It was an honor to be the guest on Robert’s podcast yesterday. He turned it around quick, and it’s ready now. Check it out.
November 11, 2021 by Toby
It was an honor to be the guest on Robert’s podcast yesterday. He turned it around quick, and it’s ready now. Check it out.
Posted in 1954, Ben Cooper, Denver Pyle, Ernest Borgnine, Frank Ferguson, John Carradine, Nicholas Ray, Olive Films, Paul Fix, Podcasts, Republic Pictures, Royal Dano, Scott Brady, Sterling Hayden, Ward Bond | 3 Comments
Thank you Robert, for a re-teaming with Toby for a second podcast.
This time it’s a brisk half hour and I enjoyed the brief “guest appearance”
from Toby’s dog.
Talking about Nicholas Ray I was prompted to re watch THEY LIVE BY NIGHT
again recently because of the wonderful character actor Ian Wolfe who I
enjoyed so much recently in BEDLAM and COLORADO TERRITORY.
Mr Wolfe is unforgettable in THEY LIVE BY NIGHT as the very shady
25$ marriage service guy,ideal for a desperate young couple on the lam.
You just cannot go wrong with most of Ray’s 50’s work and his other
color Westerns are fine as well: (RUN FOR COVER;THE TRUE STORY
OF JESSE JAMES.)
JOHNNY GUITAR is certainly a one of a kind Western as indeed is
ONE EYED JACKS. The recent restorations of both films are stellar.
Another 50’s Sterling Hayden Western worth checking out is the minimalist
micro budget TERROR IN A TEXAS TOWN.
Robert, thank you for making possible this good discussion with Toby about JOHNNY GUITAR(filmed 1953, released 1954). Also, it’s always good to see another Western Movie fan come forth.
I first viewed JOHNNY GUITAR on the WREC Channel 3 Memphis LATE MOVIE in 1971. I thought it was a good, but a different Western. I didn’t mind the idea of strong female characters in a Western, because I grew up around a lot of strong females.
There is a lot going on in JOHNNY GUITAR and a viewer can read a lot into the movie. It can be called a Feminist Western, a Psychological Western, an Existential Western, a Freudian Western, a Campy Western, a Kinky Western, a House Un-American Activities Committee(HUAC) Allegory Western, and much more. It is whatever, we the viewers, take from it, because we all see things in different perspectives. Toby, I like what you say about many of the 1950’s Westerns in that, ” they tell us just enough and you fill in the gaps yourself.” I think that is how good moviemakers include the audience in the experience.
I could go on and on about this Western. Thank you for your always good commentary. I enjoyed it.
Toby, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! to you and your family. Also, to all your readers.