Greetings Cowboys, Cowgirls and Cowpunchers
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Spikeopath — 9 years ago(January 05, 2017 05:58 AM)
Super review, great to see
Aldrich
get some quality publicity (I'm a confessed
Aldrich
fanboy). I would hazard a guess that
Darcel's
beauty distracted you from her iffy performance
I suppose when one deals with men of action, one just expect action.
"As the American Civil War ended, another war was just beginning. The Mexican people were struggling to rid themselves of their foreign EmperorMaximilian. Into this fight rode a handful of Americansex soldiers, adventurers, criminalsall bent on gain. They drifted South in small groups AND SOME CAME ALONE"
Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster head the cast as two polar opposite American adventurers who get involved with Maximilian's royal house and Juarez's revolutionaries in 1860s Mexico. Cooper plays Benjamin Trane, basically a good man, tho one tainted by much cynicism, and Lancaster plays Joe Erin, gunman and an untrustworthy crook. Vera Cruz was the first release in SuperScope (beautifully shot by Ernest Laszlo on location in Mexico) and with director Robert Aldrich at the helm, the film brilliantly captures the violence and danger that was brought about during Mexico's revolutionary period. Adapted by Roland Kibbee and James R. Webb from a Borden Chase story, Vera Cruz very much feels like (is) a precursor to Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch and Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns of the 60s.
With its blend of comedy and outright action, the film is essentially a buddy buddy Western with a cynical amoral kicker. It's a blend that may not be to everyone's tastes, but with Lancaster (grinning for all he is worth) and Cooper (laconic supreme) in the leads the film rises above its oddity status. The professionalism on show, both from the obvious big stature of its stars and Aldrich's astute choreography of the action sequences, ensures this is a polished piece. There's much machismo of course, one only has to see that Charles Bronson, Ernest Borgnine and Jack Elam are in the support gallery of thugs to know this fact, but it should be noted that the picture is interested in showing a fair reflection of the Mexican conflict. The Mexican government of the time were outraged at the film, but on reflection now it's evident the film doesn't take sides. That to my mind has to be applauded.
Some problems exist, notably some of the dialogue is a touch too corn based now. While as the main female character, Denise Darcel is out of her depth. One could think that she is maybe swamped by all the testosterone around her, but when you notice that Sara Montiel is coping fine in a secondary role, it shows Darcel to be limited. Vera Cruz held its own on release, neither busting the box office nor sinking without a trace. It would take over ten years before the true value of the film would start to be noticed. With that, it now shows to be very influential within the genre. Explosive, important and darn good fun, that's a mixture you just can't ignore. 8/10
J
The
SpikeopathHospital Number
217 -
gordonl56 — 9 years ago(January 04, 2017 05:33 AM)
CONTAINS SPOILERS
TRACKDOWN "The Brothers" 1957
This is the sixth episode of the 1957 to 1959 western series, TRACKDOWN. Robert Culp stars a Texas Ranger who wanders the State putting the grab on the wanted. The series ran for a total of 70 episodes.
Culp is bedding down for the night when he is held up and relieved of his gun, badge, papers and horse. He then gets a gun barrel across the back of the head and put to sleep.
The next day, he carries his saddle the 10 miles to the next town. He stashes his saddle and bedroll at the local stable. He finds his horse tied up inside and asks the stable owner, Richard Devon about it. Devon says the horse was there when he arrived in the morning.
Culp as it so happens was on his way to this very town to pick up a prisoner. Culp pays the Sheriff, Ian MacDonald a call. MacDonald tells Culp he does not believe his story of being robbed. A Texas Ranger with all the proper papers has already showed and taken the prisoner. The Sheriff strongly suggests Culp leave town.
Culp of is not about to do this. He has a look in the saloon and sees his man, Steve McQueen. It turns out though that the wanted man is really McQueen's twin brother. A girl, Rebecca Welles, is now introduced to the tale in order let the viewer in on the gag.
There is of course one good brother, and one bad brother. The good one had relieved Culp of his papers etc in order to get his brother out of jail. He does not believe that the brother is a killer. Needless to say the nasty sibling is exactly that. After a bit of confusion, Culp, with the help of the stable owner, has a showdown with the proper brother. He is forced to deposit some lead in his carcass when he fails to come along quietly.
There are a couple of minor bumps in the story, but the quick pace covers these up nicely. Veteran television man, Don McDougall sits in the director's chair.
Veteran writer, D.D. Beauchamp could turn out stuff like this in his sleep. Beauchamp is best known for the story or screenplays for the big screen dusters, RAILS INTO LARAMIE, GUNSMOKE, RIDE CLEAR OF DIABLO, THE MAN FROM THE ALAMO and LAW AND ORDER.
The episode itself is quite sharp looking, with another big screen vet, Guy Roe handling the cinematography. Roe is well known to film noir fans for his work on, RAILROADED, WHISPERING CITY, TRAPPED, ARMORED CAR ROBBERY and THE SOUND OF FURY.
Steve McQueen would do another guest spot on the series as bounty hunter, Josh Randall. This episode would be spun off as the pilot for the popular western series, WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE, which ran for 94 episodes between 1958 and 1961. It was interesting to see Richard Devon in a non-villain role for a change. -
gordonl56 — 9 years ago(January 04, 2017 05:35 AM)
CONTAINS SPOILERS
Hotel de Paree: "The Man who believed in Law" 1959
Hotel de Paree was a western series that ran between 1959 and 1960. The series ran for 32 episodes and starred, Earl Holliman, Jeannette Nolan, Judi Meredith and Strother Martin. Headliner Holliman plays a gunslinger named "Sundance", who is just out of prison and wants to turn over a new leaf. He ends up in Georgetown, Colorado, where he buys into a small hotel ran by Nolan and Meredith. Though he wants to avoid gun play, it has a way of creeping up on the man.
In this episode, the 9th of the series, a hard as nails Charles McGraw hits town to become the new Sheriff. The town council had heard that the man had cleaned up several other troubled towns. First day in and he has killed two men, one over an 11 dollar hotel bill, and another for being drunk.
McGraw now spends the next few days putting up plenty of "No guns allowed in town" signs all over the place. It seems like a great idea, till McGraw shoots and kills the shotgun guard on the just arrived stagecoach. "The man had his guns on." Says McGraw.
The town's people start to wonder if McGraw is a bit too harsh in his application of the law. A traveller in town, Hank Patterson, tells "Sundance" (Earl Holliman) about how McGraw had killed various men in his home town. He tells Holliman that the longer McGraw is here, the more death there will be.
The town council decides to terminate McGraw's contract. Problem here is that McGraw has no intention of quitting, till he "thinks" the job is done. This forces ex-gunman Holliman to slip on his iron for a more forceful talk with McGraw.
The two men line up on the street. McGraw tells Holliman to drop the gun-belt. Holliman shakes his head in the negative. McGraw tells Holliman that he will count to three and then draw. He makes it to the count of two, then a shot rings out. McGraw drops to the dirt with a large hole in his back. The widow of one of the men McGraw killed has exacted some payback.
This is a damn fine bit of television with excellent work from the cast and crew. McGraw really shines as the unsmiling Lawman with his own code.
The crew is top notch with actress turned producer and director, Ida Lupino at the controls. The woman is talented. The story is by big screen man, Francis M. Cockrell. His film work includes, THE RAID, DARK WATERS and INFERNO. The director of photography was the one time Oscar nominated, Frank V. Phillips. The series score was penned by 17 time Oscar nominated and 4 time winner, Dimitri Tiomkin.
Look close and you will see long time western fixture, Bob Steele in a small bit. -
gordonl56 — 9 years ago(January 04, 2017 05:38 AM)
CONTAINS SPOILERS
SCHLITZ PLAYHOUSE "No Compromise" 1953
One of the more popular anthology series of early television, was, SCHLITZ PLAYHOUSE. The long running, 1951 to 1959 series pumped out over 360 episodes. Every week there was a new story starring many of the biggest stars of Hollywood. One week would be a comedy, and the next week could be a war, drama, crime or western themed episode. This particular episode is the 15th of the 3rd season. The episode is a western set in the 1880's.
This one has a Texas Ranger, Stephen McNally, in Alabama looking for a man wanted for shooting another Texas Ranger. The man, Robert Strauss, happens to be a childhood friend of Ranger, McNally. McNally has info that Strauss is about to rob a local train of a payroll.
Ranger McNally boards the train and gets the drop on Strauss before he and a partner can pull the job. He captures Strauss, and kills the partner in an exchange of lead. McNally collects a painful wound in the leg during the battle. McNally and his cuffed prisoner are soon on their way to Texas. McNally wires ahead that he has the man.
At every stop through Alabama, relatives of Strauss try to spring the man from McNally's custody. These range from a county judge to various assorted gun bearing cousins. McNally manages to keep the bunch away by planting a revolver firmly against Strauss's head. It anybody tries anything, McNally will pull the trigger. The journey to Texas takes several days and Strauss comes close several times to getting away on his own.
The journey ends with McNally delivering his prisoner to Austin Texas. A trial, followed by a long spell in a State Prison would appear to be in Strauss's immediate future.
This is an excellent little episode with decent talent in front and behind the camera. The director is Arnold Laven. Writer, producer and director, Laven produced series like, THE RIFLEMAN and THE BIG VALLEY. As a director he helmed, WITHOUT WARNING, VICE SQUAD, DOWN THREE DARK STREETS and THE RACK.
The story and screenplay are by Les Savage. His film work includes, THE HILLS OF UTAH, RETURN TO WARBOW and BLACK HORSE CANYON.
The look of the episode is top notch with 7 time Oscar nominated cinematographer, Russell Harlan at the controls. His films include, A WALK IN THE SUN, GUN CRAZY, RED RIVER, GUILTY BYSTANDER, THE THING, BIG SKY, THE LAST HUNT, RUN SILENT RUN DEEP, RRIO BRAVO, OPERATION PETTICOAT, THE GREAT RACE and TOBRUK. -
gordonl56 — 9 years ago(January 04, 2017 05:41 AM)
JOHNNY RINGO "Mrs. Ringo" 1960
JOHNNY RINGO was a western series that ran for 38 episodes during 1959-60. The series starred Don Durant as the title character with Karen Sharpe, Mark Goddard and Terence De Marney as series regulars. The series follows Durant, (Ringo) a former gunfighter who decides to go straight. He becomes the Sheriff in the small town of Velardi in the Arizona Territory. The series was one of several (Rifleman, Wanted Dead or Alive, Shotgun Slade etc) with a "gimmick gun". Durant carries a special LeMat revolver equipped with a shotgun barrel under the six gun barrel.
This episode is the 19th episode of the series.
This one starts with Sheriff Durant out of town for the afternoon taking a drunken rancher back home. The stage arrives in town and unloads a pretty looking woman, Mona Freeman. Miss Freeman calls on the Sheriff's office and asks for Durant. Deputy Mark Goddard asks if there is anything he can help with.
Goddard is floored when Freeman replies that she is here to take up with her "husband", Johnny Ringo (Durant). Goddard shows Freeman to the hotel and the woman moves right in to Durant's rooms. A couple of hours later Durant shows at the office. It is now the turn of Durant to get floored by the info he is hitched. Durant says it must be a gag of some sort. Karen Sharpe, who is stepping out with Durant does not take it as a gag.
Durant quickly beats the boots over to the hotel to get to the bottom of the deal. It turns out that Durant does indeed know Miss Freeman. Freeman was a dance hall girl back in Dodge City some years before. Freeman produces a marriage certificate and says the two are hitched. Durant has Goddard send off a telegram to Dodge City to prove that the marriage never happened.
Now another fly in the ointment appears. Gunman, Grant Richards shows up looking for Freeman. Richards has just finished a 7 year prison bit for a 20,000 dollar bank robbery. It also turns out that Richards and Freeman have been man and wife for years, even before Richards went to jail.
Richards is not in the least pleased with the news that Freeman had divorced him and hooked up with Durant. It also seems that the 20 large from the robbery was never recovered by the bank. It is now resting in a money belt Richards is wearing.
Needless to say, the whole thing is a ploy by Miss Freeman to have Richards killed by Sheriff Durant. Then she can lift the cash from Richards. Durant of course outdraws Richards and fatally wounds the man. Richards now figures out that Freeman has played him, and shoots the woman dead before he expires himself.
A much better episode than it might sound like. A couple of herrings of the red variety move the story along nicely. The look of the episode is quite sharp with veteran big screen cinematographer, Carl Guthrie in the director of photography chair. Guthrie was a film noir specialist with CRY WOLF, FLAXY MARTIN, BACKFIRE, CAGED, THIS SIDE OF THE LAW, UNDERCOVER GIRL, STORM WARNING, HELL BOUND and the superb, HIGHWAY 301 to his credit. -
Spikeopath — 9 years ago(January 06, 2017 06:03 AM)
Don't Wait Django Shoot!
Non aspettare Django, spara (1967)
Low, Low budgeted Django clone fails to ignite.
Django (Ivan Rassimov) returns to the family home to find his father has been robbed and murdered by bandits. Ignoring the advice and pleas of his sister Mary (played by Rassimov's real life sister Rada), Django sets off to town for revenge. But this is merely the beginning of things
There's enough enjoyment here for the very hardcore Spaghetti Western fan, but expectations levels really should be set at low. There's plenty of the standard Spag shootings, stand-offs and posturings, moody atmosphere and the music is pretty ace (Felice Di Stefano), but the structure of the pic is off.
Directed by Edoardo Mulargia and written by Vincenzo Musolino, the creators take a gamble by having the revenge aspect played out very early in the piece, the plot then thrusts a multitude of characters involved - in one way or another - in the search for the missing money taken when Django's pa was killed. The whole piece feels like a string of sequences stacked up against each other without a flowing sense of rhyme or reason. It doesn't help that this incarnation of Django is bland and it is in fact his side-kick Barrica (played by Ignazio Spalla) that engages more on the fun and entertainment front. The low budget shows on occasions (watch out for that deja vu feeling), whilst logic jumps and daftness are never far away.
Needlessly complex in telling and structure, pic is marginally saved by the action and some colourful characters, but really it is for those die-hard Spag fans only. 5/10
The
SpikeopathHospital Number
217 -
joscco — 9 years ago(January 09, 2017 11:48 AM)
So far, I've watched The Gunfighter, The Big Country, Hombre, Ride the High Country, and probably others I don't recall at the moment. I watch the Starz Western Channel a lot, so they tend to blend together. I'll try to keep better track of them for this thread.
"We all have it comin', Kid." Unforgiven (1992) -
joscco — 9 years ago(January 12, 2017 01:04 PM)
Hi, Spike. Yeah, I did. Hombre is one of my Top 50 movies, and The Big Country I've watched off and on since I was a kid growing up. The Gunfighter I discovered only a couple of years ago, and that was a rewatch. I hadn't ever seen Ride the High Country in its entirety and, as a big Peckinpah fan, it was fun to watch his second effort as a film director.
"We all have it comin', Kid." Unforgiven (1992)