Westerns

[movieman1957]

You are right - nothing really happens. Burt Kennedy has done better. And then there was the whole "Lane and Lowe" thing again. I wondered if he was just being cute by now. Maybe he knew people with those names and that was his little nod to them.

I saw it years ago and thought it weak but another try might change my mind, it didn't.

You know, if they got to the end sooner there might have been a good story to follow and that could have been the second half of the film.

[JackFavell]

That's exactly how I felt - that the movie should have gone on from where it ended. It just felt abrupt, like the twist was supposed to answer every thing, only it didn't.

[RedRiver]

"I've got a saddle older than you."

[JackFavell]

Ha!

[movieman1957]

I kept wondering if they were trying to build some tension there. When that line came up I thought of "Rio Bravo" and all could think was he was 14 years older and still the young ones are interested. What would she want with him at his age? I guess he would be comfortable.

[knitwit45]

I kept wondering if they were trying to build some tension there. When that line came up I thought of "Rio Bravo" and all could think was he was 14 years older and still the young ones are interested. What would she want with him at his age? I guess he would be comfortable.

are you KIDDING????? That guy was....well, this is a family site....but the ladies around here know exactly what I'm thinking

[movieman1957]

The man was old. And I know what you're thinking, you naughty woman.

P.S. Good or you.

[movieman1957]

In the world of cable tv films Showtime's 2001 film "The Outsider lies somewhere between "Angel and The Badman" and "Witness." A wounded gunfighter (Tim Daly) shows up at a farm of an Amish widow. While nursing him back to health cultures clash and hearts race all the while the evil neighboring rancher tries to run them off.

More drama than western for most of its time it is a pretty good. Two misfits find each other and ultimately are saved from a life neither would really be happy in.

Fine performances by Watts and Daly bring good characters to life. Watts' "Rebecca" is especially rich. A bit long but enjoyable. Being a Showtime production there is a little flesh but overall a nice job.

[pvitari]

I absolutely adore The Outsider -- it's one of Tim Daly's best performances (he is a much underrated and underappreciated actor IMHO) and of course... Naomi Watts, but before she was NAOMI WATTS. (Her breakout movie, at least in the U.S., was Mulholland Drive, 2001.)

The Outsider was filmed in Australia, which makes an excellent stand-in for Montana. ;)

It's the classic tale of the bad man reformed by the good woman, though with a slight twist (no spoilers). Going no farther back than the history of cinema, William S. Hart was doing this story back in the silent era, yet it never seems to grow old. I guess there's something in the human psyche that loves to see souls redeemed and set free -- from all kinds of mental prisons.

The Outsider was adapted from a very popular historical romance novel by Penelope Williams. As romance novels go, it's actually pretty good. There is some lovely descriptive language of the mountainous landscape. On the other hand, being a romance novel, when it comes to the romance bits, the descriptive language turns all purple and florid. ;) What I really liked about this dramatization was that the camera gave us that beautiful mountain setting, and while also showing us the touching romantic scenes, blessedly relieved us of the "swollen loins" style wordage in the book.

[movieman1957]

I thought Daly a worthy successor to Selleck as TV/Cable westerns went but I haven't seen him in some time and don't know if he is still full of that rugged handsome look. It served him well here.

[pvitari]

Daly is on the series Private Practice and he still has (very much) that rugged handsome look, only a little older. ;) (I hate Private Practice... I confess I fast forward through all the scenes except Daly's.)

I loved him on Wings, as the uptight, slightly OCD pilot/owner of a tiny air transport service, Sandpiper Air. (The last sitcom I ever liked.) He was great at comedy, including physical comedy. But he's just as good at drama. I was really surprised at how much I liked him in that remake of The Fugitive (which only lasted a season). A very versatile, kind of under-the-radar actor. He's also a talented singer/musician. But then, his sister Tyne Daly, is a Broadway musical star. ;) (And dad James Daly was also a much beloved actor.)

[movieman1957]

I had no idea he was related to those Dalys. I remember his father from "Medical Center."

I was a very occasional viewer of "Wings" which is why it came as a bit of a surprise at how effective he was in "The Outsider."

In the movie I liked the role David Carradine played. That was a bit of a departure for him. While it was small it did give him a chance to play someone on the good side of things. In fact Keith's character was a bit of a pain.

[ChiO]

Tim Daly: DINER

'Nuff said.

[movieman1957]

Been on a bit of a John Payne kick in the last week or so. "Tennessee's Partner" is a rather unfortunate title to a nice but unusual "B" picture that costars Ronald Reagan and Rhonda Fleming. It involves a miner (Reagan) coming to town to meet up with girl he is to marry. He meets Payne along the way and they strike up a friendship that has its rough as well as rewarding moments. Reagan is fine as Payne's easy going partner. It's okay. (How is that for damning with faint praise?)

"El Paso" wants to be a really big western but it is not quite there. Costarring a pretty healthy supporting cast of the lovely Gail Russell, Sterling Hayden, H B Warner, Gabby Hayes and an extremely nasty Dick Foran. Beautifully shot in color Payne fits a western pretty well in what looks like his first go of one. A rather typical story of well meaning lawyer off to El Paso to help old friend only to find out things are a lot different there. He gets caught up in a bit of vigilantism which puts a strain on things. Russell is always pleasant to watch but there isn't a lot for her to do. Probably too long and and a bit choppy in the story it wasn't as good as I had hoped.

Streaming at Netflix the print has various issues in quality but parts really look good.

[movieman1957]

Wells Fargo is a big western from 1937 starring Joel McCrea and Frances Dee. It follows McCrea as the main set up man for Wells Fargo as he goes from New York to San Francisco and about 40 years to do it. He meets and marries Dee and then the loyalty to his wife and his job conflict and at no time more than during the Civil War. (She's a Southerner.)

I thought McCrea was fine, especially as the younger man. Parts were exciting and some funny moments too. McCrea and Dee to me looked like some of there real chemistry carried over well on the film.

TCM showed the 97 minute version. I can see where it could work at the 115 minute version that debuted in 1937. Great fun.