The Silver Screen Oasis

If you enjoy this movie I hope you will see Moira's fine article about it on the Movie Morlocks site.

http://moviemorlocks.com/2008/07/23/just-a-western/

Another strong, intense portrayal by Stewart in another pretty exciting Anthony Mann western.

That was excellent, Moira! The Man from Laramie has always been a powerfully intriguing movie to me, and it's my favorite of the Mann/Stewart westerns after The Far Country. I find it a bit of a puzzle each time I watch it, because the relationships between Crisp, Nichol and Kennedy are so complicated. Stewart's aim and purpose are always very clear, and it seems he gets derailed when pulled into this family's dramas. He keeps resisting it, even when he's in jail and Aline MacMahon offers to bail him out he refuses because in turn he'd have to work for her and that would take him away from pursuit of his brother's killers (and get him uwillingly involved in the Waggoman troubles). In many ways, Stewart's character is his most simple and moral of all the Mann films---he's out for his brother's killers but this really needs no qualifying as, say, his going after his own brother to kill him for murdering their father in Winchester '73, his brutish bounty hunting in The Naked Spur or his isolating self-interest in The Far Country.

But my favorite aspect of the movie is the Donald Crisp and Aline MacMahon "romance". It's lovely to see it coming back to life after everything that has happened during the "in between" years.

I do wish all of the Mann/Western movies were in ONE box set, but at least they are on dvd.

Thanks, Chris, for posting the link, I often forget to check what's new at "Morlocks". Moira---I'm going to post a link in my Western Gallery at TCM, too, if you don't mind.

Your mentioning of the other Stewart roles and the chararacter aspects is what sets them apart from other westerns or at least the Ford westerns. Stewart is mostly not a straight hero. He has issues. He has a past and it is not always pleasant. They are usually much darker characters but still compelling enough for your to be interested in them and their success.

Glad you found the article.

Miss G

You're right about Donald Crisp and Aline MacMahon. She looks somewhat different there and in Garland's If I Could Go On Singing as she did in The Golddiggers Of 1933.

I think Aline compensated for Cathy O'Donnell, who was a sweet young lady in The Best Years Of Our Lives, but I think wasn't strong enough to hold the female lead, stuck between Stewart and Arthur Kennedy. I mabye a bit harsh, but I thought Julia Adams far stronger in Bend Of The River

One other thing that was a little confusing is the relationship between Cathy O'Donnell and Arthur Kennedy. They're engaged yet I always forget about their relationship each time I get set to watch the movie. I don't know why they even bothered to form that tie between them at all, it is filmed without any point---she doesn't even seem to care about either men (Kennedy or Stewart) all that much. I get the feeling perhaps some scenes involving Cathy were cut.

What I liked about the Julia Adams character in Bend Of The River was that one minute she was in love with Arthur Kennedy, but the very second she discovered he was a nasty piece of work she tried to kill him. She was strong enough emotionally to break away from Kennedy, when other women might have made excuses for him, or backed him, because they still loved him. She also worked out pretty quickly after that she could be happy and settled with Stewart

The same could be said for Diana Foster in Night Passage. Once she knew Audie Murphy, even though he loved her, wouldn't change his ways, telling him he should be more like his brother Stewart. Murphy made an interesting reply 'And he calls me a thief'

The only role I've ever seen that fit Cathy O'Donnells' real persona was as the wimpy sister in Ben Hur, and the girl friend in the Best Years of our Lives. She could not play a strong woman with any enthusiasm, mainly because she had no energy of any kind, she slept through her performances and let her co-stars carry her. Obviously I don't like her, but it's because of her lack of talent, not anything about her personally.

I also agree that Julia Adams or someone like Mara Corday should have been given the chance to show more of what she could do against a couple of real actors.

Anne

mrl.
I really like Cathy. Julie Adams is also a favorite. MsCorday, for some reason I cant place.

More than just a review of the DVD will you find in this article about the Blu Ray release. (Someone shared it on the Facebook page.)

http://www.examiner.com/review/blood-sweat-and-lear

You won't be in any hurry to buy it though. Amazon lists it at $57.