Director Arthur Penn has passed away at 88. An important director in the early days of TV, in features, he will forever be known as the guy that did (one of my all-time favorite films) Bonnie And Clyde (1967). His New York Times obituary is here.
Western-wise, he also directed one of the most psychological of the psychological Westerns of the 50s, The Left Handed Gun (1958) — with Paul Newman Method-ing his way through the story of Billy The Kid, the “anti-Western” Little Big Man (1970, which I have to admit I never really cared for), and the whacked out, wonderful The Missouri Breaks (1976).
Here you’ll find a terrific interview from a couple years ago where Penn talks at length about making The Left Handed Gun.
Just watched “The Left-Handed Gun” tonight for the first time and thought it was excellent. Agree that “Little Big Man” is pretty mediocre. Feels very dated.
It’d be easy to pick Left-Handed Gun apart for all sorts of things — some over-the-top performances, the Billy-as-misunderstood-youth angle, etc.
But in spite of all that stuff, it works. In fact, some of those things are the reason I like it so much.
Be sure to read that interview I linked on the post. It’s really good. (Of course, you could wait and read what I lift from it for my book!)
There’s a kind of chaotic quality to Penn’s direction — like he’s not quite in control and is just throwing everything he can think of into the mix to see what happens. I think maybe one reason it works is because this ends up functioning as a kind of objective correlative to Billy’s chaotic and unpredictable (and yes, over the top!) emotions. There are several points in the film where this chaos transforms into the kind of visual ecstasy you can really see bear its fruit in Bonnie and Clyde.
You’re right. The word “chaotic” really works well. And his chaotic style really suits the material in both The Left-Handed Gun and Bonnie And Clyde. Other pictures, this style didn’t match what Penn was trying to do.
Even as a kid (I saw Bonnie And Clyde WAY too young), it was obvious that his footage didn’t always cut together in the typical way.
No mention of The Missouri Breaks? Penn doesn’t really tower as a Western director, but he was never shy about bringing character to the fore, even when it sloshed about a bit, and he had an eye. I love the odd peripheral figures in Penn’s movies–I can watch B&C just for Pollard and Dub Taylor.
After I posted that, I realized I’d left The Missouri Breaks out. Saw it when it came out (I was 12) and thought it was the stupidest thing I’d ever seen. Brando in that dress reminds me of Mr. Toad in Disney’s animated Wind In The Willows.
Now I love it.
You’re right — Penn definitely had a way with character actors.
To each his/her own….but it amazes me that there are fans who do not like LITTLE BIG MAN. It was done so very well, and has so much social comment it it I think it is a classic film and I agree with critic Leonard Maltin who gives it 4 of a possible 4 stars rating. But, of course, we all have different tastes.