Burton Stephen “Burt” Lancaster
(November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994)
Here’s a shot from Robert Aldrich’s Vera Cruz (1954) to mark Burt Lancaster’s birthday. Compared to most of the major stars we celebrate on this blog, Burt made relatively few Westerns — but what Westerns they are: Gunfight At The O.K. Corral (1957), The Professionals (1966) and Ulzana’s Raid (1972), to name just a few.
He was some burt alright.He moved like he was half puma and half acrobat.He fought for what he wanted and lost a few rounds but won many.I think his western output matches other stars of his caliber though.Between 1951 and 1957 he was in five westerns in six years.Between 1965 and 1972 he was in six westerns in seven years.That has to be just about as good or better than fonda,stewart,ford,mitchum,widmark or douglas.He seldom made a mistake when selecting westerns and was very good in them.I could predict a troubled set though had burt co starred with john wayne in a western filmed in mexico for three months and had it been directed by someone like john huston.The fists would have flown on that set.
Whenever I see one of those later-era Lancaster pictures I can’t help but think of him as a mythical animal, like a grand dragon. And when will we see a DVD of Cattle Annie and Little Britches?
I’m wanting a widescreen Go Tell The Spartans. Looking forward to Twilight’s Last Gleaming.
Burt was wonderful in his western roles. Besides his grand, scene-stealing turn in THE PROFESSIONALS (my favorite movie!), I also really enjoy him in VALDEZ IS COMING and LAWMAN.
And don’t forget APACHE. People sometimes complain now about non-ethnic casting but that was the only way some of these wonderful 50s Westerns ever would have been made, and since art is illusion it doesn’t bother me at all if someone is forceful and convincing in the role as Lancaster was as Massai. Jean Peters was also wonderful at the heroine in that one.
I would say among Lancaster’s Westerns, those three by Robert Aldrich are all especially good, ULZANA’S RAID one of the few 70s ones I really care a lot about while VERA CRUZ is a movie I love so much I could probably watch it with pleasure just about any day of my life.
Apache is a good one. Haven’t seen it in a long while.
As far as non-ethnic casting goes, for me, Robert Taylor in Devil’s Doorway was a real knockout. I was so skeptical — and so wrong.
We simply cannot say enough good things about Vera Cruz.
I’m also a big fan of Burt in John Huston’s “The Unforgiven”. Sure, it’s a little too overwrought for its own good and doesn’t always hit the mark, but the good bits – including Audie Murphy’s take on an Indian hater (“Take that, John Wayne!”) are so good it’s always worth watching.
And even though it’s no Western, I would happily watch “The Crimson Pirate” any day, place and time.
The Crimson Pirate is a wonderful film.
Burt is one of my favorites…westerns and otherwise….I loved his role as McIntosh the scout in Ulzana’s Raid and the film, Lawman, was excellent or better because of him.