JohnDoe
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BrentonJohn Doe’s List of 21 Great Westerns you may not have seen
November 23rd 2007 00:05
John Doe's 21 Great Western Films you may not have seen
Johnny Guitar
Nicholas Ray Johnny Guitar
Instantly unusual because this is a western where the majority of the action in this cowgirls got the blues melodrama takes place indoors. Joan Crawford is a saloon owner who faces off against a bitter rich bitch Mercedes McCambridge while tough guy Sterling Hayden pretty much lets em go at it while injecting even more sub text.
See also – Forty Guns
Run of the Arrow foreign poster
Sam Fuller Run of the Arrow
Similar story to Dances with Wolves told with an honesty that didn’t seek to glamorize the cavalry or demonise the Indians. Writer/Director Sam Fuller never indulges in good guys and bad guys making sure his stories surprise.
On the set of Major Dundee
Sam Peckinpah Major Dundee
Often oversighted when discussing Peckinpah’s skill at creating a believable west, Chuck Heston stars as a single minded cavalry commander determined to hunt his enemy down at any cost. Sadly the original edit of this was a studio abducted cut n paste job that forced Sam P. to disown the film. Today the miracle of DVD’s sees the restored Directors Cut released that reinserts and recuts to mirror the original master vision.
A Fistful of Dynamite poster
Sergio Leone Fistful of Dynamite a.k.a. Duck you Sucka
Just like Peckinpah there are still ignored gems from this cinema lord who introduced the Man with No Name. Leaning a little bit more to the comedy but still delivering with forced perspectives and vast landscapes to a Morricone score. Elevating Rod Steiger as a farmer turned thief and James Cogburn as an explosives expert from Ireland to mythic status during the Mexican revolution.
The Professionals Poster
Richard Brooks The Professionals
Before the ferocious Wild Bunch there were the mercenary professionals of this Richard Brooks killer elite story. Headed up by Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Woody Strode and Burt Lancaster the four guns for hire are sent on a mission over the Mexican border to rescue a rich man’s wife (Claudia Cardinale) who has been abducted by the bandit Jack Palance.
Gary Cooper is the Man of the West
Anthony Mann’s Man of the West
Another classic Directors hidden gem! Man of the West is a complex character study of a reformed villain (Gary Cooper) who attempts to save innocent townsfolk by rejoining his ruthless old gang headed up by the calculating J Lee Cobb.
Nevada Smith Poster
Henry Hathaway Nevada Smith
Based on The Carpetbaggers, Steve McQueen stars as the teen who witnesses his parents slaughter at the hands of evil doers led by Karl Malden. Obsessed with revenge the young man begins a long journey into murder. Mentored by old gunslinger Brian Keith soon he is facing down his bane and using steel weapons for vengeance.
Ernest Borgnine in Jubal
Delmer Daves Jubal
Exploratory Director Delmer Daves reworks Shakespeare’s Othello into the wild west. Ernest Borgnine is the rancher who ends up manipulated into a jealous frenzy by the scheming Rod Steiger. The cast which also includes Glen Ford, Charles Bronson and Valerie French mine the source with intriguing results.
Henry Fonda in Warlock
Edward Dmytryk’s Warlock
Henry Fonda stars as an introspective sheriff with an enigmatic past. Hired to clean up a lawless town aided by a handicapped Anthony Quinn, the film co stars Richard Widmark and Dorothy Malone. Deeply involving, this psychological story probes the male ego and the ugliness of mob justice.
Charlie Bronson and Toshiro Mifune in Red Sun
Terence Young’s Red Sun
Terence Young the man behind the early Sean Connery James Bond’s hits the plains for this samurai (Toshiro Mifune) versus cowboy (Charles Bronson) curio. Conflicting cultures and life philosophies make this an entertaining action adventure boosted by co stars Ursula Andress and Alain Delon.
The Silverado gang
Lawrence Kasdan’s Silverado
An 80’s throwback to the traditional western that has exciting gunplay, a tongue in cheek humour and an on form cast consisting of Kevin Kline, John Cleese, Danny Glover, Scott Glen, Jeff Goldblum, Brian Keith, Rosanna Arquette and Brian Dennehy.
The Long Rider brothers headed by Jesse James
Walter Hill’s The Long Riders
The story of the James, Ford and Miller brothers is a tough actioner from Walter Hill (the Warriors, Extreme Prejudice, Southern Comfort, 48 Hrs). Starring the real life sibling Quaid’s (Dennis and Randy), Carradine’s (David and Keith and Robert) and Guest’s (Christopher and Nicholas) as the historic outlaws.
Robert Altman’s McCabe and Mrs Miller
Branded with Director Robert Altman’s mark, Mccabe and Mrs Miller is an alternative western that goes against genre conventions with a deliberately unsentimental look at the time and those that lived it. Read John Doe’s full length review of this Warren Beatty film HERE.
Robert Alderich’s Vera Cruz
Again, like with the Dirty Dozen Director Robert Alderich uses the shell of an adventure yarn to actually deal with more harsh universal truths. This time its the gunfighter as an anti hero that catches his attention. Two outlaws played by Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster end up as key figures in an 1860’s Mexican Revolution. Enjoyable and entertaining on the surface but beneath are interesting subversions of the genre and a cold fact of life.
Sergio Corbucci Django
After the mighty Leone spaghetti westerns this is the one to see. Inspiring dozens of films with the same character this Franco Nero original sees a lethal killer dragging a coffin across a harsh landscape of desert and mountains with intent to kill. – Also see They Call me Nobody
One of the original US Trailers for Django
Arthur Penn Little Big Man
The Director of Bonnie and Clyde and the Left Handed Gun brings his own foibles to bare in this intelligent historical parody of Custer’s Last Stand. Insightfully told from the Native American POV and sending up stereotype, The Little Big Man is Dustin Hoffman as the orphaned man born into tribal ways.
Here is a scene from Little Big Man
Don Siegel’s The Shootist
Made after Dirty Harry and Invasion of the Body Snatchers the multi talented Don Siegel took the Duke through his final leading role on the big screen. Sombre in tone with appropriately ungraceful violence this poignant and all too real feeling film features John Wayne’s most sincere performance.
Theatrical Trailer for The Shootist
Marlon Brando’s One Eyed Jacks
Hiring Stanley Kubrick for several months then firing him to take over the reigns Brando’s one foray into the Director’s chair is admittedly over long but also an ambiguous epic. Richly drawn characters populate the barren landscape with thoughtful performances from all the cast which includes Karl Malden, Ben Johnson and Slim Pickens.
A scene between Brando and Karl Malden in One Eyed Jacks
Jim Jaramusch’s Dead Man
Dead Man is an existential and surreal western landmark that has Robert Mitchum in his last cinema appearance. Shot in black and white with a thick atmosphere from Neil Young’s heavy riff score and eccentric characters. This is Jim Jaramusch’s own singular vision of the west with twisted comedy, abrupt gun play and a mysteriously haunting essence.
A clip of Dead Man set to Neil Young’s Music
William Wyler’s The Big Country
Pioneering Director William Wyler made quality films in most genres because he always made sure that the drama between characters was layered and reflected a human core. Here the sprawling “Big Country” ain’t big enough for two feuding families whose ranches share a water supply. Into this foray steps Gregory Peck as the navy man, fish-out-of-water who wants to marry one of the daughters who must quickly adapt to the harsher environment and the inhospitable inhabitants.
A Trailer for The Big Country backed by that memorable theme music.
David Miller Lonely Are the Brave
Technology has all but replaced the old western ways but renegade cowboy Kirk Douglas refuses to move with the times. After a daring prison break the fugitive mounts his trusty steed and is hunted by the law (Walter Matthau) using two way radio’s and automobiles. The thought provoking character study screenplay is written by Dalton Trumbo and the film is old dimples favourite performance.
Watch the first part of an interview Kirk Douglas did talking about his passion for Lonely are the Brave
Also check out these worth while modern entries
John Sayles Lone Star
Ang Lee's Ride with the Devil
Kevin Costner's Open Range
Dead Birds
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Back when Bronson had a personality.
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Good job
Michaelie
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Movies and Life
Fistful of Dynamite
The Professionals
Silverado
And I still haven’t seen Dead Man...I have some work to do...
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
And my pin up hero, Toshiro Mifune with Bronson!!!
Don Siegel’s The Shootist...brilliant...
Of reasonably recent Westerns, I would have to say, Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, rates highly with me, as it portrayed the West much as it would have been, very unglamorous!
And it made violence seem as it is, terrible.
David Webb Peoples wrote the screen play, which was excellent, and especially nice for me, as I have worked with Peoples in Oz, but on a turkey, called Salute of the Jugger! It was David's first attempt at directing...and he hated it!
cheers
fog
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
Pop Culturist
Thanks to you - I went out and sourced Warlock and Red Sun this weekend.
Nice . . .
MNG
Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
What about Soldier Blue?
And there's still a western I saw as a boy which haunted me. I wish I knew what it was. Colour. Had a shootout between a blond man and another which resulted in one of them being mortally wounded and he dropped his beautiful revolver into the barrel of water he was hiding behind. I remember thinking it was sad he'd been shot, but I was more concerned that he'd ruined his silver gun! LOL
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Which is first on your list?
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I've been watching Westerns all my life so compiling the list was quick and easy with little research needed. I actually own most of the ones I included.
The western is a misunderstood genre purely because of all the one dimensional shoot em ups that attracted crowds. There are plenty of films in the genre that offer wisdom about the human condition, the nature of a pioneering spirit, the inevitable violence in a fight for civilization etc
The classic The ox Bow Incident is one I find compelling because of its observations on the mob mentality, vigilante justice and capital punishment. Give it a go, you may enjoy what you find.
Thanks for daring to enter my decadent lair...
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Bronson was in form back then for sure and his chemistry with Mifune is brilliant, plenty of tough guys culture laughs for sure.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Hope you enjoy the alternate perspectives most of these films offer.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Once Upon A Time In the West and Outlaw Josey Wales are two of my favourite westerns. I actually included them in the Part 1 introduction for this post....you can read it by clicking HERE
I just figured those two brilliant films were really well known and already considered classics by most.
If your interested I did a review of Once Upon A Time in the West HERE
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I appreciate the visit.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I did say in the title to the post that it was westerns you "may not have seen".
Most of these films are ignored because there are so many better known entries, but these all are a little different to the mainstream image of the traditional western. More honest historically and also willing to delve beneath the mythology.
If you do manage to see any of them please drop back and tell me what you thought.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
David Peoples (Blade Runner, 12 Monkeys) is a great screenwriter and salute of teh Jugger is actaually a guilty pleasure of mine. The fact you got to work with him is sublime.
I included Unforgiven in my Part 1 Introduction to the post.
I don't think it says anything about your age, but a lot about your fine taste and love for cinema that you have seen over half these titles.
They are by no means rarity's, maybe a little hard to find sometimes though, but most cinephiles have seen or at least heard of them I'm sure.
For the brutality of the Cavalry check out Run of the Arrow which certainly puts a more realistic face to the regiments.
Always excellent to have you by Fog
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
have you watched them yet? Would love to know what you think.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
You vex me even more with the quest for the title of the film with the silver gun dropping in the barrel...I can picture it in my head just can't remember who stars, but I know I own it or had a VHS of it.
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
while in the mood...for me boasting...hehe..I have just returned home, from the Katoomba township, where I bumped in Jack Thompson. I've seen him around a few times, but never bothered him. This time we met at the doorway of the local pie shop! My intro was by way of a sibling, who knows him well, being in his business.
Anyhoo...ok..boast bladder now empty...signing off..
fog
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD