Directed by Andre de Toth
Starring Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Joan Weldon, George Macready, Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine
The Stranger Wore A Gun (1953), one of six Randolph Scott pictures directed by Andre de Toth, had all sorts of interesting technical things going for it — which makes the announcement that Explosive Media is bringing it to Blu-Ray in Germany something worth celebrating.
The one-sheet for The Stranger Wore A Gun bragged about it all: 3-Dimensions, wide screen and stereophonic sound.
Andre de Toth was chosen to test-drive and fine tune a number of Hollywood’s technical developments of the 50s. For instance, the second of the De Toth Scotts, Carson City (1952), was the first Warnercolor film. House Of Wax (1953), the first major-studio 3-D movie, was filmed in the Natural Vision 3-D format and Warnercolor, with the added bonus of stereophonic sound.
The Stranger Wore A Gun was the first film composed and shot to be projected at 1.85. This aspect ratio is still the standard, in use in theaters and on video today. This framing in, for me, the key benefit of this upcoming Blu-Ray, along with the high definition, of course. It will not be offered in 3-D, and sadly, the three-track stereo elements were lost years ago.
This is not the best of the de Toth Scott movies, but it’s got Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine and Claire Trevor. And George Macready is totally despicable as the bad guy. Scott is so cool in the movies from this period, no matter how strong the movie around him is.
Not sure what Explosive’s region policy is. I’m sure hoping The Stranger Wore A Gun is something we can all enjoy. Can’t wait.
Thanks, John, for the tip.
50 Westerns From The 50s. 
Excellent news!
Great news for all the many Scott fans. I rate this as mid-quality Scott – not one of his very best but a cracking good western nonetheless!
I would like to point out that THE STRANGER WORE A GUN is
actually an Explosive Media release. Explosive recently changed
distributor-they were distributed by Alive ag but have switched
to Koch.
Normally Explosive Blu Ray’s are region free.
Blu-ray.disc.de often note the distributor as opposed to the actual company.
As noted in the previous thread Explosive are also,on Blu Ray
releasing THE LAST FRONTIER the most underrated of Mann’s
Westerns.
Jerry-with films like THE STRANGER WORE A GUN getting the high-def
treatment how much longer can you resist getting a Blu Ray player
if my memory serves me well you have a “milestone” birthday approaching
soon.
Also as a memory jog Explosive will soon release THE FAR COUNTRY
on Blu Ray a Worldwide first,I believe.
Thanks for the correction, John!
John, your kind thoughts concerning my upcoming ‘milestone’ birthday are really appreciated, I assure you. I know I’d love seeing these in hi-def but I am just not going to buy two (or even 3!!) of all my favourite films. And where would I find the shelf space?…………..
Coincidentally I just watched this a week ago from the Western Channel – it has a lot of plot points mashed together – but it does have a great cast – early 50’s Scott, the great Claire Trevor, always enjoyable heavy in George Macready, Bedoya, Borgnine & Marvin – so I am hoping it’s region free.
The good news is no matter how many times they keep releasing the same films with different covers, if you bought it once you won’t have to buy again. I’m still happy with my Columbia DVD of Stranger… If I had never bought those original releases I’d be glad to buy the much cheaper 6 film Scott collections that came out a few months ago. But I’ve already bought those films before (costing much more than these box sets), but once again, money needn’t spent over and over.
Slightly off topic, as it’s not a Randolph Scott Western, but I’ve received the recently released Simply Media Region 2 DVD of Universal International’s CHIEF CRAZY HORSE (UK title: VALLEY OF FURY), starring Victor Mature, filmed in CinemaScope and Technicolor in 1954 and released in 1955 and it really is a superb transfer in 2.35:1 aspect ratio and is 16 x 9 enhanced (although I seem to recall that it was originally filmed in 2.55:1). This is one of a recent batch of Universal International 1950s Westerns released by Simply Media under licence from Universal. No sign yet of a release of Audie Murphy’s SEVEN WAYS FROM SUNDOWN (1960), although that has been released in a Spanish DVD with English dialogue and I may soon be sending for that version.
This information re Simply Media releases under license is good to have, David. Thanks for the tip.
David Rayner ,Umbrella Entertainment in Australia have 7 WAYS FROM SUNDOWN on a region 4 DVD .It is also on the THE AUDIE MURPHY COLLECTION ,a 5 DVD set with no region listed .
Im not a big Roy Rogers fan ,so can anyone tell me what YOUNG BUFFALO
BILL and YOUNG WILD BILL HICKOK are like .Thank You .
They’re both early b/w Roy short movies. I prefer Roy’s mid ’40’s to early ’50’s ones myself, but the early ones aren’t bad either.
Last night I was stuck as to a western movie to watch so I did what I usually do in these situations, I went to one of my favorite western stars (Joel McCrea, Duke, or) Randolph Scott. I picked one I haven’t seen in quite a few years, MAN IN THE SADDLE, and last time I saw it it was from my own recording off TNT. Last night though I watched for the first time my Columbia DVD of it. Wow, what beautiful scenery, I’m guessing it was in the Rockies in Colorado, the movie was in beautiful bright color and a pleasure to watch. I love color ’50’s westerns, I may be speaking heresy here, but I find one R. Scott movie almost indistinguishable from another, not that that’s a bad thing since for the most part they’re all great color typical western stories. This one had Randolph battling an evil greedy land owner who was also jealous since his new wife was once Randy’s girl. Great character actors here too Guinn Big Boy, Cameron Mitchel (who was so young I didn’t even know it was Cameron Mitchel till I read the credits, he looked different when he got older) and even the guy who played the Mexican bandit in Treasure of Sierra Madre, Alfonso Bedoya. Here he played a good guy, nice to see him in a good role instead of the nasty ones he usually plays. Both of the women in this movie were OK, neither moved me very much, one was pretty much as good as the other. I think I would have cast them differently.
OH, and the pleasant surprise in this movie was the guy who sang the opening theme song. I’m a big old music & old time radio show nut and am good at recognizing voices when I hear them. I recognized the singing voice of Tennessee Ernie Ford but didn’t see him credited in the opening credits. Later in the movie there he appeared in person again singing the opening theme, and then I knew I was right. He was young here and didn’t quite look like himself as he didn’t have his signature mustache on. But that made the movie more fun to me. A great picture and I found it totally entertaining.
Johnny Guitar ,thanks for the info on those 2 Roy Rogers .I do have a couple of his westerns ,and preferably the ones without cars ,but I suspect these are set in the old west if they’re about Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickok .I to like a nice opening theme but sometimes the vocalist misses out on a credit.
Ernie Ford also sang the title song over the opening credits for THE LONELY MAN (1957) another good fifties western.
RIVER OF NO RETURN, too.
I’m glad Johnny mentioned MAN IN THE SADDLE the first and best
of six Westerns Scott made with Andre de Toth-in fact I’d go as far as to
say it’s the best of De Toth’s Westerns better even than RAMROD or
DAY OF THE OUTLAW.It’s themes are more Noir than Western especially
with Alexander Knox’s land baron driven to extremes by his “trophy wife”
Joan Leslie.John Russell is excellent as the baddie who has a crush on
Ellen Drew who in turn fancies Scott.
Unlike Johnny,or indeed Jerry; I’d buy a Blu Ray of this one in a heartbeat.
I absolutely agree with everything you say; this is an especially fine western. There’s a good plot, an excellent cast & beautiful scenery. Certainly it’s one of Scott’s finest, just below the Ranown movies. The dvd is very fine but it’s still well worth a blu ray release.
BOUNTY HUNTER, DAY OF THE OUTLAW, THUNDER OVER THE PLAINS and RIDING SHOTGUN are DeToth’s best Westerns in my opinion. MAN IN THE SADDLE pretty good and seems to get better each time I see it. STRANGER WORE A GUN seems to get a little worse each time I see it – probably the 3D effect on the directing of the movie. But I do love George Macready in all the Scott films. I’m very glad that Toby has swung the blog back to Randolph Scott – the all time best B western actor and my favorite!
Randolph Scott was not a B player, in westerns or anything else. A B picture is defined in one of two ways: Budgetary limitations, and the manner in which it is distributed. For that part B pictures were sold at a fixed price to motion picture exhibitors, whereas Aa films are distributed on a rental basis, although open to some negotiation.
You have some good points and I agree that he was never a B player but the simple fact is that Scott’s movies rarely budgeted over $750,000. Many critics draw the line at $1MM+ after mid 1940s for A pictures. John Wayne felt that he had overspent on 7 Men From Now at approx. $750,000. Ride the High Country was one of Scott’s most expensive at slightly over $800k.
I don’t have stats on the Boetticher films but I hope they had good sales as I consider them the best.
Shall we agree to call them “budget friendly major motion pictures?”
I agree with the above comments that rate “MAN IN THE SADDLE” as De Toth’s finest western. It was also one of Scott’s very best.
Let us not forget too that when it was released in 1951 Randolph Scott was in the Top 10 most popular stars at the U.S. Box Office (ANY genre) so really not a B player at all.
Randolph Scott was just as much a star as Duke, Cary Grant or any other star. B Stars are Eddie Dean, Sunset Carson, Whip Wilson etc., really now do you consider Randolph Scott to be in this group? I judge a B actor by his star power, his popularity, not the budget.
Star power and budget nearly always go together, up to a point. Gene Autry was a B western star and he made the real top ten — Motion Picture Exhibitors poll, as did Roy rogers. But B films came in at under $350,000 and were sold, more or less, as I wrote above. The entire category started to disappear around 1954. Certainly for westerns, but various other genre films as well, including low budget horror and science fiction. People online often write about B films as an opinion. But they are not a matter of opinion, but fact.
For myself ,I just wish that some of the westerns that aren’t on DVD were on DVD .I get a bit tired of the same old films getting reissured ,and as for BLU RAY ,well I always like to let folks know of a new release .I know that some may never be released for 1 reason or another but I’ll always keep knocking on the DVD companies doors.
Randolph Scott is in a class all to himself, sorry to have set people off here.
I do agree with gcwe1 that I would like to see more new titles coming to DVD but remain hopeful.
Now, you have said something I can agree with wholeheartedly. Good going.
Tom Settles ,you certainly did not set me off ,you were having an opinion and it’s good to hear everyones opinion even if we may not always agree .
Just finished watching one of those unreleased westerns ,AT GUNPOINT on DVDr.
Fully agree, Graham. All opinions are valid and how great is it to be able to take part in a little spat about Randolph Scott?? The joys of this blog!
I really like the film you just watched, “AT GUNPOINT”, a fine underrated little western. Sadly, my copy, like yours I guess, is a pan & scan. Unfortunately it is one of those Allied Artists films being sat on by Paramount so unlikely we will get to see it in its correct ‘scope aspect. Very high on my ‘if only’ list!
Hi Jerry ,I’ve just been in contact with Kit Parker about a couple of films and he seems to think AT GUNPOINT is with WB ,so I put in a request for it on the archive Facebook page under my son’s name (I don’t have Facebook) so I’ll see what happens .Fingers crossed.
It’s always heartening to see Randolph Scott threads generate so
much traffic. I’ve enjoyed Barry’s comments on Randy’s status as an A
Movie star-he was certainly never a “B” actor as far as I am concerned.
Great info as well on some of these films budgets.
As Jerry states Randy was a top box office draw between the years
1050-1953-always in the top 10-and that’s A Movie stars not the B Westerners
who had their own top 10.
For those interested the artwork for Explosive’s Blu Ray’s for THE STRANGER
WORE A GUN and THE LAST FRONTIER are up on the Koch website.
(Koch now distribute Explosive Media)
I’m really looking forward to THE LAST FRONTIER in high-def,for me
Mann’s most underrated Western. I regard MAN OF THE WEST Mann’s
most overrated Western-and would have much preferred Stewart in the Cooper. role. Mann,however did state that Jimmy was far more willing to get
stuck in and do as many of his own stunts as he was able-unlike Mature
who liked to leave as much as possible to the stunt guys.
I’m afraid AT GUNPOINT is now owned by Paramount Republic and our
only hope of seeing this get released in it’s correct ratio is for Olive Films
or Kino Lorber to release it-lets face it they have released far,far worse.
I understand that the Boetticher/Scott Ranown films made a ton of money
for Columbia,and more than justified Harry Cohn’s faith he had in Boetticher
giving him his early break way,way back. Their initial bust-up on the set
of THE MORE THE MERRIER makes for great reading.
Gary at DVD Beaver and Glenn at DVD Savant have varying
opinions on Twilight Time’s new Blu Ray of GUN FURY.
I feel Glenn seems to like it a bit more than Gary.
I,too noted the excessive “grain” but I can overlook that as the film is
presented in widescreen which certainly enhances the lovely Sedona
locations-GUN FURY,I might add has never looked better.
I have not gone down the 3D TV route (yet!) but both GUN FURY
and THE STRANGER WORE A GUN play very nicely “flat”
I have seen both films in 3D and the transparencies used in the Scott
film in the chase scenes are a major distraction in 3D.
I don’t know,at this stage if Twilight Time are planning other 3D releases
(FORT TI would be ideal) but as long as we get high def flat versions
I’m happy.
Don’t know what’s happening,at this stage with THE CHARGE AT
FEATHER RIVER-a flat Blu Ray will suit me fine.
Other folk on this blog seem to welcome other Scott films on Blu Ray
and I’m all for it especially the aforermentioned MAN IN THE SADDLE
and HANGMAN’S KNOT and of course any of the Boetticher films.
I remember Fort Ti was shown on UK television in 3D many years ago, part of a special 3D week. Unfortunately the film was hard work viewing with the free cardboard red and green glasses. That was my first and only viewing of the film, l would like to see it in flat version.
I’d just like to thank Jerry and John K for the info on AT GUNPOINT .WB Archive say it’s not their film but I’ve already put in a request to Olive Films and I’ll do the same with Kino Lorber .
It’s strange that Paramount release excellent transfers of their old films to television, but won’t release them on DVD. I was watching one on television last night, Jeff Chandler and Fess Parker in THE JAYHAWKERS, in VistaVision and Technicolor from 1959, with an excellent score by Jerome Moross (of THE BIG COUNTRY fame). This is a superior Western that deserves a DVD or BluRay release. It was shown on Channel 5’s ‘Spike’ channel in full 16 x 9 wide screen VistaVision and looked a treat.
David Rayner ,DRAGOON WELLS MASSACRE is the same .I have a very good transfer on DVDr and yet no USA or UK release .There is at least 3 European releases ,2 with English ,but I don’t know what the quality is like .
I hold out high hopes for the Kino Lorber release of 4 FACES WEST as the transfer source is different to the European releases which I have.
David Rayner,
THE JAYHAWKERS was released on DVD and Blu Ray by
Olive Films in 2012-Olive’s DVD’s are Region 1 coded.
The transfer is excellent but IMHO the film is very bad.
Director Melvin Frank had not got a clue on how to make Westerns.
I am a huge Jeff Chandler fan and even his stellar performance
cannot save this one-furthermore I never liked Fess Parker in Westerns
The Chandler;/Paramount title that I long for is THUNDER IN THE SUN
just cannot understand why Olive or Kino have not released this one
Requesting Paramount/Republic titles from Kino does no harm at all.
gcwe1
4 FACES WEST I believe is not from the European source but from
Paramount so it should look very impressive. If I’m not mistaken a young
upstart called Toby Roan is doing the commentary. 🙂
.
Hi Linnet,thats what I said ,it’s different from the European releases and you are right about the source being from Paramount .I think Kino may have mentioned that when they made the announcement.
Somebody requested 2 Paramount beach party titles THE GIRLS ON THE BEACH and BEACH BALL and I gave it a like but Kino said they were not on their radar so I contacted Olive and they were more interested .The comments about these 2 are pretty negative about bad acting etc and they’re right but I watch them to see the groups performing .
Kino has announced a first-time-ever-on-video DVD and Blu-ray release of HIGHWAY DRAGNET, an Allied Artists title that I think is among those Paramount has. So, I guess there is always hope for other Allied Artists or Regalscope (or Paramount titles for that matter) to yet get a release.
Great piece of info, Texican. Not only does it offer a possible glimmer of hope (?) but the release of “Highway Dragnet” makes available a film I have never seen and will definitely want. Thanks.
I believe HIGHWAY DRAGNET is the first Allied Artists (Paramount owned)
release from Kino Lorber. I have already requested several Paramount
owned Allied Artists Westerns,and I hope other FWOTF regulars
will do the same on Kino’s Facebook page.
Just imagine DRAGOON WELLS MASSACRE from a new 4K scan.
I fear,though we have more hope of getting further Allied Artists Noir/
Thrillers as opposed to Westerns.
Still I will not complain if Kino give us SECURITY RISK,PORT OF HELL,
FINGER MAN and LAS VEGAS SHAKEDOWN-especially if they are
4K remastered.
It is good news indeed about HIGHWAY DRAGNET a more than decent
little thriller especially 4K remastered in widescreen.
Years ago all sorts of things ended up in Republic’s film library-Allied Artists,
Monogram,RegalScope’s and a whole heap of major studio efforts which
had ended up in the public domain.
Had Warner Bros not Paramount ended up with the Republic library,then
many of these films would have already been released by Warner Archive.
There is a positive to all this,even Warners would not release a film like
HIGHWAY DRAGNET on Blu Ray from a 4K scan.
gcwe 1 some time ago I asked Kino if their master for FOUR FACES WEST
was from Holland’s Ignite Films-as they supplied the master elements
for the two Randolph Scott Westerns-CANADIAN PACIFIC;CARIBOO
TRAIL. Kino replied that their version is from a brand new Paramount master.
I have given Paramount a lot of flak here and elsewhere but to their credit
they seem more than willing to supply 4K masters to outfits like Olive
and Kino,so let’s hope both outfits get around to releasing more of the
sort of titles that we all crave.
Furthermore,gcwe! I love your mention of BEACH BALL and GIRLS ON
THE BEACH and I would have thought there would have been a huge market
for these two-wasn’t GIRLS ON THE BEACH directed by William Witney.
In the UK these sort of films were supported by A. C.Lyles Westerns.
Now I’m off to imdb to check on Witney.
Just a final word on HIGHWAY DRAGNET it’s great to see an obscure
programmer appearing on Blu Ray directed by Nathan Juran a totally
unheralded genre master who deserves a whole heap more respect.
gcwe 1….you have really got the bit between my teeth regarding
BEACH BALL and GIRLS ON THE BEACH.
Kino are NOT interested…are they insane!!!!
For starters BEACH BALL was shot in 2.35 widescreen by the great
Floyd Crosby in Long Beach and Malibu.
Cast includes The Supremes,The Righteous Brothers,Walker Brothers,
Four Seasons,The Nashville Teens.
Gene Corman and iconic Feminist exploitation film-maker Stephanie Rothman
are credited as co-producers.
GIRLS ON THE BEACH,was,in fact directed by the great William Witney
acts include The Beach Boys,Lesley Gore and The Crickets and musical
director was legendary Byrds producer Gary Usher.
Dick Miller and Leo Gordon are billed respectively as first and second waiter.
Really Kino…..WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE
OK kidding aside folks I’d rather Kino released JACK SLADE or
DRAGOON WELLS MASSACRE but I’m very tempted by the two
Beach Party flicks-very interesting time capsules.
These non-AIP beach movies are way up there on my Want List.
On the Kino front, they’re prepping William Witney’s A Strange Adventure (1956), a cool Republic B noir.
Toby ,I have a 4 film collection DVD from Fox Archives which includes SURF PARTY ,WILD ON THE BEACH THE SWEET RIDE and BACHELOR FLAT which is still available.
John K ,I don’t remember The Nashville Teens being in Beach Ball .Gary Usher was musical director for GIRLS ON THE BEACH.He along with Roger Christian wrote and produced songs by Dick Dale & the Deltones ,The Pyramids and the Hondells for the AIP films as well as both of them appearing as extras.Maybe Olive or Kino could do a 2 film collection for these 2 ,but I won’t get my hopes up .
What, no Donna Loren. You can’t have a beach movie without that cutie.
Mike Richards ,Donna Loren certainly had the looks and the voice .She was one of the few actresses who was actually a teenager being just 17 when she appeared in the AIP Beach Party Films .Check out the interview on IMDB.
Thanks,Toby for the info on A STRANGE ADVENTURE.
Whoever thought there would come a day when these minor thrillers
would appear on Blu Ray often from 4K scans.
Furthermore it’s heartening that films from genre masters like Witney,
Nathan Juran,Lesley Selander and Joe Kane are getting the high-def
treatment on a regular basis.
A STRANGE ADVENTURE looks cool indeed especially as Jan Merlin and
Nick Adams are in the supporting cast.
When given such loving treatment from the likes of Kino these films
outshine their low budgets-all the aforementioned directors were masters
of making something out of nothing.
“When given such loving treatment from the likes of Kino these films
outshine their low budgets-all the aforementioned directors were masters
of making something out of nothing.”
John, truer words were never spoken! I watched the Katzman/Sears thing Night The World Exploded the other night, and I was amazed at how beautiful it was. It was a pretty dumb movie, but it was pretty well acted and it looked like so much more than its tiny budget and tight schedule would indicate. And that was just a DVD.
Thanks so much Toby,
I watched the DVD of Kurt Neumann’s KRONOS recently a higher
RegalScope budget than usual ($160.000) but the whole thing looks
a million bucks…and decent acting too-it’s amazing how these directors
were able to get good performances from their actors with such tight schedules.
I think the actors back then were, first and foremost, professionals. Then, because they worked so often and under some rather “condensed” circumstances, they knew how to get it together quick.
ANNE JEFFREYS
january 26, 1923 – september 27, 2017 . R.I.P.