STAGECOACH (1939) - The Criterion Collection

Written by Fantasma el Rey

The Criterion Collection has added another masterpiece to their list in John Ford’s 1939 classic, Stagecoach. The title alone sounds like an epic in storytelling, a huge saga in the annals of the American West. And it is kind of that way. A story about people, all with a past, some good, some bad, and all really only hinted at. The location of the story plays just as big a role and is also in its own way shrouded in mystery. All this is put together well by a master filmmaker holding the reins of an unforgettable story. Along for the ride is an all-star cast, including one whose star will begin to truly shine here as a team will be forged that will last two lifetimes.

Stagecoach is the tale of travelers thrown together in tight quarters, forced to deal with each other for long hours on a trip that would become the stagecoach ride from Hell as they fight for theirs lives against harsh weather and Apache Indians. As our core players are assembled we notice that most are outcasts of some sort, looked down on by society and victims of “that foul disease known as social prejudice.” We have a fallen Southern gent turned gambler (John Carradine), a crooked banker (Burton Churchill), a drunkard doctor (Thomas Mitchell), a “lady of the night” (Claire Trevor), and an outlaw cowboy called the Ringo Kid (none other than John Wayne) recently busted out of jail and seeking revenge. Also present are the finer folks of society, the military officer’s wife (Louise Platt), the whisky salesman (the aptly named Donald Meek), our stage driver (western staple Andy Devine), and the lawman (George Bancroft) riding shotgun to keep an eye on the kid. As well as many others who had been in western films and would continue to for years to come including Tim Holt, Tom Tyler, Chris-Pin Martin and legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt.

A big cast might seem hard to follow or care about but Ford gives us just enough of each character to lure us into caring while never confusing us in their part of the journey. We want to know more about each and can’t wait to learn their fate after the stagecoach ride. The suspense and tension build as the stagecoach nears its destination of Lordsburg and the Apaches of Geronimo attack. We also have the tale of our cowboy’s feud with those who wronged him and had him locked away. Not only does Ford give us a thrilling Indian battle but a good ol’ shootout to boot.

Sounds clichéd and overplayed, doesn’t it? Ford knew that and spins his tale with action, humor, and drama in a way that makes it all fresh and new while setting the mark for all westerns that followed. This isn’t a Sunday-matinee B-western; Ford takes the clichés of the genre and makes them interesting. He used the camera, his actors, and the setting of Monument Valley to tell this old tale in a unique way with the directorial choices he made. He boldly announces the cavalry with blaring trumpets. The shoot-out is quick and mostly takes place off-camera. We are given the outcome of both plain as day yet each in a different way.

Ford would make two big connections while filming Stagecoach. One was Monument Valley to which he returned many times, and the other was his wonderful, lifelong friendship with star John Wayne. Ford announces the actor to the big time with the well-known, introductory shot of a zooming, slightly out of focus close-up. Those two men along with the awesome desert setting would make many more great westerns together.

The people at Criterion have done a fantastic job once again with this two-disc set. Disc one is a newly restored, high-definition digital transfer of the film and a good audio commentary by western authority Jim Kitses. Disc two holds all the great extras. Bucking Broadway is an early silent western by Ford, which is a simple story of a cowboy gone to the big city to get his girl back. There is a good interview with Ford from 1968 that’s over an hour long as well as five great featurettes ranging in run time from ten to twenty minutes. There’s a segment with Peter Bogdanovich who knew Ford and Wayne well, clips of Ford’s home movies with commentary by his grandson Dan Ford, and a video essay by Tag Gallagher on Ford’s visual style in Stagecoach. All are very interesting and shed a world of light and knowledge this classic.

Two more extras include a look at the man who brought Monument Valley to Ford’s attention and a look at stuntman/coordinator Yakima Canutt, who was a master at his craft and innovator in how many stunts were performed, rigged up, and pulled off. The DVD also comes with a great booklet that contains a short breakdown of the Criterion set and the original story “Stage To Lordsburg” by Ernest Haycox that inspired the film.

As always, Criterion has done a masterful job in presenting another film that should be preserved, studied, and loved by all for generation to come. The Criterion Collection is a bit pricey at anywhere from 30-40 bucks but it's all worth it for the time and love they put into keeping these film classics alive in the best possible condition.

Article first published as DVD Review: Stagecoach (1939) - The Criterion Collection on Blogcritics.

Have Gun - Will Travel: The Fourth Season, Volume One

Written by Fantasma el Rey

Have Gun - Will Travel: The Fourth Season, Volume One finds our hero Paladin pretty much right where he left off, traveling the West and hiring out his gun for just cause. Richard Boone stars as the “fast gun for hire that heeds the calling wind” and rides into nineteen more half-hour episodes in this first half of the fourth season which cover late 1960 to early 1961. The plots and action have never let up in this series and Boone is perfect as the no nonsense, very wise and skilled gunman with a level head and quick draw.

The overall premise of Have Gun - Will Travel is as the title implies: a skilled gun hand hires out his pistol to those he deems worthy or situations he finds interesting. Paladin would rather settle any problems without his gun but you never push, prod, or threaten Paladin. He will send you to an early grave. Based out of San Francisco, this very well educated, mystery man of a good family isn’t simply a hired killer; many times he’ll show up and switch sides when he realizes his potential client is in the wrong or is simply bent on having someone killed.

Sounds simple and easily tiring yet it is not, at all. With many great writers, the stories stay sharp and involving. From the opening horns where we see Paladin drawing his black revolver (with cool chess knight emblem on the handle) and quoting an interesting line from that episode to the closing theme song “The Ballad of Paladin” sung by Johnny Western, you’re hooked and wonder what will happen to the gunman in black this time.

Through out the three DVDs we explore the many aspects of Paladin's wisdom, critical thinking and judgment. Have Gun - Will Travel is very adult and tackles some good issues or at least hints at them. We hear a tale of an Indian massacre by the U.S. Army in “The Montebank,” anti slavery in “Killing Of Jessie May,” the stigma of being a long-time felon in “The Prisoner,” and the prejudice against women in certain occupations with “The Tender Gun.”

Each episode is interesting and different, some are lighthearted as with “Love’s Young Dream” about a pelt scavenger who inherits a fancy nightclub; “Out Of The Old Ballpark,” which finds Paladin as baseball umpire to some feuding townsfolk, “Foggbound,” based on "Around the World in 80 Days," and “Princess And The Gunfighter,” in which Paladin himself falls for a lovely young princess.

On the other hand there are well-played dramas that lack not for action. “A Head Of Hair” finds Paladin facing off against Indians as his guide reflects on his mistreatment by a certain tribe, “The Calf” is a about a range feud begun between brothers, and then there’s “Quiet Night In Town” in two parts. “Quiet Night” is a solid story and has Paladin’s prisoner being lynched by rowdy, bored townfolk, and Paladin himself takes a beating and that’s just Part I. Part II sees Paladin awake again and mad as hell, at first, seeking revenge which he gets in a way. His cool head prevails and his hand is “forced” to kill where he would have been content to hand the killer over to the Sheriff.

Overall, Have Gun - Will Travel: The Fourth Season, Volume One is just as action packed, hard hitting and interesting as the first three full seasons, which I’ve seen regularly since I was a child thanks to my Father. As always "Have Gun-Will Travel" is packed with guest stars such as Robert Blake, Denver Pyle, Jack Albertson, Harry Carey Jr., George Kennedy and Ben Johnson to name a few, and there are always lesser-known actors of the past who pop up in supporting rolls. Once again without the aid of my Father these names would be forgotten or not known at all to me. Thanks again, Pop. So “Wire Paladin San Francisco” or just look online or at a DVD store near you to find the latest installment of ave Gun - Will Travel.

Rawhide: The Third Season Volume Two

Written by Fantasma el Rey

“Head ‘em up! Move ‘em out! RAWHIDE!” That’s right, Season Three Volume Two is out and ready for market. Fans will certainly enjoy roping in this four-disc set, packed with fifteen of the thirty episodes from season three which aired from February to June of 1961. Begun in 1959, Rawhide would run until 1966 and span eight seasons before being pulled from the airwaves. Along the way many sagebrush tales were told, many “beeves” were driven through town to sell, and one of the shows stars would make a name as the man with no name.

Besides “trouble always saddlin’ up a fresh horse, preparing to ride with you,” Rawhide had a couple of things you could count on through the years: one was that it would open and close with its moving theme song of the same title belted out by Frankie Lane (yes, the same tune made popular again by The Blues Brothers stirring rendition) and the other was the episode titles would begin with the word “incident.” Aside from being dropped for a bit in later seasons, it was always there. Examples include “Incident Of The Running Iron,” “…Near Gloomy River,” “…In The Middle Of Nowhere” and “…Before Black Pass.” It seems a bit redundant, but it works for the stories being told and gives a feeling of adventures that happened along the last trail.

Stories range far and wide, covering many classic topics and some with a bit of a twist, disabled cattlemen and a ballet troupe performing in the desert. There are yarns about Indian chiefs, cattle rustling (of course), army outposts, bank thieves, and bounty hunters mixed in with the average cowboy romance. Y’know, ladies and “domestic triangles.” And there are always some good shots to open and close the show of wide-open spaces that fire up the imagination. The camera captures the herd and cowpokes from different angels as they drive cattle through streams, dry landscapes, and mountain passes.

These campfire entertainments involve many of the supporting cast in the lead role for the episode, which is good as we get to see more stories and how the different characters would handle such situations. Although most do focus around the young, tough ramrod Rowdy Yates (Clint Eastwood) and the strong, straight-arrow man of justice, trail boss Gil Favor (Eric Fleming), a few do involve top hand Pete Nolan (Sheb Wooley) and the cook “Wishbone” (Paul Brinegar). Also along the trail many guest stars would appear and some would go on to star in other varied television shows. Jack Lord (Hawaii Five-0) stops by for an episode as does Leonard Nimoy (Star Trek) and lets not forget the numerous beautiful women who look lovely in period dress.

All in all, my little look at a television classic was a good romp through the mind of some well-versed and imaginative western writers. The stories are played well as the entire cast does a fine job in keeping the show interesting. Strong leading men surrounded by solid supporting characters with a good western yarn to tell will always wrangle my attention. I had seen an episode here and there along the way but never really paid much thought to Rawhide, thinking it was simply the vehicle that almost launched Eastwood’s career. Now I can appreciate what fans would wide have known for years, and I liked Rawhide - Season Three Volume Two well enough that I will search out the first two seasons along with the first half of season three. There’s only one thing left to say and it’s that “My hearts calculating/ my true love will be waitin’/ waitin’ at the end of my ride. Head ‘em up! Move ‘em out! RAWHIDE! YA!”

Gunsmoke: The Third Season, Volume 1

Written by Hombre Divertido

After starting on radio in 1952, Gunsmoke came to television in September of 1955 and remained for a record-setting twenty years, which will finally be broken in the 2009 television season by The Simpsons. On December 9th Paramount released 19 Episodes from the third season of this classic western.

With the six-foot seven-inch James Arness as the imposing Marshall Matt Dillon imparting both the legal system and sometimes his own brand of justice, these episodes play out as simple good-versus-evil short plays that are both well written and well acted.

Arness is usually accompanied by well-meaning Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver), who is listed in some publications as his deputy though his specific role is not particularly clear in these episodes, as they solve various crimes, and assist Dodge City’s Doctor Galen ‘Doc’ Adams (Milburn Stone), and Miss Kitty (Amanda Blake), who ran The Long Branch Saloon, with any troubles they might be having.

Many of the episodes in this three-disc set seem surprisingly violent for the era with innocent bystanders being shot, women being beaten, Dillon and Goode often burying bodies, etc. There is also a high level of drama as these episodes are far more dialog-driven than one might expect which could be a reflection of the show’s radio roots.

Much of the credit of the success of the show has to go to Arness whose demeanor was tough, but possessed an engaging smile, and occasionally displayed an endearing sense of humor. Marshall Dillon often attempted to resolve issues with peaceful logic, but could draw his gun or throw a punch as fast as necessary, when his peaceful resolutions were failing.

Some of the guest star appearances in these episodes are priceless as we get to see the likes of Pernell Roberts, Jack Lord, and Jack Klugman playing villains. Morey Amsterdam also makes a fun appearance in an episode entitled “Joe Phy.”

There is not a lot of bonus material here, but this release does include sponsor spots featuring Arness in several commercials. The ads are primarily for cigarettes, including a morbidly amusing one in which Arness is give a carton of cigarettes as a Christmas present. With these episodes only running thirty minutes when aired, Paramount could have given us all thirty-nine episodes in one release rather than breaking it up into volumes.

Recommendation: For those looking for action-packed westerns full of shootouts and fights, Gunsmoke may actually seem tame or slow, but for those who can appreciate the solid performances of the actors and the nostalgia associated with classic westerns of the fifties, this is a worthwhile addition to any collection.