A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)*****

United Artists
Director: Sergio Leone

I have been putting off reviewing these films simply because it is impossible to properly acknowledge the impact of these films on the western genre. For the modern audience, this is the old west. By the 1960s the genre had become a little too predictable for many directors. A Fistful of Dollars was meant to change this and it certainly accomplished that goal. Most westerns made since have attempted to capture this gritty, violent, gut-wrenching image of the west. Whereas John Ford type westerns emphasized the American ideals of moral uprightness, hard work and the ability to overcome the ruthless environment found in the old west, Leone's westerns are almost the complete opposite in interpretation. The "hero" uses his innate ability to excel in order to bend the rules and avoid the slow struggle of the average man while walking the line of morality and in many cases crossing it, all for a "fistful of dollars." As a historian, I think the truth of the American west lies somewhere in the middle. There was definitely the ever-present capitalist drive that sent Americans westward but morality didn't get thrown out the window. Our modern pessimistic senses tend to favor Leone's image and most people would describe earlier westerns now as too cheesy and unbelievable. I personally tend not to worry about this and enjoy westerns of all varieties (although the singing cowboy of the 50s is a bit too much for me). Well on to the film!

Clint Eastwood plays the well-known Man With No Name. At the end of the film the undertaker calls him Joe but this may just be a generic name given to the stranger. In any case, the stranger comes into town and learns from the Bar keep Silvanito (played by Jose Calvo) that there are two rival outlaw gangs out for each other and the stranger decides to pit one against the other in order to cash in from both sides. Then the killing ensues. Memorable performances all around with Joseph Egger as the undertaker Piriperro, Gian Maria Volonte as Ramon, and Marianne Koch as the lovely Marisol. The film itself mirrors a Japanese film Yojimbo (1961) so much so that the Yojimbo camp won a lawsuit over it. Even Yojimbo was derivative and the story goes all the way back to an Italian play called the Servant of Two Masters. The fact that you are reading this blog probably means you have seen this but if you haven't YOU MUST SEE THIS FILM.

Outlaws of Sonora (1938)

Outlaws of Sonora (1938)***

Republic Pictures
Director: George Sherman

The Three Mesquiteers No. 14
I think I was too hard on this series when I reviewed Santa Fe Stampede. I think it was the fact that John Wayne was in it so I went in expecting too much. As a kid friendly western romp these things aren't bad and I can see why they were successful in their time. Outlaws of Sonora had the classic Mesquiteer lineup with Robert Livingston as Stony Brooke, Ray Corrigan as Tuscon Smith and Max Terhune bringing up the rear as the ever frustrating ventriloquist Lullaby Joslin. This is the classic villain-looks-like-hero and Stony is the victim. Dude Brannen (actually played by Livingston) disguised as Stony robs a bank and kills a man and so Stony becomes most wanted. You get the point... I wish I could say more but it is pretty straight forward. Fun fact though; the plastic surgeon(I know it is a strange twist) is played by Jack Mulhall who is credited as being the first actor to play dual roles in a non-silent motion picture. (1929's Dark Streets)

The War Wagon (1967)

The War Wagon (1967)****

Universal Pictures
Director: Burt Kennedy

I know what you are thinking. "Really, more John Wayne?" Well yes, sometimes I am just in the mood. There is something so timeless about John Wayne westerns in technicolor. The War Wagon is Ocean's Eleven gone western and yet it all works. Wayne is Taw Jackson, just out of jail and ready to set right the greedy mine owner Pierce (Bruce Cabot) who took his ranch. This particular miner is ready for it though and transports his gold in an armored stage coach known to all as the War Wagon. To pull off the job Jackson pulls from the local fun loving criminals (the suave gambler Lomax (Kirk Douglas), the young explosive expert Billy Hyatt (Robert Walker Jr.), an Indian (Howard Keel) and the insider Wes Fletcher (Keenan Wynn). "A western with no girl?" you say. Valora Noland who plays Kate takes the spotlight here and falls for young Billy. Kennedy seems to have been a director of a number of westerns in the 60s and 70s but honestly this is the first I have seen. After The War Wagon though I am inclined to seek them out!

The Cowboys (1972)

The Cowboys (1972) ***

Sanford Productions
Director: Mark Rydell

From director Mark Rydell (who also did the heartwarming On Golden Pond), This film stars John Wayne as Will Anderson, an old rancher who loses all his hands to Gold Fever. In order to make his cattle run, he turns to young boys fresh from grammar school. At first, it sounds like every boys dream; heading off on a cattle drive with John Wayne at the helm! Despite what sounds like a cheesy, kid friendly plot this film gets quite brutal when a gang of cattle rustlers show up to steal the herd. Great performances from Wayne, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Bruce Dern.

Border River (1954)

Border River (1954) ***

Universal International Pictures
Director: George Sherman

After the previous disappointment with Santa Fe Stampede, I felt like I should see how George Sherman fared into the fifties. Not only that, Border River is CSA movie! This film honestly blows Santa Fe Stampede out of the water as expected considering the budget increase. Joel McCrea plays Major Clete Mattson who makes it across the river into a free zone (zona libre) in order to purchase supplies for the CSA from the head honcho (played by Pedro Armendáriz) with Yankee gold. McCrea isn't the most inspiring of western heroes but he does the job and gets the girl (Yvonne De Carlo). You may know De Carlo as Mrs. Warren in McLintock (amazing biscuits remember?) or perhaps Lily Munster though she doesn't make the best Mexican saloon owner.

Santa Fe Stampede (1938)

Santa Fe Stampede (1938) **

Republic Pictures
Director: George Sherman

Santa Fe Stampede is one of the Three Mesquiteers western series. There were a total of 51 of these things; all made from 1936 to 1943. Wayne was only in eight though beginning with Pals of the Saddle earlier in the same year. The other two Mesquiteers are played by Ray Corrigan (as Tuscon Smith) and Max Terhune (as Lullaby Joslin). Interesting fact: the original Stony Brooke (Wayne's character) was played by Robert Livingston who was one of the uncredited football players along with John Wayne in the silent film Brown of Harvard (1926); the Duke's first film. Santa Fe Stampede begins with the Mesquiteers going to visit their friend who is hoping to stake a claim on a mine. Unfortunately the town gangster has other plans... I am not really impressed with this series as the storylines are limited and just cash in on fans who loved the series. The worst scene is any involving Max Terhune's ventriloquism with Elmer.

Destry (1954)

Destry (1954) ***

Universal Pictures
Director: George Marshall

Despite the cheezy can-can dancing, western town of Restful, I think this later version of Destry Rides Again is not bad. It shouldn't be considering it is George Marshall's second attempt (He also directed the 1939 Jimmy Stewart version). In fact that wasn't even the first version. There was a 1932 Tom Mix one! The names and faces have been changed but they are nearly identical; all based on the novel by Max Brand (Frederick Faust) published in the Western Story Magazine in 1930. In any case, sure our hero doesn't have the Duke's commanding presence, but we wouldn't want every western to be identical (looking at you Marshall). After all, Destry still sweeps into town, lays down the law and gets the girl (Lori Nelson). I normally prefer a bit more rugged scenery and less technicolor Dollywood, though overall it's a movie worth watching if only to see how different a western can be and still remain true to the genre. I think the western TV shows for kids of the 1950s are to blame for the particular cheez factor of this one but whatever I enjoyed it. Audie Murphy plays the eponymous Destry who takes on crooked Saloon owner Phil Decker (Lyle Bettger). Mari Blanchard steals the screen as the star of the saloon, Brandy. I particularly enjoyed seeing Alan Hale Jr. (the Skipper from Gilligan's Island) as cattle rustler Jack Larson.

Sagebrush Trail (1933)

Sagebrush Trail (1933) ***

Lone Star Pictures
Director: Armand Schaefer

John Wayne stars as John Brant; a wrongly convicted escapee who finds himself in a gang with the true murderer (played by Lane Chandler). The gang leader is (you guessed it) Yakima Canutt! There are some great stunts in this one (the usual horse mounting stuff but also a couple new ones like the now classic breathing through a reed to hide underwater. All said and done, it is quite entertaining just make sure you don't catch the version on Netflix with the silly add in synthesized music score. Oh and Wayne gets the girl (Nancy Shubert)! Schaefer would go on to produce many of the classic western TV shows of the 1950s (Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill Jr., The Gene Autry Show).

Five Guns West (1955)

Five Guns West (1955) ****

Palo Alto Productions
Director: Roger Corman (The guy who recently produced Dinocroc vs. Supergator no less)

Five Guns West suprisingly has it all! Here's the story. The South (CSA you know) needs to stop a traitor to the cause in charge of 30,000 in gold traveling by stagecoach but they don't have the manpower and so they pardon five criminals to go do it for them. I know, at first you were thinking "here we go again with another dig at the CSA" but it turns out to be a fair take on the war. Anyways back to the film. Somehow all the right parts of the western genre are there and even with a film about criminals, the good guy gets the girl (in this case Dorothy Malone)! Considering this was only Corman's second film, Five Guns West is a classic. You do have to overlook a particularly bad "crazy man" scene with Jonathan Haze(yes, Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors). Two other big names for the film are John Lund as Govern Sturges and Mike Connors as Hale Clinton; both play two of the "Five Guns." Finally, I would like to note there is a snake slaughtering/assumed assault scene (I am keeping my eyes out for this as I have seen it a couple times before). Definitely watch this one!

High Noon (1952)

High Noon (1952) **

United Artists
Director: Fred Zinnemann

This film is not exactly a western in the traditional sense. In fact, the first gun shot isn't fired until 8 minutes prior to the end. Gary Cooper plays marshal Will Kane who just hung up his guns to marry his Quaker wife (Grace Kelly). Immediately after though, he finds out that a local ruffian Frank Miller got pardoned from his murder sentence and is coming back to town to take his revenge on Kane. Miller's brother and two others (one played by a young Lee Van Cleef) show up to help Miller when his train pulls in. The bulk of the film involves Kane trying to get some help from the locals who are unwilling. Everyone thinks Kane should just leave and that will be the end of it but Kane thinks Miller's return will ruin all the progress the town has made to settle down. High Noon has become a very famous film (I suppose because of the line up) but I just don't see it. The basic premise could have been set in any time and place and lacks the true "spirit of the west" felt in so many of the westerns of this time. Many presidents apparently like to screen this film at the White House because of Kane's devotion to duty blah blah blah. Clinton screened it 17 times while in office. John Wayne called it "the most un-American thing I've ever seen in my whole life." Well I wouldn't go that far but if the Duke didn't like it I don't know what else there is to say... If you haven't seen Rio Bravo then watch that to see a true western sheriff movie but if you are looking for something different this may be for you!