Western Hall of Fame II

Oh, didn't realize The Ox-Bow Incident was nominated.


I loved the first twenty minutes of The Ox-Bow Incident because it did a good job building up the basics of the characters who had the biggest say in the film, but the basics ended up driving the chariots and everything the development could have been seemed betrayed for a tense mock trial. The movie did an excellent job delivering the message, and I'll never forget that. But I wanted to see where several potential subplots went with only one of them having an impact after the whole situation and its surprise ending seemed resolved. It might as well have been an episode of Rawhide. Don't get me wrong, Rawhide is a great show and this barely managed to be a great movie because the mock trial was well written.

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Noms are all up officially, and all review links are updated (I think)!

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Millie Perkins, not a bad look @Citizen Rules !

Looking good!

Really looking good!

Your reviews for Liberty Valance and Ox-Bow on the previous page are really well done, but this is one of those times where you review a film without saying anything about the film itself.

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Ha, I didn't think anyone would notice

The Man who Shot Liberty Valance

Ransom Stoddard is a idealistic Lawyer hoping to bring changes to the Wild West, where a fun could solve a problem quicker then a judge. More reliably too.
Along the way he is robbed, beaten and humiliated by Valance, and is quickly taught a lesson about law and justice in the west.

Along the way he meets Tom Doniphon, played by John Wayne, who teaches him about how things are done there. The two don’t get along, bit only because they’re different in their ideologies, but also they’re both competing for the affection of a woman.

Both Wayne and Stewart inhabit their characters, Wayne being the usually tough guy while Stewart portrays the usual intelligent thinker. Neither role is a stretch for them, but it didn’t have to be, and both do well with it. Although Stoddard does have his moments where he shows he isn’t just a pushover. They represent the divide between the coasts in how different civilization was, where the west had yet to catch up to the supposed sophistication of the east. Doniphon recognizes that change is indeed around the corner, as the west’s days of lawlessness will end sooner or later. Stoddard represents that change. Especially in the scenes where they vote for the delegates and Stoddard takes up teaching.

The real star here, however, is Lee Marvin as the villain, Liberty Valance. This is some of his best work, as he snarls and glares at anyone who dares to look in his direction. Watch the scene where he takes a shot after contemplating the circumstances of Stoddard challenging him, where he seems more impressed he has a gun. The way he curls the shot glass in his hand as he mulls over his response, which is measured carefully to avoid any pretense of a crime. And his reaction to being shot, is even better. (What? No spoiler here, it’s in the title after all)

The film is told for the majority in flashback, to emphasize how a legend is given life over so long of a time. And as the editor says, "This is the West, sir," he explains. "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

Definitely Fords best, in my opinion, rated higher over The Searchers and Stagecoach, for me.

4 *’s

I'm kind of dreading the John Wayne movies.

Yeah, I’ve realized that as an actor he was pretty limited. He was mostly there for his his persona. Women and men both loved his tough guy roles. So that’s what they got with little nuance. I’ve found the films of his That I’ve enjoyed were mostly because of the story.

The Cowboys

Jedediah Nightlinger: You're gonna get yourselves killed.
Charles 'Slim' Honeycutt: We're going to finish the job.

On the surface this may appear as a Children's Film since it does involve eleven kids helping out on a 400 mile cattle run.
But that's only the surface and it definitely wouldn't be made, as is, nowadays,
Made in '72 when most Westerns were more grisly; this hails back to the older Westerns while still keeping a strong measure of grit of it's own.
None of which I wish to spoil so I'll have to skip over a lot of the moments I enjoyed and love.

When I was a youngster I had always loved this film and had not seen it since then. I knew it would hold up and was pleasantly surprised how well it holds up. Not to mention how much it drew me in as well as entertained me as a solid Western. With, of course, John Wayne at the helm along with Roscoe Lee Brown and Bruce Dern doing one hellacious bad guy, the movie has a strong presence due to it's youngsters. Who could actually rope and ride.

I learned that: "About half the boys had experience on the junior rodeo circuit and the rest were taught what they had to know during production." and that includes the youngster who plays Hardy Fimps, "Clay O'Brien, now Clay O'Brien Cooper, went on to become an eight-time world champion team roper competing in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. He is still among the all time top money winners in the PRCA".

And if that don't smack of serious Western fodder - than you're a d@mn fool.

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What I actually said to win MovieGal's heart:
- I might not be a real King of Kinkiness, but I make good pancakes

~Mr Minio

Does The Cowboys have a scene where some of the young cowboys see a travel group of prostitutes in a fancy wagon and go and help them? Or am I thinking of something else

There is a short scene where two of the boys DO come across the wagon of prostitutes.

We’ve got a new member!
Taz has joined and nominated:
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

He nominated Edarsenal?....Woohoo! Ed for the win

Lol he sure did.

I would like to give my preliminary thank you speech: Thank you to the Academy, to Mr. Newman, who was a delight to work with. To Katherine Ross for being kind enough to revoke the Restraining Order, God bless ya, my dear. And the untold hero, the elderly and genuinely sweet Mrs. Rothstein who secured the Gold Bond Body Powder and lotion for my aching behind from all that horseback riding. You will forever be in my heart and my prayers, my dear woman!!

Jon (Mads Mikkelson) is a fur trader who has been living in the West for the past 7 years and now that he's got things going good he's bringing his wife and son out to live with him. On arrival they are to take a horse driven carriage from the train station to their town. Unfortunately, their companions on the carriage are less than...well, they're very bad people, with very strong connections and they do some very bad things to him and his family which sets up the rest of the film. The carriage ride is the best scene in the film and it's an icky scene. I've seen my fair share of revenge based movies and this pretty much follows the formula. There is a teeny little subplot about land acquisition but it's not really necessary. The motivation for Jon is there without any of that.

I like Mads and I've liked him since the first time I saw him in Valhalla Rising where he never utters a word (he just kills people) so I'm kind of used to his emotionless performances and he gives another one here. He's just a bad ass fur trader looking to get even and there's nothing wrong with that. One thing that really stands out about The Salvation is how shiny it looks. Too shiny for the type of movie it is. I would've liked a bit more of a grainy, gritty, dirty, exploitation feel. That would've been nice but as far as revenge flicks go, yeah, it's alright.

The Salvation looks very familiar. I may have actually seen it, but will look forward to a rewatch all the same for a proper review,

Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid

(repeated) "Who ARE those guys?"

This is the second film I had actually remembered seeing in my very early life at the Drive-In at around 3 years old. (The first was Romeo & Juliet). I remember being utterly heartbroken at the now famous ending. Sitting in the very back of the family station wagon, paralyzed with shock and remorse at the two outlaws I had found so lovable as we pulled away with the credits rolling.
That sadness remained on the countless viewings since then. Even today, knowing the movie back and front, I still feel that pang of sadness as Butch pauses before they step out. "You didn't see Le Fors out there, did ya?" "No." "Good. For a second there, I thought we were in trouble."

With a large part of the film actually correct and what remains being just good entertaining film making, we get a look at one of the final legendary outlaw men of the West; Butch Cassidy aka Robert LeRoy Parker and his partner, The Sundance Kid aka Harry Longabaugh.
An absolutely fun romp brim filled with the charismatic performances of Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The rapport between the two shines in the little nuances, side looks and the sarcastic quips between the two that continues throughout to the final scene.

Directed by George Roy Hill who adds splashes of grittiness and employs, in the opening as well as a montage in the middle, a sepia toned imagery creating a bridge to the turn of the century of 1900 when the actual gang etched their names into the West's History.

Along with the very beautiful Katherine Ross as Etta Place, there is also some great cameos in this film that include Kenneth Mars as the unsuccessful Sheriff attempting to raise a posse in Wixom after the first train robbery, a rather spicy Cloris Leachman playing prostitute Agnes who curls up with Butch during their hiding out from Le Fors and his daunting posse. Strother Martin playing the "colorful", tobacco spitting payroll officer in Bolivia, and, yes, the towering, bass voiced Logan who threatens to take over Butch's gang IS Ted Cassidy who many of us old timers remember as Lurch from the TV Show The Addams Family.

A beloved, very well known movie that is always a delightful watch and, quite obviously, a huge favorite of mine.