There’s a list of upcoming stuff from Universal sitting on a Blu-ray forum thing somewhere, and it’s got all sorts of upcoming stuff listed for 2012 as Universal celebrates its 100th year.
While the very idea of a Blu-ray of Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948) makes me all tingly inside, a little something called The Joel McCrea Universal Westerns Collection really makes my day. I’m guessing this set will include Saddle Tramp (1950), Cattle Drive (1951), Frenchie (1951), The Lone Hand (1953), Border River (1954) and Black Horse Canyon (1954). It’s due in April.*
How many of us on this blog have moaned and groaned about the lack of these things? The above photo is McCrea and the wonderful Marie Windsor in Frenchie; bottom photo is from, well, you can read.
* A very good friend, Dick Vincent, hipped me to this terrific news. He’s at home with a broken ankle watching movies and trolling the Internet. Get well and thanks for the scoop.
Wow wow wow!!!!!
That is all. (grin)
Best wishes,
Laura
Any idea how reliable this is? Because for most of this century seeing the terms “Universal” and “DVD” in the same sentence was usually cause for guffaws.
The quality of Joels Universal Westerns is very high indeed with
“Saddle Tramp” and “The Lone Hand” being outstanding IMO.
The catfight between Shelly Winters and Marie Windsor in “Frenchie” is
certainly a highlight.According to an interview with Windsor both actresses
were offered stunt doubles but both refused and really “went for it.” The scene
took a day and a half to film!
This news to me is like Christmas,Birthday and a Lottery Win combined.
Joel McCrea is my all-time favourite actor and I am delighted that Universal
are going to release this wonderful collection.
Fantastic News! BUT, is this only available in Blue Ray?? I sure hope not, I don’t use blue rays. I may be forced to go to Wal mart and get one of their cheapie blue ray players just for this Joel McCrea set alone. Also, aside from is this only on blue ray, my usual question, when & where is this available? Amazon? When?
The information is on the Criterion Collection forum but it looks like the McCrea westerns will be MOD (manufactured-on-demand), not blu-ray, which (sadly) makes a lot more sense to me.
However, Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein and Buck Privates are scheduled for blu-ray, according to baguette’s post of December 2. The famous Universal monster movies are also scheduled for blu-ray release next October. (‘Bout time!)
http://criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=367024
Oh, thank goodness, now I don’t have to buy a Blue ray player. Looks like it will be April when the Joel McCrea set comes out. Though exactly where you go to buy it is anyone’s guess. My hope is it’ll be on Amazon, but who knows how Universal is releasing their MOD’s, they seem to be very secretive about their releases and how to buy them. My question, why do they bother if they give them no publicity or no information about how to buy? Are they trying to fail so they have an excuse to stop producing MODs, claiming no one is buying, when in fact they don’t give out the information on how to buy or what it is they’re releasing, so seems Universal has a pre-destined plan to fail for their MOD sets.
Yep! the info I have seen on both Criterion and the Home Theatre
Forum seems to point that they are going to be MODs.
No info yet if its going to be individual titles or a set.
Apart from the 6 films Toby mentioned Universal also have the rights
to WELLS FARGO (Paramount 1937) and then there is always
MUSTANG COUNTRY (1976)
I do hope this gets plenty of takers then we might see the Rory
Calhoun and Jock Mahoney Western Collections.
As I mentioned elsewhere Sidonis in France are going to release
LAST OF THE FAST GUNS next year as a World exclusive (excluding
the USA) This is the first of Jocks very fine Universal Westerns to
appear anywhere in DVDland. They are also going to release the
striking UNTAMED FRONTIER.
Looks like 2012 is going to be quite a year for Universal Western freaks!
Do I hear a choir of angels singing “Hallejulah”? Yes, I do.
I’m glad to see this is still current so I can join in the joy.
Could the floodgates of Universal really open for all the fans out here waiting for DVDs from their library? It’s starting to seem like it could really happen. That’s something I’ve dreamed off and am obviously not alone.
The McCrea collection is certainly long overdue–still haen’t caught either WELLS FARGO or MUSTANG COUNTRY so I’m referring to the 6 U-I movies from the 50s. I think John Knight has it right about about SADDLE TRAMP and THE LONE HAND being the best but no McCrea fan and probably no 50s Western fan would want to miss any of these. It happens the Western Channel has shown them all this year and I picked up 5 of the 6 (need to get BLACK HORSE CANYON but I’m sure it will show up again) and have already reseen three of them and finally caught up with FRENCHIE for the first time. A movie like CATTLE DRIVE–really an ingenious Western reworking of CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS–is just beautifully produced and very appealing, and the color transfers I’ve seen have been the best I’ve seen these movies looking in many years.
It happens I just watched SADDLE TRAMP a week ago, the most special of all the films and McCrea is at his peak in the title role. I know I’ve written before here that Hugo Fregonese is still a sadly underrated director. He was very gifted–and someone doesn’t need to make a showy movie (this one isn’t) in order for us to know that. SADDLE TRAMP may seem so modest and easygoing (in key with Joel’s character so its style is very becoming) that it would seem to burden it to see it is at least arguably a masterpiece. So I won’t make that claim. But as someone who has actually written a few glowing lines on its behalf in a published piece (specifically in relation to the ending), I have to ask if there is actually a more quietly piercing epiphany than provided here on that wandering/settling theme that has played out with such artistic expressiveness in so many works, not only Westerns though they’ve done especially welll with it.
By the way, guessing that Universal has rights to remake of THE VIRGINIAN with McCrea made by Paramount in 1946, because they hold all sound Paramount up to 1949 I believe. Even though it’s a pretty close copy of the early sound film directed by Victor Fleming, I actually prefer this version directed by the unheralded Stuart Gilmore, who was, I believe, mainly a film editor. McCrea may be part of the reason–he was just starting his postwar focus on Westerns with this and perfect for the role. Though Gary Cooper, who had played the part when very young, is certainly great, too, his best roles in Westerns came when he had matured and was more weathered–I’m sure I don’t need to say those titles at 50 Westerns from the 50s.
The Virginian is already available from the Amazon exclusive Universal Vault
Series MOD program.
Indeed it is.
The Virginian (Universal Vault Series)
Blake, I shouldn’t be surprised to learn that you also love SADDLE TRAMP. This was regularly shown on TV when I was growing up and I fell in love with the movie and McCrea, an interest which was cemented when I saw THE MORE THE MERRIER. I haven’t seen it in years and was thrilled when it recently turned up on the Encore Westerns Channel; I recorded it but still need to watch it! If it comes out from Universal I’ll be thrilled to buy a copy which will be free of the Encore Westerns logo.
Best wishes,
Laura
Sadly the Koch imprint in Germany are not releasing any more
Universal Westerns in their very fine series.Sadly the gentleman
who gave this series the geen light has now moved companies.
The torch has now been picked up by Sidonis in France and they
seem to be requesting specific titles as “exclusives.”
Also they are now remastering their Universal titles. If you can
live with the “forced” subtitles (or have the tech know-how to
get rid of the darn things) this series is highly recommended.
I have just viewed their version of “APACHE DRUMS” and its an
absolute stunner!The transfer is nothing short of magnificent.
What an underrated director Hugo Fregonese was;this guy really
should have made more Westerns.In 2012 Sidonis are releasing
the excellent UNTAMED FRONTIER.I also received SEVEN WAYS
FROM SUNDOWN from Sidonis again a lovely transfer.
Film is one of Audies best. Him and Barry Sullivan make a great
team.Both DVDs feature several trailers and “SUNDOWN” also
has a lovely little featurette about the Brigham Young premier
in Salt Lake City.Pegasus in the UK are also releasing lots of
Universal Westerns and they tell me this series has been a huge
hit with DVD fans.I am told that their version of SMOKE SIGNAL
is superior to the Spanish version and is in widescreen too!
By the way Blake,I am sure that you will enjoy BLACK HORSE
CANYON when you finally catch up with it. George Robinson
who was a prime mover on the look of classic Universal horror
and their Sherlock Holmes series; was no slouch when it came to
the great outdoors. His sweeping photography is indeed a joy
to behold.Speaking of BLACK HORSE CANYON whatever became
of Race Gentry? Blake we seem to be forming a Hugo Fregonese
appreciation society;I am all for it;have you seen his higly regarded
Noir BLACK TUESDAY;I would love to see that one.
What an enjoyable thread, all my favorite subjects and wonderfully informative.
John, I have seen BLACK HORSE CANYON–just haven’t recorded it to see again yet. I’m actually complete on Universal-International Westerns now–It took years but FRENCHIE was the last one and saw it last year. That said, I’ve seen some only in really pale copies and with cuts in a few cases on those TV versions, so hope for further chances. I’m grateful that from a certain point in the 50s (probably late 1956), I saw them all in theatres.
I agree that SEVEN WAYS FROM SUNDOWN was an especially good Audie Murphy Western of that period, mostly because Barry Sullivan was a notably interesting and charming villian, giving a tragic feel to the end because of the affection of Murphy’s character for him. I was interested to learn later that George Sherman had started the film and done the exteriors but got into some kind of conflict with Murphy; Harry Keller took over and did most of it and knowing both directors, I’d say to good effect and made it his own. I say that despite my great esteem for Sherman (but Keller was no slouch in the genre and made other good films too, like THE UNGUARDED MOMENT).
I really appreciate hearing about the Sidonis releases. I’m not keen for forced subtitles, so don’t know whether to wait or not. Anything you can share on these as they come along will be appreciated. Speaking of George Sherman, I’ve probably said before here that THE LAST OF THE FAST GUNS is for me the single most underrated of all Western masterpieces and I’m glad someone has discovered it for a real DVD release.
I believe we are not alone in the Fregonese appreciation society–I know others who know his work who feel the same way. He is respected by our host on this blog if I’m not mistaken. And yes, I do know BLACK TUESDAY–have seen a number of times, and it’s powerfully done. I rarely have not liked his films, even if half a dozen (especially THE RAID) are especially good. I GIROVAGHI is the only one of his 50s movies I haven’t seen yet and I hear it’s around now, so keeping the faith that I will. One of these days someone will give him a good critical study–at least I hope so.
Man, y’all are really going to town on this stuff I love it, and since work is demanding quite a bit of my time, I’m enjoying sitting back and taking it all in.
It’s interesting to me that these McCrea Universals were one of the first chapters I actually starting working on when I began this book. And it’s odd to see that I’ve posted relatively little about them. There are some interesting news articles where Fregonese talks about wanting to avoid all the usual Western cliches. Maybe that attitude is one of the things that makes Saddle Tramp so fresh.
I’ve seen relatively little of Fregonese’s work. The Raid is a really good one and I’ve always liked Man In The Attic. Been a LONG time since I’ve seen Black Tuesday. Is that available anywhere?
When I was trying to collect all Joel McCrea westerns (I had found Frenchie) but the one I had the hardest time finding was Cattle Drive. The others I had either recorded myself or bought or traded for them. Thought I’d never find Cattle Drive till one day it showed up in one of my searches. I was very happy. Still don’t have Wells Fargo, I think I had the chance to get it but because it was so old I didn’t want it. Now, I’d like it.
Now with the good talk about Last of The Fast Guns, I’m going to have to watch this one first thing after the Christmas holidays. (Christmas time, I only watch Christmas related movies since this is the only month of the year that’s perfect.)
The place to go to for B-westerns is Comet Video, http://www.cometwesterns.com/
They have an extensive catalog and I’ve pretty much been able to find there whatever I wanted.
Their Joel McCrea titles are:
BUFFALO BILL 90m (c)
CATTLE DRIVE 77m (c)
CATTLE EMPIRE 83m (c)
COLORADO TERRITORY 94m (b/w)
FIRST TEXAN, THE 82m
FORT MASSACRE 81m (c)
FOUR FACES WEST 90m
GUNFIGHT AT DODGE CITY, THE 81m (c)
LONE HAND, THE 79m (c)
OKLAHOMAN, THE 80m (c)
OUTRIDERS, THE 93m (c)
RAMROD 94m
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY 93mw/ Randolph Scott (c)
29
SOUTH OF ST. LOUIS 90m (c)
STARS IN MY CROWN 89m
TALL STRANGER, THE 82m (c)
TROOPER HOOK 81m
VIRGINIAN, THE 86m (c)
WELLS FARGO 96m
WICHITA 81m (c)
My advice: do not send an e-mail. Call in your order. They’re bad on answering e-mails, but they are really good on picking up the phone when it rings.
The folks at Comet are great. Tommy is one of the organizers of the Western Film Fair here in North Carolina each year.
Their catalog has played a big part in my book research. The quality is always quite good.
Re APACHE DRUMS before the lovely Sidonis version showed up
the only version I had seen was in the early Sixties in a London Flea-Pit.
The print looked like it had been round every bug-hutch in England!
The version shown on UK TV is a real hatchet job.
Now revisiting the film I feel that it stands up very well against other
masterworks of the era namely WAGONMASTER,THE GUNFIGHTER
and RAWHIDE. At times it looks like the greatest Western John Ford
never made;perhaps Arthur Shields has something to do with this!
How many other Westerns have you seen where the great James
Griffith is the heroic leader of a troop platoon!
Re Audie Murphy/George Sherman.
In the fantastic Murphy Biography “No Name on the Bullet” Don Graham
goes into great detail about the conflict between Murphy & Sherman
but does not name the film.I always assumed it was the excellent HELL
BENT FOR LEATHER. There was a beef between the two of them about
how a certain scene should be shot and ended with Murphy saying that
he was going to kill Sherman.Considering Audies War record Sherman
was naturally quiet shaken up.
With the Joel Universal Collection whatever it may include plus LAST OF
THE FAST GUNS and UNTAMED FRONTIER from Sidonis 2012 is already
shaping up to be quiet a year!
My memory from the “No Name on the Bullet” biography was that Sherman had completed HELL BENT FOR LEATHER with Murphy without incident, and then gone on to start SEVEN WAYS FROM SUNDOWN, doing the exteriors before the incident Graham discussed. Sherman left and credited Keller took over–I may not remember this exactly right but it makes sense. I know I enjoyed this part of the boook because Graham was able to interview Gordon Kay, an excellent producer and perhaps the only one able to sustain this level of classy B Western in the 60s, all the way to 1966, who plainly took pride in the level of his Murphy films. He plainly wanted the best directors he could get for these, and makes sense he started with Sherman. When he turned to Keller (who also did SIX BLACK HORSES), it was to an old colleague–the two had worked together and both Westerns and non-Westerns in the 50s. Curiously, though, my favorite of the seven Murphys (though SEVEN WAYS is close second) was directed by novice Herbert Coleman, Alfred Hitchcock’s associate producer at the time (only credited as director on two films, both with Murphy–the other is BATTLE AT BLOODY BEACH for Fox); I always wondered how this happened, unless AH himself had some clout to help Coleman get that opportunity, which would make sense. In any event, Coleman did remarkably well.
Sorry not to say the title of the Coleman/Murphy–it’s POSSE FROM HELL.
(and sorry not to catch those couple of typos–”the two had worked together on both Westerns and non-Westerns in the 50s.”
Toby has written well here on Keller/Kay QUANTEZ which I like especially well, after its recent DVD release–and there was good discussion of it then I’m pretty sure the two men knew each other back in Republic days, but in any event came to Universal together, with THE UNGUARDED MOMENT as their first credit there.
POSSE FROM HELL is,for me a low point in Audies Westerns.
What sinked the film for me was that fine actress Zohra Lampert is
gang-raped by Vic Morrows outlaws.The episode is thankfully shown
off-screen but described in graphic detail.Worse still Lampert becomes
a social outcast and does not even get to ride off with the hero.
Their final scene together is very badly judged with Audie telling Zora
that she will learn to live with it…………..repulsive!
The makers were trying to make a more “adult” Murphy Western but
serve up a total dud.Sorry Blake!
Blake,how do you rate HELL BENT FOR LEATHER,I think that it
towers over the other Audie Murphy/Gordon Kay Westerns some of
which were pretty darn good.I also feel that at that stage in his career
Murphy needed George Sherman far more than Sherman needed
him.Some of those Gordon Kay things are quiet interesting including
the notorious “kinky” Western HE RIDES TALL.It was given an X
certificate in the UK and supported “Dr Terrors House of Horrors” now
theres a double bill! Its companion piece TAGGART also starring
Tony Young and Dan Duryea has just been released by Universal
in France in a decent scope print with “remmovable” subtitles.
(Sidonis are you listening!)Not a great film but interesting; with stock
footage lifted from WAR ARROW.
One things for sure we all love those Universal Westerns so please
keep them coming!
I’m gonna have to get that Taggart because a very young David Carradine has a small role in it.
(He’s another favorite of mine.) 
John, I like HELL BENT FOR LEATHER but not as much as many other Shermans. I like the structure, kind of WINCHESTER ’73 like–Robert Middleton’s late, brief appearance stands out. I haven’t seen this in ‘Scope since 1960 so am keen for the opportunity.
My favorites of the Kays are the ones I said and plainly we disagree about POSSE FROM HELL. Yes, Zohra Lampert’s character is raped off screen by the bad guys. Why does that make it a bad film? It just makes them bad guys. The important thing in the film is that Murphy’s very bitter character softens and is humanized and finds a place in life in the course of the film, partly through interaction with John Saxon’s tenderfoot and partly in belated interaction with Lampert. Very daringly, a full ten minutes elapse after the final action in which Murphy finishes Morrow in the last shootout–no action, just a careful and reflective final act in which we see the internal change in Murphy. I love the final scene (in a graveyard as I recall it) with Murphy and Lampert–it’s clear to me they will be together as a couple, he the once alienated but now spiritually recovered hero and she the raped but emotionally recovering heroine.
Really as Zohra Lampert films go, it would have made a good co-feature with SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS, my favorite movie of that same year–1961.
***
Otherwise, of the seven Kay/Murphys, I like them all pretty well though the opening of the final one GUNPOINT practically drowns in stock footage and a terrible narration before becoming good after that. Audie Murphy was always an excellent actor to me, and I notice that Colin gave him points for it in a NO NAME ON THE BULLET piece at Riding the High Country, which I much appreciated reading. I wouldn’t say the 60s Murphys that Kay (or anyone else) produced are necessarily quite as good as 1959′s NO NAME ON THE BULLET and THE WILD AND THE INNOCENT, which are both absolutely superb. But POSSE FROM HELL and SEVEN WAYS FROM SUNDOWN, made as this level of Western waned in the 60s (later it’s A.C. Lyles, don’t forget) come pretty close to them for me.
Otherwise, Gordon Kay did try to launch Tony Young in those two movies as a Western star on Murphy’s level but plainly it just didn’t work, though I thought Young was fine. It was wise to put Dan Duryea in as the villain in both films. I’ve only seen each of them once and have them DVR now to see again, so will probably have more of an opinion of them when I see them again.
To me, there’s a weirdness to these 60s Murphy Universals. Maybe they try to do too many things, like being adult without giving up the 50s Western tone that had served so well.
This isn’t to say they don’t have their merits or that I don’t like them, or that Murphy isn’t quite good. It just makes for a bit of a schizophrenic viewing experience, not entirely succeeding in either “personality.”
Blake,
If you can track it down the German Koch DVD of HELL BENT FOR
LEATHER is magnificent;a glorious scope digital remaster.Film has
a real “Boetticher” feel to it with its stunning Lone Pine locations.
As I have said many times before on this blog its far and away my
favourite Audie Western.Jan Merlin is chilling as a pyscho gunslinger
one of the nastiest bad guys Audie ever faced.
The rape in POSSE FROM HELL was I feel something just thrown in
by the producers to make the film more in line with Westerns being more
and more violent at the time.The final graveyard scene to me is badly
handled and Murphy,understandably looks very ill at ease playing it.
I got the impression the relationship with Zorha Lampert ends there.
Rape,of course features in films like THE BRAVADOS and LAST TRAIN
FROM GUN HILL but is used as a device to drive the main characters
on their revenge quest.In the powerful LAST TRAIN there is also a strong
racial element and the film is all the more powerful because of Earl
Hollimans performance as the weakling son of Anthony Quinn.
I have no doubt that POSSE FROM HELL would have been a far,far
better film had George Sherman directed.From the evidence shown by
POSSE FROM HELL its obvious why Herbert Coleman did little else as
a director.Its a nasty little mean spirited Western;for a good mean
spirited Universal Western try the outstanding A DAY OF FURY.
At the end of the day Blake,you like the film and I dont;but hey what a
boring World it would be if we all liked the same stuff!
Nice that this thread has now gone over the 30 mark!
John, how many places do you think HELL BENT FOR LEATHER and POSSE FROM HELL are even discussed? That’s what counts!
Yes, I was going to mention the rapes in those other films you mention, and a few others too, like MAN OF THE WEST. None of these directors shows the remotest enjoyment of the idea of rape–they are mature men and these are dramatic works where the rapes help motivate the action. I watched LAST TRAIN again very recently–it is especially good, the racial element adding an extra dimension and there is already a lot of complexity in so many of its elements. In THE BRAVADOS, don’t forget that it’s not only the rape and killing of the hero’s wife before the film’s action begins, but Stephen Boyd in the course of the film rapes that girl they’ve kidnapped–and though off screen it’s pretty vivid, but given the later revelations in the narrative, I think this was important, and King remained tasteful though dramatically powerful. King was very religious of course, and it’s always evident in his films.
Can I make a case for Coleman next to Mann, King, Sturges, Sherman and directors like that? Of course not–he barely exists as a director. But I like the way he directed POSSE FROM HELL, and we do disagree about the end of the film in the graveyard. I have a sense of Murphy and Lambert as a couple, meaning on the way to being one. They both are overcoming their wounds. He would not reject her because she has been raped. It’s kind of like what Randolph Scott says to Nancy Gates in COMANCHE STATION when she asks how he’d feel about his own wife after he found her living with the Indians.
And speaking of which, isn’t Lone Pine a constant location in the Kay/Murphys?
That’s my memory of them and I think Kay talked about this.
I’ve always thought Last Train From Gun Hill treated the rape sequence very well. From the crash of the buggy to Douglas finding his wife, it’s very intense and certainly uncomfortable.
The Bravados seems to go the Hitchcock route by letting us create those events for ourselves. King did a masterful job of tastefully presenting the untasteful.
Then there’s Man Of The West, a picture that makes me want to shower each time I see it. I’m not sure what makes it so impactful for me — I’m guessing the direction. Even the editing is uncomfortable, with takes going on longer than seems necessary. An incredible film.
I’m really curious to see those Murphy films again to compare and contrast y’all’s opinions.
Hey, John Knight – it occurred to me that after your statement that HELL BENT FOR LEATHER is far and away your favorite Audie Murphy Western, I wanted share my own thoughts on this.
For his best, much as I like the 60s Universals overall (and some of the others OK though not as much), I’d go back to the 50s. I would probably say my favorite now is WALK THE PROUD LAND. Very few people would choose this I know–but it’s an unusual Western, with relatively little action though completely satisfying within the genre even so. Murphy plays a quietly heroic character based on a real person–I maybe normally give the edge to some of Murphy’s darker roles but he does both sides well and is almost invariably very good and sometimes a lot more than that. This came along at a very strong point in the Indian cycle (go down a list of 1956 Westerns and you’ll see this is evident). Wish it would get a letterboxed DVD release.
Most Murphy fans will now say NO NAME ON THE BULLET is his best–the darker Murphy and this would be among my top ones too, as well as its 1959
opposite (much less known) THE WILD AND THE INNOCENT, with a contrasting Murphy role to his Mephistophelean character in NO NAME ON THE BULLET as he and Sandra Dee go through that “loss of innocence”–a time-honored theme. Sadly neglected film.
That’s three at the top and I also want to say NIGHT PASSAGE but I know people will scream because it seems like they always do if someone takes up for this. But I think that’s knee-jerk reaction because the great Anthony Mann was replaced by James Neilson–Neilson is certainly no Mann and not remotely as intense but he has some nice qualities of his own in the film, well supported no doubt by William Daniels, James Stewart, Aaron Rosenberg, et al. The relationship of the brothers is affecting for me, and Murphy is especially good in this. I also think Murphy is excellent in non-Western THE QUIET AMERICAN, a superb Mankiewicz movie in which Murphy holds his own with Michael Redgrave.
Into the 60s, 1960 seems the best year with both HELL BENT FOR LEATHER and SEVEN WAYS FROM SUNDOWN, whichever one prefers, but also because Murphy’s own performance in THE UNFORGIVEN is so outstanding. It’s not my favorite movie–I like it overall but with mixed feelings–but I don’t believe Murphy himself was ever better.
Hey Blake,
We seem to agree on lots of stuff especially that both George Sherman
and Hugo Fregonese are underrated so that cannot be a bad thing.
What I found most disturbing about POSSE FROM HELL is that
poor Zohra Lampert is not only “outcast” by the womenfolk in the town
but she is more or less rejected by the hero;she ends up like damaged
goods.You see the ending entirely different to me.
The film at least did show Audie playing characters with complex shading.
In the superior APACHE RIFLES Audies racist cavalry officer feels
betrayed when he finds the woman he fancies is half Native American.
This is given added interest in the fact that the actress (Linda Lawson)
playing the role is part Native American in real life.At the end of the film
one feels that Audies character has been on a learning curve;he is
forced to re-examine his previous attitudes.I understand that Linda
Lawson had a lot of time for Audie while making that film.
I understand that Anthony Mann turned down NIGHT PASSAGE when
he heard Audie was on board.Sir Larry also turned down THE QUIET
AMERICAN for the same reason.
WALK THE PROUD LAND is excellent and a real change of pace
for Audie plus lovely Old Tuscon locations.I have not seen WILD AND
THE INNOCENT since the early Sixties and its pretty near top of
my wants list.
I like HELL BENT FOR LEATHER better than a whole load of Fifties
Scope/Color Westerns that I have a lot of time for; this includes FROM
HELL TO TEXAS,LAW & JAKE WADE,SADDLE THE WIND,NIGHT
PASSAGE and THE BRAVADOS!
The opening scene where Audie encounters Jan Merlins psycho
gunslinger is stunning;it crackles with tension.Though Merlin is hardly
in the film his impact overall is tremendous.Not only Audie & Merlin
but Felicia Farr,Stephen McNally,Robert Middleton,Herbert Rudley,
Rocky Lane,Bob Steel………whats not to like!
To return to the original thread;it would seem a lot of Universal Westerns
from 1954 onwards are being released in widescreen. The thought of
BORDER RIVER and BLACK HORSE CANYON in Widescreen really
does blow my mind.
I wonder if the cats at Universal read this blog?
I’ve tried to find someone at Universal to introduce this blog to, but have had no luck.
The folks at Warner Archive know of it, which is cool — and I’d like to think our bitching and moaning has spurred some of the releases we’ve seen of late.
On the 1954 widescreen thing, it wasn’t a hard rule, and I’m not sure what Universal’s policy was on it. But from what I remember, some of those pictures have plenty of headroom. The title card will usually tip you off.
I always felt that is was “our bitching” that goaded Universal to even
consider the McCrea collection;in a perfect world maybe.
Blake WALK THE PROUD LAND is available in Australia on the Bounty
imprint in Widescreen the transfer is OK nothing more.
Odeon in the UK have released it as a remastered version but I know of
one contributor to this blog who had a duff copy.I would love an official
Universal USA version and am hanging on for it;hopefully.
I recently ordered the Universal/TCM Audie Murphy Western collection
as a Christmas present to myself;its very expensive but I know that I
will love it.
Speaking of TCM I note that next year TCM/Columbia have a cracking
Film Noir set that includes among others MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS,
THE MOB and THE BURGLAR films high on my wants list.
Help! the year has not even started and already my bank balance is in
serious trouble!
This thread is so much fun I dont want it to end.
By the way Blake;did you ever catch Boyd Magers review of LAST OF
THE FAST GUNS he really trashes the film.Its another film I have not
seen for fifty years or so;I loved it at the time and the fact you rate it as
a masterpiece means its still top of my wants list for next year.
John, yes we agree on lots of things, least on POSSE FROM HELL and especially the ending. We do read it differently. You can argue the film does not SAY they are becoming a couple–but I don’t think it has to do that if it hits the right tone and feeling with the characters and feel it does.
Are Gregory Peck and Joan Collins going to be a couple at the end of THE BRAVADOS?–I actually think it’s less certain although she plainly wants it. But of course we’re supposed to feel that way. I just wish it had been someone other than Collins in that role–Ava Gardner (ideal) or maybe Susan Hayward, who apparently turned it down (understandably, it’s not a great role–but the scene where they first meet again could have been much moving and resonant with one of those actresses). For me, a weakness in a great film–but Peck and the four bad guys make up for it; it is his relationship to them that is most powerful and makes it great.
Mainly to note I haven’t seen APACHE RIFLES yet. The only Audie Murphy Western I’m missing, and I’m very keen to see it.
Also, Anthony Mann himself said it was the script of NIGHT PASSAGE that he didn’t like–he apparently shot some of the opening by some accounts before leaving the film. It was one person who said that about Audie Murphy (at least that I’ve read–wasn’t it Brian Garfield? I think he plays very fast and loose with facts). I did hear Olivier rejected QUIET AMERICAN because of Murphy, and will believe that, but for me this was all to the good–Redgrave was a much better actor and it also shows he was more discerning, knowing it could work well with Murphy, and it did–Redgrave’s brilliant performance is in no way suffering in scenes with Audie and they work well together.
Audie Murphy always strikes a true note for me–wish I could say that about Olivier, great though he is at times (BUNNY LAKE IS MISSING).
Well Blake;soon this thread will vanish into the ether;I am going
to miss it.Why do I like this thread so much well it means we have
been able to discuss three of my all time favorite things;Joel McCrea
Audie Murphy and Universal Westerns.
I agree that Joan Collins is the weak link in THE BRAVADOS
an up and coming actress like Felicia Farr would have been great in the
role.I wonder how Collins as a relative newcomer to Hollywood coped
working for such “tough” directors like Walsh and Hathaway?
I also agree with your comments regarding Sir Larry.
APACHE RIFLES was released a year or so ago by VCI and is a good
widescreen presentation. Among the extras are some interesting insights
on working with Audie by Michael Dante.
Speaking of VCI what has happened to them? They used to release
lots of Westerns but now seem to be totally focused on releasing
British stuff from the Fifties.
Hey,come April when the Joel McCrea Universal Western Collection
appears we can start all over again!
VCI’s Westerns often came from Kit Parker Films, and I believe his vault is simply running dry on cowboy stuff. I heard sales were disappointing on those terrific sets they did. VCI does nice work and they’re good people.
Apache Rifles is really well done. Those Darn Good Westerns sets are a must for us all.
I’ll cook up some kinda post soon that we can migrate this discussion to!
John, I believe with Toby leading the way there will always be a good thread here for us to get back to these things.
I’m glad you mentioned Felicia Farr. I had meant to mention her as one of the assets of HELL BENT FOR LEATHER, the second time Sherman directed her after REPRISAL. She is for me an icon for the genre despite her too small filmography and I wish she had been seen more. And of course, Sherman is one of two great Western directors who especially liked her, Delmer Daves being the the other with her great roles in JUBAL, THE LAST WAGON and
3:10 TO YUMA.
Of course, her relatively brief but indelible role in 3:10 TO YUMA takes the prize here–one of the most beautiful and piercing love scenes of all time.
Felicia Farr is up there with Julie Adams and Dorothy Malone as far as 50s Westerns women go. They really bring a lot to parts that tend to be underwritten.
Jeanne Crain isn’t far behind, on the strength of Fastest Gun Alive.
This has been a fascinating discussion to browse. It’s wonderful to see how things can spin off on tangents and touch on so many diverse areas.
And Blake, your comment on the love scene in 3:10 to Yuma really nails it. Felicia Farr, Glenn Ford and Delmer Daves created a truly sublime moment there.
Joel McCrea rode his own horse in many of his movies in the 50′s. In Nott’s Last of the Cowboy Heros he says the horse’s name is Dollar and that Doris Day rode him in Calamity Jane. But when I watched Calamity I didn’t see the horse with the broad white blaze on the nose and the white spot on his left rear haunch. Is the horse Mr. McCrea rode in his 50′s movies named Dollar? Or did Doris Day ride a different horse owned my Mr. McCrea?
I’ve been gone for 3 weeks so catching up on this thread since 12/12 has been a treat. Just so happens I watched a whole lot of ’50′s westerns this past week, my last week off till today. Here are some coincidences with the above thread and my recent movie “screenings” as the pro’s call watching a movie. I recently say Felicia Farr in “Kiss Me Stupid” w/Dean Martin & Ray Walston and Kim Novak, she played Ray’s wife. I knew she was Jack Lemmon’s wife in real life but was unfamiliar with her movies. I must have seen her in westerns at some time, though I couldn’t tell you now which ones. Also 2 days ago I watched “Frenchie” with McCrea & Shelly Winters. It was an extremely brightly colored movie, great color, and it was to be the first of 3 different movies I would watch (all unintentional) that featured John Russell. The next night I watched “Rio Bravo” and then “Yellowstone Kelly” all of these had John Russell in them too, and I didn’t purposely try to watch Russell movies, he just kept popping up. Has this ever happened to you, where you keep seeing a certain star pop up in either TV shows or movies that you have no intention of seeing but they keep showing up? This has with me several times with the most unusual of actresses and actors. Russell played an Indian in “Yellowstone Kelly”, great actor and seemed very busy in the ’50′s. Also Claude Akins popped up in “Rio Bravo” & “Yellowstone Kelly” both movies made in ’59, I wondered which was done first. Also happened to watch “The Bravados” night before last.
I watched 2 strange westerns “Black Patch” & “Hired Gun”, both seemed oddly filmed and storys told in rather bizarre fashion. “Hired Gun” was only slightly over an hour, which surprised me, but Anne Francis was young and cute in this one. George Montgomery was the only one who acted in a straight forward manner in “Black Patch” everybody else in the movie seemed bent. Also saw another odd one, in that Robert Vaughn behaved so bizarrely, “Good Day For A Hanging” with Fred MacMurray. I’ve seen this one before, but Vaughn’s weird actions (biting the jailhouse bar in one scene) made this one another weird ’50′s western. Also saw “Gun Fury” w/Rock Hudson & “3 Hours To Kill” w/Dana Andrews. So I spent this past week seeing some really fine and odd ’50s westerns.
The set is due for release on April 2 – http://www.moviesunlimited.com/musite/product.asp?sku=D42156
Wow, what an odd assortment.