwood's character is the catalysis that allows the miner-settlers to stand up to the powerful and modern mining company that seeks to take their valley and us it for hydro blast mining.

I liked Eastwood here, and if you like Eastwood you will too. But my favorite character was
Michael Moriarty who imbibed the common man, who's not a coward, but not the hero either. I totally bought his character. And the miner/settlers in general were all well done.

The bad buy - the mine owner...was kind of milquetoast as was the deadly hired guns, aka the Marshall and his six deputies.

I loved the shooting locations and the sets looked authentic too. Though I wasn't quite sure why it snowed in town, but in the mining camps it was always sunny and warm enough for them not to wear coats. I guess the town was suppose to be way high up in elevation.

Fun movie...

I watched Pale Rider a few days ago. It was one of the better Clint Eastwood movies that I watched recently, but it was still just okay for me. (I'm not a big fan of Eastwood's westerns, and the more I read about him in real life, the less I like him as a person.)

But I agree with you about Michael Moriarty. I liked him in this movie, but I usually like him in just about everything he's in.
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You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
So it's time for a re-watch It had been at least 15 years since I last saw it. I think I'll watch Unforgiven, I've only seen that once and long ago too.

Unforgiven was probably the best of the Eastwood westerns that I watched recently. So far, it's probably the only one of his movies that has a chance to make my list.



Unforgiven was probably the best of the Eastwood westerns that I watched recently. So far, it's probably the only one of his movies that has a chance to make my list.
Really??? OMG I don't believe it! I would think you'd hate it as it's very violent. So what was it that you liked about it? ( I like it BTW)



The trick is not minding
Unforgiven was probably the best of the Eastwood westerns that I watched recently. So far, it's probably the only one of his movies that has a chance to make my list.
Really??? OMG I don't believe it! I would think you'd hate it as it's very violent. So what was it that you liked about it? ( I like it BTW)
Unforgiven is my favorite Eastwood western.
I almost nominated it in the Western HOF. Maybe next time



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
Really??? OMG I don't believe it! I would think you'd hate it as it's very violent. So what was it that you liked about it? ( I like it BTW)

Yes, it was very violent, but it wasn't just a bunch of guys shooting each other randomly in big shootouts. It seemed more character driven, and it had a great cast that really made it worth watching. I liked the relationship between Eastwood's character and Morgan Freeman's character, and I liked how The Kid learned from them instead of just being another Billy the Kid-type who just shoots everyone on sight.



Yes, it was very violent, but it wasn't just a bunch of guys shooting each other randomly in big shootouts. It seemed more character driven, and it had a great cast that really made it worth watching. I liked the relationship between Eastwood's character and Morgan Freeman's character, and I liked how The Kid learned from them instead of just being another Billy the Kid-type who just shoots everyone on sight.
That's what I thought and yes I totally agree with you that it wasn't the typical bunch of guys shooting it out, but was more humanistic. Glad you liked it.



The trick is not minding
A few suggestions if I may:
Stagecoach (1939 version)
Red River (1948)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
They’re all well known, and you’ve probably already seen them, but in case you haven’t yet they’re well worth a watch.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
A few suggestions if I may:
Stagecoach (1939 version)
Red River (1948)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
They’re all well known, and you’ve probably already seen them, but in case you haven’t yet they’re well worth a watch.

I watched Red River (1948) and The Wild Bunch (1969) recently. Red River was good, and could possibly sneak onto my list, however I didn't like The Wild Bunch at all.

I haven't seen the 1939 version of Stagecoach yet, but it's on my watchlist already. I've seen a few John Wayne movies recently, and I'm starting to like some of his movies.



The trick is not minding
A few suggestions if I may:
Stagecoach (1939 version)
Red River (1948)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
They’re all well known, and you’ve probably already seen them, but in case you haven’t yet they’re well worth a watch.

I watched Red River (1948) and The Wild Bunch (1969) recently. Red River was good, and could possibly sneak onto my list, however I didn't like The Wild Bunch at all.

I haven't seen the 1939 version of Stagecoach yet, but it's on my watchlist already. I've seen a few John Wayne movies recently, and I'm starting to like some of his movies.
I like some of his movies, but I’ve largely found he was never a great actor. He typically was the same in his westerns. His films mostly work due to the story itself, such as The Searchers and The Quiet Man which I found he was decent enough in.
Speaking of The Quiet Man, it’s not a western but it’s definitely worth watching as I felt it was a great film when I first watched it.



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
I like some of his movies, but I’ve largely found he was never a great actor. He typically was the same in his westerns. His films mostly work due to the story itself, such as The Searchers and The Quiet Man which I found he was decent enough in.
Speaking of The Quiet Man, it’s not a western but it’s definitely worth watching as I felt it was a great film when I first watched it.

I've never been a John Wayne fan, but I'm starting to appreciate some of his movies, but more for the plot than for him.

I've seen both The Searchers and The Quiet Man, but I'm not much of a fan of either movie.