Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

Post by mrsl »

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I saw this epi too and mentioned it on the Western thread, and I'm finally catching on to the fact that when they get to San Francisco, it's the end of the season, and the next one is the first of the new season, and this time happened to be with a new theme song which was to remain through the end of the show until cancellation.
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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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A gussied-up Bette Davis is on Wagon Train this afternoon in "The Elizabeth McQueeney Story." Apparently Davis plays a woman who is going west to set up a "finishing school" to train her charges to become the refined wives of the West. Though she looks more like the proprietess of a "house of joy," as they used to say, she turns out to be an actress-manager who is trying to overcome the world's prejudices against theatrical people, particularly women, who were usually regarded as little more than prostitutes in that era. I hope this one is as much fun as it looks.
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Robert Strauss (the immortal "Animal" from Stalag 17) just showed up at the Wagon Train, claiming he was Count Roberto del Falcone. This looks promising.
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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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I thought it was terrific seeing Bette Davis do the CAN-CAN! Ha! She could still kick up her heels with the rest of them.
I liked her scenes with Strauss, she knew his number yet perfectly played the woman who always plays the hand dealt.
I unfortunately missed the first twenty minutes, so I hope to see it again or maybe on Netflix.
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Wagon Train

Post by mrsl »

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With all the discussion we've done about Wagon Train on this board, I would have bet we had a thread already devoted to Wagon Train, but if we do, it's not here on the Western Topic.

MY main reason for writing this is, I wonder, and hope most of you watched today's episode. MIckey Rooney was the guest star and although I'm not a top fan of his, this episode had me literally laughing out loud (LOL), I don't mean a giggle or two, but a real belly laugh. It was definitely a follow up to another show he starred in which I've seen before, but I have never seen this one and some of the events that occur are really funny. Unfortunately it ends on a sadder note but I don't want to say what because I imagine many of you tape it for later viewing since it is on at dinner time. I do have to say I like this Bond/Horton combo which is in B&W (which doesn't bother me at all), but I also like the Saturday shows in color and 90 minutes long on WWME.
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Anne


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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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According to the schedule, Encore is broadcasting "The Colter Craven Story" tomorrow at 5:48 pm (EST). This is the one directed by John Ford, with brief appearance by John Wayne (billed as Michael Morrison).
Don't miss!
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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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Oh, thanks, Miss G! I'll be sure to record that one with the Duke. I "cheated" by looking at the IMDb description of this episode--almost the whole John Ford Repertory Company came out for this one: Carleton Young, Anna Lee, Ken Curtis, Willis Bouchey, John Carradine, Chuck Roberson and my fave, Hank Worden!

I like the fact that the story centers on Carleton Young. I've always liked him.
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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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Well I'm not ashamed to go "hog wild" here and say "The Colter Craven Story" is my FAVORITE of all the Wagon Trains I've seen. I'm still teared up over certain scenes and can't get over how much story was packed into his episode...enough for three shows! It was fun to spot all the Fordian touches, lovely to see the "family" gathered, and to spot John Wayne just by his silhouette and gait even before he spoke. I loved how the show was balanced with exciting action sequences with the wagons (smoothly edited with takes from Wagon Master) and the more intimate kind of scenes that leave one satisfied emotionally. I think it was Scott Eyman who said Ford would have been ideal for television in that he know how to get things done fast and this show certainly demonstrated he could pack a lot into a short time slot, which he know doubt honed all those years ago doing the short silents with his brother. Too bad Francis was, I believe, already gone by the time this show was made, he's the only thing really missing.
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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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Thanks so much for telling me that this was being broadcast, Miss G. It was moving and fascinating. I just got around to seeing this episode and it was a delight to see all these performers in one episode of Wagon Train--especially since it was made and broadcast first on November 23rd, 1960, just after Ward Bond's death on the 5th of November. How did I know it was John Ford behind the camera for The Colter Craven Story? Here are the reasons:

1.)The curtsey by Anna Lee, so reminiscent of Bronwyn in her first Ford film, How Green Was My Valley, demonstrated here when she was introduced to Seth Adams (Ward Bond). Her character's common sense doctor's wife was mortified and humiliated by her husband, but she never lost her dignity. Below is Lee in close-up.
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2.) The story was about an alcoholic doctor, one of Ford's favorite archetypes, and played by one of Ford's favorite WASP character actors, Carleton Young, having a field day as the haunted and self-pitying physician, changed by his wartime experiences.
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3.) Ken Curtis, the king of smarminess, being a jerk with his father's blessings.
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4.) John Carradine, as Curtis and his idiot brother's keeper, playing--well, no--over-playing his water-hoarding pappy. The house of cards and chess boards were a nice touch in his scene.
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5.) The only actor with whom I was not very familiar was Paul Birch, who played Ulysses S. as in "Sam" Grant. Fortunately, most of the actors around him were very familiar, like Willis Bouchey, one of my favorite blowhards (and often a Ford choice for any character described as a pompous figure). Only later did I discover that Ford veteran and silent star Mae Marsh appeared in her silent role (how apt!) as Grant's mother, whose stern face never changed as she listened to her husband (Bouchey) haranguing poor Sam and his wife.
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6.) Hank Worden and Charles Seel showing up as gossiping townspeople, only too eager to share the dirt on Grant with Seth Adams--they didn't expect Adams' delicious rejoinder to them! Too bad Ward Bond had to use the Grecian Formula in this flashback.
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7.) The all too brief and dim, but instantly identifiable John Wayne as Sherman, showing up without any intro. His voice and walk definitely gave him away.
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The credits were intriguing. I expected to see Michael Marion Morrison, or Marion Morrison, but didn't know it would listed this way:
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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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What a wonderful re-cap, Moira! Did you add the sub-titles yourself? Whatever recorder you use, certainly gives you good quality picture. I got the program recorded, but I continue to be disappointed in my machine's playback quality.

You managed to single out just about every one of the stand-out moments and gestures that caught my own eye. I thought the way each Ford regular got their "turn" was worked out quite smoothly. It felt like a "reunion" special of sorts. Thank you for pointing out the broadcast date falling after Bond's death. How sad.

This is the first productio where I noticed how short Carleton Young was! Goodenss, he looked positively dwarfed by Ward Bond! Somehow he always looked average height before.

I liked the way Bond put it to Young that he was not just feeling sorry for himself, but being presumptuous at assuming he should have been "perfect" and never human or make a mistake, like it was some kind of arrogance on Young's part to take things that way. I thought it very well put. It is presumptuous to think that we must or can not ever make an error or fail or let ourselves or others down. God alone is perfect, and we are being pretty self assuming to think we are. Nicely put, Wardie!

Oh, and did you notice the Ben Johsonesque dialogue given to Bill Hawks (Terry Wilson) in the beginning...the "I'm not paid to think" or some such line. I have never observed Hawks talk that way to the Major except in this episode.

Thank you, thank you again for the screencaps!
:D
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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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I'm glad you liked the screen captures, Miss G. Here's one more from the flashback sequence when Bond meets Sam at Shiloh and gets a battlefield promotion:

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Had you noticed Paul Birch before seeing him in this role as Grant? I see that he was in a few of Ford's late films, but I haven't seen him before consciously. I agree with your earlier comment that if Ford had been younger and in better health, he might have found television another outlet for his storytelling. I think he might have found the pace a bit much--though television, for a little while in the '50s, might have been a bit like the creative chaos when he started in movies in the teens.

I have been having quite a bit of trouble recording anything on Encore Western lately with my DVR, so I took the caps from Netflix online, which is streaming many (perhaps all?) of the Wagon Train episodes with Ward Bond. They have recently added captions to many of their films and programs, which are crisp and clear, as is the general broadcast quality of the films. (No, I don't work for Netflix, though I do think they are trying to make as much as possible available to their customers lately.)

If I could afford it, I would like to own the set Wagon Train episodes with Ward Bond, but online access is good too. If you don't mind my asking, could you please PM me about what kind of DVD-recorder you have? I have been hoping to buy one someday, and I'd like to know what to look out for. Thanks.
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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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Oh, yes, Paul Birch. Like you, I think I overlooked him until now and when I saw his interesting, quiet interpretationof U.S. Grant I wondered to myself where else I might have seen him. I admit one of the best moments in the episode was a brief, silent one, where we first meet Sam arriving in town, and he catches sight of his wife and two children standing across the street. Just the long view of them and their embrace brought me to tears for some reason. I had no idea who he was going to be or what their story was, yet it was so moving.

I had no idea Netflix had all the Bond episodes available for streaming AND with subtitles...some DVD box sets don't even have that extra (one I admit to being really fond of). Are all the Bond episodes on DVD? I wonder if they have subs. I was waiting for "The Colter Craven Story" to make it to DVD before considering getting any of them, not being sure how they might package the series eventually as a complete set. This show, "The Rifleman" and "Have Gun Will Travel" are all three on my watch list, but they are so darned pricey. I hope Amazon's marketplace will eventually turn up a deal.

I'll PM you about my DVR.
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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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I watched on you tube The Coulter Craven Story. As a story I didn't think it was above the ordinary, but it was still nice to see the guest director John Ford used many of his stock actors like Ken Curtis and John Caradine in small roles. As well as a partially hidden John Wayne in a cameo it was really nice to see Anna Lee in a role more substantial than most of her previous Ford movies, with outstanding performances in How Green Was My Valley and Fort Apache the exeptions.

I think I'm right in saying Ward Bond died not long after filming and that he never lived to see the transmittion. If true that's a pity. After yrs of playing character roles in many a Ford/Wayne production, I can imagine it meant a lot for him to be the top dog for once, as the star of the series
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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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stuart.uk wrote:I watched on you tube The Coulter Craven Story. As a story I didn't think it was above the ordinary, but it was still nice to see the guest director John Ford used many of his stock actors like Ken Curtis and John Caradine in small roles. As well as a partially hidden John Wayne in a cameo it was really nice to see Anna Lee in a role more substantial than most of her previous Ford movies, with outstanding performances in How Green Was My Valley and Fort Apache the exeptions.

I didn't know that Wagon Train episodes were on youtube, Stuart! I agree, it was nice to see Anna Lee playing a character with a spine and some understandable frustration in this episode. I hope you've seen Bedlam (1946) for her best film role and I do like her eccentric artist in The Crimson Kimono (1959). Lee is great fun when she plays against her lovely appearance.

I haven't seen all the Wagon Train episodes by any means, Stuart, but right now I would say that the best one--at least for me--was the two parter called The Major Adams Story which we talked about earlier in this thread. That one was very involving and beautifully acted. I think that the moment picked out in The Coulter Craven Story by our perceptive Miss Goddess and seen below may be the most "Fordian" in the whole show. Not surprisingly, it was silent.

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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

Post by movieman1957 »

I watched the episode tonight and liked it. It is really two episodes in one. The first half is "Wagon Master." Bond even wears an outfit that is awfully close to what he had in the movie. He looked like he was having a great time. I love that after the opening credits when Bond has already been listed it showed "Tonight starring Ward Bond."

"Who's Who in John Ford's Stock Company" is a great deal of the fun but also what scenes remind you of others. Some of it is a bit tongue in cheek and that adds to the fun. The scene where the recruits are getting a work out takes a little from "Rio Grande." But the biggest thing borrowed was the last shot in the episode looks like it was lifted right out of "Wagon Master." The colt leading the team out of the water makes me think it is the same clip. Some other stock shots look familiar too.

Too bad Ben and Dobe weren't there but, as pointed out, Ben was there in spirit. A fine turn by Carleton Young, who for me, has one of the great voices in movies.

Glad to have seen it.
Chris

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Re: Wagon Train on the Encore Western Channel

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Hi Chris,
Ford did edit in sequences from Wagon Master so you were right on it.
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