The Fastest Gun Alive (1956)
Posted: August 26th, 2007, 11:07 am
This film featured a good, familiar cast of Western hands, such as Glenn Ford, Noah Beery, Jr., John Dehner, John Doucette, and even an effective Jeanne Crain, Rhys Williams & Allyn Joslyn. Their combined efforts and the interesting twists of the script by Frank Gilroy brought this odd little movie to life yesterday during Broderick Crawford's day in the sun on TCM. Crawford was, as always, fascinatingly gruffly, real and disturbingly brutal while portraying a deeply insecure man. Did anyone else find this movie interesting?
Two live wires were standouts in this cast: Virginia Gregg and Russ Tamblyn. Ms. Gregg, who specialized in her long career in playing shrewish women, really milked her hectoring scene with Ford for all it was worth! I expected the fuming Ford to tell her that it really didn't matter if her new dress was brown or blue, since the color would not make her less of a witch! Gregg, if you have any trouble placing her, may be more familiar from her numerous appearances in Dragnet episodes. Here's a picture of Virginia Gregg. Bet you'll be saying, "oh, that *%#@$!", when you see this:
Russ Tamblyn, as the incredibly agile lad who engaged in an acrobatic dance around a barn which incorporated shovels and springboards into his routine. This sequence was startling, and seemed to take place in an entirely different movie than this film. His eruption into a full blown dance was stunningly executed, and completely unrealistic, but all I can guess is that MGM said, "Hey, we have this dancing kid under contract, let's toss him into the barn dance sequence to pick up the pace of this flick!".
What a shame that Tamblyn didn't come along a bit earlier during the height of musicals at MGM. At least his exuberant skills found some expression in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, West Side Story, Tom Thumb and dramatically enlivened the original, brilliant Robert Wise version of The Haunting. I don't recall him dancing in the latter film, (though I believe that he did a handstand or two). I also enjoyed his dramatic appearances in such Westerns as The Last Hunt and the remake of Cimarron. Tamblyn also certainly made such guilty pleasures as Peyton Place and The Long Ships more enjoyable viewing for me too! He had a genuine mischievous expression and, when called for, quite alot of sensitivity in his acting.
Two live wires were standouts in this cast: Virginia Gregg and Russ Tamblyn. Ms. Gregg, who specialized in her long career in playing shrewish women, really milked her hectoring scene with Ford for all it was worth! I expected the fuming Ford to tell her that it really didn't matter if her new dress was brown or blue, since the color would not make her less of a witch! Gregg, if you have any trouble placing her, may be more familiar from her numerous appearances in Dragnet episodes. Here's a picture of Virginia Gregg. Bet you'll be saying, "oh, that *%#@$!", when you see this:
Russ Tamblyn, as the incredibly agile lad who engaged in an acrobatic dance around a barn which incorporated shovels and springboards into his routine. This sequence was startling, and seemed to take place in an entirely different movie than this film. His eruption into a full blown dance was stunningly executed, and completely unrealistic, but all I can guess is that MGM said, "Hey, we have this dancing kid under contract, let's toss him into the barn dance sequence to pick up the pace of this flick!".
What a shame that Tamblyn didn't come along a bit earlier during the height of musicals at MGM. At least his exuberant skills found some expression in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, West Side Story, Tom Thumb and dramatically enlivened the original, brilliant Robert Wise version of The Haunting. I don't recall him dancing in the latter film, (though I believe that he did a handstand or two). I also enjoyed his dramatic appearances in such Westerns as The Last Hunt and the remake of Cimarron. Tamblyn also certainly made such guilty pleasures as Peyton Place and The Long Ships more enjoyable viewing for me too! He had a genuine mischievous expression and, when called for, quite alot of sensitivity in his acting.