FEATURE FRIDAY WESTERN: MY NAME IS NOBODY (1973)
Aging gunfighter Jack Beauregard (Henry Fonda), tired of being hounded by people who want to kill him for various reasons, wishes to retire and leave the country for Europe. While he is still trying to come up with the money needed for a ship's passage he encounters a strange and quirky man who just calls himself "Nobody" (Terence Hill) and professes to be a fan of Jack.
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Nobody, who is a formidable gunman in his own right, doesn't like the idea of his hero simply vanishing away silently. He wants the name of Jack Beauregard to become a true legend, written down in the history books, and for this purpose he has dreamed up a conflict of truly epic proportions: pitting Jack alone against the 150-man-strong bandit gang, called "The Wild Bunch".
Unable to believe that Nobody could be serious, Jack initially views Nobody as yet another rival gunman, who is just out to make a name for himself by killing Jack - but Nobody is indeed quite serious about his plan.
The potential for such a conflict exists because of one Mr. Sullivan (Jean Martin), the owner of a worthless mine, through which the Wild Bunch is laundering stolen gold. Jack Beauregard's brother, called the Nevada Kid, used to be co-owner of the mine, until Sullivan killed him. Now Nobody is hoping that Jack will take revenge upon Sullivan, thereby earning the ire of the Wild Bunch.
Sullivan himself expects Jack to come gunning for him as well and has already sent goons after Jack to kill him, on previous occasions. Those were foiled by Jack himself on one occasion and by Nobody on another. When Sullivan wants to hire gunmen for another attempt on Jack's life, Nobody pretends to take the job and - after some confrontational banter and gun-play - warns Jack of the ambush waiting for him, helping him dispatch the other two gunmen lurking in hiding.
Jack, however, disappoints Nobody and defies Sullivan's expectations; he declines to exact blood vengeance for a brother who, he claims, was just as much of a crook as Sullivan. He merely corners Sullivan and takes off him the money he needs for his passage to Europe, then rides off along the train tracks toward New Orleans, where his ship is anchored.
Not to be dissuaded so easily, Nobody absconds with a gold transport train that runs along those same tracks. Jack suddenly finds himself being followed by a slow-moving train that keeps pace with his horse but refuses to let him approach - and the Wild Bunch is thundering toward them from the horizon.
Jack realizes that he can't escape the confrontation that Nobody has engineered and settles down, using the embankment of the tracks as cover, to fight off 150 bandits on his own. He remembers that, at an earlier point, he had seen some of the riders load up their saddle bags with dynamite, and is able to use the blinking of their gaudy decorations in the sunlight for aiming. He sets off several great explosions, cutting a huge swath through the bandit gang and reducing their number to a fraction of its former size.
When the confrontation settles down to a prolonged gunfight, with both sides hunkered down and shooting from behind cover, Nobody drives the train forward again, between the two opposing sides, and allows Jack to board. Together they drive off toward New Orleans, leaving the remnants of the Wild Bunch behind.
Now that Jack Beauregard's name in history is secured by a legendary victory, there is only one thing left to do, before he can leave for Europe: he must appear to die in battle. It turns out that even his strange choice of a name has been part of Nobody's plan for Jack all along - one staged duel in the streets of New Orleans and a public death scene later, the grave of Jack Beauregard bears the epitaph, "Nobody was faster on the draw."
Jack can board his ship in anonymity and says farewell to Nobody with a letter wishing him luck, now that the remainder of the Wild Bunch and aspiring gunmen looking for fame will be gunning for him instead of Jack, while the old rules of the west are changing around them in modern times. Even as the letter is read in voice-over, Nobody is shown dealing with these threats in his own uniquely quirky style, demonstrating that if anybody can handle himself, it's Nobody.
This Week's Monday Western Movie Review is 1984's Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold
Directed By: Matt Cimber
Starring: Laurene Landon, Ken Roberson, Cihangir Gaffari
Tag line: "Behind its walls, the treasure of kings. Getting in is easy. Getting out... impossible!"
Trivia: 12 seconds were cut from the UK version to attain a "15" rating, removing shots of horses falling into a pit
I gotta hand it to the creative minds behind Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold: their film has a very clever opening. In a crowded theater, a bunch of rambunctious kids are tearing through the aisles when, suddenly, the projector switches on, sending them scurrying to their seats. The movie is the next chapter in an adventure serial titled, oddly enough, Yellow Hair and The Fortress of Gold. The kids cheer when the heroes, Yellow Hair (Laurene Landon) and the Pecos Kid (Ken Roberson), are introduced, and boo at the sight of the effeminate Col. Torres (Luis Lorenzo) and his evil henchman, Flores (Aldo Sambrell). It's a great way to kick off the mindless fun, which is exactly what Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold is going to be.
Yellow Hair, a beautiful blonde who can hold her own in a fight, lives among the Apaches. Her best friend is the Pecos Kid, who's just gotten himself into a bit of trouble. Having promised to lead the greedy Col. Torres to a fortune in gold, Pecos failed to mention it was being guarded by a tribe known as the Tulpan, a group of ancient warriors tasked with protecting the treasure hidden deep within their mountain. When Flores and his men are chased off by the Tulpan, an angry Torres throws Pecos in jail. He's eventually rescued by Yellow Hair, but when Yellow's mother, Grey Cloud (Claudia Gravy), is murdered by Flores in retaliation, both she and Pecos set out to exact a little revenge of their own.
Much like the old-time serials it pays homage to, Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold is jam-packed with excitement. Immediately following the opening credits is the stand-off between Flores' gang and the Tulpan, who are lined up along the side of their mountain, ready for battle. As one of Flores' bandits rides forward, a rope descends and catches him around the neck, stringing him up until he's dead. Then, a barrage of stones come crashing down, causing Flores and his men to scatter. While racing off, three henchmen inadvertently steer their horses into a deep ravine, resulting in a truly awesome effect (one I'm sure had animal rights activists seeing red). Now, that's how you start an adventure film!
Naturally, I didn't expect the movie to maintain such a break-neck pace, but to its credit, it sure as hell tried. There's thrills aplenty in Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold, which is a good thing, because when it does slow down, what we're left with is loads of inane dialogue and a handful of weak performances (Laurene Landon's beauty far outweighs her talent). Fortunately, it never stays quiet for long. Yellow Hair and the Fortress of Gold is a simple motion picture with an even simpler story, and this definitely works to its advantage.
Review by our Friends at DVDInfatuation.com
WELCOME TO FEATURE FRIDAY! Check this out...
Trivia:
A Gunfight was the first mainstream American film, Western or otherwise, to be produced by an Indian tribe -- specifically, the Jicarilla Apaches of New Mexico.
Cast:
Will Tenneray . . . . . Kirk Douglas
Abe Cross . . . . . . . . Johnny Cash
Nora Tenneray . . . . . Jane Alexander
Francisco Alvarez . . . Raf Vallone
Jenny Simms . . . . . . Karen Black
Bud Tenneray . . . . . Eric Douglas
Kyle . . . . . . . . . . . . Phillip Mead
Toby . . . . . . . . . . . . John Wallwork
Directed By: John Ford
Starring: Henry Fonda, Linda Darnell, Victor Mature
Tag line: "She was everything the West was - young, fiery, exciting!"
Trivia: Vincent Price was considered for the role of Doc Holliday.
The Gunfight at the OK Corral was the single most famous showdown in the history of the American West. So, it stands to reason John Ford, Hollywood’s most prolific director of western films, would bring it to the silver screen. Shot in beautiful black and white, My Darling Clementine contains many of the director’s trademarks: the wide-open spaces of Monument Valley, the frontier folk music, exciting battles, and engaging high drama. He even manages to throw in a square dance for good measure.
Wyatt Earp (Henry Fonda) is driving a herd of cattle through the territory with his brothers, Morgan (Ward Bond), Virgil (Tim Holt) and James (Don Garner). One night, Wyatt, Morgan and Virgil ride into the nearby town of Tombstone for a shave, leaving James behind to look after things. But when they return, their entire herd's missing, and James is face down in the mud, dead, with a bullet in his back. Convinced it’s the work of the Clantons, a vicious band of cattle rustlers led by Pop Clanton (Walter Brennan), Wyatt accepts the vacant position of sheriff of Tombstone, deputizes his brothers, and vows to stay on the job until he’s brought James' killers to justice. But the Clantons aren’t his only concern; as sheriff, Wyatt also has to deal with the drunken Doc Holliday (Victor Mature), a former surgeon with a quick temper who’s mighty good with a sidearm. When a trinket that belonged to James leads Wyatt to his brother’s murderers, it kicks off one of the most famous skirmishes in American history: the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.
As Wyatt Earp, Fonda is decidedly low-key, and much of the film is spent following him around as he performs the duties of his office. His Earp has a quiet strength about him, a calm determination to keep the peace, which he values above all else. He’s certainly not afraid of confrontation, either with the Clantons or Doc Holliday, and even tosses Chihuahua (Linda Darnell), a saloon dancer and Doc Holliday’s girl, into a horse trough when he catches her spying on his poker hand. Yet Fonda’s Earp remains a peaceful man throughout My Darling Clementine, drawing his gun only when circumstances demand it.
On the other side of the coin is Victor Mature’s Doc Holliday, a risk-taker always ready for a fight (going so far as to challenge Wyatt early on, before the two became friends). At one time a respected physician , Doc is now content to live out his days playing poker and drinking whiskey. But his past catches up with him when Clementine Carter (Cathy Downs) rides into town. Clementine was close to Doc in the old days, and has come to ask him to return home, where he can be properly cared for. See, aside from being a gambler and a drunk, Doc also has tuberculosis, and is dying. Not willing to face Clementine, his past, or his illness, Doc jumps on a horse and rides out of town. The contrast between Wyatt Earp, who never backs down, and Doc Holliday, who's been running for years, brings a sense of irony to both their tumultuous friendship and the films climactic scene.
The climax, of course, being the Gunfight at the OK Corral, which happens suddenly, and is over almost as quickly as it started. In fact, there’s a whole lot more sneaking around and getting set than there is actual gun play, and when the bullets start flying, they don’t do so for very long. Ford went to some lengths to ensure his interpretation was historically accurate; in laying out the particulars of the showdown, he relied heavily on a book written by Stuart Lake titled Wyatt Earp, Frontier Marshal, as well as a first-hand account of what transpired, which was given to him by none other than Wyatt Earp himself, whom the director met in his younger days. Ultimately, though, My Darling Clementine isn’t so much a chronicle of this important event in American history as it is the tale of two men thrown together by circumstance. That their story is more interesting than such a legendary battle is a credit to both Ford and his talented cast.
Review by our friends at DVDInfatuation.com
Welcome to Feature Friday here at Cowboy Spirit TV!
Looking for a story about a killer for hire? This is a great movie that gets off to a slow start - but hang in there. The plot really develops and you are introduced to some really dark and deep charactors. Everything from a total destruction of a town to a clamatic showdown. We know the true western fan will enjoy this week's pick!
IMDb describes "Invitation to a Gunfighter" as: Confederate veteran Matt Weaver (George Segal) returning home after the Civil War discovers his farm was sold by a banker named Brewster (Pat Hingle).... Brewster hires gunfighter Jules Gaspard d'Estaing to deal with Weaver, but d'Estaing's independent approach settles the town's problems in a very unorthodox manner.
DVD Synopsis: Acclaimed director George Stevens' legendary rendition of the quintessential Western myth earned six Academy Award nominations, and made Shane one of the classics of the American cinema.
The story brings Alan Ladd, a drifter and retired gunfighter, to the assistance of a homestead family terrorized by a wealthy cattleman and his hired gun (Jack Palance). In fighting the last decisive battle, Shane sees the end of his own way of life. Mysterious, moody and atmospheric, the film is enhanced by the intense performances of its splendid cast.
The story of
Shane is simple enough; good guys on one side fighting bad guys on the other, with a stranger named Shane caught in the middle of it all. It's a simplicity that even extends to the overall tone of the film, yet when it came to
Shane's visual style, 'simple' is exactly what director George Stevens was shooting for.
Throughout Shane, Stevens will hold a single shot for a long period of time, keeping his camera perfectly still and never once cutting away from the action. When discussing the film in a 1974 interview with writers Patrick McGilligan and Joseph McBride, Stevens addressed his use of sustained shots in Shane, and the effect he was hoping to achieve with them.
“In one of those long takes”, Stevens said, “the camera gets rooted in one place almost as if it has discovered something of extraordinary importance. It doesn’t move in to examine it closely; it draws the audience in to make an effort to see more. The audience must explore it, discover why there is this muted telling of some significant point”.
Through simplicity, George Stevens challenged his audience as opposed to merely leading them from one moment to the next, and to his credit, this approach worked. I know, because I myself was watching quite intently, completely caught up in the action on-screen. In the case of Shane, less certainly amounted to much, much more.
Well it's that time of the week again! The time where Cowboy Spirit TV carefully selects a western film thats available to you to view during your lunch, your dinner, or whenever you have the time to sit back and relax!
The Kansan
Running time: 79 minutes
Release Date: September 10, 1943
Synopsis:
Wounded while stopping the James gang from robbing the local bank, a cowboy wakes up in the hospital to find that he's been elected town marshal. He soon comes into conflict with the town banker, who controls everything in town and is squeezing the townspeople for every penny he can get out of them.
Genre: Action & Adventure, Action Comedies, Crime Action & Adventure, Westerns
Release Date: 05/20/1994
MPAA: PG
Runtime: 127 minutes
Synopsis:
Maverick is recreated from the character James Garner created in the 1950s TV program. The main charactor, Maverick, is a gambler who would rather comically con someone than even begin to thinking about fighting them. They storyline quickly introduces his dilemma - He needs an additional three thousand dollars in order to enter a Winner Take All poker game that is just a few days away. He tries to win some small poker games in order to collect a few debts to raise money for the BIG tournement mainly using his street smarts, some charm, and some fancy acting. He joins forces with a woman gambler with a phoney southern accent as the two both try and enter the game.
This is a fast paced movie that is filled with toungue in cheek jokes and a lot of western gun slinging action. Mel Gibson plays "Maverick" who is a poker playing con artist out to make some quick bucks in order to get into a huge poker tournemant. He is out to make some quick money and raise the last 3k he needs in order to meet the 25k entry fee. Along the way he meets a sassy and sexy woman, Annabelle, played by Jodie Foster. A poker playing, fake accent using bombshell who Maverick falls for immediatley. Though he catches on to her lgame pretty quick she keeps him on his toes since is actually quite good at being a con artist herself. The relationship between Maverick and Annabelle? Well it can be described that they are more of coharts than lovers but there is obvious sexual tension between them between poker hands.
Mel plays the charactor well, adding in dry comedic humor into almost every scene. Some of the best parts of the movie are based off Maverick arranging fake western shoot outs in order to convince thouse around hiim that he is a fantastic gunslinger willing to put his life on the line in order to protect those around him. One of the best examples of his plethora of BS'ing skills is when he meets up with Joseph, the Indian, and his entire tribe of Indians. It's a good thing that Maverick can speak to Joseph in his Indian dialect because the two of them put on an unbelievable show for Annabelle and others. Again, giving the impression of a true, honarable man of the Wild West and putting his hands on the line to protect the safety of the woman.
Real western action straight till the end of the movie this film can be best described as a comedic western with a light hearted and fun storyline. Check it out if you want to have a few laughs yet keep within the western genre.
Review by Jaime Laidlaw.
You can view the Official Movie Trailer HERE. Enjoy!
The 1970's were made famous by some major social and cultural markers. For instance - the Hippie movement, Rock n' Roll, and muscle cars. But what about the 'Spaghetti Western'? The year was 1971 when Ferdinando Baldi directs BlindMan. Starring Tony Anthong, Ringo Starr, and Lloyd Battista, this classic flick runs 105 minutes in length.
Synopsis:
A blind and deadly gunman is hired to escort fifty mail order brides to their new husbands, the miners. Think of it as sort of a mail-order-bride set up. His business partners double cross him, selling the women to the bandit Domingo. The Blindman heads into Mexico in pursuit of the lost.
Angel and the Badman
Originally released on February 15th, 1947 this classic western film has also been known as The Angel and the Outlaw and runs about 100 minutes in length. It was shot in Sedona, Arizona and stars the one, the only, The Duke! It also stars Gail Russel, Harry Carey, Bruce Cabot and Paul Hurst.
Quick plot overview:
When John Wayne's charactor, Quirt Evans, is injured outside the home of a quiet Quaker family they bring him in and nurse him back to health, But of course their absolutley beautiful and sheltered daughter is the one who seems to pay Quirt some extra needed attention to ensure he makes a speedy recovery. In the end The Duke must make the decison to continue on with his wild outlaw ways he has come to know and love - or give them up and venture forward with Penelope and her quaint life as a Quaker.
Click here to view the movie
photo credits:
source: http://bit.ly/zOmEpr
permission: american film in the public domain