New Western RoundUp Column: Apache Rifles (1964)
This month I've reviewed APACHE RIFLES (1964) starring Audie Murphy.
Kino Lorber's Blu-ray print looks very nice, with good sound quality. Disc extras include the trailer; a gallery of five additional trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber; and a commentary track by Julie Kirgo and Peter Hankoff.
Those who like the cast and '60s rom coms will find THAT FUNNY FEELING to be a pleasant hour and a half.
Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.
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Among the supporting cast I especially enjoy Jane Adams, a "B" Western leading lady who also worked with Brown in LAW OF THE PANHANDLE (1950) and the previously reviewed OUTLAW GOLD (1950). Both of those later films were released on DVD in Monogram Cowboy Collections from the Warner Archive.
The supporting cast of WESTERN RENEGADES also includes Max Terhune, Marshall Reed, and Myron Healey.
WESTERN RENEGADES was filmed in black and white by Harry Neumann. Location shooting was done in Santa Clarita, California.
As an aside, last year I finally located the spot where Johnny Mack Brown is interred with his daughter at Forest Lawn Glendale; I shared a photograph in my Classic Movie Hub Western RoundUp column. It was a nice moment pausing to pay my respects to someone whose work continues to make viewers like me very happy.All three films in this set are contained on a single Blu-ray disc; they fit easily given that the longest movie in the set is 68 minutes, with the other two titles clocking in at under an hour.
There are no extras in the Monogram Matinee set, but having this trio of films on Blu-ray was enough to please this viewer, and I suspect my fellow Western fans will feel the same. WESTERN RENEGADES looks absolutely gorgeous, crisp and clear, and I'm looking forward to watching and reviewing the other two films in this set at a later date.
I hope all Western fans will support this release so that we'll see more Monogram Matinee releases in the future!
Very best wishes for a happy Easter Sunday!
...The Criterion Channel May streaming lineup will include "Coastal Thrillers" and "Noir and the Blacklist" collections.
...Various bloggers have made their schedule picks for next week's TCM Classic Film Festival, and it's great fun reading the variety of thoughts. Please visit I See a Dark Theater, Cinema Sentries, Shadows and Satin, The Hollywood Revue, Once Upon a Screen, and Cinema Cities. If I've missed a festival "picks" post please feel free to drop your link in the comments!
...Notable Passings: Patrick Adiarte, who appeared in the Broadway and film versions of THE KING AND I (1956) and FLOWER DRUM SONG (1961), has died at 82...Jean Marsh, creator and star of TV's UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS (1971-75), has died at 90...Longtime Los Angeles newscaster Ed Arnold has passed on at 86....Please note that Around the Blogosphere This Week will not appear on April 26th, when I'll be covering the TCM Classic Film Festival. The column will return on May 3rd.
...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my April 12th column.
Other filmmakers honored with multifilm tributes in June will include Ennio Morricone, Vincente Minnelli, Judy Garland, Susan Hayward, Errol Flynn, Sissy Spacek, and a day of films featuring sisters Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland.
And only on TCM will you find a day of films featuring actress Pert Kelton!
I'll have much more on the June schedule here around June 1st. In the meantime, Red Skelton continues as the April Star of the Month, and Mae West is coming in May.
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The second "new-to-me" film at this year's Noir City Hollywood Festival was MY TRUE STORY (1951).
While I wasn't taken with the other film I hadn't seen before, DETOUR (1945), MY TRUE STORY proved to be my kind of 67-minute "B" movie.
Notably -- and unexpectedly -- this Columbia Pictures film was directed by actor Mickey Rooney.
Walker, an actress with several noir credits in her limited filmography, does an excellent job with her character; she successfully straddles the line between someone who's genuinely reformed and anxious to live a new life with the "tough cookie" underneath the shiny new persona.
It's almost a shock how easily she adapts to dealing with a gang of violent crooks (including a young Aldo Ray, billed as Aldo DaRe), but it also makes sense as that's the way she's apparently lived much of her life. Simultaneously Walker's Ann conveys just how much she likes the new people in her life and genuinely doesn't want to hurt them; rather, she wants to be one of them.
MY TRUE STORY is certainly no classic, but it is quite entertaining, without a dull moment. It does pretty much what it was supposed to do, provide an hour's entertainment to fill out a theater bill when paired with a more prestigious movie.
The Warner Archive's Blu-ray print is lovely, with good sound.
Disc extras include the trailer, which unusually features the original story's author, Vina Delmar. The Blu-ray also contains the cartoons WHY DO I DREAM THOSE DREAMS (1934), SHAKE YOUR POWDER PUFF (1934), and POP GOES YOUR HEART (1934).
This is an excellent buy, especially for fans of the cast and glossy MGM melodramas.
Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.
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After the festival I'll also have lots of coverage here, including a festival overview and photos.
This year's venues will again be the Egyptian and El Capitan Theatres as well as the "big" Chinese Theatre and three Chinese Multiplex theatres. As usual, poolside screenings will take place at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.
The complete festival schedule was released a few days ago, and I've been agonizing over the amazing choices ever since.There are always many factors I consider when planning my schedule. Beyond interest in the movies themselves, I factor in several issues, including whether or not a film is new to me; how long ago I last saw a film and whether or not I've ever seen it theatrically; the format (35mm, 70mm, nitrate, DCP); special guests; and perhaps most importantly, how the times and venues, including distances from one another, fit together.
It's quite a puzzle putting together a workable schedule, and I've always said I could probably map out two or three completely different schedules and still be perfectly happy!
As I mentioned last year, I typically stick fairly closely to my planned schedule, but sometimes last-minute changes work out well. Last year I initially planned to spend the first evening at SEND ME NO FLOWERS (1964) and THE SMALL BACK ROOM (1948) and instead went to the Egyptian to see WHITE HEAT (1948) in a 35mm print, followed by the new-to-me GAMBIT (1966). I thoroughly enjoyed my evening, and sometimes the unexpected choices prove to be the most fun!Here's the rough outline of my 2025 plans, including my second choices for what might turn out to be last-minute decisions.
Thursday, April 24th
I love TEACHER'S PET (1958) and have never seen it theatrically, but I just reviewed the Blu-ray two months ago. I also like PAT AND MIKE (1952), which I reviewed about four and a half years ago, and it's being introduced by the wonderful Diane Baker, but it doesn't get out until very late, at midnight.Given all of that, I'm leaning toward getting in line early at the tiny Theater 4, which only seats 148, and seeing the completely unknown-to-me pre-Code musical MOONIGHT AND PRETZELS (1933). Then I would probably see BLITHE SPIRIT (1945) in the same theater; I wasn't particularly taken with it on my first viewing, but it's been 14 years and it might play better with an audience.
I would also have the advantage that MOONLIGHT AND PRETZELS gets out earliest of any of the first round of movies showing that evening, so I'd have a realistic chance of getting into BLITHE SPIRIT in the same theater. BLITHE SPIRIT gets out 45 minutes earlier than PAT AND MIKE, allowing more time to get back to the hotel and gear up for a busy Friday.
I really wish I could see the main opening night film in the Chinese Theatre, as THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) is one of my all-time favorite films, but that's the one film for which my pass is not eligible.
Friday, April 25th
Friday morning is a very difficult time slot, with options including MRS. MINIVER (1942) and THE DIVORCEE (1930), each screened in 35mm. However, I lean towards seeing a 75th anniversary DCP screening of CINDERELLA (1950) at the El Capitan Theatre, hosted by Leonard Maltin and Mario Cantone. I saw it there in both 2012 and 2019, but it's a Disney favorite and it's the only opportunity of the festival to enjoy the grand showmanship of a screening at the El Capitan.From there I'd love to see a 35mm screening of the unknown-to-me SERVANTS' ENTRANCE (1934) at the Egyptian, but the 15-minute gap between movies doesn't leave much room to get in, especially as it takes a few minutes to walk down the street from one theater to the other. That issue could cause me to make a last-minute switch to THE DIVORCEE, since it's at the same theater as SERVANTS' ENTRANCE and I'd easily get into that screening. An alternative to a movie is a Club TCM presentation on the history of VistaVision with Craig Barron and Charlotte Baker.
In the third slot of the day it would be appealing to see SUPERMAN (1978) with an audience for the first time in decades, but I will probably go with BRINGING UP BABY (1938) or THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE (1945) since they get out substantially earlier, allowing time to get in line for one of my "must-see" movies of the festival. Actor James Cromwell, son of ENCHANTED COTTAGE director John Cromwell, will introduce that film.
The final slot of the day will probably find me at LILI (1952) with Leslie Caron, a film I don't think I've seen since a Vagabond screening in the same era as THE MARK OF ZORRO. I met Charles Walters, the director of LILI, multiple times and it would be nice to see the film again. (Incidentally, LILI will be released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection in the near future.) NOW, VOYAGER (1942) is another excellent option which fits my schedule.
Saturday, April 26th
I sound like a broken record, but there's another hard decision first thing Saturday. I currently lean toward seeing one of my favorite Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films, CAREFREE (1938)...but I could also see DAISY KENYON (1947) in a 35mm nitrate print.If I go with CAREFREE I would probably next see the world premiere restoration of RHAPSODY IN BLUE (1945), including previously missing footage. (This edition will also come out on Blu-ray in May from the Warner Archive Collection. WAC executive George Feltenstein will introduce the movie.) If I make a last minute change to DAISY KENYON, I would probably stick around for a 35mm nitrate print of MILDRED PIERCE (1945). I previously saw MILDRED PIERCE at the festival a dozen years ago with costar Ann Blyth in attendance.
I'll add here that THE PREVIEW MURDER MYSTERY (1936), with a 35mm print introduced by Jeremy Arnold, is a terrific choice. The only reason I'm not considering it is I had the good fortune to see that print in January of this year.
I'd be happy seeing any of three films in the third time slot of the day. I'll probably choose one of my favorite Carole Lombard films, TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942), especially as it fits the best timewise with RHAPSODY IN BLUE. It's been nearly a decade since I last saw TO BE OR NOT TO BE at UCLA. I'd also like to see the U.S. premiere of the restoration of GUNMAN'S WALK (1958), a Western I've never seen which will be introduced by Keith Carradine, or BRIGADOON (1954), a personal favorite musical introduced by dancers George Chakiris and Barrie Chase.I love seeing a silent movie with a live score at the festival so will probably choose THE FRESHMAN (1925) with Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston in the fourth slot, with live music by Ben Model. I last saw it in a drive-in screening, with live music by Cliff Retallick, in 2020. My backup plan is WE'RE NO ANGELS (1955), screened in VistaVision in the main Chinese Theatre.
I plan for my day to end with A GUY NAMED JOE (1943), with Lisa Royere, author of a forthcoming biography of Irene Dunne, helping to introduce the film.
Sunday, April 25th
Sunday always rolls around too quickly at the festival! And it's also the hardest day to plan, as there will be five "TBA" films announced at the last minute. These films are usually some of the festival's most popular, "sold out" films; the selection for those last-minute additions to the schedule is also influenced by who's available to introduce the films. Given that, any of my plans after the first time slot could change.
The first slot is the only one without the "wild card" of a TBA film, and I plan to see Bette Davis and Charles Boyer ALL THIS AND HEAVEN TOO (1940), which I've been wanting to revisit for quite a while. My second choice would be the classic film noir THE BIG COMBO (1955). It's hard to believe it's been 13 years since I saw Alan Rode introduce THE BIG COMBO at the Million Dollar Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles.Next up I would probably choose DIAMOND JIM (1935) introduced by Leonard Maltin. Edward Arnold plays the title role, with a great supporting cast including Jean Arthur. My second choice would be TO CATCH A THIEF (1955), introduced by Jennifer Grant. She gave a lovely introduction to MY FAVORITE WIFE (1940) in 2019.
In the third slot I'd pick THE TALK OF THE TOWN (1942) with Cary Grant, Jean Arthur and Ronald Colman, introduced by the director's son, George Stevens Jr. It's one of the small handful of Cary Grant films I've not yet seen.FANTASTIC VOYAGE (1966) might be a good option in the next time slot, introduced by our friend Luis Reyes, followed by TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME (1949). Three of the five TBA screenings being in those last two slots accounts for some of my hesitation, as there are currently fewer films from which to choose.
And there you have the complete rundown! I'll be back as soon as possible after the festival with my festival overview, followed by recaps and/or reviews.
I saw 11 films in 2013, 14 in 2014, 16 in 2015, 15 in 2016, 17 (including a block of cartoons) in 2017 and 2018, and 15 films plus a clip show in 2019 and 2011. I also saw 15 films in 2023 and 2024. We'll see what 2025 brings!For reference, my posts on the schedules for previous festivals are linked here in reverse chronological order: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013.
I look forward to seeing many of my readers at the festival, and I'd also enjoy reading comments with viewing picks from those of you who won't be attending this year.
For more information, Mike Barnes has provided an overview of the festival at The Hollywood Reporter.
Previously: TCM Classic Film Festival Tickets on Sale December 10th; New Titles Announced for 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival; Around the Blogosphere This Week (Robert Osborne Award);Latest Titles Announced for 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival; New Titles Announced for TCM Classic Film Festival; Latest TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements.
Update: The 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review.
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