Alright Mr. Bad, Mr. Ugly - you know the rules.
Last one left standing gets to review some westerns.
So let's have at it.
This is Movie Night!
Hello and welcome to Movie Night, I'm your
host Jonathan Paula. Besides looking at a
few comedies from this genre a couple seasons
ago - tonight's episode is the first time
we've reviewed proper westerns here on the
show. But there's no time like the present,
so let's take a long-overdue look at some
classic westerns, beginning with the oldest
of the bunch, STAGECOACH.
One memorable ride. Released in February of
1939, this American western features legendary
actor John Wayne in his breakthrough role;
who helped the 96-minute film double its $530,000
budget. In 1880, nine strangers board a cramped
stagecoach as it travels through hostile Indian
territory - while learning something about
each other along the way.
Having done over a decade of work in smaller
roles and smaller productions - "Stagecoach"
is, incredibly - Wayne's 80th film appearance.
But his patience paid off; his portrayal of
the young outlaw known as "The Ringo Kid",
complete with a grandiose zooming-close-up
introduction, finally solidified his status
as a bona fide movie star. Explaining his
decision to fight against impossible odds
to defend his honor, he sternly declares,
"Well, there are some things a man just can't
run away from."
The motley group riding with him includes
Claire Trevor as a beautiful, but shunned
call-girl, veteran character actor Thomas
Mitchell as a drunken doctor, Andy Devine
as a frightened driver, and John Carradine
as a suspicious southern gentleman. George
Bancroft, Louise Platt, Donald Meek, and Berton
Churchill come along for the adventure as
well. With great performances from all involved,
the large cast feels fully developed; each
player has their own back-story and mannerisms.
A few characters might feel thin and stereotypical
- but at least they have defined personalities.
The 
earlier scenes of the film seem a bit rough
around the edges, like an unmotivated cross-dissolve
while the camera is still panning, or weird
unblinking reaction shots that hang on screen
for one too many beats. But once our group
of misfit characters cram into the titular
vehicle, and set off through picturesque Monument
Valley - everything just works. In fact, "Stagecoach"
is reportedly the first film to ever use that
iconic desert location in southern Utah - which
wouldn't be accessible by paved roadways for
another 10 years. Often though, we see this
location outside the windows of the small
coach, as projection screen backgrounds. When
paused, they look decently realistic, but
during playback many vertical jitters unfortunately
ruin the illusion.
Although he was only nominated here, John
Ford would eventually win a record four 'Best
Director' Oscars during his career. And there's
a reason for that; this man knows how to stage
and scene and get real performances from his
talented cast. And there's no finer example
of his abilities than in "Stagecoach" - where
he expertly juggles a dozen separate characters
and simultaneous plot threads effortlessly.
His handling of the action sequences, particularly
a dangerous battle during the film's climax,
is quite thrilling.
With their horses at full-gallop, a group
of dangerous Indians close in on our vulnerable
protagonists - as shooting breaks out during
the chase. With impressive stuntwork and precise
editing, this is an incredible sequence that
has not only withstood the test of time, but
remains decidedly more thrilling and competent
than a majority of modern Hollywood action
scenes. For all intents and purposes, Ford
basically invented the "western". Sure, the
genre existed before his decades long career,
but it's scenes like this one, combined with
his accessible themes of redemption and love
that made his fiction so successful.
A great place to start for anyone looking
to get into the western genre, and certainly
required viewing for all fans of 'The Duke',
"Stagecoach" is an entertaining adventure
through the old west with unique characters.
I think it's a GREAT film. Next up, my review
of "HIGH NOON".
Filled with morals, and allegories, but not
much entertainment. Produced on a budget of
$730,000 this Fred Zinnemann western was a
huge success following its summer 1952 release;
scoring four Academy Awards (Actor, Editing,
Music, and Song) as well as twelve million
dollars at the box office. Just minutes after
marrying and retiring from his duties as Marshall
in a small frontier town, Gary Cooper is reluctantly
compelled to face a returning threat, but
he finds his community unwilling to help him.
This failure of the townsfolk to help one
of their own was intended as an allegory of
Hollywood not standing up to Senator Joseph
McCarthy's communist witch-hunt in the early
1950s. The parallel is exemplified when a
recruited deputy cowardly backs-out of his
pledge to help Cooper - afraid to take on
the dangerous criminals without more help.
With his decision to fight making him decidedly
unpopular, the soft-spoken Cooper is proud
and determined - and serves as a idealistic
hero from a bygone era. Playing his young
wife is 23-year-old Grace Kelly in her first
major film role. Her flawless beauty is almost
as distracting as the 27-year age difference
between them - which does no favors for their
frosty chemistry. Worried and impatient about
the future of their marriage, Kelly coldly
declares, "You're asking me to wait an hour
to find out if I'll be a wife or a widow."
Thomas Mitchell has an all-to-brief role as
the town's Mayor, while future spaghetti western
star Lee Van Cleef makes his feature-debut
as a non-speaking gang member. Lloyd Bridges
is a fine actor, but since I'm much more familiar
with his goofy parody work in films like "Airplane!"
and "Hot Shots!", it's definitely hard to
take him seriously in roles like this. With
the exception of Cooper's understated delivery
thoughz, most of the performances in this
film are a bit melodramatic and over the top;
giving the entire production a sort of folksy
soap opera feel. Kelly feels especially wooden,
and her big moment during the climax is unearned
as a result.
An A-typical western, in that it doesn't feature
many chases, fights, or postcard scenery,
"High Noon" instead focuses on emotional and
moralistic dialogue. The short 85-minute narrative
effectively unravels in real time, with all
developments building towards an inevitable
western show down in the center of town. The
pacing works for the story, but those expecting
a quicker, more slam-bang western ought to
look elsewhere.
While I appreciate Dimitri Tiomkin's romantic
score - which, as I mentioned won him an Oscar
- it becomes awfully repetitive, as the same
short measure is repeated ad nauseam for the
duration of the PG-rated picture. For what
it's worth though, "Do Not Forsake Me, Oh,
My Darlin'" was the first Oscar-winning song
from a non-musical film - and was groundbreaking
in introducing "theme music" to be marketed
separately from films themselves.
Although I'm decidedly indifferent to its
legacy, "High Noon" proved to be a polarizing
picture, John Wayne famously derided it for
its anti-blacklist messaging, while President
Bill Clinton cites it as his favorite movie
ever. An important film with an important
message, it just isn't particularly exciting
or rewarding, especially by conventional western-standards.
Still worth checking out though, I thought
"High Noon" was a GOOD film. Before we continue,
let's do a quick Movie Night poll. Since we're
talking all about the genre tonight, what's
your favorite western? Leave your response
as a comment below. Now, my review of "THE
GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY".
An incredible adventure, and a true classic.
This Italian spaghetti western film made over
twenty-times its $1.2 million dollar budget
when it was released in December of 1966.
The carefully paced plot sees three criminals
in America's old west race to find a fortune
of gold buried in a remote cemetery.
The final chapter in the so-called "Dollars
Trilogy", legendary western icon Clint Eastwood
once again teams up with director Sergio Leone
for one last grand epic. Eastwood's no-nonsense,
bad-ass sharp shooting "Man With No Name"
persona returns as well, this time as a somewhat
sympathetic drifter known only as "Blondie"
- a dubious distinction considering his gorgeous
mane of brown hair. Although the film labels
him as "the good", Eastwood is no less evil
than the other two - sharing loyalty or concern
to no man. But still, the audience implicitly
roots for him, if only because he's the coolest
and best looking of the lot.
With his menacing narrow eyes and pointed
nose, Lee Van Cleef is excellent as "the bad";
a ruthless killer who still abides by a gentlemanly
code of combat. And rounding out the titular
trio is Eli Wallach as "the ugly" - an unfortunately
cruel moniker I'm not sure he actually deserves.
Not only does he receive the lion's share
of screen time, but his performance is easily
the best as well; bouncing from cowardice
to confidence with a very believable delivery.
Him and Eastwood begin the picture as uneasy
allies in a bounty-collecting scheme, whereby
Eastwood saves Wallach from the hangman's
noose with a last-minute sniper-shot. Later,
when Eli attempts to re-negotiate this tenuous
partnership, Clint slyly threatens that "If
we cut down my percentages... [it's] liable
to interfere with my aim."
Rife with symbolic imagery and beautiful scenery,
"The Good, The Bad And The Ugly" is both a
love letter to classic westerns as well one
of the genre's crowning achievements. And
while the sprawling mountains of the Spanish
countryside are a generally poor substitute
for the old west - the locations here are
still impressive and majestic. The composition
and framing all look decidedly modern too,
making excellent use of the wide anamorphic
frame, and frequently punching in for fierce
close-ups. Which all go great with the quick
and inventive editing.
Ashamedly, I had never seen this picture before
this week - so when Italian composer Ennio
Morricone finally won an Academy Award for
his score to 2015's "The Hateful Eight" earlier
this year, I didn't agree with the selection.
But now I understand. It's an obvious 'make-up'
award for his incredible work of decades'
past - because despite some extremely memorable
anthems in this picture, "The Good, The Bad
And The Ugly" wasn't nominated for a single
Oscar. In fact, rated 9th all-time, it's the
highest rated movie on IMDb without one. And
talk about being robbed, because - holy shit,
the score here is something else. Powerful,
goosebump-inducing music that figuratively
knocked my socks off. The instantly recognizable
title theme, as well as the climatic track,
"The Ecstasy Of Gold" are more than befitting
this legendary period in American history
- bombastic orchestration that loudly swells
during the picture's most intense moments
and stand-offs.
As floored as I was by this cinematic adventure,
it was not without its faults; at two hours
and forty-one minutes, it's definitely much
longer than the thin story can support. A
lengthy detour into a big-scale Civil War
battle is undeniably impressive (a huge set-piece
involving an imploded bridge even had to be
shot twice) - but it completely stalls the
momentum of the picture. And while I appreciate
how influential and accomplished Leone was
- especially in reinvigorating the western-genre,
the mix of spoken-English and dubbed Italian
dialogue is definitely distracting.
With plenty of twists, turns, and action - this
is a unique journey through the American Civil
War, the best spaghetti western ever made,
and a captivating experience. And here's what
you had to say about it.
Referring to it as a masterpiece, you loved
this film - especially its score, rating it
a TEN out of ten. For me, "The Good, The Bad
And The Ugly" is a truly AWESOME film. Fourth
tonight, "UNFORGIVEN".
An unapologetic swan song. Released in August
of 1992, this R-rated film- written by David
Webb Peoples - would be the last western for
director and star Clint Eastwood. The $14
million dollar production took home almost
$160 million in proceeds, and won four of
its nine Academy Award nominations - including
the top prize of "Best Picture", making it
one of only three westerns to hold such an
honor.
The R-rated narrative follows Eastwood, a
retired gun slinger in America's frontier
who reluctantly takes on one last bounty with
the help of an old friend and an eager greenhorn.
Clint is fantastic in the lead role, but "The
Man With No Name", this is not; as we're introduced
to him face down in a muddy pig sty. Rusty,
but determined - he sets out against his better
judgment to regain a sense of purpose.
Morgan Freeman is the pragmatic voice of reason
as his friendly partner, Jaimz Woolvett mixes
enthusiasm with fear as the young, near-sighted
sidekick, while Richard Harris is an Englishman,
who's villainous reputation precedes him.
The stand-out performer though is undoubtedly
Gene Hackman, who won an Oscar for his supporting
role as a deceptively ruthless and narrow-minded
lawman.
One of the cardinal rules of cinema is "show,
don't tell", but sometimes having a character
monologue a long story can be just as more
effective. Like a scene where Hackman acts
out a confrontation he witnessed involving
a man he insulting refers to as the "duck
of death". The energy and authenticity he
brings to the role is unmatched, even by the
talented performers around him. On that note,
the caliber of players, depth of the story,
scale of the sets, and realism of the costumes
all lend this movie a true sense of legitimacy.
The quieter and understated atmosphere is
photographed with a steady anamorphic frame,
filled with majestic landscapes and a muted
color palate.
A sober look at the entire genre of westerns,
the 128 minute narrative is rife with ironies
and ambiguity. This is a dark, and moralistic
fable that deconstructs the complicated truths
and legendary myths about the old west - and
in doing-so, effectively strips away the glorification
of violence. As Eastwood depressingly remembers,
"It's a hell of a thing killin' a man. You
take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna
have."
The slower pacing and downplayed action prevent
this from being a more rewatchable and purely
entertaining film - but it's still an meaningful
one, especially in the pantheon of Eastwood's
long and respected career. Required viewing
for western-fans, "Unforgiven" is an unflinching
look at western tropes, with powerful performances.
I thought it was GREAT. Finally tonight, the
newest film in this genre, "THE DUEL".
A slow burning frontier mystery. This Kieran
Darcy-Smith western-drama was published across
video-on-demand platforms on June 24, 2016.
One of the "most liked" unmade scripts of
2009 - the 110-minute narrative sees a Texas
Ranger investigating a series of unexplained
deaths in a small western town.
With a surprisingly convincing American accent,
Liam Hemsworth is excellent in this lead role;
unafraid to defend his honor or speak his
mind. Woody Harrelson is equally convincing
as the enigmatic cult-like leader of this
deceptively perfect town - who is described
by one onlooker as, "Trickier than the devil
in the shade." Alice Braga is kind and forgiving
as Hemsworth's dutiful wife, but finds herself
susceptible to the charms of Harrelson. Emory
Cohen is Woody's cocky son, William Sadler
portrays the Governor of Texas, with Raphael
Sbarge featured as the town doctor.
As the title would suggest though, this really
is a two-picture show, with the best moments
coming between our (pardon the pun), dual-leads.
The former "Hunger Games" co-stars are fabulous
sparing against each other. Their polite conversations
withhold mutual contempt just below the surface,
as each man attempts to read between the lines
to decipher his adversary's true intentions.
Filmed on location at the former site of Florewood
State Park in upstate Mississippi, the anamorphic
picture is filmed with a steady handheld style
and earthly tones. Sauntering along like a
relaxing morning horse ride, the R-rated narrative
takes its time establishing the dominoes before
knocking them all down. But boy, when it does...
the tension explodes in a violent and immensely
satisfying way. A final climatic showdown,
that plays-out in frightening silence is tense
and almost uncomfortable to watch.
Although a touch more violent than necessary,
this is a serious, small-scale, old fashioned
western with all the trappings. But by the
picture's end, I'm not sure if anyone learned
anything - each character remains comfortable
with their original decisions. Still, this
is a worthwhile pick-up in the home-video
category. "The Duel" is a slow and quiet western
with some fantastic confrontations. I thought
it was GOOD.
Unfortunately, that does it for tonight's
episode, but next week we kick off an entire
month of space-based movies - so make sure
to review these five films if you'd like to
be involved. And click this information-icon
if you'd like to watch some related reviews.
Once again, my name is Jonathan Paula, thanks
for watching and have a good Movie Night!
