The Ox Bow Incident
Re: The Ox Bow Incident
THE SEARCHERS rides tall on the lists of most classic western fans. Ford's multi-layered, interpretive, epic poem is one of the great American movies. The haunting SHANE is another favorite, and rightly so. I like RED RIVER, MY DARLING CLEMENTINE and the ground-breaking STAGECOACH.
For some frontier fun that usually escapes mention, there's Demille's high spirited THE PLAINSMAN, with Gary Cooper as Wild Bill Hickock. DESTRY RIDES AGAIN is light and airy, but exceptionally well crafted. There's "the other" Wyatt Earp story, John Sturges' GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL. And the bittersweet MONTE WALSH, with Lee Marvin as an aging and displaced cowhand.
And I like LONE STAR. Not the John Sayles ensemble piece, which is also excellent. But I refer to a story of early Texas, with Clark Gable facing Broderick Crawford, Ava Gardner in the middle, and no less than Geronimo appearing as a young boy. Not one of the great ones. But boundless fun!
For some frontier fun that usually escapes mention, there's Demille's high spirited THE PLAINSMAN, with Gary Cooper as Wild Bill Hickock. DESTRY RIDES AGAIN is light and airy, but exceptionally well crafted. There's "the other" Wyatt Earp story, John Sturges' GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL. And the bittersweet MONTE WALSH, with Lee Marvin as an aging and displaced cowhand.
And I like LONE STAR. Not the John Sayles ensemble piece, which is also excellent. But I refer to a story of early Texas, with Clark Gable facing Broderick Crawford, Ava Gardner in the middle, and no less than Geronimo appearing as a young boy. Not one of the great ones. But boundless fun!
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Re: The Ox Bow Incident
I can't believe I forgot "Monte Walsh". Haunting, lyrical, and most especially notable for an atypical Jack Palance performance. I also agree with the merits of "Shane".
One Western I could quite get into is "High Noon". LOVE the scene between Coop and Lon Chaney, Jr. and still feel that the latter's performance (brief as it is) should have garnered him a Best Supporting Actor nod. Where the film fails for me is the final gunfight. Never quite hits the mark, IMO. Something just seems to be missing.
One Western I could quite get into is "High Noon". LOVE the scene between Coop and Lon Chaney, Jr. and still feel that the latter's performance (brief as it is) should have garnered him a Best Supporting Actor nod. Where the film fails for me is the final gunfight. Never quite hits the mark, IMO. Something just seems to be missing.
- charliechaplinfan
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Re: The Ox Bow Incident
I like Fort Apache although it was a shock to see Henry Fonda as such a baddie, I also like Stagecoach, Rio Grande, Shane, My Darling Clementine too.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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Re: The Ox Bow Incident
You know, I never really considered Fonda a baddie as such in "Fort Apache". Just a military, stick-to-the-book bonehead.
Re: The Ox Bow Incident
MissGoddess, The Wonderful Country is now out on DVD from MGM. They also recently aired it on the MGM-HD channel so now I have it in HD on my DVR! Robert Mitchum at his (pardon the hormone-laden comment).. hottest.
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Re: The Ox Bow Incident
Yes, I have The Wonderful Country on my DVD "wish list". Those MODs are so expensive, though, I have to wait. I look forward one day to finally seeing it widescreen. It's a great performance by Mitchum, both sensitive and tough. Love it, love him.
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
-- Will Rogers
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Re: The Ox Bow Incident
Have you seen him in Once Upon a Time in the West (1969)?charliechaplinfan wrote:I like Fort Apache although it was a shock to see Henry Fonda as such a baddie
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Re: The Ox Bow Incident
Now there you have hit the nail on the head, Mr. Arkadin. Wasn't so nice a guy either in "Firecreek".
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Re: The Ox Bow Incident
I like Firecreek quite a bit (I have a thread on it somewhere here), but it did not do well at the box office when released. Fonda's reasoning was that the failure was because both actors were known as heroic everymen and the audience was unwilling to accept them on opposing sides in a film, saying something to the effect of: "You don't kill off Jimmy Stewart in a movie!" Kind of ironic, as it was his character that ate the lead.
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Re: The Ox Bow Incident
Interesting point, Mr. Arkadin. I remember getting the same feeling when I saw Jimmy killed off in "Bandolero". Certain actors you just don't expect to see killed off, and, yes, even Dean Martin fit into that mold. Dino's three screen deaths, interestingly enough, all occurred in his favorite genre: the Western.
- movieman1957
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Re: The Ox Bow Incident
"Firecreek" is only a one page thread but here is the link -
http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... eek#p63841
http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... eek#p63841
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
Re: The Ox Bow Incident
FIRECREEK was released at a time when the western was less than fashionable. Not extinct. But not huge. Kind of lost. As John Wayne gave way to Dustin Hoffman (As Henry Fonda gave way to Peter Fonda), themes and values began to change. Heroes broke out of prison instead of putting people into them. Films such as FIVE CARD STUD, ROUGH NIGHT IN JERICHO and this one had trouble finding an audience.
At least, that's my guess. I don't have data to back it up!
At least, that's my guess. I don't have data to back it up!
- JackFavell
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Re: The Ox Bow Incident
I think it's a terrific dark western, but maybe that's why it didn't do well? There's a real noirish underbelly to this film.
Re: The Ox Bow Incident
Haven't seen it since it came out. In 1967, a theatre opened within fair walking distance of our house. My brother and I saw just about everything that played there! Those were some fine times.
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Re: The Ox Bow Incident
Another film that fits into that category is the Kirk-Henry starrer "There was a Crooked Man". And cynical, to boot.