Latest Westerns Column at Classic Movie Hub
My new column discusses what I like to call "snowy Westerns," with particular attention to DAY OF THE OUTLAW (1959), which I recently watched for the first time.
I hope my readers will click over to Classic Movie Hub and check it out! I especially enjoyed writing this column and hope any unfamiliar titles mentioned will provide inspiration for new Western viewing.
Previously: June 2018 Western Roundup Column; July 2018.
posted by Laura @ 6:56 PM
9 Comments:
Another great write-up, Laura. My comment is already up there and the comments are growing!
It would be nice to think our friend, Blake Lucas, is following it. We miss his eloquent contributions.
Every time I'm off-line for a day the blog traffic goes into free-fall-
so much to catch up with after only one day.
Before I move over to the Movie Hub-Jerry- FOUR FAST GUNS was paired with
DENTIST IN THE CHAIR starring Bob Monkhouse,Kenneth Connor and Peggy Cummins.
I think I pointed this out over at Toby's.
Totally agree about Blake being MIA-I did try,but failed, to draw him into
the Robert Taylor/Stewart Granger discussion over at Toby's this conversation
sort of diverted from the recent Paul Landres thread.
I always thought PARTY GIRL was a "major" film but others beg to differ-probably
quiet rightly too-I was hoping Blake would back me up on this.
I'm saddened that Blake has more or less "gone to ground" he used to add so much
not only here but at Toby's and Colin's as well.
Laura-I've made Margot aware of your PERSONS IN HIDING review I hope it encourages
her to check the film out,if indeed she can locate it.
Thanks for the movie-pairing info, John. Yes, I remember both films well. "FOUR FAST GUNS" was the lower half of the bill but it was the main picture for this young saddle pal.
John Knight, I'm moseying over to read Laura's latest at the CLASSIC MOVIE HUB, but I would like to say that I think the 1958 MGM release PARTY GIRL was a "major" film release. It wasn't a B-movie with a B-movie cast. Joe Pasternak was a major producer at MGM. George Wells was a very successful screenwriter at MGM. Nicholas Ray was a maverick director, but a good one, and he had worked within the studio system. Wells' script was finished and with Pasternak producing, Ray would be primarily a hired gun. A top notch cast of Robert Taylor, Cyd Charisse, Lee J. Cobb, John Ireland, and Kent Smith. Also, if the bottom line is profit, then PARTY GIRL was a commercial success because it made money, as did THE LAW AND JAKE WADE(1958), which starred Taylor. Taylor was riding out through the MGM gates on a high horse. PARTY GIRL gave Charisse a serious acting role and it was far more profitable to MGM than SILK STOCKINGS(1957) had been. Of course times were changing and the days of seven-year contracts were over, and Taylor and Charisse were expensive stars to have under contract. This was their last movie under contract at MGM.
After all his said and done, I like PARTY GIRL in all its noir musical gangster drama CinemaScope splender. Robert Taylor is really good and Cyd Charisse gets to cut the rug in her two musical numbers in a way that she rarely could before.
Thanks Walter....
My original piece over at Toby's was in response to a contributor at Glenn Erickson's
who stated that due to the commercial failure of THE LAST HUNT that was the last
"major" film that Taylor made for the studio.
I have just been over to The Movie Hub and found that my comment is still awaiting
moderation,even after 24 hours...most odd and I cannot find your comment at all.
John Knight, you are welcome, although I'm very sure that Blake Lucas can do a much better write-up than me. I haven't checked, but Laura has probably written about PARTY GIRL.
My comment over at CLASSIC MOVIE HUB is still waiting for moderation, also. I enjoy Westerns that are set in locations other than scorching deserts. I wonder if we will ever find out the actual writers of DAY OF THE OUTLAW, because Philip Yordan is known far and wide for using "surrogate" writers, especially during the political "blacklist" years. If my memory serves me right, Director Andre de Toth told an interviewer that he and several others re-wrote the script with Yordan's name on it.
Of course Party Girl wasn't a B Picture, that is not what the guy on Glenn Erickson's site meant. Robert Taylor films were no longer an event or important enough to lead the distribution arm of the company and that thinking clearly reflected the exhibitors. As for Cyd, she was always welcome, but never headed the cast, of large or small films. As for making money, I tried to verify that, but the numbers available were unclear. My guess, it probably did return decently on investment, but not enough to alter the prior perception.
As soon as you said "snowy westerns," I thought, "Oooh, like Secret at Convict Lake!" And then I opened your article, and what's the first movie you mention? :-D
Thank you all so much for your support and for reading my CMH piece! I appreciate it so much, as well as the comments at the CMH site. I'll have another post up in September, on Lone Pine!
Jerry and John, I miss hearing from Blake also!!
John, I love the way you're able to track down the double bills from decades ago. What a great double bill. :) Thank you for sharing info on my PERSONS IN HIDING review also! I sure enjoyed that movie.
Walter, I like PARTY GIRL too, with two favorite MGM stars. :)
Hamlette, that's fun that I did include the first film you thought of when "snowy Westerns" came to mind. Love that!
Belated thanks to all who commented, it's always read and deeply appreciated, even when life gets a little crazy and I "run out of racetrack," a phrase I recently heard, to comment immediately!
Best wishes,
Laura
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