The Silver Screen Oasis

Showing tomorrow in prime time on the Encore Western channel. If you've always wondered how Key Largo (1947) and On Dangerous Ground (1952) might play out in the western genre--this is your film.

I have my reminder set. Coming on your recommendation it is worth checking.

Finally got to watch it last night. My first thought was it resembled "The Desperate Hours" but "Key Largo" does work better. I thought the end was interesting because of the way each of the bad guys met their end. One unusual bit of realism happened in that end when one man had to shoot his horse. They got to horse to kick around when it happened. Wonder how they did that.

I thought it interesting how quickly the town forgot their own little squabble and worked together. Ryan became transformed because he was a man looking for trouble and didn't care what he would have to do to get his way. Ives shows up and it all changes and so does Ryan.

Good performances. Dave Nelson I thought was better in his role than Ricky was in his in "Rio Bravo." Seldom have I seen an outdoor location so bleak in a film of that time.

Having watched this several times at home, I saw it last night as if it were the first time. Because so much of the movie is in long shot with great expanses of white, the big screen made this a new movie.

What struck me most was that, with the exception of two or three members of Ives' gang on occasion, every character maintained the same expression throughout the film. The words or the context may have said anger, joy, love, lust, fear or relief, but the facial expressions never varied...resignation to Nature, both Man's and the environment.

And with Robert Ryan in the forefront, the actor who does more with less facial movement, it is a course in great acting. Was Burl Ives ever better? And David Nelson and Tina Louise were revelations. (Note to self: Never have Dabbs Greer as a surgeon.)

If I have any nit to pick, it's the score. The movie itself is oppressive enough. Having a score that constantly sounded like outtakes from Russian films of the '20s and '30s soon became a sledgehammer, and when coupled later with the trek through the snow, it became near-parody and quite distracting.

Some other movies that I was namechecking at times: GREED, THE TREASURE OF SIERRA MADRE, McCABE AND MRS. MILLER, and THE GREAT SILENCE.

Isn't it nice to discover people we knew first through TV had another dimension. Even Ives was like that with me. A folk singer and narrator of "Rudolph" scared me pretty good when I saw him in some real films.

Jimmy Crack Corn was my first introduction to Ives...I had a friend who had a record with Ives singing it, and the portable record player to play it on.

Big Daddy was a real eye opener.

ChiO wrote:What struck me most was that, with the exception of two or three members of Ives' gang on occasion, every character maintained the same expression throughout the film. The words or the context may have said anger, joy, love, lust, fear or relief, but the facial expressions never varied...resignation to Nature, both Man's and the environment.

I think you've found the heart of the film. From an older post I wrote:

Ryan is a man who rediscovers his humanity in the light of Bruhn’s heartless soldiers who are little more than animals. Bruhn and Starrett recognize the same tendencies in each other, but Bruhn lost his way long ago. He still longs for redemption--though time is closing fast on his body. Blaise’s own survival depends on his understanding of nature and ability to live in harmony with the elements. In so doing, he learns that harmony must also exist between men for life to have value.

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Back in August of 2010, after seeing this for the first time, I posted:

"Believe it or not, the troubles in this movie begin over a woman!!! A big rancher, who had an affair with a farmer's wife, decides he wants her back, so he uses the excuse that the farmer is running barbed wire fencing to come into town and put a little fear into the husband. After about a half hour of Robert Ryan being his tough, tyrannical self, along comes Burl Ives with his gang of cutthroats. Personally I find Ives to be the star of this film because he steals it away from everyone else in it. You are watching him whenever he's on screen, but that happens in nearly everything he does. They have broken into a bank and are running from the army troop following them but Ives has been shot and want to rest overnight before going on. He promises that if everyone does what they're told, all will be well. Ha, ha. As he's laying down, his men want some drinks after their long ride but he has left word that there is to be no drinking, so some in-fighting begins. Then they eye the young girls in town, and etc., etc., etc. After a time, Ryan makes a deal to lead them through the mountain by a secret pass he knows of and the rest of the movie is their trek through the mountain."
BTW, I failed to mention it was the dead of winter, and snow is on the ground, also . . . there is no secret passage.

As you see, I felt Burl Ives was really the star of this movie. The stark whiteness of the surrounding location adds to the suspense of the outcome of the trek through the mountains. David Nelson, I believe, preferred to work behind the camera than in front of it. In using my search machine, I found David passed away the day before my birthday this year. Sadly, if there was any mention of it, I missed it, with regret, because I always preferred his quiet nature than Rick's flamboyant one. Also, as the end of an era of such a many faceted entertainment family, it's too bad the media couldn't bring a little more attention to his death.

However, I again recommend it as a fine choice for entertainment for a few hours.

Got to watch it again on MGM HD and this time I was struck by the music. Bold and brass laden it at times has a majestic almost Copland like quality to it. Composed by Alexander Courage it is one among a great listing of films he orchestrated. He composed less but there hardly seems anything that someone would not have come across his work. Even with all that I was unfamiliar with his name.

Another chance to enjoy it was welcome.

ChiO wrote:Having watched this several times at home, I saw it last night as if it were the first time. Because so much of the movie is in long shot with great expanses of white, the big screen made this a new movie.

This movie is best to view on the big theatre than your standard TV at home ... I love that film and it's injustice for this film to be shown on television because of the photography and the filmography as well.

ChiO ... commented "the big screen made this a new movie" ...

that's beautifully written ChiO!