Universal has a few 50s Westerns in their upcoming releases. These are good ones, folks — and they’re available now.
Gun For A Coward (1956) stars Fred MacMurray, Jeffrey Hunter and Chill Wills. It was directed by Abner Biberman in CinemaScope and Eastman Color. (Above is MacMurray and Wills chatting with Rock Hudson on the set.)
Quantez (1957) is MacMurray again, this time with Dorothy Malone (seen on the set, above), John Gavin and John Larch. Directed by Harry Keller, in CinemaScope and Eastman Color, this is one I’ve really been waiting for.
Van Heflin is one of my favorite actors, and in Tomahawk (1951), he’s paired with Yvonne De Carlo. They’re joined by Alex Nicol, Preston Foster, Jack Oakie, Susan Cabot and Rock Hudson. Directed by George Sherman in Technicolor. Tomahawk was shot in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Next time I’m in Raleigh, I know whose place I’m inviting myself over to for some screenings!
While MacMurray said he didn’t feel completely at ease on a horse, I think he always brought his best acting chops to his western roles. He strikes me as the sort of actor who could do nothing less.
Some great actors in each film.
MacMurray has always brought
good drama to each role he’s
appeared in.
Let me know when this is released.
Mr. Jim
Amazon Vine Reviewer
These titles are available through Amazon now.
Oooh, TOMAHAWK just went on my “short list” to buy! Two of my faves.
Thanks for the info!
Best wishes,
Laura
Very quickly just want to say that knowing all three films, I highly recommend all three. Each of these is my top 10 Westerns for their year (two from 1957) and as Toby will be the first to tell you the top 10 of the genre in any year in the 50s will all be outstanding–generally one would have to make a longer list to credit everything especially worthwhile.
I know when Fred MacMurray Westerns came up recently I put in for these titles, not knowing they were coming out like this, and the letterboxing is important for these two. I especially like QUANTEZ, a haunting movie almost entirely set one night in a ghost town with a small group of characters, and a brilliantly staged and filmed burst of action at sunrise–MacMurray plays an especially interesting and mysterious character for whom the story is an existential parable and
a memorable one. GUN FOR A COWARD is a very different kind of film about a ranching family and the troubles of the more sensitive brother, the title character (Jeffrey Hunter)–by this point, Westerns became tremendously insightful and profound about masculinity, as for example, the Ranown cycle directed by Budd Boetticher.
The directors of these two films, Harry Keller (QUANTEZ) and Abner Biberman (GUN FOR A COWARD) are not first rank but they are both at least modestly talented and at their very best in these two films. By contrast, George Sherman (TOMAHAWK) is for me one of the great Western directors and perhaps the most consistent in his pro-Indian attitudes which carry on from the early 50s pro-Indian cycle involving broader historical events, like this film, and on to the “prejudice” films later in the decade, like REPRISAL! He is still underrated for his visual style and dramatic sense as well and this very beautiful film supports those things.
The main reason I want to shout out my support for getting these for those who can handle the cost is that through the whole decade to which this blog is devoted, Universal-International Westerns are a treasure trove and if those who like these movies show enough tangible interest, hopefully they will really unlock the chest of treasures and let out a lot more.
How refreshing to know that someone else appreciates the talent of
George Sherman.I feel that he is the most underrated of Western
directors.As Blake L notes his pro Native American attitudes that run
throughout his work are most refreshing for the era.
REPRISAL! sure needs a DVD release.
One of Shermans best Universal Westerns of the Fifties was DAWN AT
SOCORRO with a dynamite cast and full of tension.
The most overlooked Universal Western ever is Harmon Jones
wonderful A DAY OF FURY which in its way pre-figures both NO NAME
ON THE BULLET and HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER.
Strongly adult; (very) dark humoured and at times incredibly Noirish
this film deserves to be far more well known than it is.
I would feel like I had won the lottery if Universal Vault released this one!
Re DAY OF FURY, striking gold to me would be a Jock Mahoney box (this was his first for the studio–he is the good guy though the protagonist is really bad guy Dale Robertson, a favorite of Harmon Jones). George Sherman’s masterpiece for me is THE LAST OF THE FAST GUNS (1958), beautifully filmed in Mexico, with Mahoney, Gilbert Roland and Linda Cristal. And there are also Richard Bartlett’s wonderful JOE DAKOTA and MONEY, WOMEN AND GUNS with Mahoney, not to mention SLIM CARTER, in which Mahoney plays a cowboy star who is afraid to do his own stunts(!). The two GUNS movies need letterboxing and can’t be recommended for pan and scan if they show up on the Western channel, as the Bartlett has already.
I agree about the beautiful DAWN AT SOCORRO among other Sherman movies, and agree that Sherman is the most underrated of great Western directors. The one other who might compare for me is Hugo Fregonese, but it’s never been hard to find aficionados who value him so even if he’s still neglected it’s not quite so much. John Knight, you should know that no less than Dave Kehr agrees that Sherman is a major director. I really took heart in what had felt like a lonely personal view when I found this out. So that makes at least three of us and I’m betting there are others.
Forget to mention Charles Haas’ SHOWDOWN AT ABILENE as another excellent one with Jock Mahoney. Mahoney means a lot to me because I believe he did establish himself successfully as a mid-level/B to programmer star for Westerns in the late 50s, and the last actor to do this. But then after the 50s ended, this kind of film pretty much stopped being made, Audie Murphy the only star to survive into the 60s in this niche. Too bad for Mahoney, but he had his moment anyway.
A Jock Mahoney Western Collection would be too much to hope for;
but if the three just released Vault Westerns get enough takers then
Universal might get around to issuing individual titles!
I am very saddened that not one of Mahoneys great Universal Westerns
are available anywhere in the World on DVD.
Working with Dale Robertson seemed to raise director Harmon Jones
game somewhat;THE SILVER WHIP is also excellent;starts off as a shoot
em up then develops into something much darker!
CITY OF BAD MEN is worth a look too.
Jones work varies in quality;CANYON RIVER and BULLWHIP are very
flat.He is best known for the 3D horror GORILLA AT LARGE.
His version of “The sea Wolf” WOLF LARSEN (Allied Artists 1958)
is very highly regarded but rarely seen.His Korean War film for Warners
TARGET ZERO is also said to be pretty good;a fantastic cast anyway.
I hope that Warner Archive will get around to these two someday.
Watched DAWN AT SOCORRO again last night;it kinda reminds me
of a couple of De Toth films (RAMROD;MAN IN THE SADDLE) where
the viewer feels they have walked in half-way through the film.
There is so much going on at the start of the film its amazing.
George Sherman also directed my favourite Audie Murphy Western
the very underrated HELL BENT FOR LEATHER.
I totally agree about Hugo Fregonese;SADDLE TRAMP is far and
away the best of the six Westerns Joel McCrea made for Universal.
The striking UNTAMED FRONTIER is also excellent.
I am waiting for MGM/UA to release his very highly regarded Noir
BLACK TUESDAY.
Actually Universal could do a great Shelley Winters collection
to include UNTAMED FRONTIER,FRENCHIE and George Shermans
wonderful Noir LARCENY.
Really appreciate all the knowledgeable comments here about these relatively little-known films which star some favorite actors. I’m taking notes for future acquisitions and/or viewing!
Was especially happy to see the praise for SADDLE TRAMP as that was a real favorite of mine growing up. I doubt I’ve seen it since 1980 and I was very happy to record it last weekend from Encore Westerns. Now I just need time to watch it!
Anyway, just wanted you all to know how much everyone’s input is appreciated. Thanks for hosting such great discussions, Toby!
Best wishes,
Laura
The other great Hugo Fregonese Western I forgot to mention above
is of course APACHE DRUMS.
The French label Sidonis are going to release it in September and
while their transfers are normally top-notch they do have those darned
“forced” French subtitles on the English language version.
They are however a good source for obscure Universal Westerns.
Back to Harmon Jones has anyone seen PRINCESS OF THE NILE (1953)
a 72 minute historical epic in Technicolor with a once in a lifetime cast!
Debra Paget,Jeffrey Hunter,Michael Rennie,Dona Drake,Michael Ansara,
Jack Elam and Lee Van Cleef! I would sure like to see that one.
Watched GUN FOR A COWARD a few nights ago. Enjoyed it a lot, except had trouble accepting Josephine Hutchinson as MacMurray’s “mother” instead of his wife. It would have played just as well that way and would have eliminated my gasp when the audience was told Fred was her “son.”
Fred MacMurray is one of my favorite Western actors, they are in this order: John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, & FRED MacMurray. I’d watch any western with these guys. I would like to see the 3D version of “Moonlighter” with Fred & Barbara Stanwyk, that’d be interesting. “Smoky” with Fred & Burl Ives is not only enjoyable but quite interesting too, it was Burl’s first movie, “the wandering troubador” I believe he called himself. “At Gunpoint” is one of my very favorite Fred movies, good color, buildup to a “High Noon” type showdown. Here’s something, in the first version of this movie that I owned, after the long build up to the showdown, the movie had a sudden cut at the most important point. Just as the bad guys are riding down the street to face Fred, the film cuts and suddenly Fred’s shot, bad guys are happy, then town’s folk do their part. Now I can’t believe after building up to this point, they would not actually show Fred drawing! I couldn’t believe I didn’t get to see Fred finally draw. I got another print and that one did have Fred draw but he did get shot. I guess Fred wasn’t exactly Palladin in this move, but I liked it till the sort of disappointing end. Every one of Fred’s westerns is a joy to watch and always worthwhile. I love ‘em all.
I’m watching Quantez tonight. Can’t wait.
Saw Quantez last year sometime when I transferred my tape of it to DVD. Now I’m so glad to have also gotten the MOD DVD from Universal Vault. I would really like it if “Face of A Fugitive” would come out on either commercial or MOD DVD.