Directed by John Sturges
Starring Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, Carolyn Jones, Earl Holliman, Brian G. Hutton, Dabbs Greer
Here’s the one so many of us, mainly me, have been waiting for. Last Train From Gun Hill (1959) is coming to Blu-Ray from Paramount in June.
An excellent Western, with terrific VistaVision camerawork from Charles B. Lang Jr., this is one of the pictures that made me a 50s Westerns nut and set me on the path to this blog and the upcoming book. It remains one of my all-time favorite films.
If you’re a reader of this blog, this one’s essential.
50 Westerns From The 50s. 
A genuinely excellent movie and long overdue on Blu-ray.
Toby, good news, finally concerning LAST TRAIN FROM GUN HILL(filmed 1958, released 1959) and it’s about time. Now, how about 7 MEN FROM NOW(filmed 1955, released 1956). I still have my Special Collector’s Edition Paramount Home Entertainment DVD released in 2005.
Apparently they are releasing a number of films in limited runs with collectible packaging THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH and SAMSON and DELILAH are also getting released.
Hey Paramount ,how about an A C Lyles western boxset if you’re reading this!!??
I just had another look at LAST TRAIN FROM GUN HILL and noticed there were electricity lines in one scene .Don’t know if they were supposed to be there,but I guess it depends what year the film was set.I also think that Anthony Quinn was miscast ,but I could be wrong.
Graham,
Paramount releasing an A.C.Lyles Western on Blu Ray has about as much
chance happening as I have dating Scarlett Johansson.
LAST TRAIN FROM GUN HILL is part of Paramount’s new..ish Paramount
Presents imprint.
The film will have a 6K restoration from the original Vista Vision negative
and will feature deluxe packaging,slipcase and aparently a fold out poster.
This release is as essential as it gets.
Walter,
SEVEN MEN FROM NOW getting this sort of treatment would be beyond
wonderful.
John K, there are so many good Westerns out there that deserve a Blu-ray release. HELLFIRE(filmed 1958, released 1949) anyone? I read where HELLFIRE was showing on the French Paramount Channel this year.
My finger slipped, I know that HELLFIRE was filmed in 1948, not ’58. THE SHOWDOWN(1950) would be another good Blu-ray release.
Hellfire sits at the top of my Blu-Ray want list.
Both Olive and Kino Lorber put out a few Republics on DVD and Blu-Ray. The fact that both series stopped must indicate that the sales weren’t there to justify what Paramount is asking for them.
I know it isn’t a physical disc but I bought through Amazon Prime an HD download of Hellfire last year and it looks terrific. I do hope we get a BR disc release though.
It’s always encouraging to see major studios release catalog titles,
Warner Archive seem to be the only major that are willing to release titles
with less commercial appeal. With the new Paramount series,I guess any
Western that they release must feature A List stars. THUNDER IN THE
SUN would be nice with Hayward and Chandler,also bear in mind
Universal own all Paramount titles pre 1949.
THE TIN STAR could also figure but for me simpering Anthony Perkins is
a major drawback. THE SHOOTIST is a must but I’m very happy with my
German Blu Ray.As Toby so rightly comments there is just no market
for Westerns with second string Western stars Rod Cameron,William
Elliott and the like. A “tentpole” Republic title would be nice,say THE MAVERICK
QUEEN but I doubt it.
I’m also intrigued by Universal’s soon to be released TAP ROOTS anyone
seen this one! If the picture quality is anything like CANYON PASSAGE
then it’s going to look wonderful.
Our friend Laura has just posted an excellent piece on WILL PENNY which
I guess would be a prime contender for this new “Paramount Presents” series.
Another film that I would like to see in this series is NEVADA SMITH.
No great shakes as I remember it but with a fantastic cast is Burt Kennedy’s
THE DESERTER. I guess these A List star Westerns are what to expect in this
series,certainly not sadly HELLFIRE,THE SHOWDOWN or any A.C.Lyles
Western.
WILL PENNY is certainly one of my most wanted for Blu-Ray, Also, in addition to Warner Archive, Kino Lorber is doing a good job of releasing titles with limited commercial appeal. In addition to HORIZONS WEST and the Western Classics II set, which includes GUN FOR A COWARD, PILLARS OF THE SKY, and REDHEAD FROM WYOMING, they are releasing a couple more of the noir/crime movies from the late ’40s in the months ahead—THE WEB (1947) and LARCENY (1948).
Last Train From Gun Hill is a crackerjack movie — certainly one of the finest westerns of its decade. It’s also — sacrilege! — better than Gunfight at the OK Corral!
John K. I’ve viewed TAP ROOTS(filmed 1947, released 1948), read the 1942 published novel written by James Street, that the movie is very loosely based on, viewed the FREE STATE OF JONES(filmed 2015, released 2016), and i know about the true and remarkable story of the real life of Newton Knight and Jones County, Mississippi. Many people don’t realize that there were strong segments of Unionism in every Southern state during the War of the Rebellion. There were Union regiments raised in every Southern state, except South Carolina. I’ve been interested in this subject for over forty years. I’ve ancestors who served in both the Confederate and Union Armies. One, named John Knight, served in both the Confederate and Union Armies during the war.
James Street in his TAP ROOTS novel didn’t use real names and he changed the name of Jones County to Lebanon County, Mississippi. If the executives at Universal-International Pictures had approved of filming the novel as written, it would have been very controversial, to say the least. So, that was not going to happen in the 1940’s. They wanted another GONE WITH THE WIND instead.
Is the movie TAP ROOTS worth watching? I think it is, despite it being Historical hooey. Too me, the movie is fun and entertaining throughout. I don’t want to give away too much, but where else are you going to see and hear Russell Simpson(Big Sam Dabney) commenting on his granddaughter Morna’s(Susan Hayward) low-cut dress. Also, Boris Karloff as a whip carrying civilized Choctaw, is a delight to behold. The photography of Lionel Lindon and Winton C. Hoch is good, despite filming the movie in North Carolina instead of Mississippi.
I’m sure the talking heads over at Turner Classic Movies will find this movie “problematic.” I say, let the chips fall where they may, and I applaud Universal for releasing TAP ROOTS on Blu-ray. Let’s hope they release some more of their Westerns on Blu-ray.
A lot of Cecil B De Mille being released on BLU RAY lately and now Kino Lorber is releasing THE PLAINSMAN on BLU RAY on July 20th.
Thanks Walter,
I will certainly add TAP ROOTS to my ever growing shopping list-it seems
a worthwhile purchase if only for the highlights that you mention,furthermore
it’s all too rare now that a major studio (other than Warner Archive) release
a vintage title…if it looks half as good as CANYON PASSAGE it should
be stunning…both Walter Wanger productions I might add.
Walter,
regarding your formidable knowledge of Western history I thought of you
the other day when viewing Kino’s beautiful restoration of Aldrich’s APACHE.
On my forth viewing I was rather taken by the great Morris Ankrum’s
portrayal of a Cherokee farmer.
Ankrum explains to Lancaster’s Apache that in Oklahoma the Cherokee
learned to live alongside the white man and became farmers.
I wondered if this has any basis in historical fact.
There’s a wonderful scene where Ankrum’s squaw asks him to fetch some
water. Lancaster rather amazed states “you have a woman yet you fetch the
water” to which Ankrum sighs “Some of the white man’s ways are hard to
understand”
APACHE is certainly a “Liberal” Western and the antithesis of the abrasive
ULZANA’S RAID (Aldrich’s finest Western IMHO) I understand Joseph
Loisey had tried to obtain the rights and I’ve an old Aldrich interview where
the commentator states that APACHE is the most “Losey like” of Aldrich’s
pictures (1963 article I might add) It’s also interesting Aldrich was Losey’s
assistant on several pictures including the harrowing M which I feel was
the reason the HUAC crew got on Losey’s case.
There is tremendous chemistry between Lancaster and Susan Peters onscreen
although offscreen Peters despised Lancaster.
I thought APACHE was a very good Western although the “happy” ending
does seem to make a nonsense of the film and was imposed by the studio
against Lancaster and Aldrich’s wishes.
John K regarding the Cherokee living alongside the White’s in the Cherokee Nation and becoming farmers. The Cherokee had already adapted to and adopted many of the White man’s ways when still living in the Eastern states of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, especially after 1794 when the wars between the USA and the Cherokee ended. Many of the Cherokee took White man names and were educated in the White’s colleges in the East. Fact is many were more educated and civilized than their White neighbors. The Cherokee had their own newspaper the CHEROKEE PHOENIX, which began publication in 1828 in Georgia. It was printed in both Cherokee and English. They established businesses, farms, and Christian churches. Also, they had their own government with a written constitution. Although, not all of the Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Seminole wanted to adopt White man’s ways. Many left the East and journeyed west of the Mississippi River, this was before the forced “Trail of Tears” of 1838-39.
Today, I live just south of one of the “Trails of Tears.”
Referring to the wonderful scene where Dawson’s(Morris Ankrum) Adageyudi(beloved woman) asks him to fetch some water, and he answers to Massai’s(Burt Lancaster) amazement, “Some of the White man’s ways are hard to understand.” Well, it is a humorous scene, except it actually should be the other way around, “Some of the Cherokee ways are hard to understand.” Why? The Cherokee are traditionally a matrilineal kinship society, in which property and social status have historically descended through the women’s line. When a man and woman married they moved in with the wife’s family and clan. Cherokee women held a lot of authority, because they owned the houses where the extended family lived, and daughters inherited the property from their mothers. Europeans encountering the Cherokee Nation claimed that the tribe had a “petticoat government,” because women held so large a share of power. This changed with the adoption of White man’s ways.
Thanks so much Walter for that wonderful history lesson.
I’m enjoying this as much as when we locked horns.(.in the nicest possible way)
over THE LAST SUNSET. I learn so much from you and it’s always great
discussing an enigmatic director such as Aldrich.
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed that marvellous scene with Morris Ankrum
as much as I did.
John K, your welcome. I also have learned a lot from your excellent commentary. I hope everyone tunes in to your really good podcast with Cole Armin(Vincent).
I also, agree that ULZANA’S RAID(1972) is Robert Aldrich’s best Western Movie. I rather like the movie and it has a lot going for it and is well worth watching. Alan Sharp’s writing doesn’t portray the Apache has 1970’s hippie flower children, by any means.
Whoops TYPO alert
the above should,of course read JEAN Peters!
There have been lots appearing on line regarding the future of Warner
Archive especially now the Warner Bros shop has closed.
There’s an encouraging piece over at Cinesavant that the Warner Archive
series will exist at least until 2023 and Glenn has provided some possible
titles getting 4K restorations-the one with most appeal to us is
ESCAPE FROM FORT BRAVO a film for me that was always problematic
color wise wasn’t it an Ansco Color release.
ESCAPE FROM FORT BRAVO was a good Western and a remastered
high def version would really be something.
If Warner Archive does not continue then I’m sure there are lots of companies
like Kino that would love to gain acess to the Warner vaults.
I’m wondering where this leaves the RKO remastered titles we were hoping
for like DEVIL’S CANYON,TENSION AT TABLE ROCK and TREASURE OF
PANCHO VILLA.
I am so happy that Escape from Fort Bravo is coming on Blu-Ray. You can check on Youtube a demo of the remastered print which looks pretty awesome and far better than the previous DVD !