Wayne Morris
(February 17, 1914 – September 14, 1959)
You’ll be seeing a lot of Wayne Morris around here, thanks to a series of releases from Warner Archive. So on his birthday, lets not just remember his movies, but salute his tremendous service to his country during World War II — seven Japanese planes shot down, five ships sunk.
He’s seen here in The Marksman (1953), one of the Westerns Morris made for Allied Artists, which is part of Warner Archive’s Wayne Morris double feature. Any movie that gives Frank Ferguson third billing gets high marks from me.
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Not all that familiar with Wayne Morris’ Westerns, and I even saw JESSE JAMES VS THE DALTONS and STAGECOACH TO DANCER’S ROCK on TV back in the 60s, so I was keeping tabs with all things Western. Actually, I can’t recall having memories, fond or elsewise, concerning any Wayne Morris Western. To make amends, I’ve added several of his current Warner Archive offerings to my shopping list. THE DESPERADO and THE YOUNGER BROTHERS both sound like my kind of low budget guilty pleasure.
While the blu-ray vs. DVD posts rage on, poor Wayne Morris gets only one post. This seems to fall in line with how Wayne Morris and the last ever series B-westerns have been treated for a very long time.
I read about Wayne and his Allied Artists westerns long before I ever got to see them, nearly all articles seemed to have low regard for them. Wayne seemed to suffer more than most western actors, maybe the B-western fans and writers would have been happier if Roy or Gene had made that last ever B-western. But it was Wayne’s Two Guns And A Badge that held that claim in 1954, and for me, it’s a good one.
In fact I think all his Allied Artists western series has some worth, if you’re the type of B-westerner that prefers Wild Bill Elliott and the later Johnny Mack Brown films, rather than the singing cowboys, give Wayne a try. He deserves a second look.
I quite agree with Mike on this. Knowing how writers pick up on a fact and maybe distort it and then it gets repeated in numerous articles, becoming almost legend – Wayne Morris co-starred with Randolph Scott in 1954 in “RIDING SHOTGUN” with a character named Tub Murphy, who was a bit chubby and lazy.
Read any article about Wayne Morris in his series of B-westerns for Monogram and see the references to his pot belly, beer belly etc. Then watch the films and see if you can spot this. I think it is just down to hearsay and lazy writing.
His Monogram films are no classics but are, as Mike says, a pretty enjoyable and decent bunch of films.
I think the way these films have been treated over the years is why I was so impressed with them now. You’ve got many of the same people working on them that made the Elliott pictures, and they always tried to approach things a little differently.
I’m so glad we’re getting a chance to see them in good shape so we can really appreciate them.
Thanks Jerry, another notch on the hitching post for Wayne Morris. Like you, l remember mostly writers referring to his size, rather than his talents as a westerner. I can always remember him being referred to as “pudgy Wayne Morris” in one western film book l read.
” Pudgy Wayne Morris ” in ” The thrill of it all ” Alan G.Barbour, page 203
First Collier books edition 1971
Yes, they all copied each other where this description is concerned – all nonsense!
Well done Chip, that is the book. I still have my copy, the first book I ever bought about B-westerns way back in the early 70s. Although Alan Barbour is not kind to Wayne Morris, it’s still a great book.
I was,out of pure cowardice I might add hoping to post this
over at Laura’s on her very fine DESERT PURSUIT post which sadly
is many threads past. Jeepers! things sure move at a clip over there!
As The Morris thread is still the lead here I’m throwing caution to the wind
and risking the wrath of Toby’s posse.
My four Wayne Morris films arrived Saturday so here I go.
I had fairly low expectations especially as the two previous Warner
Archive releases (THE MARKSMAN,THE FIGHTING LAWMAN) I found
very poor indeed.
This time around the results are far more pleasing.
The least of the quartet is THE DESPERADO which has the attraction
of being in widescreen and at least as a film it’s superior to the previously
released pictures.
Sorry guys,but Morris HAD put on considerable weight in this entry.
The film is OK nothing more,and the remake COLE YOUNGER GUNFIGHTER
is not much better,but has the advantage of CinemaScope and color.
Now to the cream of the crop,
DESERT PURSUIT is excellent,offbeat,different and has the advantage
of being an all-location affair (lovely Lone Pine)
Morris looks very fit in this film.
SIERRA PASSAGE is an involving revenge saga and clocks in at 80
minutes. The film builds up to an unexpected climax that is both grim,
brutal and ironic.
These two films are total winners and streets ahead of what I’ve seen
so far in this series.
Not a Western but ARCTIC FLIGHT is also engaging.
Morris plays a hard working pilot who is duped by a crafty Russian agent
(Allan Hale Jr)
The role fits Morris perfectly,for obvious reasons.
Even the anti Commie subtext is naunced and intelligent,unlike say in films
of a similar vintage like FLIGHT NURSE and SABRE JET (which I like
a lot I might add) where the message is more “in your face”
Hi John!
Enjoyed your takes and have posted a link in comments at my site sending folks over here. (You’re always most welcome to post comments even if a review is further down the page, of course! Fortunately my most faithful readers will still often scroll down the page to check for more comments.) I haven’t seen THE DESPERADO yet but will be reviewing it soon, as well as SIERRA PASSAGE. Glad to see another thumbs up for both DESERT PURSUIT and ARCTIC FLIGHT which I found entertaining, and both had very nice location work.
I bumped PORT OF HELL up higher in my viewing stack thanks to your reminder…though I should catch some more Archive screeners first! LOL.
I share your hope that the Archive will put out more of these Morris films as they’ve been fun so far. It’s wonderful to have them available looking so wonderful.
Best wishes,
Laura
I’m working on posts on these Morris pictures, so you’ll get a chance to weigh in on them some more.
I liked The Desperado and loved seeing Frank Ferguson as a bad guy (with substantial screen time) in The Marksman.
Haven’t gotten to Desert Pursuit yet, but I’m really looking forward to that one.
Allow me to please throw in another welcome face in ‘THE MARKSMAN’, Guys, that of I. Stanford Jolley who is always a welcome addition to any cast but in this film he gets a major role.
Really looking forward to your posts, Toby!
I pulled THE MARKSMAN out of my “to watch” stack and hope to see it soon. Any movie with a big role for Frank Ferguson has to be worth watching.
DESERT PURSUIT has so much “Lone Pine” in it, I’m going to send it to a Lone Pine tour guide and suggest he work on the locations for a future festival. 🙂
Best wishes,
Laura
I feel the success of SIERRA PASSAGE,DESERT PURSUIT and
ARCTIC FLIGHT owes a great deal to Lindsley Parsons being the producer.
Boetticher (who NEVER suffered fools) called Parsons a talented
hard working B Movie producer who wanted to make good films.
Parsons involvement certainly raised the game of the aforementioned
films. I wish Parsons had been involved with some of the Bill Elliott
Monogram/AA films. I would even hedge my bets and say that
DESERT PURSUIT and SIERRA PASSAGE are several notches above
most of the Elliott films.
Having said that Elliott was of course by far the most convincing as a
Westerner,.I never saw Morris as much of a Western actor and preferred
him in non Western roles.One of his best later roles PORT OF HELL where
he plays a tough tugboat skippe; he is top drawer. Sadly PORT OF
HELL is one of the Allied Artists pictures not owned by Warners.
I will persevere with the four remaining Monogram/AA Wayne Morris
pictures which should follow later. There’s three Westerns but the film,
that excites me the most is YELLOW FIN.
This again is a Lindsley Parsons production,so that bodes well and has
the added attraction of Adrian Booth as Wayne’s leading lady….cannot wait!
I might add that the transfers on all four of these Warner Archive
Wayne Morris films are beautiful.
Off Topic…….
I’ve always been fascinated by the Wyatt Earp legend and
seen virtually every film ever made about this.
Gray at DVD Beaver has just given a very positive review to the
UK Blu Ray of Frank Perry’s DOC
His essay on the film makes for great reading.
I was on a big Stacy Keach kick at the time but remember being
underwhelmed by the film at the time.
Frank Perry has always divided opinion and created intense debate.
Gary’s review has made me very keen to revisit this film.
Gary uses terms like “Anti Western” and “Revisionist Western”
which certainly raise hackles here at FWOTF.
Richard W…if you are out there I would be very keen to get your
take on this film.
At any rate the “extras” on the UK Blu Ray look very impressive to say
the least.
Hey John K,
DOC is a low-key downbeat western that famously failed to earn its money back at the box-office in 1971. Audiences didn’t like it. It disappeared from screens after a week and then turned up heavily cut on television. It strikes the same tone as THE SHOOTING and RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND. That’s what I like about it. That and the intense performances by Faye Dunaway and Stacy Keach. Keach goes way out on a limb emotionally, and his performance reminds me in a strange way of Jeremy Brett in those first Sherlock Holmes episodes he did. It’s a character-driven piece with escalating conflict but not much action. Even the gunfight is toned down. Revisionist, certainly. The film despises Wyatt Earp as a coward, a liar and an opportunist. Doc Holliday is a psycho. The film was written by journalist Pete Hamill. I haven’t looked him up, but I think this might be his only script. He published the script in a paperback, which I have. He makes a lot of unfounded, outlandish and preposterous suppositions about the west and the people in Tombstone. The story is wrong-headed and inaccurate down the smallest detail. For instance, Doc and Wyatt were loyal friends but not as close as the film infers. But I don’t let history interfere with my enjoyment of westerns — nor revisionist westerns. As drama I find DOC fascinating to watch. I particularly enjoy the photography by Enrique Bravo and Gerald Hirschfeld (Hirschfeld was a regular collaborator of Frank Perry and he also shot Young Frankenstein). I’ll be buying two copies of the blu-ray — one for my Earp / Tombstone archive and one for my Westerns home library. Give the film a look and tell us what you think.
By the way my favorite film about Wyatt Earp is Ford’s My Darling Clementine. A tone poem of a film. Eloquent and beautiful. I also like John Sturges’ Hour of the Gun with a steely-eyed James Garner.
Desert Pursuit — isn’t that the film with the camels?
Can’t wait to see Black Midnight. Finally get to complete my Boetticher collection.
I see Warner Archive has released another George O’Brien collection. Western 1938 – 1940.
Thanks Richard,
Oddly enough DOC and BLACK MIDNIGHT
arrived this morning-have not watched them yet.
I will comment,on the tail end of this thread when I have
viewed them.
I did see DOC at the time of release and was not too impressed
at the time. I think I will enjoy it more now.
The p.q. on the British Blu Ray looks very impressive.
I wanted to avoid talking about MY DARLING CLEMENTINE is this
context,as it stands alone as a masterwork-the Earp movie by which
all others are judged.
I enjoyed Will Henry’s very fine book “Who Rides With Wyatt”
which I believe was made into a non-Earp film as YOUNG BILLY
YOUNG.
The extras on the Blu Ray of DOC look impressive with an interview
with Stacy Keach who seems alarmingly aged.
I Do wish someone would release THE GRAVY TRAIN with
Keach in his prime (not to mention Frederic Forrest and Margot Kidder)
directed by the interesting and underrated Jack Starrett.
I love HOUR OF THE GUN-the Aussie Blu Ray is outstanding.
I hope it’s right but Amazon Germany have CHISUM on Blu Ray
up for pre-order in June.
I guess this means it should get a USA release at the same time.
For me it’s one of the finest of the Duke’s 70’s Westerns.
Back to thread……well sort of……….
One Warner Archive that has slipped through my net
is Boetticher’s BLACK MIDNIGHT-Budd’s first Western
and a Lindsley Parsons production to boot!
It’s also Budd’s first movie shot in Lone Pine.
It’s a “Horsie” Western and sounds pretty good.
The lovely Lone Pine location work in DESERT PURSUIT has
made me really want to see this film.
Furthermore,I note the film is going pretty cheap on Amazon UK.
Anyone here seen BLACK MIDNIGHT ?
It’s interesting that though thought long deceased,for some reason the
MGM MOD series seems to be still going,albeit at a VERY slow release
rate.I note with interest that they have just released REVOLT OF THE SLAVES
and as a Rhonda Fleming fan I want this movie.
I was hoping Kino Lorber would give us a Blu Ray of this film but it seems not.
Anyway in my trawling through the net to get more info on this film I stumbled
across a site called Hollywood Scrapheap.
While I in no way condone “Bootleg” imprints I found Hollywood Scrapheap
interesting to say the least.
For starters they have a select few titles (as these sites go) and their
DVD’s seem attractively packaged with graphics on the discs as well.
They also provide screen grabs from their DVD’s to give an indication of
the quality.
The lion’s share of their product seems to be Paramount and Republic
titles with lots of tasty Pine Thomas items.
They have interesting works in progress noted too.
Some of their films have been released in Europe and some are future
Warner Archive releases-TREASURE OF PANCHO VILLA which they
actually have in widescreen.
At any rate the site is worth a look,if for nothing else the lovely original
graphics they have sourced for some of these films.
Hi John!
I liked BLACK MIDNIGHT a lot (except for when the horse is mistreated, which was disturbing). It’s a short and simple film but it was made with some very nice directorial touches, and the Lone Pine location work is outstanding — one of the few films I’ve seen in which I recognized “Hoppy’s cabin,” as seen in this post:
http://laurasmiscmusings.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-lone-pine-film-festival-building.html
Best wishes,
Laura
Thanks Laura,
As mentioned on your blog Lyn Thomas,the female lead in
BLACK MIDNIGHT found Boetticher difficult and egotistical.
She adored Lindsley Parsons,however who she said never “pressured”
anyone.
Lyn had some great B Movie credits including several good RegalScopes.
These Parsons productions are very good and I want to see as many
of them as possible.
Another one I discovered is BIG TIMBER another little gem also
filmed in Lone Pine. I hope Warner Archive own the rights to that one.
Parsons also produced a series of “micro musicals” for Monogram
starring Jimmie Davis best known as the writer of You Are My Sunshine.
I asked Warner Archive about these some time ago and they told me that
they are very much on their radar.
I’d love to see them as they make super time capsules.
Thanks for the feedback on BLACK MIDNIGHT my copy is already
in the post. I adored the Lone Pine footage in DESERT PURSUIT.
Laura, have you reviewed BLACK MIDNIGHT BTW.
Another “horsie” picture I am more than intrigued about is the recently
released SNOWFIRE on Warner Archive. Hal Horn made it one of his “Discoveries” of 2016. It’s directed by Dorrell McGowan (HELLFIRE)
The amount of “buzz” this film has generated on imdb is simply
sensational.
The feedback there has the film as some minor “lost Classic”
I like “horsie” pictures and am looking forward to seeing THE LION AND THE
HORSE with Steve Cochran when Warners finally release it.
John k…sorry I missed responding to your excellent CRY VENGENCE take over at Hannibal, but I drift…TIMETABLE from ALPHA is watchable, so if any one is interested, for the price, it’s certainly worth the purchase, until Warner Archive or someone else restores this excellent noir. A tad too dark, especially for night scenes, it’s still pretty clear of splices, scratches and missing parts. I enjoyed it, but I have a high tolerance level for such things. The image was pretty good throughout, a little fuzzy here and there, but quite watchable, with some scenes relatively clear & sharp, depending on the reel.
SNOWFIRE…Go for it!…Saw it about a month or so ago on the Turner Network and loved it, even though I usually hate such movies of it’s type, which always has the beloved pet being killed for emotional impact. Disney’s OLD YELLER kept me from ever wanting to own a dog as a pet. Yeller, succumbing to “the slobberin’ fits” and having to be destroyed, crushed me as a child. Even DUMBO & BAMBIE were childhood nightmares! And Walt was child friendly???
Loved SNOWFIRE…SPOILER: the horse DOESN’T DIE. It’s a feel good movie with tons of great color location shooting (Iverson’s I believe). The movie perfectly captures the kiddie Western craze of the 50s, and I truly believe that the makers of the 1980s Christmas movie PRANCER borrowed liberally from this film. Great to see perennial baddie Don MeGowen finance and star in such a film, featuring many family members. A true joy to watch and a worthy addition to any Western collection.
Thanks Richard,
I too have the Alpha copy of TIMETABLE and I’m pretty
sure Kino Lorber will release this film on DVD and Blu as they
are leaving pretty much no stone unturned in the United Artists
library.At any rate Kino certainly love their Noirs.
I’m amazed the attention SNOWFIRE has generated on imdb.
At any rate you have certainly sold me on this one.
Hal Horn says the animal rights issues in this film are way
ahead of its time.
As far as “Horsie” pictures go I like films like BLACK HORSE
CANYON.
I’d love to see SAND as it stars three of my faves:Mark Stevens,
Coleen Gray and Rory Calhoun.
Laura says she has a poor quality copy of this film but I’m holding
out,hopefully for a Fox Archives release.
Warner Archive’s recent BLACK GOLD (1947) also has
“Horsie” elements and is very good in wonderful Cinecolor.
In researching BLACK MIDNIGHT’s Lyn Thomas I’ve come across
an interesting interview with Boyd Magers in his Ladies of The Western books.
Lyn as I mentioned before has some impressive B Movie credits.
Her opinions of her co-stars are quiet acerbic at times but very
amusing.
She had little time for Jim Davis who she found too impressed
with himself.She however loved Forrest Tucker and Lyle Talbot.
John Agar,Lyn said was a very nice guy but gave her nothing
to work with acting with him in FRONTIER GUN.
She described him as a “wet noodle”
Leo Gorcey she said was very intelligent and very well read.
I love all these tales from veteran actresses and am continually
amazed how one actress will describe her leading man as a total
horror while others will say that he’s wonderful.
More SNOWFIRE………..
I note with interest SNOWFIRE was shot by Brydon Baker.
Does anyone have any further info on Brydon?
He worked from the late Twenties on a host of ultra poverty row
Westerns until 1935.
He then took a twenty year break from films and re-surfaced in
1955 with THE PHANTOM FROM 10.000 LEAGUES.
After that he worked on lots of B films including several
RegalScopes and Lippert projects.
His most well known film,I guess was THE RETURN OF THE FLY.
At any rate his work on STORM RIDER and CATTLE EMPIRE is
very impressive.
Another of Brydon’s credits was SPACEMASTER X7…..wow I
really want to see this film again but in RegalScope please!
Great bits from Lyn Davis, John!
I seem to recall Joan Leslie making a little bit of fun of Forrest Tucker in an interview…but I was impressed with a lovely letter he wrote about working with Adele Mara in the book on Republic Pictures, THE HEROINE OR THE HORSE, so I’m glad to hear good things about him.
Lyle Talbot was the first actor my dad ever saw on stage, in Long Beach, CA in the early ’50s, I believe it was. He was a real working actor, no part too small as long as it was work!!
Best wishes,
Laura
Oops, I meant Lyn Thomas…must have had Jim Davis on my mind!
Laura
Hi Laura,….one thing leads to another.
Always liked Adele Mara,I guess you knew that she married
Roy Huggins.
When her star faded she still did the occasional TV work.
I recently saw her in CURSE OF THE FACELESS MAN
a guilty pleasure to be sure.
Adele looks great in that film and I’m surprised how the cast managed
to take the whole thing so seriously.
Still for a film shot in 6 days it looks pretty darn good.
The commentary on the Kino Lorber Blu Ray is way beyond their
usual standards-lots of mis-information.
The commentator mentions a couple of times that Edward L Cahn
directed EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS.
That was,of course directed by Fred F Sears.
Furthermore THE ALLIGATOR PEOPLE was NOT an American
International picture directed by Roger Corman.
Hey…Kino-Lorber I know a guy who would be great for your
“voice overs”…………his name…Toby Roan.
I for one am thrilled to see these Fifties cheapies get the high
def treatment…you actually are amazed at how well made they were,
albeit quickly,on a shoestring.
Laura,
I’m more than intrigued about the attention SNOWFIRE has generated
do you think this might be a future film to get the Laura treatment.
At any rate I’ve ordered it and will let you know my opinion in
due course.
Regarding REVOLT OF THE SLAVES which is not too far “off topic”
as you may think.
Somebody has already reviewed the MGM MOD on Amazon USA and
happily it’s a nice anamorphic widescreen transfer for all those Rhonda
fans out there.
REVOLT OF THE SLAVES is credited to the prolific writer Daniel
Mainwaring (aka Geoffrey Homes)
What credits he had and sadly a career marred greatly by booze and
The Blacklist.
From OUT OF THE PAST to SPACEMASTER X7 from INVASION OF THE
BODY SNATCHERS to THE DESPERADO (see not off topic at all 🙂 )
From THE PHENIX CITY STORY to ATLANTIS THE LOST CONTINENT.
Loads of great Westerns and genre movies enough to make the jaw
drop of any vintage film fanatic:ROUGHSHOD,THE LAWLESS,TALL TARGET,
POWDER RIVER,BLACK HORSE CANYON,SOUTHWEST PASSAGE,
THE GUN RUNNERS,BABY FACE NELSON and many others.
Check out Laura’s great review of ROUGHSHOD,,
Laura…..a zillion apologies!
For some reason I totally missed your review of BLACK MIDNIGHT
and would have purchased the film there and then had I seen it.
Thanks for the link…much appreciated.
Thanks also for the info on Lyn Thomas…I really am very keen to
see BIG TIMBER now. I’d also love to see the RegalScopes that she did.
I have seen SPACEMASTER X7 but that was simply ages ago.
I wasn’t certain where to put this post, but as my pal J.K. has drifted away from the westerns slightly, this could be the right place.
There has been some talk regarding the quality of the Mill Creek multi film DVDs. My copy of “Tales From The Prison Yard” arrived from Amazon USA yesterday. It’s 6 films are spread over 2 DVDs, the first DVD has the 2 films from 1970s, The Last Detail and Valachi Papers, both are colour anamorphic widescreen. Both have that gritty 1970s look, with Valachi winning on film and picture quality. The second DVD has the 4 films from 1950s, all 4 look very good, with 3 films being in black and white anamorphic widescreen, Convicted from 1950, is black and white 1.33 or 4×3. I’m not certain if dual layer DVDs are used, but I’m sure they must be, or they wouldn’t look this good.
The whole package cost me $15, that was $7 for the DVDs, and $8 mail from USA. It’s a bargain.
I don’t need the Randolph Scott sets, but they are also 6 films on 2 DVDs, so I’m sure they will be good, but can’t say how quality would compare to having one film on one DVD.
One important thing to say for UK readers, these DVDs are Region One only.
Richard W…..
Further to comments made earlier on this thread I am now
able to comment on DOC,having watched it last night….for the
first time in 45 years,I might add.
As mentioned earlier I will avoid references to MY DARLING CLEMENTINE
which towers over all other Wyatt Earp films like a Monument Valley
monolith.
Richard,you most adeptly describe Ford’s masterwork as a “Tone Poem”
I like that description very much.
DOC is certainly no “Tone Poem” but it’s a pretty good Western all the same.
The Blu Ray from a new UK outfit called Signal One is a magnificent
transfer.
The only main gripe I have with the film is that i feel Faye Dunaway is
miscast as Katie Elder.I would have preferred,say Karen Black,but this
is just a personal opinion.
The film is very well crafted,their version of Tombstone is vibrant and
filled with extras-very impressive.
I certainly enjoyed the film far more with this viewing than I did at the
time.
Harris Yullin’s Wyatt Earp comes across as pensive,quiet spoken,
but devious.He is not morally bankrupt however
After OK Corral he actually questions why Doc killed Billy Clanton,
more or less in cold blood.It’s an incredibly powerful scene and I understand
Perry meant it to be an allegorical reference to Vietnam.
Scene also brings to mind Johnny Cash’s classic ballad of the True West.
More DOC………..
Richard W
I might add I am very impressed that you are getting TWO copies
of the Blu Ray for the reasons you explained earlier.
I’m certainly glad I got the Blu Ray and it’s a keeper!
Haris Yulin’s version of Earp brings to mind Albert Dekker’s version
of Bat Masterson in George Archainbaud’s very fine WOMAN OF THE
TOWN a forgotten gem if ever there was one.
This “warts ‘n all” revisionist Western was years ahead of its time.
Sadly,the film is only available as a Alpha DVD and it’s pretty bad even
by their standards.
The same writer,Aeneas Mackenzie also produced the first draft of
BUFFALO BILL. William Wellman loved it. The script depicted Cody
as an SOB and a charlatan.
Wellman however decided this was not the right time to deconstruct
an American hero,he “printed” the legend instead.
As i recall Will Henry’s fine novel depicted an alleged friendship
between Earp and young Billy Clanton.
The makers of DOC have borrowed from this and changed it to a
friendship between Holliday and young Billy.
As mentioned earlier Henry’s fine novel WHO RIDES WITH WYATT
was made as a non-Earp movie YOUNG BILLY YOUNG.
I have not seen that one since it’s release either,but my memories
of the film are not fond.
All in all the excellent Blu Ray from Signal One presents DOC as
a fine looking beautifully crafted Western with stellar production values.
Richard,you of all people will note on the reverse of the Blu Ray they
have wrongly included a shot from THE LONG RIDERS.
At a long shot I would say that I actually prefer Frank Perry’s film
over the Walter Hill film.
Trivia note: wouldn’t Harris Yulin make a wonderful Rupert Murdoch.
John K, I haven’t received my blu’s yet but I’m encouraged to read your praise of the transfer. I’m a fan of Frank Perry’s cranky, strange, intimate character-driven dramas. He was pre-occupied with tearing characters down and ripping relationships apart. Except for being a western DOC is typical of his work. While I can praise it as a drama, it does violence to biography and it’s a profoundly inaccurate history. It’s bad history, period. I like very much your idea of casting Karen Black as Kate. I never thought of it, but she would have been perfect. I miss Karen Black at the movies as much as I miss Faye Dunaway. Love watching them both.
I don’t see an analogy to THE LONG RIDERS which is historically intelligent, well-informed, and brilliant cinema. THE LONG RIDERS is one of the great, great American westerns.
I’m impressed that you find a commonality between DOC and A WOMAN IN TOWN. Not many people know about that 1943 western. Paramount seems to take no interest in their back catalogue; or perhaps Universal owns it now, I never can remember.
There was no friendship between Wyatt Earp and Billy Clanton but Will Henry’s WHO RIDES WITH WYATT is good fiction. I’ve got an autographed First Edition. Henry was a card-carrying member of The Western Writers of America and so am I. I’ve borrowed the title for a chapter title in my forthcoming book on the Tombstone troubles.
Kino Lorber have just announced that they are going to release
THE OX BOW INCIDENT on Blu Ray.
Up to now Kino’s product has been mainly from the MGM/UA
archives,which also includes American International.
Now it would seem Kino have gained access to MGM/UA’s parent
company Fox.
This is very exciting news.
Perhaps we may finally see Blu Ray releases of the following
Fox Westerns,which up to now have not even had a DVD release:
THE DEERSLAYER,SIERRA BARON,THE FIERCEST HEART and
THE CANADIANS.
Furthermore we might finally see some of the RegalScope titles
debut on Blu Ray!
As mentioned earlier Warners Germany are releasing CHISUM on
Blu Ray in June. I should imagine a domestic release will happen at
the same time. I always thought CHISUM was one of the very best
of The Duke’s Seventies Westerns.
More thoughts on DOC. When I was growing up I looked upon revisionist westerns of the 1960s and 1970s as being more accurate to history than the traditional Hollywood western. I’d seen very few of the hour-long programmers at the time. Today my insight has reversed. Revisionist westerns of the 1960s and 1970s simply replaced one set of inaccuracies with a new set of inaccuracies. Among the worst offenders are LITTLE BIG MAN, SOLDIER BLUE, DOC, BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIANS and HEAVEN’S GATE. It’s a matter of facts, not a matter of opinions. Facts are constant things regardless of what we think of them. History, like biography, is fact reconstructed from evidence into a chronological narrative of circumstances and events and sometimes motive. We might each have a different opinion of the history, but the facts are what they are. The more I learn about the history of the American west and the biographies of the pioneers the more virtue I find in pre-1960 westerns. They may be sanitized and of narrow range but they do reflect how people thought and behaved, what they experienced, and convey the things that were important to them. I also appreciate the positive attitude and spirit toward America’s past that is found in old westerns, which is very, very important.
Very interested in your perspective having altered over the decades, Richard. You are obviously very knowledgeable on the subject and I respect that. I also thoroughly agree BTW! If the men and women that built the American West had all been as mean, unpleasant, uneducated as portrayed in the revisionist period post-1960 heck! they’d never have got the job done!
I didn’t want to comment of these latter day “westerns” the ones made after 1965, one reason is I despise them so much and didn’t want to start another range feud amongst those here who can’t seem to get enough of them. But I was very pleased to read Richard-W’s comments above they justify why I refuse to watch these pieces of trash. I am not interested in liberal revisionist history either on TV, books or movies. It has only one purpose, to insult, degrade, debase and destroy the goodness that people have always known to be true. My decision years ago to not watch these jaundiced liberal revisionist westerns I see was a correct one. So glad I never wasted my valuable time on this planet watching such crap.
I second the vote of confidence, by the way, for Mill Creek brand video releases. I find them to be of high quality too. I only wish I hadn’t already bought the single releases of the Randy Scott movies before or I’d surely buy them now in this new release. But I have bought Mill Creek discs before and I have no complaints.
Johnny Guitar, I realize you feel strongly about this, but I hope you will not dismiss all westerns made after 1965. There are many good ones. The genre lost its in innocence on television in the 1950s when the playwrights decided to make something as serious out of it as Wellman’s THE OX-BOW INCIDENT (1943) and Zinnemann’s HIGH NOON (1952). It is not anti-western or anti-American to deal with historical matters, biographical realities, and social issues, it’s just broadening the horizon and expanding one’s range.
No one was more conservative than John Ford. Have you watched CHEYENNE AUTUMN lately? Magnificent film with inspired imagery, and yet the history he embraces and puts across is all wrong. The events he depicts happened differently, and much of it never happened at all. And what makes Ford think that the Cheyenne women can’t mother and school their own children, that they have to let a white woman come along to do it for them? The interlude with Wyatt Earp in a white suit is meant to tell us that Ford is finished perpetuating myths about the American west, but that’s exactly what he does in the main body of the film. It’s just a new set of myths, jaundiced and revisionist. And yet it’s still a great film withing the best of intentions and an entertaining western.
Films like HOMBRE (1967), THE STALKING MOON (1968), TELL THEM WILLIE BOY IS HERE (1969), A GUNFIGHT (1970), LAWMAN (1971) and ULZANA’S RAID (1972) may be grim, serious, and bitter, but they convey underlying truths and realities of the west that make them just as purely western as, say, THE GUNFIGHTER (1950), WESTWARD THE WOMEN (1951), HIGH NOON (1952), THE SEARCHERS (1956) or WARLOCK (1958). If you go back to the silent era, even William S. Hart played morally corrupt and conflicted characters. He specialized in bringing real depth and grubbiness to his roles. I know because I’ve collected all his films. It is not a surprise to me, then, that Wyatt Earp corresponded with Hart and chose the actor to play him in a biographical film they tried to get made. I’ve read their letters and I have their script. Westerns have always been a pliable, malleable genre. It could tackle serious ideas and still be true western.
I hesitate to mention Sam Peckinpah, but his family background in frontier times brought out a truthfulness and tactile understanding of western life and conditions that invested his characters and stories with something truly special. He didn’t make enough westerns, Peckinpah.
Spaghetti westerns, with their relentless nihilism, ambivalence and ridicule did more to sour the genre than any American western. I’ve never understood the public’s acceptance of them. It’s as if American audiences wanted to see the genre torn apart. Today, many Americans prefer spaghetti westerns. The younger generation knows more about spags than they do about the real thing. Leone and Eastwood did the genre no favors when they made A FISTFUL OF DOLLARS. The ambivalence, nihilism and brutality in that film would be echoed and surpassed in countless others, Putting spags onto American movie screens was like giving audiences a pill they didn’t know was poison.
Leone wanted either Charles Bronson or James Coburn
for FISTFUL OF DOLLARS-they both wanted far more than the
$15,000 Eastwood accepted.
Eastwood’s career was in the doldrums at the time.
You cannot blame American actors getting decent paydays in the
Spaghetti’s.
Woody Strode was given $2,000 by John Ford to cover the cost
of his Mother’s funeral. It was only when he started making the
Spaghetti’s he started getting $36,000 paychecks.
The thing I dislike most about the Spaghetti’s is the supporting
players;they all look like fugitives from a fifth rate Italian circus.
Lee Van Cleef’s THE BIG GUNDOWN and DEATH TIDES A HORSE
are two of the best. Later Van Cleef just took the money and ran,
and who can blame him.
The recent Explosive Media Blu Ray of A MAN CALLED SLEDGE
is above par because it is top heavy with American talent:
James Garner,Dennis Weaver,Claude Akins,Tony Young,Wayde
Preston and director Vic Morrow.
I got a kick out of the opening where Maverick and Gunslinger
ride into town during a blizzard.
Richard, like you said elsewhere it’s hard to keep up with the
flow of Blu Ray releases and also the many tasty items from
Warner Archive.
I know you have little or no time for Eastwood but the Blu
Ray of JOE KIDD is wonderful;furthermore it has some of the
finest compositions of any Sturges film.
THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES is certainly in my top ten Westerns
of all time,and now,quite rightly regarded as an American classic.
One must not overlook the post 1965 Wayne Westerns
CHISUM,BIG JAKE and THE SHOOTIST.
CHISUM is due on Blu Ray in June from Germany.
Fujrthermore I’d get Blu Ray’s of McQueen’s NEVADA SMITH and
TOM HORN in a heartbeat the latter being a very fine and overlooked
film.
There are a host of films I’d like to re-discover including two from
underrated Arnold Laven: GERONIMO and THE GLORY GUYS.
I for one,am looking forward very much to the Elephant France
Blu Ray of ULZANA’S RAID.due later this year.
My opinion of 99% of these post ’65 westerns remains the same. I still will not waste my time watching these anti-American revisionist pieces of trash. In fact, it’s funny but most all the movies you mentioned above I have the same opinion of, Anti-American and not worthy of a second view. Westward The Women I found to be incredibly boring. High Noon, while filled with good actors was nevertheless very anti-American and the reason behind why the Duke made Rio Bravo as a response to the Hi Noon message that everyone’s a coward and only looking out for themselves. Despicably false.
As for the post ’65 westerns I do have an exception for any of the movies made by Charles Bronson, Clint Eastwood & of course John Wayne. I like all of them, some more than others of course, but all worthy of multi viewings, especially the ones done by the Duke, he never disappointed. Some Bronsons and Eastwoods even come close to the edge but still there is more good than bad in them.
TV westerns like Wild Wild West is also a major exception, a really great show, pure action and no thankfully no liberal preaching. The rest of the late ’60’s TV westerns all had politically correct (meaning liberal) messages that they attempted to force-feed down western fans throats. I’ll still watch High Chaparral and latter day Gunsmokes amongst others but I know what to expect, the latest liberal preaching which I proudly ignore. Gunsmoke, by the way is really bad going totally overboard with disgusting images of what and how cowboys act and looked like. They were very much like the typical lousy post ’65 western movie, spaghetti or American made at the time. Pretty much most Gunsmokes after the 12th season were crap. When Meston left and Mantley came in it was all over for Gunsmoke.
Fortunately for all of us there are enough ’50’s western movies and ’50’s TV westerns that there is no reason to waste time with these post ’65 things. Too many good ’50’s westerns to see still that have never been seen to worry about the late ’60’s and beyond’s junk. My attitude is more time for stuff I like, why watch junk that will only disgust me?
John, I recorded SNOWFIRE from TCM very recently because I heard such good things about it. Not sure when I’ll get to it…I’ll watch horse movies if there is a good human story (like BLACK MIDNIGHT) but it’s not my favorite genre. Would love to know what you think of the movie and the Warner Archive disc if you watch it in that format.
Another fun tidbit about Adele Mara is that her brother, Luis Delgado, was James Garner’s stand-in for decades. You can pick him out as an extra in MAVERICK episodes and I even saw him standing around town in LAWMAN. 🙂 He had speaking roles in later Garner work like ROCKFORD FILES (Officer Billings).
Best wishes,
Laura
Whilst awaiting John’s take on ‘SNOWFIRE’, Laura, I hope you don’t mind me butting in with my take. Personally, I think it is a film that will appeal to you. It is a ‘family’ film in more ways than one since the McGowan sisters who are central to the story were the daughters of producer Dorrell McGowan I believe (no relation to main star of the film, Don Megowan).
I also like ‘THE LION AND THE HORSE’ starring Steve Cochran though there are ‘animal’scenes here you might find harder to take.
Both films are shot completely on location, if memory serves me, and the scenery in both films is gorgeous.
I am certain John will have a more detailed take which we can all enjoy.
Jerry, I’m always grateful for you point of view! Especially as our tastes so often coincide. Thank you for your thoughts not only on SNOWFIRE but also on THE LION AND THE HORSE, a film I know even less about than SNOWFIRE! Enjoyed your note, thank you!
Best wishes,
Laura
I may be late reporting on this (I am not one of the expert ‘watchers’ for new releases) so apologies if you all know already but….
“GUN DUEL IN DURANGO” 1957 w. George Montgomery out March 7
“THE IRON SHERIFF” 1957 w. Sterling Hayden out April4
These are being put out by 101 Films who have done some very nice previous releases. However, these are UK releases in Region 2 so apologies if that is not happy news for U.S. friends.
Aspect ratio is 1.37:1 I believe despite their being released as late as 1957.
A detour from the main topic — Some of you here may have chatted online at various film sites with Brad Arrington, who also used the handle “James Corry.” I remember reading John K. talking to Brad in comments at Greenbriar Picture Shows not all that long ago.
Today Glenn Erickson shared the sad news at his DVD Savant page that Brad has passed away, and I thought I would mention it here to help make sure that anyone who interacted with Brad online sees the news. I posted a brief tribute to him over at my blog tonight. He was such a nice and knowledgeable gentleman, and I’m sad to think we won’t be hearing from him again.
Best wishes,
Laura
Laura,
Very sad news.
In my brief exchange with Brad some while back he struck me
as being a real gentleman.
More SNOWFIRE,
I have not received my Warner Archive disc yet and am
looking forward to it.
I’m amazed at the attention that this little indie film has generated online.
Loved BLACK MIDNIGHT…essential early Boetticher and even better,I might
add than several of his Universal Westerns.
THE LION AND THE HORSE is going to be released by Warner Archive
at some point. I like Louis king’s films and it will be nice to see Steve
Cochran in a family type film.
King (brother of Henry) made several “horsie” type pictures including
SAND which many of us are after.
King also directed the excellent POWDER RIVER which is a remake of
FRONTIER MARSHALL as a non Earp Western.
Jerry,
The MGM Limited Edition versions of THE IRON SHERIFF and
GUN DUEL IN DURANGO were both 4×3 but the p.q. was good.
They are both OK programmers….nothing more.
The MGM Limited Edition series is still going,sort of….
Their latest release of REVOLT OF THE SLAVES is a stellar
widescreen transfer,one of the best looking MOD’s I’ve ever seen.
Rhonda fans will not want to miss this.
More DOC……….
Richard W,
WOMAN OF THE TOWN was a United Artists release which now
seems to have fallen into p.d. hell.
Film would now be a minor classic had there been someone more
magnetic than Albert Dekker in the lead…the films main weakness.
Another great Wyatt Earp Western is the vastly underrated
TOMBSTONE:THE TOWN TOO TOUGH TO DIE,
This is one of many pre-1949 Paramount films now owned by Universal.
In a perfect World we would have a TCM Universal Richard Dix Western
collection. Dix’s contribution to the Western and films in general
is partly being corrected by Laura and myself…we will persevere.
I recently included one of Dix’s excellent “Whistler” films in my selection
of “discoveries” of 2015 over at Rupert Pupkin Speaks.
There are so many great releases slated for 2016 I feel Toby might
have to up the selections to 20 to cover all the great stuff due this year.
My problem with Faye Dunaway is that you simply could not deglamourize
the 1970 Faye.
The commentary by Courtney Joyner is worth a listen on the Signal One disc;
he certainly knows his stuff. According to Mr Joyner the Earps certainly
liked their drugs and hookers!
Another amusing aside is that Burt Lancaster considered GUNFIGHT AT OK
CORALL to be a tale of two pre-Freudian fags.
The strong point about DOC is that it does stand up to repeated viewings.
There is much to admire in Harris Yulin’s performance.
Yulin more or less plays the role with his eyes…you literally can see the
cogs turn over in Yulin’s mind.Yulin’s Earp is certainly no coward, he faces
Ike Clanton in a fist fight and is badly beaten-this marks a turning point
in the film.Yulin’s Earp is a man torn between political ambitions and
doing the right thing for the people of Tombstone.
I don’t know how accurate it was but Mr Joyner says that Holliday after
OK Corral returned to Kate and bemoaned….”it was horrible”
To add insult to injury Sidonis in France (them of the “forced” subtitles)
have announced that they have TOMSSTONE:THE TOWN TOO
TOUGH TO DIE as a future release
Richard,
Do you include non Earp Westerns like the aforementioned POWDER
RIVER in your “Tombstone” section of your collection?.
I don’t know what “two pre-Freudian fags” means. Was he talking about the movie characters or the actual men? Terribly irresponsible thing to say. It doesn’t sound like something Lancaster would think of. It isn’t true. I get upset when I hear things like that. It seems to be a sign of the times, whenever two male characters have an interaction to say that there is a gay subtext, when there isn’t. This a very current thing which would have disgusted westerners of the 1800s if anyone had suggested it.
The Earp brothers did not indulge in drugs, but they did work as bouncers at one time in gentlemen’s clubs, otherwise known as brothels. By the time they got to Prescott and then Tombstone they were all married men and on their best behavior. They tried to do the right thing, and to work toward achieving their political ambitions of holding public offices. Their professional gambling went hand in hand with their law enforcement jobs. They also tried to strike it rich in the mining districts like everybody else. Doc’s travels intersected with the Earps and he proved a staunch ally in Tombstone when they needed one, but to make more out of it than that tells us more about Joyner than Doc.
Kate did leave behind a letter and a couple of notes in which she describes Doc’s reaction to the gunfight immediately after it had happened, but the manuscripts are likely frauds perpetrated to sell for big money at auction, and in any case only typescripts are available, the originals having disappeared. Provenance and authenticity of the letter and notes can not be established and therefore neither can the story. So the historian’s obligation is to relate the tale as a possibility for this and that reason.
I have no trouble accepting a deglamorized Faye Dunaway. I love her Kate. She could do no wrong, in my eyes. I agree with you regarding Harris Yulin’s performance. I disagree with how the character is defined and dislike the place Yulin takes him to, internally, but there’s no denying he’s superb in the role.
Richard,
How do you rate Walter Hill’s GERONIMO,,,,An American Legend ?
I saw it on the big screen years ago and liked it-although found some
of the supporting roles odd,at the time…Jason Patric…?
I recall a great gunfight scene with Robert Duvall.
I found THE LONG RIDERS good but not great…hated WILD BILL.
Never totally got the cult that worships Walter Hill-I always thought many
of his films promised more than they delivered.
Anyway,Explosive Media in Germany have Hill’s GERONIMO announced
for a future release on Blu Ray.
I admire very much THE GREAT NORTHFIELD MINNESOTA RAID-
prefer it to THE LONG RIDERS.
Richard-there’s no accounting for taste.:)
My fave of all the “revisionist” Westerns (don’t know if you can really
call it that) is CATTLE ANNIE & LITTLE BRITCHES a wonderful and
totally un-heralded film. Even Johnny Guitar might go for this one.
Regarding films that you checked earlier SOLDIER BLUE and
BUFFALO BILL & THE INDIANS are loathesome.
Hill’s Geronimo was excoriated by newspaper reviews in Arizona and New Mexico, where these events happened and are a part of our culture. As history the film is ridiculous. The same applies to Wild Bill. As westerns, I guess Hill directs them very well. They both have their moments, but I can’t enjoy either film, knowing what I know. It was good to see well-mounted westerns like these in the mid-1990s when there was almost nothing else on the big screen. There is a wealth of historical material on which to build accurate films about Wild Bill Hickok (incidentally his best biographer is or rather was a Brit, a man named Rosa). What really happened is so exciting nothing imaginary can equal it. Viggio Mortensen would be perfect for the part. Most people are reluctant to tackle Geronimo because he’s too political. Damned if you do damned if you don’t. Making up a complete fiction that is sympathetic to him is the only safe way to go about it.
I share your appreciation for The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid and Cattle Annie & Little Britches. it makes me wish Cliff Robertson had starred in more westerns. Lots of them. The latter was sadly overlooked in theaters and has never had a home video release in the USA; it’s almost a forgotten film.
Viggo Mortensen as Wild Bill….I like that very much,,,,
Sign me up!
Another actor I like who would make a great Western star if they
were still making them is Barry Pepper.
Totally agree regarding your comments about Cliff Robertson.
I have found your knowledgeable comments around the history of the Earps and others as they relate to “new” versions of the stories in films very interesting. The 60s/70s was an era for navel-gazing and rubbishing every historical figure, whether correct or not.
I think the film historian you mentioned was Joseph G. Rosa who contributed greatly to the “Western Film Annuals” published in UK and edited by F. Maurice Speed. They hugely added to my westerns knowledge and information in the 50s as I was growing up. Although you had to take with a pinch of salt the “fan” articles, however entertaining, the historical articles by Rosa were serious and properly-presented. He did a very good piece on Hickock, among others.
Gosh, I probably haven’t seen “WOMAN OF THE TOWN” since 1960!! The BBC used to show it now and again back then but it seems lost now. Like most of Harry Sherman’s westerns it was very enjoyable. “TOMBSTONE, THE TOWN TOO TOUGH TO DIE” is even better, chiefly because the star of that one was Richard Dix. Sherman and Dix worked really well together and produced a nice little group of films.
Further to above comments about the Spaghetti’s destroying the
Western I feel the Horror genre was even more affected by the likes of
Friday 13th (original and rip offs) and Freddie Kruger and others
Could it get worse…yes it could Eli Roth and the Saw franchise.
I cannot watch this drek give me a Price/Corman flick or Terence
Fisher any day.
I’m certainly an analog film fan in a digital age.
I’ve never seen a Star Wars film nor any Lord Of The Rings or Harry
Potter…these films have zero appeal to me.
I love Fifties Sci Fi and would rather watch a Jack Arnold,Byron Haskin,
Fred F Sears or Nathan Juran any day of the week.
The problem was with the Western after 1965 was the lack of stars to
carry the torch onwards.The programmer Western more or less died
with Audie Murphy and A.C.Lyles.
Steve McQueen’s long lay off from making films after The Towering Inferno
did not help either. McQueen was one of the few stars who could have
become an all time great Western actor.
I agree completely when it comes to horror movies too. As a kid I grew up reading monster magazines and loving Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, they were the heroes of all monsters. I love watching ’40’s and esp. ’50’s monster movies, and just like with westerns pretty much after 1965 monster movies went south with gore and ugliness. The entertainment went out and the blood came in. That’s when the monster movies lost me too. Give me a Rondo Hatton or a Richard Carlson ’50’s horror movie anytime over a Saw. Funnily again, I never saw a Saw movie, I’ve only seen seconds of one that I know I’d never want to watch. With a few exceptions, Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, P. Cushing, horror movies after the mid and late ’60’s are just not my cup of plasma. Late Saturday night is my time to watch a horror movie (just like it was when I was a kid watching local TV stations then that showed old spooky movies). Used to be called Chiller or in D.C. we had Sir Graves Ghastly and Count Gore DeVol, great spooky movies which live again on Saturdays thanks to DVDs. (Not Blu rays!)