Western DVD Round-up 3 - By Ray
Howdy partner. I've been watching a few Westerns lately, in fact, it's becoming somewhat of an obsession. I've seen about a dozen in the last two weeks, so forgive me if I am a little vague on some details in the upcoming reviews. The films are beginning to all blend into one: Mysterious Loner/Dishonoured Marshall hunts down the men who killed his family/or the pretty lady's family, along the way he learns the value of life again from a beautiful frontier woman (while killing everyone in sight) and settles down with her/or rides off into the mountains with a wound in his side.
Today I will be looking at 3:10 to Yuma, Shane, True Grit, Nevada Smith and The Quick and The Dead (HBO film starring Sam Elliot).
3:10 to Yuma (1957)
92 mins
Black and White - 16:9
Directed by Delmer Daves
Starring:
Glenn Ford as Ben Wade
Van Heflin as Dan Evans
Description from Amazon.com:
"Struggling rancher and family man Van Heflin sneaks captured outlaw Glenn Ford out from under the eyes of his gang and nervously awaits the prison train in this tight, taut Western in the High Noon tradition. Adapted from an Elmore Leonard story, this tense Western thriller is boiled down to its essential elements: a charming and cunning criminal, an initially reluctant hero whose courage and resolution hardens along the way, and a waiting game that pits them in a battle of wills and wits. Glenn Ford practically steals the film in one of his best performances ever: calm, cool, and confident, he's a ruthless killer with polite manners and an honorable streak. Director Delmer Daves (Broken Arrow) sets it all in a harsh, parched frontier of empty landscapes, deserted towns, and dust, creating a brittle quiet that threatens to snap into violence at any moment.--Sean Axmaker."
Ray's Opinion:
This was one of the few "classic" Westerns I've watched recently that I have truly enjoyed. As it states above, 3:10 to Yuma is a psychological Western (with very little action), similar to High Noon. Glenn Ford rules here as the manipulative and smarmy outlaw Ben Wade. Van Heflin's no-nonsense, I'm-doing-it-for-the-money "hero" is great too, I've never seen a hero quite like him (if you can even call him a hero). There is an air of unpredictability - I never knew where the film was heading and I was quite surprised by its direction in several places. 3:10 looks fantastic - the black and white widescreen image is crisp and vivid. This is a Western worth seeing, particularly if you like them a little different to the usual Western mould.
3:10 to Yuma - 9/10
Shane (1953)
118 mins
Colour - 4:3
Directed by George Stevens (Giant, A Place in the Sun)
Starring:
Alan Ladd as Shane
Jean Arthur as Marian Starrett
Van Heflin as Joe Starrett
Jack Palance as Jack Wilson
Description from Amazon.com:
"Consciously crafted by director George Stevens as a piece of American mythmaking, Shane is on nearly everyone's shortlist of great movie Westerns. A buckskin knight, Shane (Alan Ladd) rides into the middle of a range war between farmers and cattlemen, quickly siding with the "sod-busters." While helping a kindly farmer (Van Heflin), Shane falls platonically in love with the man's wife (Jean Arthur, in the last screen performance of a marvelous career). Though the showdowns are exciting, and the story simple but involving, what most people will remember about this movie is the friendship between the stoical Shane and the young son of the farmers. The kid is played by Brandon De Wilde, who gives one of the most amazing child performances in the movies; his parting scene with Shane is guaranteed to draw tears from even the most stonyhearted moviegoer. And speaking of stony hearts, Jack Palance made a sensational impression as the evil gunslinger sent to clean house--he has fewer lines of dialogue than he has lines in his magnificently craggy face, but he makes them count. The photography, highlighting the landscape near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, won an Oscar. --Robert Horton"
Ray's Opinion:
I couldn't agree less with critics and fans on this one. Shane is the most camp Western I have ever seen, with the gayest hero of all time. Perhaps this is the "archetypal" 50's Western... but who cares. Alan Ladd is a sissy who looks like he'd be more comfortable in tights doing an experimental dance production than carrying a six-shooter. The scene where Shane and Joe are removing a tree trunk together (Shane is topless and sweaty I might add) is fricken hilarious, the look they exchange at the end is priceless (they turn, look at each other and then break out the big grins... very, very funny). As for the kid who apparently "gives one of the most amazing child performances in the movies", I think my fiancee's reaction to first seeing him sums things up - he popped up from behind a bush and she laughed and said "He looks like a retard". Suffice to say Shane is not on the top of my favourite Westerns list. However, I will give it this, Jack Palance is cool as the quick-drawing hired gun and the final shoot-out redeems the film somewhat, but not nearly enough. Maybe if I had been a teenager in the 1950's I would have loved this film... but I'm not. I guess I like my Westerns with a dash more realism.
NOTE: I assume the film was actually shot widescreen, yet the DVD I saw was 4:3, which was a shame, as it's look was the best thing about it. I may have liked it more if I'd seen it as it was intended.
Shane - 5/10
True Grit (1969)
128 mins
Colour - 16:9
Directed by Henry Hathaway (5 Card Stud, Nevada Smith, North to Alaska)
Starring:
John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn
Glan Campbell as La Boeuf
Kim Darby as Mattie Ross
Robert Duvall as Ned Pepper
Description from DVD:
"The strangest trio ever to track a killer. A fearless, one-eyed U.S. marshal who never knew a dry day in his life... a Texas ranger thirsty for bounty money... and a girl still wet behind the ears who didn't care what they were or who they were as long as they had true grit."
Ray's Opinion:
I like John Wayne, though I'm no expert on the Duke (having only seen The Searchers, Rio Bravo, The Shootist, and bits of his other films). For me, a Western is only as good as it's hero and if he isn't interesting it will not hold my attention. The hero can be shrouded in mystery like the-man-with-no-name or made larger than life from tales of his past... or both. I knew I was in for a good ride as soon as John Wayne's character Rooster Cogburn was introduced, he commanded my attention immediately with his rough, yet charming ways. The film is primarily driven by the relationship he forms with a head-strong tom girl as he tracks her father's killer. I thought the girl was great and it was very funny seeing John Wayne attempting to assert authority over her and always being shot down. True Grit is an attractive film and the transfer on the DVD is of high quality. I can't put it into words - you just know when a Western has the right feel and True Grit is one of those Westerns.
NOTE: I watched the sequel Rooster Cogburn (made 6 years later) and was very disappointed. It looked dull and had a lagging pace. The "witty banter" between Wayne and Katharine Hepburn (who's Parkinson's disease I found quite distracting) felt forced. I only made it to the 30-min mark and it's not often I abandon a film. Thankfully Wayne's last film - The Shootist - is remarkably good.
True Grit - 8/10
Nevada Smith (1966)
128 mins
Colour - 16:9
Directed by Henry Hathaway (same director that did True Grit)
Starring:
Steve McQueen as Nevada Smith/Max Sand
Karl Madden as Tom Fitch
Brian Keith as Jonas Cord
Martin Landau as Jesse Coe
Plot Summary from Amazon.com:
"The Max Sand backstory in Harold Robbins's trashy The Carpetbaggers (an enjoyable wallow onscreen in 1964) made for a solid Western vehicle for Steve McQueen at his peak. Nevada Smith is a revenge movie, but closer in spirit to The Bravados than a Death Wish-style exercise in nihilism. Young Max, offspring of a white father and Indian mother, sets out to avenge their slaughter by three villains. His odyssey includes spiritual re-parenting at several stages, most notably by canny gun dealer Jonas Cord (a swell character part for Brian Keith). Since director Henry Hathaway and cameraman Lucien Ballard couldn't frame a bad shot if their lives depended on it, it's a relief that this movie is finally available in a widescreen format. --Richard T. Jameson"
Ray's Opinion:
I really wanted to like this film more. I enjoyed McQueen's transition from naive boy to tough cowboy and it is an attractively mounted film with a solid cast, but somehow, it never managed to involve me. For one, I found it bizarre hearing everyone refer to McQueen as son or boy, he was 35 years old when he made this and that's exactly how old he looks (hence the complete lack of close-ups on him). Also, it's difficult to buy McQueen acting naive, he simply has a world weary quality about him. Unlike some recent Westerns I've seen, the dialogue in Nevada Smith wasn't a highlight either. The best thing about this film is the physicality that McQueen brings to it, he was an incredibly agile man and it's clear that he performed all his own stunts. Nevada Smith is one of those films that you enjoy, yet it never fully holds your attention and you probably won't want to see it again.
NOTE: Steve McQueen returned to the Western genre with his second to last film Tom Horn. I reviewed it in my lastWestern Round-up.
Nevada Smith - 6/10
The Quick and the Dead (1987)
91 mins
Colour - 16:9
Directed by Robert Day
Starring:
Sam Elliot as Con Vallian
Tom Conti as Duncan McKaskel
Kate Capshaw as Susanna McKaskel
Description from Amazon.com:
"In 1876 Wyoming, the gun is the only law. And for Duncan and Susanna McKaskel (Tom Conti and Kate Capshaw), newly arrived settlers beset by outlaws, rugged frontiersman Con Vallian (Sam Elliott) is the only hope. From the book by famed Western author Louis L'Amour, THE QUICK AND THE DEAD is a rousing adventure. It shares tried-and-true ingredients of those sagebrush sagas: a tale of peaceable folk driven to action under the guidance of a mysterious stranger."
Ray's Opinion:
Firstly, no, this is not as good as Conagher - another TV Western based on a Louis L'Amour novel starring the ultra-cool Sam Elliot (which I reviewed in my last Western Round-up). I was surprised by how different Sam Elliot's hero character is to Conagher (though his first name is still Con - Louis L'Amour must have a real thing for that strange name). Con is not a reserved man and makes his feelings towards Kate Capshaw's character well known, regardless of her husbands discomfort. Con rides in and out of the McKaskel's life, giving them advice and helping keep them alive. However his help is not so welcomed by the Husband (played by the Ray Romano look-a-like Tom Conti). The father feels threatened by Con's advances towards his wife and he dislikes his son's admiration with this enigmatic stranger. Things progress as you'd expect, with the Father getting a chance to shine for his wife and son when Con is temporarily out of action - it's all very simple, but what makes it worth while is Sam Elliot. He crafts another cool hero here and if you're a fan then this is worth seeing, otherwise there is nothing particularly outstanding or original to see.
The Quick and the Dead - 8/10
In my next Round-up I will be taking a look at the recent Tom Selleck TV Westerns: Crossfire Trail and Monte Walsh. Also I will review two classic Henry Fonda Westerns: The Ox-Bow Incident and My Darling Clementine. By then I think I will well and truly need a rest from the west.
Today I will be looking at 3:10 to Yuma, Shane, True Grit, Nevada Smith and The Quick and The Dead (HBO film starring Sam Elliot).
3:10 to Yuma (1957)
92 mins
Black and White - 16:9
Directed by Delmer Daves
Starring:
Glenn Ford as Ben Wade
Van Heflin as Dan Evans
Description from Amazon.com:
"Struggling rancher and family man Van Heflin sneaks captured outlaw Glenn Ford out from under the eyes of his gang and nervously awaits the prison train in this tight, taut Western in the High Noon tradition. Adapted from an Elmore Leonard story, this tense Western thriller is boiled down to its essential elements: a charming and cunning criminal, an initially reluctant hero whose courage and resolution hardens along the way, and a waiting game that pits them in a battle of wills and wits. Glenn Ford practically steals the film in one of his best performances ever: calm, cool, and confident, he's a ruthless killer with polite manners and an honorable streak. Director Delmer Daves (Broken Arrow) sets it all in a harsh, parched frontier of empty landscapes, deserted towns, and dust, creating a brittle quiet that threatens to snap into violence at any moment.--Sean Axmaker."
Ray's Opinion:
This was one of the few "classic" Westerns I've watched recently that I have truly enjoyed. As it states above, 3:10 to Yuma is a psychological Western (with very little action), similar to High Noon. Glenn Ford rules here as the manipulative and smarmy outlaw Ben Wade. Van Heflin's no-nonsense, I'm-doing-it-for-the-money "hero" is great too, I've never seen a hero quite like him (if you can even call him a hero). There is an air of unpredictability - I never knew where the film was heading and I was quite surprised by its direction in several places. 3:10 looks fantastic - the black and white widescreen image is crisp and vivid. This is a Western worth seeing, particularly if you like them a little different to the usual Western mould.
3:10 to Yuma - 9/10
Shane (1953)
118 mins
Colour - 4:3
Directed by George Stevens (Giant, A Place in the Sun)
Starring:
Alan Ladd as Shane
Jean Arthur as Marian Starrett
Van Heflin as Joe Starrett
Jack Palance as Jack Wilson
Description from Amazon.com:
"Consciously crafted by director George Stevens as a piece of American mythmaking, Shane is on nearly everyone's shortlist of great movie Westerns. A buckskin knight, Shane (Alan Ladd) rides into the middle of a range war between farmers and cattlemen, quickly siding with the "sod-busters." While helping a kindly farmer (Van Heflin), Shane falls platonically in love with the man's wife (Jean Arthur, in the last screen performance of a marvelous career). Though the showdowns are exciting, and the story simple but involving, what most people will remember about this movie is the friendship between the stoical Shane and the young son of the farmers. The kid is played by Brandon De Wilde, who gives one of the most amazing child performances in the movies; his parting scene with Shane is guaranteed to draw tears from even the most stonyhearted moviegoer. And speaking of stony hearts, Jack Palance made a sensational impression as the evil gunslinger sent to clean house--he has fewer lines of dialogue than he has lines in his magnificently craggy face, but he makes them count. The photography, highlighting the landscape near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, won an Oscar. --Robert Horton"
Ray's Opinion:
I couldn't agree less with critics and fans on this one. Shane is the most camp Western I have ever seen, with the gayest hero of all time. Perhaps this is the "archetypal" 50's Western... but who cares. Alan Ladd is a sissy who looks like he'd be more comfortable in tights doing an experimental dance production than carrying a six-shooter. The scene where Shane and Joe are removing a tree trunk together (Shane is topless and sweaty I might add) is fricken hilarious, the look they exchange at the end is priceless (they turn, look at each other and then break out the big grins... very, very funny). As for the kid who apparently "gives one of the most amazing child performances in the movies", I think my fiancee's reaction to first seeing him sums things up - he popped up from behind a bush and she laughed and said "He looks like a retard". Suffice to say Shane is not on the top of my favourite Westerns list. However, I will give it this, Jack Palance is cool as the quick-drawing hired gun and the final shoot-out redeems the film somewhat, but not nearly enough. Maybe if I had been a teenager in the 1950's I would have loved this film... but I'm not. I guess I like my Westerns with a dash more realism.
NOTE: I assume the film was actually shot widescreen, yet the DVD I saw was 4:3, which was a shame, as it's look was the best thing about it. I may have liked it more if I'd seen it as it was intended.
Shane - 5/10
True Grit (1969)
128 mins
Colour - 16:9
Directed by Henry Hathaway (5 Card Stud, Nevada Smith, North to Alaska)
Starring:
John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn
Glan Campbell as La Boeuf
Kim Darby as Mattie Ross
Robert Duvall as Ned Pepper
Description from DVD:
"The strangest trio ever to track a killer. A fearless, one-eyed U.S. marshal who never knew a dry day in his life... a Texas ranger thirsty for bounty money... and a girl still wet behind the ears who didn't care what they were or who they were as long as they had true grit."
Ray's Opinion:
I like John Wayne, though I'm no expert on the Duke (having only seen The Searchers, Rio Bravo, The Shootist, and bits of his other films). For me, a Western is only as good as it's hero and if he isn't interesting it will not hold my attention. The hero can be shrouded in mystery like the-man-with-no-name or made larger than life from tales of his past... or both. I knew I was in for a good ride as soon as John Wayne's character Rooster Cogburn was introduced, he commanded my attention immediately with his rough, yet charming ways. The film is primarily driven by the relationship he forms with a head-strong tom girl as he tracks her father's killer. I thought the girl was great and it was very funny seeing John Wayne attempting to assert authority over her and always being shot down. True Grit is an attractive film and the transfer on the DVD is of high quality. I can't put it into words - you just know when a Western has the right feel and True Grit is one of those Westerns.
NOTE: I watched the sequel Rooster Cogburn (made 6 years later) and was very disappointed. It looked dull and had a lagging pace. The "witty banter" between Wayne and Katharine Hepburn (who's Parkinson's disease I found quite distracting) felt forced. I only made it to the 30-min mark and it's not often I abandon a film. Thankfully Wayne's last film - The Shootist - is remarkably good.
True Grit - 8/10
Nevada Smith (1966)
128 mins
Colour - 16:9
Directed by Henry Hathaway (same director that did True Grit)
Starring:
Steve McQueen as Nevada Smith/Max Sand
Karl Madden as Tom Fitch
Brian Keith as Jonas Cord
Martin Landau as Jesse Coe
Plot Summary from Amazon.com:
"The Max Sand backstory in Harold Robbins's trashy The Carpetbaggers (an enjoyable wallow onscreen in 1964) made for a solid Western vehicle for Steve McQueen at his peak. Nevada Smith is a revenge movie, but closer in spirit to The Bravados than a Death Wish-style exercise in nihilism. Young Max, offspring of a white father and Indian mother, sets out to avenge their slaughter by three villains. His odyssey includes spiritual re-parenting at several stages, most notably by canny gun dealer Jonas Cord (a swell character part for Brian Keith). Since director Henry Hathaway and cameraman Lucien Ballard couldn't frame a bad shot if their lives depended on it, it's a relief that this movie is finally available in a widescreen format. --Richard T. Jameson"
Ray's Opinion:
I really wanted to like this film more. I enjoyed McQueen's transition from naive boy to tough cowboy and it is an attractively mounted film with a solid cast, but somehow, it never managed to involve me. For one, I found it bizarre hearing everyone refer to McQueen as son or boy, he was 35 years old when he made this and that's exactly how old he looks (hence the complete lack of close-ups on him). Also, it's difficult to buy McQueen acting naive, he simply has a world weary quality about him. Unlike some recent Westerns I've seen, the dialogue in Nevada Smith wasn't a highlight either. The best thing about this film is the physicality that McQueen brings to it, he was an incredibly agile man and it's clear that he performed all his own stunts. Nevada Smith is one of those films that you enjoy, yet it never fully holds your attention and you probably won't want to see it again.
NOTE: Steve McQueen returned to the Western genre with his second to last film Tom Horn. I reviewed it in my last
Nevada Smith - 6/10
The Quick and the Dead (1987)
91 mins
Colour - 16:9
Directed by Robert Day
Starring:
Sam Elliot as Con Vallian
Tom Conti as Duncan McKaskel
Kate Capshaw as Susanna McKaskel
Description from Amazon.com:
"In 1876 Wyoming, the gun is the only law. And for Duncan and Susanna McKaskel (Tom Conti and Kate Capshaw), newly arrived settlers beset by outlaws, rugged frontiersman Con Vallian (Sam Elliott) is the only hope. From the book by famed Western author Louis L'Amour, THE QUICK AND THE DEAD is a rousing adventure. It shares tried-and-true ingredients of those sagebrush sagas: a tale of peaceable folk driven to action under the guidance of a mysterious stranger."
Ray's Opinion:
Firstly, no, this is not as good as Conagher - another TV Western based on a Louis L'Amour novel starring the ultra-cool Sam Elliot (which I reviewed in my last Western Round-up). I was surprised by how different Sam Elliot's hero character is to Conagher (though his first name is still Con - Louis L'Amour must have a real thing for that strange name). Con is not a reserved man and makes his feelings towards Kate Capshaw's character well known, regardless of her husbands discomfort. Con rides in and out of the McKaskel's life, giving them advice and helping keep them alive. However his help is not so welcomed by the Husband (played by the Ray Romano look-a-like Tom Conti). The father feels threatened by Con's advances towards his wife and he dislikes his son's admiration with this enigmatic stranger. Things progress as you'd expect, with the Father getting a chance to shine for his wife and son when Con is temporarily out of action - it's all very simple, but what makes it worth while is Sam Elliot. He crafts another cool hero here and if you're a fan then this is worth seeing, otherwise there is nothing particularly outstanding or original to see.
The Quick and the Dead - 8/10
In my next Round-up I will be taking a look at the recent Tom Selleck TV Westerns: Crossfire Trail and Monte Walsh. Also I will review two classic Henry Fonda Westerns: The Ox-Bow Incident and My Darling Clementine. By then I think I will well and truly need a rest from the west.
posted by Ray_Tango at 4:00 pm
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