Sheriff of Tombstone

Released in 1941, Sheriff of Tombstone stars Roy Rogers and the king of frontier gibberish, George "Gabby" Hayes. The film was directed by Joseph Kane, who actually directed over a dozen Roy Rogers films in the late 30's and 40's.

The basic premise of the film centers around a Dodge City lawman named Bret Starr (played by Rogers) who makes his way West to Tombstone. Once he arrives he's almost immediately mistaken for a man they call "Shotgun" Cassidy. Knowing "Shotgun's" reputation for being a corrupt lawman, Starr plays along and asks his friend Judge Whittaker (played by Hayes) to do the same. It turns out that Cassidy had been offered the job of Sheriff in order to help steal silver from a family who owns a mine just outside of town. Of course, even after the real Cassidy shows up in Tombstone, Starr and Whittaker foil the bad guy's plans.

Overall, I like this one. I like both Rogers and Hayes in the film and, with a runtime of less than one hour, it moves along at a decent pace. Is it one of the all-time great Westerns? No, but it's pretty entertaining. I give it a 3 out of 5.

The Sabata Trilogy

The Sabata trilogy, though not as well known as some other westerns like the famed "Man with No Name" trilogy, is still a solid series of Spaghetti Westerns. The films were all released between 1969 and 1971 and were directed by Gianfranco Parolini (Although he's credited as Frank Kramer). There are some additional knock-off films from that time that feature 'Sabata' in the title such as Wanted Sabata from 1970 and Dig Your Grave Friend... Sabata's Coming from 1971 but, these aren't considered part of the official Sabata franchise.

The first film in the trilogy, simply called Sabata, stars Lee Van Cleef as the title character. The plot centers a plan cooked up by the leaders of a small Texas town to rob their own bank, and then sell the bankrupt town's land to the railroad company for a big payout. Of course Sabata, a sharp-shooting gunslinger, foils their plan. Overall, I think this one is a good movie.

The follow-up film, Adios, Sabata, sees the title role recast with Yul Brynner. Interestingly, Van Cleef was offered the role in the sequel but was busy filming The Magnificent Seven Ride a sequel to the classic 1960 film The Magnificent Seven, which starred Yul Brynner. In this one, Sabata is hired to assist with a Mexican revolution by stealing some gold from the Austrian Army. Of the three Sabata films, this one is my least favorite. I don't find the story as compelling as the first and third. Also, nothing against Yul Brynner but, I like Lee Van Cleef better as Sabata.

The third and final film of the trilogy is Return of Sabata, released in 1971. It's a fitting title as it would feature Lee Van Cleef returning to the title role. This film starts off with Sabata working as a sideshow-gunslinger but, he quickly finds himself in the middle of a plot involving a corrupt mayor and counterfeit money. This entry in the series is a bit more comedic than the others but I think it works and I find it really entertaining.

Overall, while none of the films are perfect, I find each one enjoyable for different reasons. Sabata as a character is fun because while he is the protagonist of these films, he's not really a good guy. Yes, he helps out the people of these small towns that are being taken advantage of but, he always seems to care more about getting money for himself than anything else. If you are a fan of westerns and plan on marathoning the trilogy, it's going to eat up a little over 5 hours of your time but I think they're worth it.

Bone Tomahawk

Although advertised as a "Horror-Western", 2015's Bone Tomahawk doesn't hit with wall-to-wall scares or even much gore, relative to it's 132 minute runtime. While some seeking out a straight horror film may find this a bit disappointing I think it's a very engaging film. 

Shortly after a drifter comes to the small frontier town of Bright Hope he is shot in the leg by the town Sheriff (played by Kurt Russell) and taken to jail under suspicion of murder. The town's doctor Samantha O'Dwyer called upon to treat the prisoner's wound. However, in the middle of the night the drifter, the doctor, and the deputy who was at the jail, all go missing. Upon finding an arrow in the building and consulting with a local Native American, who identifies the arrow as belonging to a savage troglodyte clan, the Sheriff quickly gathers together a small group of men to assist him in searching for the missing persons. This group consists of the doctor's husband Arthur O'Dwyer (played by Patrick Wilson) who despite having a broken leg insists on going, the 'backup deputy' Chicory (played by Richard Jenkins) and John Brooder (played by Matthew Fox) who has some experience with this type of matter. 

This movie is only a couple of years old and it had a very limited theatrical release, so I won't give anymore of the plot away because I do recommend seeing it. The film is a slow-burn, yet very suspenseful because you never know what may be waiting for this ragtag group just over the next ridge. This movie doesn't have a ton of action and relies heavily on good performances from the main cast to carry the heavy lifting. Luckily, I think all of the acting is solid throughout.

If you're a fan of Westerns and you haven't seen Bone Tomahawk, then I definitely recommend checking his one out.

 4.5 out of 5

70's Month - Day:23 The Cowboys

Anyone who frequents this movie blog knows that I love Westerns, and the ones featuring John Wayne are some of my favorites. With that being said, and even though I'm prone to giving an extra bonus point or two to a John Wayne film, 1972's The Cowboys is a legitimately good movie. 

The film is about a rancher named Wil Anderson (played by Wayne) who has a long cattle drive coming up. Unfortunately, at the last minute all of his ranch hands leave to join the gold rush. Desperate for help, Anderson is forced to hire a group of school boys to assist him. Anderson teaches the boys how to properly rope and herd cattle and, even though he gets frustrated with them at various points, Anderson ends up becoming something of a father figure to the boys. So much so that when Anderson is killed by bandits and the herd is stolen, the boys set out to kill the bandits, recover the herd, and complete the drive. 

This one isn't quite on the same level as The Searchers, True Grit, or The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, but I really enjoy it. Overall, it's a solid Western and one I recommend to anyone who is a fan of the genre. 

I give this one a 4 out of 5.

Western Wednesday: The Magnificent Seven

"...the graveyards are full of boys who were very young and very proud." 

1960's The Magnificent Seven is one of the all-time great Westerns. In my opinion, it's up in that top-tier alongside classics like True Grit (the 1969 one), The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Once Upon a Time in the West, and The Searchers just to name a few. Yes, the movie is essentially a remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1954 film Seven Samurai, just set in the old west, but it still feels like it's own thing.

 The plot involves a small Mexican village that is occasionally raided by bandits. Since the village is primarily populated by farmers, three of the men decide to set out to purchase some guns to protect themselves against the bandits. It isn't long before they come across a gunslinger named Chris (played by Yul Brynner), who convinces them that hiring experienced gunfighters would be cheaper then buying guns. They agree, and Chris recruits five other guys; Vin (played by Steve McQueen), Bernardo (played by Charles Bronson), Harry (played by Brad Dexter), Britt (played by James Coburn), and Lee (played by Robert Vaughn). Shortly after they head off toward the Mexican village, a headstrong, young gunslinger named Chico (played by Horst Buchholz) convinces Chris to let him tag along, bringing the group to seven. All goes pretty well initially, with the group working with the farmers to build some fortifications for the village and training some of them to shoot. A few days later when the bandits return, the seven and the villagers hold their ground fairly well and the town celebrates, believing it's all over and they won. Of course it's not that easy and I won't jot down any more of the plot here in case you've never seen the film.

Overall, this is one I highly recommend. I think it's perfectly cast, incredibly entertaining and rewatchable, and it has one of the best musical scores of any Western. The themes from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and A Fistful of Dollars are probably two of the only pieces of music in a Western as iconic as the main title theme of this film.

If you've never seen it, go watch it. 

5 out of 5

Have a suggestion for a 'Western Wednesday' review?

Leave a comment below.

Western Wednesday: Cahill United States Marshal

It's another "Western Wednesday" and I'm going with a John Wayne movie again this week (last week I reviewed The Train Robbers, you can check out that review by clicking HERE). Today's movie is 1973's Cahill United States Marshal. 

In this one John Wayne plays J.D. Cahill, a U.S. Marshal who's job often keeps him away from home and his two sons Danny and Billy for long stretches of time. One night, while Cahill is away, Danny and Billy help a gang lead by Abe Fraser (played by George Kennedy) rob the local bank. The gang has the perfect alibi because, as far as everyone else knows, they were all in jail for drunk and disorderly conduct the night of the robbery and Billy is tasked with hiding the stolen money. When Cahill returns to town, he and Danny set out to find whoever robbed the bank with the help of tracker named Lightfoot. While Cahill is out of town looking for the criminals, Fraser and his gang ambush Billy demanding to know where the money is hidden. The problem is Cahill's sons feel guilty and want to return the money to the bank, but Fraser will stop at nothing to get it. The result is a showdown in the forest between the Fraser gang and the Cahills. 

As a film, this is a pretty average, by-the-numbers Western. There's no interesting camera work, amazing musical score or incredibly complex characters. However, this is the kind of movie that is really elevated by John Wayne's larger then life presence, which makes it an enjoyable watch. Plus, I've always liked George Kennedy and he's also good in the movie. Cahill United States Marshal isn't a flick I'd recommend to everyone but, I think it's a "must-see" if you're a John Wayne fan.

 3 out of 5

80's Month Day 1: ¡Three Amigos!

Well it may be "80's Month" here at the Only in the Movies blog but it's also a "Western Wednesday"

so, I wanted to mix it up a bit.

 ¡Three Amigos! is a 1986 comedy about three silent film actors known in their movies as 'The Three Amigos'. The group is comprised of Lucky Day (played by Steve Martin), Dusty Bottoms (played by Chevy Chase), and Ned Nederlander (played by Martin Short), and they star in typical Westerns where a small village is being terrorized by a gang of bandits and the Amigos always show up and save the day.
One day, after getting fired for demanding salary increases, the Amigos get a letter from the Mexican village of Santo Poco asking them to come and save the town from a bandit named El Guapo and his gang. Of course, the people of Santo Poco don't know that the heroic 'Three Amigos' are just movie actors, and Lucky, Dusty, and Ned think that the letter was asking them to come and perform their act for the townspeople. As you can probably guess, this misunderstanding is what leads to a lot of the films comedy and eventually the trio does save the day and they become the heroes that the town originally hoped they'd be.

Overall, ¡Three Amigos! is a fun and entertaining movie. It's not amazing, but it's worth watching and you'll probably get a few good laughs out of it.
I give it a 2.5 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below, and be sure to check back tomorrow and all month long for more 80's movie reviews.

Western Wednesday: 6 Guns

It's another 'Western Wednesday' and this week's film is 2010's 6 Guns.

The plot to this one is pretty basic:

The movie is about a gang of murderous outlaws lead by Lee Horn (played by Geoff Meed) who seeks out a former sheriff named Will Stevens who killed his father. Upon finding him, the gang learns that Will has settled down and started a family. So, as revenge, Horn and his gang kills Will and his two sons, and rapes his wife Selina (played by Sage Mears). Of course Selina wants revenge and when bounty hunter Frank Allison (played by Barry Van Dyke) she sees her opportunity. Selina convinces Frank to teach her how to shoot a gun and, eventually, when Lee Horn's gang returns to town Selina gets her revenge with Franks help. There isn't much more to it than that.

Overall, this one is a slightly below average Western. Not terrible, but not great. The acting is ok with Barry Van Dyke giving the best performance. If you're a huge Western fan then you might want to check it out, but I wouldn't recommend it otherwise.

I give this one a 2 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a 'Western Wednesday'?

Leave it in the comments below, and be sure to check out some of these past 'Western Wednesday reviews:

Appaloosa
The Man from Utah
Young Guns 
The Big Trail

10 James Stewart Movies Everyone Should See

There aren't many actors that have filmagraphy that boast as many great films as James Stewart. I've previously written list like this about Sean Connery, John Travolta, Alfred Hitchcock, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Hanks, and Chuck Norris, and easy part in creating this particular list was that I had so many quality films to choose from. Anyone who frequents this blog or has talked with me about movies knows I'm a huge fan of James Stewart and, unfortunately, there were so many good choices that I had to leave a lot of films that I really enjoy off of the list. Like all previous entries this isn’t necessarily a ‘Top 10’ but rather a list of films that is both some of my personal favorites and that I think best represent the person’s career.

#10 Rope -1948

"... You've murdered! You choked the life out of a fellow human being who could live and love as you never could, and never will again!"

You're going to find a couple of James Stewart-Alfred Hitchcock collaborations on this list, but that's bound to happen when an on-screen legend and one of cinemas best directors work together on a handful of films. This one is about two college friends who commit a murder just to see if they can get away with it. It's a simple plot done so well that it is, in my opinion, one of the great psychological-thrillers.


#9 The Spirit of St. Louis -1957

"The idea of committing suicide never crossed my mind except when I took this cigar"

There probably wasn't anyone more fit to play American icon Charles Lindbergh, than perhaps the greatest 'American every man' actor James Stewart. This biographical film focuses on the time leading up to Lindbergh's historic trans-Atlantic flight, as well as the flight itself. And even as someone with very little interest in aviation history, I still think this is a really interesting and entertaining movie.

 

#8 The Stratton Story -1949

 "I'm through gambling. Well, I found out what it's like to lose, and what it's like to win. Why keep at it?" 

This is one of my favorite Baseball movies (maybe I'll write a piece on all of those sometime). Stewart plays Monte Stratton, and it's the true story of a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox in the 30's who has his leg amputated after accidentally shooting himself in an offseason hunting accident, but against all odds plays ball again. It's a great film.

#7 The Man from Laramie -1955

"I figure this place owes me somethin' and I'm gonna make it pay" 

 James Stewart was in a number of Westerns over the course of his career, but while some of his most famous ones How the West was Won and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance are both really good films, they also starred Western legend John Wayne. This one is 100% a James Stewart picture and I honestly think it's just as good.

#6 The Shop Around the Corner -1940

"I think people who like to smoke candy and listen to cigarettes will love it"

I'm not usually the biggest fan of romantic-comedies but this film about two shop employees that can barely stand each other but, without realizing it, are falling in love through letters as eachother's anonymous pen pal is a really fun movie. Both James Stewart and Margret Sullavan are really good, and Felix Bressart cracks me up.

#5 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington -1939

"...You think I'm licked. You all think I'm licked. Well I'm not licked. And I'm gonna stay right here and fight for this lost cause. Even if this room gets filled with lies like these. And the Taylors and all their armies come marching into this place. Somebody will listen to me" 

What can I say about this one? It's an all-time classic, well written, well directed, the whole package... but most of all, and this isn't something I claim very often, this is an important movie. On the surface it's just a film about an idealistic young Senator who goes to Washington D.C. and learns about corruption. It's both inspirational and cynical in many ways. I first saw it in school as a kid and, even though it's not always easy to get kids to sit and watch a black & white movie about government, I think it's something everyone should see at least once.

#4 Rear Window -1954

"...she didn't know she was going on a trip and where she was going she wouldn't need any luggage"

Look on any Alfred Hitchcock or James Stewart "Best of" list and you'll find this one near the top, it's a masterpiece. Stewart plays a photographer who, because of a broken leg, is confined to his apartment for a bit. So, he spends his days curiously watching his neighbors through his back window, but things get really interesting when he suspects one of those neighbors of being a murderer. It's a must-see especially if you like really suspenseful movies

#3 It's a Wonderful Life -1946

"What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon? Just say the word, and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down"

This one also made a 10 Christmas movies everyone should see list I wrote (you can check out that article here) and it's not just a great Christmas movie or just a great James Stewart movie, it's one of the all-time great films period.


#2 Harvey -1950

"Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say...'In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.' Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

Harvey is not the most critically acclaimed film on this list but, for me, it couldn't come in any lower than the #2 slot. Stewart is fantastic as Elwood Dowd, one of my all-time favorite characters across film history. There are very few actors that can play a man who's best friend is an invisible 6'-3 1/2" tall rabbit and still come off so genuine and sincere that you find yourself thinking that the people who don't believe in Harvey the rabbit are the one's with a problem.

#1 Vertigo -1958

"You shouldn't keep souvenirs of a killing. You shouldn't have been that sentimental."

I could go on and on about this one, but I'll keep it simple and if you want more check out a piece I wrote called "The Greatness of Vertigo". This is one of those films and performances where everything works and, no matter how many times I've seen it, the movie always sucks me in.

Honorable Mentions: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) , The FBI Story (1959), Broken Arrow(1950), Bell Book and Candle (1958), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), An American Tail: Fievel Goes West (1991)


Have a suggestion for the next '10 Movies Everyone Should See' list?
Leave it in the comments below and, if you enjoyed this, please share this post on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+

Western Wednesday: Appaloosa

Appaloosa is a 2008 Western directed by and starring Ed Harris and overall, it's pretty entertaining.

The movie follows a familiar plot but it's done well enough that it doesn't feel stale. The small town of Appaloosa is being terrorized by gang of men led by Randall Bragg (played by Jeremy Irons), who has recently killed the town's marshal and two deputies. So the local lawmakers hire the duo of and Virgil Cole (played by Ed Harris) and Everett Hitch (played by Viggo Mortensen) to be the new town marshal and deputy, and restore order to Appaloosa. There's some good chemistry between the two, but I found Everett Hitch to be the more likeable character. 

It doesn't take long for Cole to quickly starts up a romantic relationship with a woman named Allie French (played by Renée Zellweger), who is also new to Appaloosa. And right after that, one of Bragg's men comes to town and tells Cole that he will testify that he saw Bragg kill the former marshal. Following the trial, the movie starts to drag a bit to me. Cole and Hitch are transporting Bragg by train, when some hired guns that kidnapped Allie force them to release Bragg. Then Cole and Hitch have to go after them, and just as they catch up to the outlaws some Apaches attack, and so on. 

There's a good 15mins that could've been cut from the second half of the film in my opinion.

Eventually Bragg is granted a full pardon by the President, returns to Appaloosa, buys the hotel and claims he's a reformed man. However, Hitch discovers that Allie is secretly in a relationship with Bragg, and he challenges him to a duel. After drawing first and killing Bragg, Everett Hitch rides off into the sunset.

It's not a great Western, but it's good and the whole cast is solid. I'm not really sure if Jeremy Irons was supposed to be a likeable villain, but he was definitely my favorite part of the movie. It is a little slow at times but there are enough good qualities to make up for it.

I give this one a 3 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a 'Western Wednesday' review?

Leave it in the comments below.

Best of 2016

2016 has come to a close and, as with every year, there were plenty of great movies and disappointments to hit theaters.
 I originally thought about doing a sort of every-man version of the Oscars and pick my favorite actor, director, supporting actor, film score, etc. from this year, but I ended up with just too many categories. So, I decided to break it down into three categories that stood out to me after all my trips to the theater this year.

Best Comic Book Movie:

Captain America: Civil War

Comic Book movies get their own category because now more than ever before there is no shortage of action-packed hero flicks hitting the big screen every year. There was a lot to be excited about going into 2016, but i would say there were more negatives in this category than positives. Civil War was pretty awesome and Dr. Strange was good but, for me, movies like X-men: Apocalypse, Deadpool, Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, and Suicide Squad either didn't live up to the hype or were flat-out disappointments. Some of these movies would have a good action scene or a fun character but Captain America: Civil War was thoroughly enjoyable and, as a result, was the one that really stood out from the rest of the pack.

Best Animated Movie:

Moana

Much like the Comic Book category this wasn't a close call for me. It had been a while since an animated film came around that I absolutely loved, and then Disney's Moana came out. I wasn't the biggest Finding Nemo fan so I didn't expect Finding Dory to thrill me,and it didn't. I found Trolls hard to sit through, Storks was funny, I didn't even get through all of Secret Life of Pets, Zootopia didn't really move the needle for me, I skipped out on yet another Ice Age sequel... Moana was the only one that really had me entertained, and I even went back to see it a second time.

Best Thing I wasn't Expecting:

Hacksaw Ridge

There were a quite a few movies I really enjoyed this year that caught me off guard. I was surprised how much I liked The Jungle Book remake, but the toss up was really between Hacksaw Ridge and In a Valley of Violence. Both were films that weren't even on my radar until right before they came out, and I thought both were really entertaining. In this category, I give the edge to Hacksaw Ridge because I think it's a bit of a better all-around film but I do recommend checking out both of them if you have the opportunity. (Here are links to both reviews Hacksaw Ridge, In a Valley of Violence)
As a bit of a side note: One movie that wasn't quite as good as I was expecting was Rob Zombie's 31. I liked it but it didn't blow me away.

  A big thanks to everyone who has been reading my reviews this year.

Have a movie recommendation for me to check out in 2017?
Leave it in comments below.

Western Wednesday: The Man from Utah (1934)

It's Wednesday, which means it's time for a Western!
 This week's film is 1934's The Man From Utah.

Now, I've included John Wayne films in some of my previous 'Western Wednesday' post, such as The Big Trail and True Grit. So, let's take a look at another movie featuring the man synonymous with the genre. 

In this one John Wayne plays John Weston and he is, as the title would suggest, a man from Utah. He rides into a small town one day seeking work. However, shortly after he arrives three men rob the local bank and, being the man of action he is, John guns down two of the robbers and shoots the gun out of the hand of the third. After the marshal sees how easily this man stopped the three criminals, he decides he can use the sharp-shooting Weston to help him in his investigation to figure out who's behind a crooked rodeo. Weston enters the rodeo, he does really well, and from there everything you'd expect to happen pretty much does. The Duke infiltrates the rodeo gang, figures out how they operate, and, of course, saves the day.

So, is this one of the great John Wayne films? No. The characters are one-dimensional and the plot is pretty basic. Overall, it's watchable, and it's only about a hour long (unfortunately a significant portion of that is rodeo stock footage). If you're a big John Wayne fan then I recommend it, but otherwise it's not a must-see.

I give it a 2 out of 5.

 Have a suggestion for a 'Western Wednesday' review? 

Leave it in the comments below.

 

Western Wednesday: Young Guns

Another Wednesday, Another Western!

Young Guns is not great movie, but there is a lot to like about 1988 Western. It has, what was considered at the time to be, a strong cast and the movie is fun.

John Tunstall (played by Terence Stamp) is a rancher in New Mexico, who hires young troublemakers to live and work on his property, and he acts as a sort of father-figure. this group consists of Doc Scurlock (played by Kiefer Sutherland), Jose Chavez (played by Lou Diamond Phillips), Richard  Brewer (played by Charlie Sheen), Steve Stephens (played by Dermot Mulroney), Charlie Bowdre (played by Casey Siemaszko) and newcomer William Bonney (played by Emilio Estevez) who later in the film will be dubbed "Billy the Kid".

Pretty early on in the film Tunstall is murdered by the men of his competitor Lawrence Murphy (played by the legendary Jack Palance). Shortly after Tunstall's death a lawyer/friend of his, Alex McSween, manages to get the group deputized and gives them warrants for the arrest of Murphy's henchmen. The group calls themselves 'The Regulators' and it isn't long before Billy's hot-headed nature causes problems. After he kills a couple guys rather than arresting them, Billy and the team are stripped of their badges and become fugitives themselves. It's around this point in the film when Billy adopts the name "Billy the Kid" given to him by a local newspaper.
The gang eventually becomes infamous and pretty soon the U.S. Army is out for them. But, they can't run forever and, as in so many Westerns, the film ends in a big shootout.

As stated at the beginning, it's not a great Western. There are a few scenes that could've been cut out completely, but for the most part it's entertaining. 

I give it a 3 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a 'Western Wednesday' Review?

Leave it in the comments below, and be sure to check out some of my previous 'Western Wednesday' entries.

River of No Return
True Grit

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid 
The Big Trail 
Shalako
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford

Western Wednesday: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

Taking a break from the usual classic Westerns like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The Big Trail, and True Grit, today's film is a much more recent Western. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford was released in 2007, and unlike many modern Westerns, it isn't half bad. Since it's a bit of a lesser known title, and I do recommend checking it out, I won't give away much about the plot in this review. 

The film has a pretty strong cast consisting of Brad Pitt as Jesse James, Casey Affleck as Robert Ford, and Sam Rockwell as Charley Ford just to name a few. The performances are strong throughout, particularly Brad Pitt. The narration, cinematography and music all work in concert to give this one a sort of low-key and intimate tone as opposed to the grand, gunslinger, wild west type of film typically associated with the genre. For a movie with a runtime a little over 2 1/2 hrs it's fairly well paced, but there are a couple scenes that drag on a bit and probably could've been cut down without damaging the final product.

Overall, I don't think this one will ever be regarded as one of history's great Westerns but, if you're a fan of the genre it's worth adding to your DVD or Blu-ray collection.
 I give it a 3.5 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below.

...and be sure to check back every Wednesday for another Western

Western Wednesday: Shalako

This 1968 Western stars Brigitte Bardot and Sean Connery, and was one of the films that just barely missed the cut on my "10 Sean Connery Movies Everyone Should See" list (you can check out that list here).

The film starts off with a group of wealthy Europeans who are on a hunting trip in New Mexico. For whatever reason they've ventured into Apache territory, and that proves to be a terrible idea.

 A French countess named Irina Lazaar (played by Brigitte Bardot) wanders off and she is soon confronted by some Apaches. Luckily for her she is rescued by Sean Connery wearing cowboy hat... I mean, "Shalako".

Shalako is a former Civil War cavalry officer and has been sent by the Army to get the party out of Apache territory. However, the leader of the party, Frederick von Hallstadt refuses to leave and the Apache soon raid the party's camp. To make matters worse, the party's guide Bosky Fulton takes off with the stage coach, guns and ammunition, and supplies, leaving the party stranded. But they have Shalako, and he's gonna to lead them on foot to an Army fort. Along the way, some Apaches catch up with the hunting party and there is a one-on-one spear fight between Shalako and the Apache chief's son Chato. Shalako is about to win and kill Chato, but the chief intervenes and offers to let the party go on their way safely to the fort if Shalako will agree to spare his sons life.
So, they get to the fort, the hunting party is safe, and Shalako and The Countess ride off together.

Overall, it's not great but it's a decent movie and pretty entertaining. I like Brigitte Bardot in the film and Sean Connery, though not someone you'd typically cast in a Western, is still good.

I give this one a 3 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below.
 

Western Wednesday: The Big Trail

Another Wednesday means another Western!

Today's film is The Big Trail, it was released in 1930 and was one of John Wayne's earliest starring roles.
John Wayne plays Breck Coleman, a trapper who has returned to Missouri to avenge the death of a fellow trapper. He was killed for his furs by a man named Red Flack and his associate Lopez along the Santa Fe trail. While in Missouri, Coleman is asked by a group of settlers headed West to scout their caravan. He initially declines, but he soon changes his mind and agrees to scout for the train after he learns that Flack and Lopez were just hired to boss a bull train along the Oregon Trail to a trading post north of Oregon. Coleman figures that he can keep an eye on Flack and Lopez and kill them as soon as they reach the trading post. As the wagon train heads West, Coleman falls in love with a settler named Ruth (played by Marguerite Churchill), Flack does everything he can to have Coleman killed before he finds any proof of what he had done, and the group of settlers faces several hardships and obstacles along the way. Eventually, as expected, the villains meet their end and Coleman and Ruth presumably settle down together in Oregon.

Overall, though not as well know or iconic as some of John Wayne's others like 1956's The Searchers, 1962's The Man Who Shoot Liberty Valance, or 1969's True Grit (you can read my review of that one here) I'd argue that The Big Trail should still be placed among that top tier of his films.

Whether you're a John Wayne fan or just a fan of Westerns in general, I'd definitely recommend this one. I give it a 4 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below, and check back every Wednesday for another Western review.

Western Wednesday: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is a 1969 Western starring Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy and Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid. The film has a unique blend of comedy and all the common things you'd expect from a film in this genre.

The plot is straight forward and entertaining: Butch and Sundace, as well as their gang (The Hole In The Wall Gang) are outlaws who are quite fond of robbing trains. It's decided early on that they'll rob a Union Pacific train on both its eastward and westward runs, thinking that no one would expect a second robbery of the same train.The first robbery goes as planned but, unfortunately the second train robbery does not. Butch accidentally uses a bit too much dynamite to blow open the safe, and ends up blowing up an entire baggage car. While the whole gang scrambles to pick up the money that has been blown everywhere, another train arrives. This one is carrying a group of lawmen, so Butch and Sundance make a run for it. Unfortunately for them, the team of lawmen is being lead by a legendary Indian tracker. So, Butch convinces Sundance  that they should escape to Bolivia, where they do actually become successful bank robbers. But it's only a matter of time before the law catches up to them.

 On it's own the plot would make for a decent Western, but it's the chemistry between the two leads (Newman and Redford) that really takes this film from good to great.

Overall, I highly recommend this one and I give it a 4.5 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below.

Western Wednesday: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

"You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig."

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly was released in 1966 and is the third film in Sergio Leone's 'Dollars Trilogy', with the others being A Fistful of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More*.

This one takes much of what worked from the previous two installments and puts it all together into a 3hr epic Western. The plot really isn't too complicated; Set during the Civil War, it's essentially about three gunslingers (played by Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef, and Eli Wallach) who are competing with one another to find a large sum of Confederate gold that is buried in a grave at the Sad Hill Cemetery.

So, what makes the film so good? Well, a couple of things: The cinematography is top-notch and Leone's signature style of long shots, and tension filled close-ups, not only works well in this film, but has since become synonymous with the genre. This is by far the longest of the three movies, but it clicks along at steady and entertaining pace. The score perfectly compliments and enhances the mood of the film throughout. The final showdown at the Sad Hill Cemetery is a thing of beauty, and one of my favorites in any Western. Also, like the other films in the trilogy, Clint Eastwood's performance is fantastic.

  Add all of that up and the result is not just one of best Westerns ever made, but one of the all-time great films in general. Whether you're a big fan of the genre, or just enjoy occasionally watching a Western, this one is a must-see.
   

 I give this iconic film a 5 out of 5.


Have a suggestion for a review?
Leave it in the comments below.


*Click here for my For a Few Dollars More review: http://onlyinthemoviesblog.blogspot.com/2016/10/a-look-back-at-for-few-dollars-more-1965.html

Western Wednesday: True Grit (1969)

It's Western Wednesday! Last week's review was of a slightly lesser known film River of No Return from 1954. (you can check out that review here: http://onlyinthemoviesblog.blogspot.com/2016/11/western-wednesday-river-of-no-return.html) However, this week's title is one of the most famous Westerns, and one of my all-time favorites, 1969's True Grit. There was a decent remake of this film in 2010, and I may do a review of that one at a later date, but today my focus is on the original.

The plot is pretty simple but enjoyable. After her father is murdered by a man named Chaney, Mattie (played by Kim Darby) seeks out an aging, U.S. Marshal named "Rooster" Cogburn (played by John Wayne) to bring her father's killer to justice. It takes some convincing but Cogburn eventually agrees, and they set out to capture Chaney. They soon come across, and join forces with a Texas Ranger, named La Boeuf (played by Glen Campbell), who is also pursuing Chaney. So, all three of these people are off to track down the 'bad guy', and each has slightly different motivations, but it works well. And, of course, they eventually find Chaney, Cogburn shoots him, and Mattie's father's killer meets his end.

There's a lot to like about this movie, I find all the characters likable and memorable, the chemistry is solid, and the movie overall is very entertaining. It's also one of the all-time greatest John Wayne performances, and it even won him the Academy Award for Best Actor.

True Grit is a true classic, and I give it a 5 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a review?

Leave it in the comments below, and be sure to check back for a new review every 'Western Wednesday'

Western Wednesday: River of No Return (1954)

  

River of No Return is a 1954 film that focuses on Matt Calder (played by Robert Mitchum),who recently has been released from prison and is looking to reconnect with his young son Mark, and a singer named Kay (played by Marilyn Monroe). Now, you may be saying to yourself "I usually don't think of Marilyn Monroe when I think of Westerns". Yeah me neither, but she's actually not half bad in the film.

So here's the story. Kay and her fiance, Harry Weston (Rory Calhoun), are headed to Council City to file the deed on a gold mine that he won in a card game. So, they head down the river toward Council City river on a log raft, but they eventually encounter some rough rapids right near Matt's cabin. Harry doesn't think he can make the rest of the trip by raft, so he offers to buy Matt's rifle and horse. Matt refuses so Harry just knocks him out and steals the horse and rifle. However, Kay decides to stay behind with Matt and Mark, so Harry can get to Council City quicker.

Soon after Harry leaves, some Indians attack the farm and the three have no other choice then to hope on the raft to escape. The next big chunk of the movie involves traveling down a river and Matt and Kay arguing. Matt questions why Kay would choose to marry a jerk like Harry. Kay reminds Matt that Harry never killed a man and went to prison like he did... But along the way, they deal with whatever problems come along, (including a cougar attack) and they end up resolving there differences.

Eventually, they all arrive in Council City. Matt intends to confront Harry but instead gets shot at, and in a fairly predictable twist, Mark ends up shooting Harry to save his Dad. Shortly after, Kay, Matt, and Mark ride off together and the movie ends.

Overall, I definitely wouldn't call this one of the all-time great westerns, but it's a decent movie and worth checking out.

I give it a 2.5 out of 5.

Have a suggestion for a review?

Leave it in the comments below.