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.
Mill Creek has announced the six-disc, 12-movie Blu-Ray set The Randolph Scott Collection, which gives us a great batch of Scott’s Westerns for Columbia.
The Desperadoes (1943) Directed by Charles Vidor Starring Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Glenn Ford, Evelyn Keyes, Edgar Buchanan
Scott plays a sheriff after two separate bands of outlaws who rob the same bank at about the same time. Turns out the first robbery was an inside job.
The Nevadan (1950) Directed by Gordon Douglas Starring Randolph Scott, Dorothy Malone, Forrest Tucker, Frank Faylen and George Macready
Scott’s a Marshal who lets an outlaw (Forrest Tucker) escape so he can recover $250,000 in stolen gold.
Santa Fe (1951) Directed by Irving Pichel Starring Randolph Scott, Janis Carter
Scott’s trying to help build a railroad, with even his own brothers trying to stop him.
Man In The Saddle (1951 Directed by Andre de Toth Starring Randolph Scott, Joan Leslie, Ellen Drew, Alexander Knox, Richard Rober, John Russell, Alfonso Bedoya, Guinn ‘Big Boy’ Williams, Clem Bevans, Cameron Mitchell, Tennessee Ernie Ford
Scott’s a farmer who locks horns with Alexander Knox, who wants his land. The first, and maybe best, of the Scott pictures directed by Andre de Toth.
Hangman’s Knot (1952) Directed by Roy Huggins Starring Randolph Scott, Donna Reed, Claude Jarman, Jr., Frank Faylen, Richard Denning, Lee Marvin
Confederate soldiers, led by Scott, steal a shipment of Yankee gold and end up with a posse after ’em.
The Stranger Wore A Gun (1953) Directed by Andre de Toth Starring Randolph Scott, Claire Trevor, Joan Weldon, George Macready, Alfonso Bedoya, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine
This time, Scott’s a Confederate spy who’s in in a big robbery but has a change of heart. Originally in 3-D, widescreen (1.85) and stereophonic sound, it’ll be interesting to see what we get here.
A Lawless Street (1955) Directed by Joseph H. Lewis Starring Randolph Scott
Then we get four of the Budd Boetticher/Burt Kennedy Ranown cycle, some of the finest Westerns ever made. What’s missing from the unofficial series are Batjac’s Seven Men From Now (1956) and Warner’s Westbound (1959) which aren’t available on Blu-Ray.
The Tall T (1957) Directed by Budd Boetticher Starring Randolph Scott, Richard Boone, Maureen O’Sullivan, Arthur Hunnicutt, Skip Homeier, Henry Silva
Scott and Maureen O’Sullivan are held captive at a way station by a bunch of crooks. This is an incredible movie, based on a story by Elmore Leonard.
Decision At Sundown (1958) Directed by Budd Boetticher Starring Randolph Scott, John Carroll, Karen Steele, Valerie French, Noah Beery Jr., John Archer, Ray Teal
Scott rides in Sundown to kill John Carroll., who had an affair with his wife.
Buchanan Rides Alone (1958) Directed by Budd Boetticher Starring Randolph Scott, Craig Stevens, Barry Kelley, L.Q. Jones
Tom Buchanan (Scott) rides into the border town of Agry and is robbed and framed for murder. Naturally, Scott isn’t happy about this and does something about it. This was my entry point into the films of Randolph Scott, and it remains a favorite.
Ride Lonesome (1959) Directed by Budd Boetticher Starring Randolph Scott, Karen Steele, Pernell Roberts, Lee Van Cleef, James Coburn
Ben Brigade (Scott) is a bounty hunter trying to take Billy John to Santa Cruz and turn him in. Standing in the way are Billy John’s brother and a group of Indians.
Comanche Station (1960) Directed by Budd Boetticher Starring Randolph Scott, Claude Akins, Nancy Gates, Skip Homeier
Scott rescues a women from the Comanches, not knowing her husband has a $5,000 reward for her return, dead or alive. Along come some dirtbags, lead by Claude Akins, who know about the five grand and want her for themselves.
This set is essential. Some of these are available on Blu-Ray elsewhere, some are not. Order yours now.
Joan Weldon, a lovely actress who appeared in some terrific pictures in the 50s, has passed away at 90.
She appeared with Randolph Scott in two Westerns, The Stranger Wore A Gun (1953) and Riding Shotgun (1954), both directed by Andre de Toth, along with The Command (1954) with Guy Madison, Gunsight Ridge (1957) with Joel McCrea and Day Of The Badman (1958) with Fred MacMurray. But the big one, the one she’s known for, is Gordon Douglas’s great giant ant picture Them! (1954).
She was quote a singer and did a lot of musical theater, including appearing with Forrest Tucker in The Music Man.
I recently had the extreme pleasure of being a guest on Todd Liebenow’s terrific podcast Forgotten Filmcast. Our subject was William Castle’s Jesse James Vs. The Daltons (1954). It’s up now — just click the ad above. It’s a good way to spend an hour of your “stay at home” time.
It’s a picture I’ve written about before, and it’s available in Mill Creek’s terrific set The Fastest Guns Of The West: The William Castle Western Collection.
I’ve been a guest on the The Forgotten Filmcast podcast a couple times in the past, and I’m delighted to be heading there again in a couple weeks.
Host Todd Liebenow and I will cover the William-Castle-directed, Sam-Katzman-produced bit of glorious 3D nonsense, Jesse James Vs. The Daltons (1953). I’m sure it’ll be fun to talk with Todd, and hopefully, it’ll be fun to listen to.
Directed by Budd Boeticher
Starring Van Heflin, Julia Adams, George Dolenz, Antonio Moreno, Noah Berry, Jr., Abbe Lane, Rodolfo Acosta, Pedro Gonzales-Gonzales, Lyle Talbot
Kino Lorber and the 3-D Film Archive are bringing Budd Boetticher’s Wings Of The Hawk (1953) to Blu-Ray with its 3-D and 1.85:1 framing intact. (It was the first film composed specifically for 1.85:1 exhibition.) A 2-D version is included.
It’s also a terrific picture, technology aside. Heflin’s great (or course), Julie Adams is beautiful (of course), and Boetticher, DP Clifford Stine and editor Russell Schoengarth deliver a solid, good-looking 50s Western with plenty of action. One complaint: why didn’t they put Nestor Paiva in there somewhere?
Also, the 3-D Woody Woodpecker “cartune” The Hypnotic Hick, made by U-I to play with Wings Of The Hawk, will be included (in 3-D).
Coming in 2020. I can’t tell you how excited I am about this one. Highly, highly recommended.
Directed by Douglas Sirk
Starring Rock Hudson, Barbara Rush, Gregg Palmer, Bart Roberts, Joe Sawyer, Morris Ankrum, Rex Reason
KIno Lorber has announced the upcoming release (early 2020) of Douglas Sirk’s Taza, Son Of Cochise (1954) — restored in 3-D, widescreen and Technicolor by the fine folks at 3-D Film Archive.
It’s so good to see these Universal Westerns making their way to hi-def. Can’t wait for this one.
Directed by Edward Dein & Carlos Véjar Hijo
Starring Cesar Romero, Katy Jurado
Okay, so it’s not a Western. But Sword Of Granada (1953), also known as El Corazón Y La Espada and The Heart And The Sword, has plenty to recommend it. First, there’s the cast — Cesar Romero and Katy Jurado. Then there’s the fact that is was co-directed by Ed Dein, who also did Shack Out On 101 (1955) and Curse Of The Undead (1959). Dein wrote it with his wife Mildred. Then there’s the fact that it was the first Mexican film in 3D.
The folks at The 3D Archive have a Kickstarter campaign going to restore this thing in 3D — and include it in the second volume of their 3D Rarities series. Part of the plan is to track down the English tracks, too. All in all, a very cool endeavor.
If you’d like to be part of it, click on the half-sheet above.
Directed by Fred F. Sears
Screenplay by David Lang and Martin Berkeley
Story by David Lang
Director Of Photography: Henry Freulich
Film Editors: Al Clark and James Sweeney
Cast: Philip Carey (Wade Harper), Roberta Haynes (Paris), Wallace Ford (McBride), Richard Webb (Ace Eliot), Lee Van Cleef (Reno), Maurice Jara (Wingfoot), Regis Toomey (Col. Markham), Jay Silverheels (Spotted Bear), Pat Hogan (Yellow Knife), Frank Fenton, Dennis Weaver
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Figured it was time for another Fred F. Sears movie. A few years ago, I assigned myself the task of doing a post on each of Sears’ Westerns (I’m not counting the Durango Kids he directed). When those are done, the plan is to focus on his non-Western movies on my other blog.
Columbia was cranking out 3-D movies like crazy in the height of the ’53-54 stereoscopic craze. One of the bigger ones was Raoul Walsh’s Gun Fury (1953) starring Rock Hudson, Donna Reed and a terrific supporting cast.
Phil Carey and Roberta Haynes were part of that cast, and as soon as they finished the Walsh picture, they were put to work on The Nebraskan (1953).
Carey’s a cavalry scout who gets caught up in a standoff with the Sioux when he won’t turn over Wingfoot (Maurice Jara), who’s been accused of murdering chief Thundercloud. With them are a gambler Ace (Richard Webb) and saloon girl Paris (Roberta Haynes) — Carey used to have a thing going with Paris — and the murderous Reno (Lee Van Cleef), who’s escaped from the brig.
They take refuge in Wallace Ford’s way station, fighting off wave after wave of Indians — along with Reno’s repeated attempts to get loose and Ace turning out to be a sniveling coward.
The small-group-under-siege-in-a-small-space part hints at Hangman’s Knot (1952), and the Indian attacks remind me of Apache Drums (1951). This approach keeps the limited budget from being too much of a hindrance.
Wallace Ford is terrific, as always, as the grumpy ex-cavalryman. Lee Van Cleef is a real bad dude in this one. The scene where he strangles the guard at the brig is pretty tough stuff. Phil Carey’s OK and Roberta Haynes gets to look pretty and load guns. Speaking of that, it was good to see the loading of weapons treated somewhat realistically.
I came across a news article on the film that said Maurice Jara also owned a restaurant in Pamona, Casa Ramirez.
What I liked about The Nebraskan is pretty much the same thing I’ve said about all the other Fred Sears pictures — the high level of craftsmanship and efficiency he brings to these things. You can tell the cast and crew were professionals, committed to making the best they could of the material, budget and schedule. That goes a long, long way with these things.
The Nebraskan was shot in Technicolor and 3-D by Henry Freulich — some of it at the Corrigan Ranch. It was intended to be cropped to 1.85. The picture got a DVD-R release from Columbia’s Choice Collection. It looked great but was presented full-frame. It’d make a swell candidate for one of those Mill Creek sets.
TheNebraskan isn’t as good as the two pictures I compared it to, Hangman’s Knot and Apache Drums. But that doesn’t stop me from recommending it, or any of Fred F. Sears’ work.
50 Westerns From The 50s. 