We’ve been lucky the last year or so, with lots of 50s Westerns making their way to DVD, DVD-R or even Blu-ray. Many films that have been on my Want List for a decade or more are now in my collection — The Wonderful Country (1959), for instance. Bet it’s the same for you.
Running this blog and working on the book it was meant to plug, I’ve come across so many films I want to see again — or have somehow missed altogether. Many of them you’ve mentioned in your comments here, others turn up on someone’s filmography, and some just seem to come out of thin air.
The Parson And The Outlaw (1957) is a good example. I’ve seen this film and remember liking it, but that’s about it. I’m dying to see it again. Marie Windsor is my favorite actress, hands down (for 1949′s Hellfire alone). I’m always interested in the work or Oliver Drake. Charles “Buddy” Rogers returning after a 10-year absence as the parson, and the film’s producer, is intriguing. And how can you resist a lobby card like the one up top? It was a Columbia picture, so what are we waiting for?
Just saw a really interesting little Western via Netflix instant I’d like to get on DVD: MAN OR GUN (1958) w/Macdonald Carey, Audrey Totter & James Craig. There were a couple moments of creaky dialogue w/villains and an Indian girl, but for the most part it was an original, well-executed low-budget film with some nice moments of humor (especially in the interaction between gunslinger Carey and sheriff James Gleason) and two creative gunfights. It refreshingly avoided some cliches, particularly regarding Craig’s ostensible villain. I’ll be reviewing it soon. Are you familiar with it?
Best wishes,
Laura
I’m jealous, since Man Or Gun is one of those Naturama Republics I’m wanting to obsess over. Anything with Audrey Totter and James Gleason is worth watching.
So many movies to track down!
Toby, you’re right things are coming out that we’ve yearned for. I also now have the DVD of THE WONDERFUL COUNTRY, a beautiful transfer. I picked up THE LAST HUNT this year, and just yesterday ordered both THE RAID and WAY OF A GAUCHO when Laura called attention to a sale that has these and others down to really good budget prices (thanks for the good word, Laura).
These are all movies I’ve always wanted to have and ones folks here would be interested in too if by any chance they don’t know them. And if they know these films they probably feel as I do about getting them. Now on to get some of those 50s Universal-Internationals that are MOD…
PARSON & THE OUTLAW falls into the so bad its good type of
B movie.Marie Windsor is terrible in the film totally OTT.
Her fans should avoid at all cost.Tony Dexter laughable as Billy The Kid
and Sonny Tufts even worse as Jack Slade. Only overlooked Robert
Lowery emerges from the film with some dignity.
Having said that its somewhat surreal viewing and what about that
weird electric guitar soundtrack by some Joe Maphis wannabe!
MAN OR GUN I like a lot; again I only have a pan & scan version and
would LOVE a version in Naturama.Its rather like an extended Twilight
Zone episode.Paramount must start an MOD program so some of this
stuff can see the light of day. (rare Republic titles in particular)
We cannot expect this sort of thing from Olive Films;they are yet to
release Paramount titles that they have had the rights to for over two
years (WARPATH,THE SAVAGE,THE TRAP)
Sadly Naturama came along late in the day for Republic and apart from
THE MAVERICK QUEEN was mainly used on their last gasp B pics
(THE LAWLESS EIGHTIES,HELLS CROSSROADS,LAST STAGECOACH
WEST and so on) but many of us love black & white widescreen so they
are all of some interest.
By the way I received my German DVD of FIGHTING MAN OF THE
PLAINS this morning;in black & white, its very grainy with some imperfections.
Nevertheless its quite watchable;I mean vintage Randy up against a stacked
deck of ruthless villians;whats not to like! There are several trailers
(in German) on the DVD but sadly not one for the film.
I do wish someone would computer-color some of these old films where the
original color elements appear to be lost.Saw THE YELLOW TOMAHAWK
the other night but again black & white;the color version no longer exists.
An excellent Bel-Air Lesley Selander/Rory Calhoun Western (their only
one together) with a knockout supporting cast.
Finally the just released version of MONTANA BELLE (Odeon UK) is I
understand the best version of several released in Europe.
Well, now I have 2 assignments to watch, Parson & Outlaw & Man Or Gun. Wow, if Marie is of the state of mind in the movie that she is in that picture here, it’s going to be a hot Saturday night!
Glad I could help spread the word on the sale, Blake!
Also glad to see some other good words for MAN OR GUN from John K and know there are more folks out there who liked that film. It’s great to find a relatively “unknown” little movie like that which is so entertaining. The comparison to TWILIGHT ZONE was interesting! It definitely has its “otherwordly” elements. My review is now up for anyone who’d like to read more: http://www.laurasmiscmusings.blogspot.com/2012/08/tonights-movie-man-or-gun-1958.html
Meanwhile Toby’s sure got me curious about THE PARSON AND THE OUTLAW!
Here’s hoping lots more Westerns make it to DVD in the near future!
Best wishes,
Laura
Laura, many thanks for the link to your MAN OR GUN review which I really
enjoyed reading.I am going to pop back in a moment to read your
take on RAW EDGE another film that SHOULD be available on DVD.
I like your comments regarding Macdonald Carey who I feel is somewhat
overlooked. He made two very interesting films with Joseph Losey
THE LAWLESS (available from Olive Films) and THE DAMNED (aka
These are The Damned) available as a region 2 UK import (rather highly
priced according to Amazon USA) Carey is excellent in THE DAMNED;
the first half of the film has him dealing with biker gangs (headed by Oliver
Reed) then the film changes tack and becomes a Sci-Fi thriller!
An odd but most interesting film well worth checking out.
The UK DVD is also the full length version.
An interesting fact;Losey was also slated to direct Hammer Film
X THE UNKNOWN a few years earlier but star Dean Jagger who was very
right-wing refused to work with Losey!
I fear that films like MAN OR GUN will never see a DVD release unless
Paramount start an MOD imprint or better still sell the Republic library
to someone else (Warner Archive………wishful thinking)
It saddens me that all these great films are denied a DVD release
there are B Westerns from Rocky Lane and Monte Hale (some in Trucolor)
even British B thrillers starring the likes of Kent Taylor and Wayne Morris.
Then there are all those lost Republic A films that we have mentioned
time and time again.It saddens me even further to see some of these
films turn up in PD Hell as tacky European imports!
I am sure PARSON AND THE OUTLAW will turn up as a Sony MOD
in stunning widescreen and I will feel guilty that I gave the film such a
hard time! Its such an odd little film;among all the tackiness there are
genuine moments of pulp poetry!
Well I am off to revisit RAW EDGE now a film that deserves to be
available for the cast alone!
Laura,
While revisiting RAW EDGE I also stayed around for your take on
TOP GUN which I really enjoyed and totally agree with.
I too felt Karin Booth seemed too old to be Sterling Haydens love interest
and was amazed to find they were both born the same year as you noted.
I also felt she was too old to be George Montgomerys love interest in a
couple of films but he too has born the same year!
Actually BADMANS COUNTRY (starring Montgomery and Booth) is
a totally charming piece of nonsense which has Pat Garrett (Montgomery)
Wyatt Earp,Bat Masterson and Buffalo Bill going after Butch Cassidy
and The Sundance Kid!
Totally dumb movie but hard to resist!
The thing about Karin Booth was that she was always most earnest
and was an obvious favorite of Sam Katzman as she appeared in many
of his films.
TOP GUN was remade as the Audie Murphy film THE QUICK GUN
with Ted De Corsia hamming it up as never before in the John Dehner
role!
Returning to MAN OR GUN I do have a problem with James Craig;
perhaps the Joan Leslie interview on Boyd Magers website put me off
him;Leslie states that he was a real pain to work with.
Another great little widescreen Western with Craig was FOUR FAST
GUNS (available on Darn Good Westerns Vol 2) I know Toby has
championed the film.I like the film very much but cannot help thinking
how much better the film would be with someone other than Craig
in the lead.Macdonald Carey would have been great in that one!
Speaking about MAN OR GUN I thought Warren Stevens was a
knockout in the film.I just LOVE talking about these interesting minor
movies!
One thing leads to another………………
Looking back on FOUR FAST GUNS I note that it was written by
James Edmiston who sadly passed away at a very young age in 1959.
He had hardly any writing credits but what credits they were!
As this thread is headed “wants list”I must state that A DAY OF FURY
(written by Edmiston) is the one Universal Western that I want to see
released on DVD.Great unheralded movie.
He also wrote the Cornel Wilde motor racing film THE DEVILS HAIRPIN
another film I have ALWAYS wanted to see. (yet another reason Paramount
must start an MOD imprint)
Not only that he wrote a chilling Rawhide episode “Incident With An
Executioner” with the great Dan Duryea.
Sorry to hog this thread Toby,but you know what I am like;anyway I
am off-line for a few days.Que: mass sighs of relief!
James Edmiston was my father’s cousin. My father was a famous PNW artists. Seems like the family was full of creative talent. James Edmiston’s grandfather was warden at Walla Walla Penitentiary before Washington became a state. Maybe that’s where he got many of his story ideas. The Edmistons had quite a history ~
John K, many thanks for all your comments above, which I very much enjoyed, and thank you as well for taking the time to read my posts on recent Westerns seen! (Thanks as well to Toby for hosting this chat!) John K you have mentioned a number of interesting titles — I’m taking notes! Had no idea Wayne Morris did British B movies, how interesting. I’ve got the Olive DVD of THE LAWLESS with Macdonald Carey and look forward to seeing it. I recorded BADMAN’S COUNTRY a while back but haven’t watched it yet; sounds fun!
Very interesting about the comments by Joan Leslie (whom I adore) re James Craig. Sorry to hear he wasn’t a congenial colleague. There are a couple actors I enjoy who unfortunately didn’t have very good reps as coworkers. I have the Darn Good Westerns set so I’m going to have to pull out FOUR FAST GUNS, thanks for the recommendation!
Netflix Instant has been a great way to find some of the interesting “little” Westerns (along with a couple that weren’t so swell). Tying together that subject with this post’s “want list” topic, I am really hoping for a DVD release of COPPER SKY, which I fell in love with via Netflix, although it would have been a lot better with Sterling Hayden in the male lead opposite Coleen Gray instead of Jeff Morrow. Hayden would have been perfect.
Best wishes,
Laura
PS Thanks to John for the title of the remake of TOP GUN. When TOP GUN was on the other night my husband exclaimed “This story was an Audie Murphy movie!” but he didn’t know which one.
Laura
Hello again Laura,
Many thanks for your most interesting insights.
Actually Wayne Morris made five British B thrillers they are as follows:
THE MASTER PLAN (1955)
THE GREEN BUDDAH (1955) Republic
CROSS CHANNEL (1955) Republic directed by R.G.Springsteen
THE GELIGNITE GANG (1956) aka The Dynamiters
THE CROOKED SKY (1957) with Karin Booth
He also did 16 episodes of a British TV series
THE ADVENTURES OF THE BIG MAN
where he played a store detective!
As mentioned earlier Kent Taylor also did a couple of British Bs
for Republic both directed by their Western contract director
R.G.Springsteen.
TRACK THE MAN DOWN has popular British singer Petula Clark as
his co-star.
SECRET VENTURE is very rare I do not know anyone who has
seen it.
I enjoyed your comment that COPPER SKY would have been far
better with Sterling Hayden in the lead.
Only the other night I was watching STAR IN THE DUST and was
thinking how better the film would have been with Hayden in the
lead instead of a very wooden John Agar.
Agar like Jeff Morrow was fine in Fifties Sci-Fi films but just did not cut
it as a Western lead actor.I doubt if Universal regulars Rory Calhoun or
Jock Mahoney would have been very attracted to the role of a sheriff
so determined to see Richard Boone hang!
Hayden,on the other hand was great in anti-hero roles.
I am sure with Hayden as the lead in STAR IN THE DUST the film could
have been a minor classic instead of a routine programmer!
THE IRON SHERIFF (with Hayden) is an impressive little film, with a
similar theme to STAR IN THE DUST. Here Haydens stern lawman is
such a stickler for playing things by the book; he is even prepared to
send his own son to the gallows even when hot-shot lawyer
John Dehner (excellent) has virtually got the boy off the hook.
I like Hayden a lot and really wish ARROW IN THE DUST (with Coleen
Gray) would get a DVD release.Next month the Sony MOD series
are going to give us THE GOLDEN HAWK with Hayden and lovely
Rhonda Fleming;I am really looking forward to that!
I too am a big Joan Leslie fan and feel too many of her films are on the
missing list;I do so wish JUBILEE TRAIL was on Olive Films release slate.
I shall look forward to more reviews of these minor but interesting films
on your website in the future,Laura.
Strange that I should mention STAR IN THE DUST because Llamentol
in Spain have just mentioned it as a forthcoming release.
http://www.llamentol.com. In fact they have a huge NINE pages of new releases
just click onto”novedades” on the home page.
As well as STAR IN THE DUST there are the two Yvonne De Carlo Westerns
RIVER LADY and GAL WHO TOOK THE WEST as well as other goodies.
These films were released by the dreaded Sidonis in France but Llamentol
DVDs do not have forced subtitles. It would seem their major studio
releases are pretty good. I recently got their Noir classic THE SUSPECT
(thanks Colin;where are you Buddy?) and its splendid;the transfer and the
film. Also in the mix is WAR DRUMS with far superior artwork than the
MGM MOD. There are a couple of Rock Hudson titles which as far as
I know have only been released in a box set. (THE SPIRAL ROAD;
HAS ANYBODY SEEN MY GAL?) also a Maureen O Hara/Jeff Chandler
film FLAME OF ARABY that to my knowledge has never appeared on DVD anywhere.The supporting cast on FLAME OF ARABY is a total knockout;
I do not know much about the film however.Also listed is SECRET OF THE
INCAS which Olive Films said they were going to release a couple of years ago!Apart from being in Spanish this Llamentol artwork is top-notch.
More STAR IN THE DUST………
For anyone interested there are some screen-grabs of the Sidonis
version of STAR IN THE DUST (widescreen)
They can be found on the French Western fan site:
http://www.westernmovies.fr
Also there are a series of clips from the film;including Clints entire
scene in the film.
This past weekend I watched the 2 movies in question here earlier, Man Or Gun & The Parson & Outlaw. Both were odd or different from most main-stream type westerns. First, Man Or Gun had some very interesting camera shots, there were just a few, came out of the blue, but they were intersting Hitchcock type camera shots. The flipping of the coin scene, the coin in mid-flip being shot from the floor up at the flipping coin. The love scene shot from behind the fire in the fireplace and the close-up sideview shot of only 1/2 of the bad guy’s face looking up into the sky. Made this film worth watching. Macdonald Carey had a great voice, but a weak chin, not one of my favorite actors, certainly not as a lead in a Western, maybe the lead’s best friend would have been good for him, but not the hero. This movie was strange in that you never knew whether it was some ghostly possessed power in the gun that made it fast or whether it was Macdonald? Oddball movie for sure, but still well worth watching.
Parson & Outlaw was loaded with really bad actors mixed in with really good actors & actresses. Marie Windsor was in that sexy dress in the picture above but unfortunately it was shot going from feet up and never in a full body shot like the picture shows. Maybe this was a widescreen movie (?) and she would have been seen in full body shot, but in the film I have it’s a full screen version and she’s seen only in a pan up, which still ain’t bad. And she’s in color too! Anthony Dexter was downright bizarre looking and acting in the lead(!!?) role of Billy the Kid. He seemed either to be totally bent out of shape or sleepwalking. Never any in between mood for him. I kept wishing Pat Garret (Bob Duncan) really did put him out of his misery at the beginning of the film. I think Marie could have played this same type part much more effectively without the fake spanish accent. Surely there are hot-headed women who don’t speak spanish, couldn’t she have been one of those? At any rate, it was a color ’50′s movie, and that alone makes it worth watching for me. Filled with bad acting, bad amateurish writing, overly cliched shots, (Buddy Rogers dying Christ like on a post!, for Gosh’s sakes was a little more than over the top) and an interesting story that in professional hands and actors could have been done perfectly. As it is, this movie is still fun to watch and more than a little interesting in it’s so bad it’s good aspects.
John K, that’s funny you were also recently wishing Sterling Hayden had been in a movie you were watching! Thank you very much for the Wayne Morris titles. Learned something new and interesting there.
I love the Gwen Bristow novel JUBILEE TRAIL which I first read about age 12 and read many times. I haven’t seen the movie since I was a teenager and at that time was disappointed I felt it didn’t live up to the book and I didn’t care for Vera Ralston. I recorded it some time back so I can take another look — since I’m such a fan of both Joan Leslie and John Russell, and it’s been a long time since I last read the book, I’m hoping I’ll enjoy it more!
Johnny Guitar, glad you were able to check out the movies mentioned here, I enjoyed reading your impressions of MAN OR GUN in particular since I just saw it.
Really enjoying all the info in this thread!
Best wishes,
Laura
Johnny G;
Really enjoyed your take on PARSON & THE OUTLAW I think you were
pretty much right on the money!
Laura,
I too really like Joan Leslie (as i mentioned before) and John Russell.
In the Boyd Magers interview it would seem that she really enjoyed
working with Randolph Scott,John Russell and Andre de Toth on the
excellent MAN IN THE SADDLE.
I have mentioned this way back on this blog but its a good story so
I will tell it again in case you may have missed it.
A pal of mine who works for the British Film Institute while on one of his
many trips to America got involved in a late night drinking session with
John Russell many years ago.He had some great tales to tell and
enjoyed working with Clint Eastwood on three pictures.
He was however more than a little peeved that his considerable role
in HONKYTONK MAN ended up on the cutting room floor.
If you watch the film he can be seen scowling at a bar and thats it!
His character ends up (in the cut footage) getting into a brawl with
Eastwood but the suits at Warners were not happy saying “we cannot
have Clint Eastwood beating up an old man!” (Russells words) so his
character had to go.
I kinda feel that Russells great part in PA:LE RIDER was Clints way of
paying him back.
My pal turns me forty shades of green with envy with his tales of
meeting the likes of George Montgomery and Jock Mahoney who he
says were both warm and friendly.
Laura,have you seen THE IRON SHERIFF I would love to hear your
take on that film as its full of interesting characters. I loved John Dehners
one time big city lawyer now reduced to working small Western towns
due to a drink problem.Also Morgan Woodwards ” ladies man” range
detective with his line “thats how I read the trail” Then there is Kent
Taylor who is Sterling Haydens creepy love rival. No classic but an
interesting little film.
As this entertaining thread (for me anyway) has a kind of Republic
Pictures subtext I thought I would give some feedback on my just
received Spanish copy of THE MAVERICK QUEEN (listed on Amazon.es
as Los Indomables)
I was put off getting it as some Spanish websites have it listed as 4 x 3.
However I was informed (thanks again Colin) that the film is widescreen
well sort of. It starts off in lovely 2:35 then after the credits reverts to 1:85
but still widescreen and I for one am happy to have the film. The picture
quality is nice and sharp and the sound really excellent.
I hate to say this but I do not feel that Olive Films are the sort of people
that should be releasing the Republic library;I do not feel great genre
films are their shtick. Orson Welles MACBETH and LONG DAYS
JOURNEY INTO NIGHT is much more their thing;I see them as more of
an “art house” outfit.
I want films like JUBILEE TRAIL,RIDE THE MAN DOWN,ROAD TO
DENVER,WOMAN THEY ALMOST LYNCHED which I am sure will
never be on Olive Films radar. Also they take forever to release the darn things! Furthermore I am getting tired of trawling around Europe trying
to locate these great Republic titles.
There are plenty of great Republic non Westerns like their wonderful
little piece of Americana COME NEXT SPRING.I really want to see
THUNDERBIRDS about a WW2 Native American combat regiment
with a crackerjack cast.Then there are the two oddball Republic
British productions starring Margaret Lockwood. LAUGHING ANNE
a 17th Century romp with Lockwood,Wendell Corey and Forrest Tucker.
How about TROUBLE IN THE GLEN with Lockwood,Orson Welles,
Tucker and Victor McLaglen!
Olive DO say that they are are going to release A MAN ALONE and
THE LAST COMMAND;I for one am not holding my breath!
Just to correct myself and prove that even smart-ass Limeys get it wrong
sometimes it was Mort Mills not Morgan Woodward that played the range
detective in THE IRON SHERIFF!
By the way,Laura it was good to see you mention SIERRA BARON on
your blog.this is a much sort after title for me;I wonder if The Fox Channel
will show it in scope. I did get the Spanish DVD but not only was it pan
and scan but the color was horrible!
An offbeat little Western with great photography by Alex Phillips.
Nice supporting role for Mala Powers who I really like.
Sad that both leading men in this film took their own lives.
Just saw John Russell in a very neat 3rd season episode of Cheyenne. He plays an ex-gunfighter who can no longer use his right hand. Others don’t know he’s handicapped and in a climatic scene he has a fast draw with the hating son of a guy he was forced to kill years earlier. He does it by secretly tying the gun to his hand to make it appear as if he’s holding it, that was enough to stop young upstart into drawing back, Russell was still faster, just couldn’t use the gun. Excellent acting here by Russell who was still in love with the mother of the hateful son. His face in close-up was very effective in evoking his emotion and his regret. This was a great episode. Cheyenne played his friend, but it was mainly a Russell starrer.