Directed by Ray Nazarro
Starring Joanne Dru, Rod Cameron, John Ireland, John Dehner, Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams, Morris Ankrum
The folks at The 3-D Film Archive have done it again! The missing reels have been tracked down (it Italy, of all places) and they’ll be bringing Ray Nazarro’s Southwest Passage (1954) to Blu-Ray in 3-D. It’s gonna be a while, so hang tight.
In the meantime, you can see it, flat and full-frame, on DVD from MGM’s old MOD program. It’s a cool movie. And you can get the scoop on its recovery from the Lost Archives” in this podcast.
This is good news.I have this film on the MGM DVD and it will be interesting to see what the missing reels have on them.A different western with the camels and anything with Rod Cameron starring is always welcome.I watched him in SHORT GRASS with Cathy Downs the other day.
The missing material on Southwest Passage isn’t extra footage, it’s the other “side” necessary for 3-D. While they had all of one side, some reels of the other side were missing.
SHORT GRASS(1950) is a really good movie, It has a lot going for it both visually and narratively.
Short Grass is a terrific picture, well worth anyone’s time.
Yes indeed it is!
That is terrific news. I will look forward on revisiting this film in 3D.
Toby, you just never know what missing materials will be found. This is really good news. I look forward to viewing SOUTHWEST PASSAGE(filmed 1953, released 1954) in the future.
I wonder if Republic Pictures’ THE OREGON TRAIL(filmed 1935, released 1936) starring John Wayne, Ann Rutherford, and Yakima Canutt will ever be found?
Here is an interesting article concerning THE OREGON TRAIL titled “Searching for John Wayne in the Alabama Hills” by Tara McKelvey from the BBC NEWS MAGAZINE(October, 2013).
https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24407455
Shout Factory is releasing THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN in February in 4K Ultra and BLU RAY.I have a copy ordered (and no I haven’t taken the 4 K plunge).The first copies come with a poster and slipcover along with extras.
Walter-you kill me with those release dates made 1953 released 1954 how on earth do you do that!
The restored version of SOUTHWEST PASSAGE is very good news indeed certainly Nazarro’s finest Western
SOUTHWEST PASSAGE was an Edward Small production with a decent budget and stunning location photography.
The UK title of the film was CAMELS WEST.
Nazarro’s best? Wow, that’s a tall order. I’m a fan of his Rory Calhoun pictures — The Hired Gun and Apache Territory (his last American film).
The trouble with Apache Territory is that it’s in color and ‘scope and a huge portion of the picture is filmed on studio sets and the blend between the live action and studio stuff is clumsy-the film’s OK as is THE HIRED GUN.
SOUTHWEST PASSAGE is filmed almost totally outdoors and is crammed with rugged action-the thing Nazarro did best.
Edward Small did not stint on the budget on this one and it shows. This is going to look awesome on Blu Ray.
Nazarro’s best Rory IMHO is THE DOMINO KID his direction shows real creativity.
We all view these programmer westerns differently and indeed, why shouldn’t we.
I think Apache Territory is just 1.85. Been a while, but you’re right — that back and forth is a bit jarring (and the Eastmancolor looks a bit harsh on the DVD).
The Hired Gun is B&W Scope, which I always love.
I’d forgotten about The Domino Kid. It’s quite good — been a while. Might need to pull that one out soon.
Southwest Passage certainly had a bigger budget than Nazarro typically got to work with, and it certainly shows.
SOUTHWEST PASSAGE was also shot by Sam Leavitt in Kanab Utah so this will be a visual treat in high def.
I’ve seen Southwest Passage on a big screen, and the result is lugubrious. Well produced and acted, but unending. Of course, feel free to believe otherwise, as I was thirteen at the time.