Posts Tagged ‘Ben Johnson’
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010
Review:
Another John Wayne western, where this time around he plays a cavalry colonel dealing with his son, whom he hasn’t seen in fifteen years, turning up as a trooper, and then his wife coming back to fetch the kid home. There are some nice scenes, some good explorations of the tensions after the American Civil War, but overall, the film is hardly memorable.
Random Observations:
Rio Grande at the IMDb
Conclusion of John Ford’s unofficial cavalry trilogy, following Fort Apache and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.
The film was made quickly and cheaply so that the studio would allow Ford to shoot his next film on location in Ireland and in colour and could finance that endeavour.
Tags: 1950, Alberto Morin, American Film, based on previously published material, Ben Johnson, Chill Wills, Claude Jarman Jr., english, Fort Apache, Fred Kennedy, Grant Withers, Harry Carey Jr., J. Carrol Naish, James Kevin McGuinness, James Warner Bellah, John Ford, John Wayne, Karolyn Grimes, Maureen O'Hara, minute movie review, movie review, Movies, Peter Ortiz, Rio Grande, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Sons of the Pioneers, Stan Jones, Steve Pendleton, Victor McLaglen, Western
Posted in Minute Movie Reviews, Movie Reviews, Movies | No Comments »
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010
Review:
John Wayne (at 41) played a 60-year old Cavalry Captain about to retire immediately after General Custer’s now infamous defeat. The American West seems threatened by the Natives and the Cavalry desperately tries to keep it safe for the civilians in this story which is incredibly boring and mainly consists of people riding around. Add to that a completely inappropriate comedic bar fight, a highly unrealistic climatic scene and annoyingly patriotic overtones delivered in the voice-over narration and you might end up with a bad film. But actually, the film is quite good, saved by the beautiful scenery shot in colour, that serves as perfect background for the musings about a man who has none nothing but the military retiring. Add some aspects of the integration of the Confederacy back into the Union and you actually get a pretty good film - if you can look past the hours spent just riding around.
Random Observations:
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon at the IMDb
Second part of John Ford’s Cavalry trilogy, following Fort Apache.
The film also has a romantic subplot, which doesn’t really add anything to the story, but gives Wayne another chance to shine as the wise and good old guy who the other soldiers look up to.
Tags: 1949, American Film, Arthur Shields, Ben Johnson, Chief John Big Tree, Chief Sky Eagle, english, Fort Apache, Frank S. Nugent, Fred Graham, George O'Brien, Harry Carey Jr., James Warner Bellah, Joanne Dru, John Agar, John Ford, John Wayne, Laurence Stallings, Michael Dugan, Mildred Natwick, minute movie review, movie review, Movies, Noble Johnson, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Tom Tyler, Victor McLaglen, Western
Posted in Minute Movie Reviews, Movie Reviews, Movies | No Comments »
Friday, September 11th, 2009
Review:
A bank robber is released from prison after an influential mob boss intervenes on his behalf because he needs him for a robbery. But on that robbery, everything goes wrong and the robber and his wife are forced to flee across Texas to escape the authorities and the double-crossing mob. A precursor to modern action thrillers, Sam Peckinpah’s film is a densely constructed movie that keeps up the excitement to the end. There are some stupid sequences, but they are few and far between and overall this is an interesting film to watch, especially if you like your thrillers to have some substance.
Random Observations:
The Getaway at the IMDb
The garbage compactor scene in Star Wars? Totally stolen from this film!
Slim Pickens, possibly the actor with the coolest name of all time, has a nice little role towards the end of the film. And yes, I know that it is an assumed name.
The lead role is a typical Steve McQueen role and so he excels in it nicely.
Some of the subtlety of the early film is lost when major subtext becomes text, but it works well nevertheless.
Tags: 1972, action movie, Al Lettieri, Ali MacGraw, American Film, Ben Johnson, Bo Hopkins, book adaptation, crime movie, Dub Taylor, english, Jack Dodson, Jim Thompson, John Bryson, minute movie review, movie review, Movies, Richard Bright, Sally Struthers, Sam Peckinpah, Slim Pickens, Star Wars, Steve McQueen, The Getaway, Thriller, Walter Hill
Posted in Minute Movie Reviews, Movie Reviews, Movies | No Comments »
Thursday, September 3rd, 2009
Review:
An innocent man is hanged by a lynch mob. But they made another mistake - they didn’t make sure he was dead. So he sets out for revenge - by becoming a federal marshal. Clint Eastwood stars in his first American western here, playing once more the quintessential tough guy. The film has some good scenes and some good ideas, but it can’t compete with the spaghetti westerns in style or substance. Instead of a real villain, there is the typical Hollywood love story that the film could well have done without. It’s not a bad film, just far from a great one.
Random Observations:
Hang ‘Em High at the IMDb
It is painfully obvious how this film was influenced by Sergio Leone’s work while also desperately trying to keep some of the clichés of the old Westerns alive.
The judge that hires Eastwood as a marshal is a fairly good and well played (by Pat Hingle) character and one of the things that makes the movie worth watching.
Tags: 1968, Alan Hale Jr., American Film, Arlene Golonka, Ben Johnson, Bert Freed, Bob Steele, Bruce Dern, Bruce Scott, Charles McGraw, Clint Eastwood, Dennis Hopper, Ed Begley, english, Hang 'Em High, Inger Stevens, James MacArthur, James Westerfield, Jonathan Lippe, Joseph Sirola, L.Q. Jones, Leonard Freeman, Mel Goldberg, Michael O'Sullivan, minute movie review, movie review, Movies, Ned Romero, Pat Hingle, Richard Gates, Russell Thorson, Ruth White, Ted Post, Western
Posted in Minute Movie Reviews, Movie Reviews, Movies | No Comments »
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