Tonight's Movie: King of the Pecos (1936) at the Lone Pine Film Festival

Saturday morning at the Lone Pine Film Festival we watched an early John Wayne film, KING OF THE PECOS (1936), followed by a tour of its locations.

KING OF THE PECOS was a solid film of its type, briskly directed by Joseph Kane.

Wayne plays Texas lawyer John Clayborn, who as a child (Bradley Metcalfe) had witnessed the murders of his parents (Mary MacLaren and John Beck) by hired guns working for Stiles (Cy Kendall). Stiles, a ruthless cattle baron, wanted to claim the Clayborns' property and water rights as his own.

When the adult John returns to his childhood home for the first time in many years, he uses both the law and his guns as he unites local ranchers to go against Stiles both in court and on the range.

This was a nicely done little film which presents an interesting story in just 54 minutes. There's a good mix of courtroom drama with action scenes; John and his neighbors cleverly thwart an attempted ambush as they head to file claims, and there's some good poetic justice in the climactic gun battle filmed in the Alabama Hills.

Wayne, who was 28 at the time this was filmed, is an appealing screen presence, though not yet the authoritative star he would soon become. This film, like so many others of the '30s, was part of his movie-making education which prepared him for major stardom in STAGECOACH (1939) and the next four decades.

The supporting cast includes Muriel Evans, Jack Rube Clifford, Arthur Aylesworth, Herbert Heywood, Edward Hearn, and Yakima Canutt. The movie was filmed by Jack Marta, who shot many "B Westerns over the course of his long career.

The screenplay was by a trio of writers, Bernard McConville, Dorrell McGowan, and Stuart E. McGowan, based on McConville's story. It's interesting to note that the movie was edited by future director Joseph H. Lewis (MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS, THE BIG COMBO).

KING OF THE PECOS is available in a nice-looking DVD from Olive Films.

Shortly after the screening it was time to gather for our tour in the parking lot of the Museum of Western Film History.

This year's tours were all car caravan tours; typically more than one tour would be falling into line at the same time, well organized with cones, signs, and volunteers.

The majority of tours at the festival begin with a drive out of town on Whitney Portal Road, headed to its intersection with Movie Road:

Here's the first page of our screen shot booklet, looking towards the homestead location seen in the photo on the upper right.

A clear shot of the area where the Clayborn cabin is located at the start of the movie:

Tour participants explore another area seen in the movie:

Our guide, Don Kelsen, is an expert on Lone Pine locations, with an impressive ability to match up movie scenes with the countless rocks in the Alabama Hills. We've enjoyed several of his tours over the last few years.

The wagon accident pictured in the color lobby card higher up in this post was filmed right here:

Here's a good example of another screen shot, seen at the lower right...

...and how it matches up with the rocks:

Famed stuntman Yakima Canutt, seen at right in the screenshot below, played one of the bad guys in this film...

...and that scene was shot right here, where our guide Don is standing behind the rock:

The big rocks seen here were also in a scene. We showed a family camping in a nearby trailer that John Wayne had once been there.

Exploring film locations at the festival is great fun, a wonderful mix of film history and enjoying the great outdoors, not to mention good exercise! As always, I highly recommend the experience.

For looks at the two other tours I participated in at this year's festival, please visit my posts on BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK (1955) locations, posted here, and the HOP-A-LONG CASSIDY (1935) tour, posted at Classic Movie Hub.

Tonight's Movie: Jailbreak (1936) - A Warner Archive DVD Review

JAILBREAK (1936) is a Warner Bros. "B" movie which was released on DVD earlier this year by the Warner Archive.

Joe King plays Mike Eagan, a former criminal who has been on the straight and narrow for several years. When he's threatened by mobsters (headed by Dick Purcell) that help them with a crime or be killed, he slugs a cop, hoping to be put in jail for a month for his own protection.

Mike unfortunately receives a much longer prison sentence than expected, but once the bad guys' plot is uncovered he's granted parole. Sadly, on the day of Mike's scheduled release, he's found dead in his cell bunk.

It's up to Mike's loyal secretary Jane (June Travis) and a gung-ho reporter named Ken (Craig Reynolds) to get to the bottom of the murder, aided and sometimes hindered by Detective Captain Rourke (Barton MacLane).

It's a fast-paced and pretty entertaining 60 minutes. There's a lot of story in the short running time, but it remains fairly easy to follow, which isn't always the case with these types of crime stories.

The movie may not be particularly notable, but this is the kind of "B" film I enjoy spending an hour with on a weekend afternoon, and I suspect my fellow fans of the "B's" may feel the same way.

There aren't any big stars in the film, but the solid cast of character actors keeps things interesting. Joseph Crehan plays the prison warden, with Charles Middleton and Addison Richards as lead prison guards. The cast also includes George E. Stone, Eddie Acuff, Mary Treen, Robert Emmett Keane, Douglas Wood, and Milton Kibbee.

JAILBREAK was directed by Nick Grinde and filmed by Arthur Todd. The screenplay by Robert D. Andrews and Joseph Hoffman was based on a story by Jonathan Finn.

There are no extras on the DVD. The print and sound were both of good quality.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this DVD. Warner Archive releases are MOD (manufactured on demand) and may be ordered from the Warner Archive Collection at the WBShop or from any online retailers where DVDs and Blu-rays are sold.

Mostly Ghostly at Disney Studios

Earlier this week I enjoyed a wonderful Halloween event on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank.

"Mostly Ghostly" was presented by Disney's D23 Official Fan Club.

Over the last decade I've been privileged to attend several screenings on the Disney lot, which are linked at the end of this post, and Mostly Ghostly was another memorable evening.

The fun began at check-in, when we received this marvelous pin honoring the 70th anniversary of THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD (1949). I reviewed this film in 2014, and "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" section of the movie was among the titles screened that evening.

It's always a treat to visit the gorgeous studio theater, which is located directly across from the studio's famed Animation building.

The theater lobby was beautifully decorated in the spirit of the holiday:

Everyone received a free bucket of popcorn, which was decorated with the logo from Disney's El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.

Inside the theater, ahead of the evening's fun beginning:

The first section of the program was a history of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion ride, given by Chris Merritt of Walt Disney Imagineering. Chris is also the author of a wonderful history of Knott's Berry Farm, KNOTT'S PRESERVED.

I'm not a Haunted Mansion fan, but I was nonetheless very interested in Chris's talk thanks to my love for Disneyland in general. It's fascinating how many years the attraction was in development, and how many different ideas were considered before the final design was selected.

The talk also included a clip of Walt Disney and "Miss Disneyland Tencennial" Julie Riehm speaking with Imagineer Rolly Crump about his ideas for a "Museum of the Weird"...which was definitely weird!

Next up was Becky Cline of the Walt Disney Archives, who is also the author of THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS: A LOT TO REMEMBER.

Becky showed two of her favorite classic Disney cartoons which were appropriate for the occasion. First up was LONESOME GHOSTS (1937), which may have inspired GHOSTBUSTERS (1984):

Although I'd previously seen LONESOME GHOSTS, TRICK OR TREAT (1952) was completely new to me. Donald's nephews arrive at his house to trick or treat, but Donald has some surprises of the "trick" variety in store for them.

The short featured the jaunty tune "Trick or Treat for Halloween" by Mack David, Al Hoffman, and Jerry Livingston, performed by the Mellomen.

The final speaker was Fox Carney of the Walt Disney Animation Research Library.

Fox presented stunning Mary Blair art for "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," which is half of Disney's previously mentioned animated "package" film THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD. Photos of the art were not allowed but the artwork was absolutely gorgeous, heaven for a Mary Blair fan.

"Sleepy Hollow" concluded the portion of the evening which took place in the theater, after which we went outside for desserts and hot drinks:

The frosted brownies were delicious!

The Studio Store was open for shopping:

Here's the spookily lit Animation building. There were also strategically placed colored "fog" machines which was fun.

I love the nods to past Disney and film history which are all over the lot. For instance, this sign honoring Earl O. Hurd is located in the theater lobby:

And this stage is named for the Sherman Brothers:

It was a delightful evening in every way!

For more photos of this event, please visit Laughing Place.

Related Posts: Tonight's Movie: Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009) and a Visit to Walt Disney Studios; Tonight's Movie: Tangled (2010) at the Walt Disney Studios; Tonight's Movie: One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) at the Walt Disney Studios; Tonight's Movie: The Absent Minded Professor (1961) at the Walt Disney Studios; In Search of the Castaways (1962) at the Walt Disney Studios; The Reluctant Dragon (1941) 75th Anniversary Celebration at the Walt Disney Studios.

TCM in November: Highlights

November's here and that means it's time for a look at the November schedule for Turner Classic Movies!

The November Star of the Month is Bette Davis, the third time she has been so honored. Davis's career will be celebrated with 24-hour marathons every Tuesday this November.

I'll have a post up early next week taking a closer look at the November Star of the Month schedule. (Update: Please visit TCM Star of the Month: Bette Davis.)

The November Noir Alley titles are SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957) November 2nd and 3rd, JOHNNY EAGER (1942) on November 9th and 10th, THE HITCH-HIKER (1953) on the 16th and 17th, KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL (1952) on November 23rd-24th, and THE MASK OF DIMITRIOS (1944) the weekend of November 30th-December 1st.

On Wednesdays this month the TCM Spotlight will focus on the centennial of the American Society of Cinematographers.

The ASE tribute will include a new documentary by Daniel Raim, THE IMAGE MAKERS (2019). Raim also wrote and directed a very interesting documentary I watched last year, IN SEARCH OF OZU (2018).

Below are some of the additional interesting titles being shown on TCM this month. Please click any hyperlinked title to read the corresponding film review.

...The MGM musical LADY BE GOOD (1941) will be shown on November 3rd. Be sure to catch Eleanor Powell's dance with a dog! She trained the dog for the number herself. Ann Sothern, Robert Young, and Red Skelton costar.

...The late Nancy Gates will be celebrated on Monday evening, November 4th, with several titles including MASTERSON OF KANSAS (1954), SUDDENLY (1954), and SOME CAME RUNNING (1958). Gates is seen here in MASTERSON OF KANSAS with George Montgomery and James Griffith. It's this kind of programming, honoring a lesser-known actress who had a wonderful career, which makes me appreciate TCM the most.

...The first evening of the tribute to the American Society of Cinematographers on November 6th includes THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS (1942), filmed by Stanley Cortez, SUNRISE (1927), filmed by Charles Rosher and Karl Struss, and THE SEARCHERS (1956), filmed by Winton C. Hoch.

...A day of pre-Codes starring James Cagney includes PICTURE SNATCHER (1933), along with several other interesting titles. They air on November 7th.

...November 8th features a wonderful collection of films teaming Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, including DODGE CITY (1939), CAPTAIN BLOOD (1935), and THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938).

...I highly recommended last year's release of a beautiful Blu-ray of MERRILY WE LIVE (1938), a screwball comedy with Constance Bennett and Brian Aherne leading a great cast. It will be shown on TCM November 10th.

...The Veterans Day schedule on November 11th includes a couple good-looking movies on my "to watch" list, DIVE BOMBER (1941) with Errol Flynn and Fred MacMurray, and GOD IS MY CO-PILOT (1945) with Dennis Morgan and Dane Clark.

...The November 13th evening honoring the American Society of Cinematographers includes two visually stunning Powell-Pressburger films shot by Jack Cardiff, BLACK NARCISSUS (1947) and THE RED SHOES (1948).

...Dick Powell receives an eight-film birthday tribute on November 14th. There's a wonderful variety of titles -- musicals, pre-Codes, a Western, even Shakespeare! Be sure to catch THE TALL TARGET (1951) and STATION WEST (1948), but the entire lineup is worthwhile.

...The Saturday morning lineup on November 16th including Dennis Morgan and John Payne in TEAR GAS SQUAD (1940). It may not be great art, but it's 55 minutes of fun for fans of Bs or the lead actors. It's even got musical numbers!

...Alan Ladd receives a prime time double bill tribute on Sunday, November 17th, with showings of two classics, SHANE (1953) and THIS GUN FOR HIRE (1942).

...November 18th features romances set in New York. I like HAVING WONDERFUL TIME (1938), which is admittedly a minor film but has Ginger Rogers and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. leading a great cast.

...Films featuring ballet on November 21st include Leslie Caron in THE GLASS SLIPPER (1955), a telling of the Cinderella story. Estelle Winwood is marvelous as Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, while Michael Wilding plays Prince Charming.

...On Sunday evening, November 24th, there's a wonderful double bill of films featuring "incognito princesses," ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953) and PRINCESS O'ROURKE (1943). ROMAN HOLIDAY stars Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, while PRINCESS O'ROURKE stars Olivia de Havilland and Robert Cummings.

...I haven't seen GREEN FOR DANGER (1946) in a few years and really need to revisit it! It's a delightful British mystery which holds up well to repeat viewings. The great cast includes a show-stealing Alastair Sim along with Trevor Howard, Leo Genn, Sally Gray, and Rosamund John. The air date is November 25th.

...As usual, there's a terrific lineup of family films on Thanksgiving Day, November 28th, including THE SECRET GARDEN (1949), HEIDI (1937), NATIONAL VELVET (1944), ROOM FOR ONE MORE (1952), and SITTING PRETTY (1948). SITTING PRETTY, a 20th Century-Fox comedy starring Maureen O'Hara, Robert Young, and Clifton Webb (seen here), receives a rare TCM showing.

...November concludes with Ann Blyth, Howard Keel, and Vic Damone starring in the MGM musical KISMET (1955) on November 30th.

Please visit the online schedule as well as my Quick Preview of TCM in November and TCM Star of the Month: Bette Davis for more information on TCM in November 2019.

Happy November movie viewing, and best wishes for a very happy Thanksgiving to all my readers!

Criterion Collection Half-Price Fall Sale at B&N

The annual November half-price Criterion Collection sale began today at Barnes & Noble.

I took advantage of a recent 24-hour "flash sale" at the Criterion Collection site to stock up on CLUNY BROWN (1946) and THE FLAVOR OF GREEN TEA OVER RICE (1952). The latter is a particularly good deal as the set comes with a second feature film included, WHAT DID THE LADY FORGET? (1937). I recommend both purchases; all three films have been reviewed here in the past.

I suspect the giant new GODZILLA collection will be under many Christmas trees this year thanks to the sale!

The sale runs through December 1st.