Lee Marvin
(February 19, 1924 – August 29, 1987)
Finally seeing Budd Boetticher’s Seven Men From Now (1956) set me off down the trail that would lead to this blog and its book-in-progress namesake. It’s one of the best movies I’ve ever seen, Western or otherwise.
A huge part of the film’s success is our birthday boy, Lee Marvin. With scenes like the one above, there was no way he was going to remain a character actor. And as we all know, and as films like The Professionals (1966)Â and Point Blank (1967) prove, he wouldn’t stay one for long.
This’d be a good day (especially since it’s raining here in Raleigh) to curl up on the sofa with that new Marvin biography.
One of the greats. Dwayne Epstein’s biography is a very good one. Reading it now.
Hey, you took the still of him from what I consider the most brilliantly played scene of his whole career. He sure didn’t phone that one in.
For those who don’t know, Budd Boetticher and Burt Kennedy both felt this scene was their best work.
I wrote about this scene in DEFINING MOMENTS IN MOVIES (aka MOVIES: THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK in U.K.) if anyone has it.
“…one of the best movies I’ve ever seen, Western or otherwise…” echoes my own sentiments, Toby.
Looked hard for a shot from that scene — and knew you’d dig it, Blake.
A big favorite of mine, too. When you think of it, you wouldn’t expect a memorable scene in a western to take place in the confinement of a covered wagon during a rainstorm.
If I have never done anything else in my life, I am sure glad that I had
the opportunity to meet Budd and explain to him how great I thought
“that scene” was.
Never got the chance to meet Budd — or Burt Kennedy. It’s great that people were able to tell these guys how much they love these films.
I am exactly in agreement with the previous comments; one of the best scenes ever in one of the best westerns ever. I first saw it when it came out on dvd a few years ago and it got me interested in the other Budd Boetticher – Randolph Scott westerns; they are treasures.