FrankGrimes

*It is. I wish it were a "theme" for more than just westerns.* I can't help it that I'm a Hammond!

*You're right! I didn't notice it before.* It's annoying! Even more so than me! *I still feel unsure whether he did all he did out of love for his neice and nephew or to save the family (and the senator) from disgrace.* And that's a big reason why I felt the film ends on a disappointing note. But, for some reason, this is a time where it didn't bother me much. I really enjoyed the ride up until that point. I just loved the entire mood and the stars delivered. *And what kind of scientist was he? They were kind of vague about that.* That's a great question. I'm not sure if I really know the answer. I suppose it was something to do with mental health. *His character in Cry Wolf reminds me a lot of his character in* *That Forsythe Woman.* A Greer Garson film?! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! *I like The Whole Town's Talking ! I also like two of the Will Rogers flicks.* *Alright.* You don't sound convinced! *Demarest sends a big signal there. You're not the only one who compared this to Sturges, though I forget who else did. It was some critic or biographer.* The entire Sturges vibe rather fascinated me. I'm not sure if Jackie has seen the film or not, but I think she'd enjoy it. Corinne Calvet is excellent. *The most "Fordian" thing about it I've gleaned is that it is about people's perceptions, especially their perceptions of "heroes".* That's an astute observation. I would have never picked that up. The film certainly doesn't feel "Fordian."

*That is one of the great lines of western film. Love it.* It's all about self-respect. That's definitely a strong westerns theme.

*I gotta watch this movie again! What a great question.* I hope you do! It's such a "human" western. It screams "you." Even the very best of intentions can end up being harmful.

Howdy, Cowboy Chris -- I want to thank you for bringing *Ride the High Country* to the fore. I loved it. *Ride The High Country stars two cowboy icons, Randolph Scott (cue chorus) and Joel McCrea. As long as those two are on screen it is a joy to watch.* I completely agree. The film is all about Scott and McCrea and both deliver impeccable performances. They truly are "old pros." *Enter the Hammond family. This is where it comes off the rails a little for me. They're nuts. It's not a matter of the gold and their greed for it but their attempts for recover Hartley from our heroes after her unfortunate marriage to one of the Hammond boys.* And I also agree with you about this. The film does slow down when the Hammond boys enter picture. But I do like the pay-off. I like the entire idea of how things in life can "sidetrack" you. "I went out to do this and I fell in love," etc. *I guess in the plot delivery there may not be much difference between stealing gold and Hartley. The Hammond honor has been insulted when Hartley walks out after their wedding night when all the brothers want to consumate the marriage.* Ha! That's hilarious! You're right, all the brothers wanted to consumate the marriage. *It shouldn't have come as much of a surprise about the family but Harltey has to get away from her overbearing (and unfortunately sterotypical) Bible quoting father who sees no value in anyone much less that of one interested in his daughter. Her father is set as the real evil one that sets everything else in motion. He's cruel, domineering, brutal and unloving though he claims that what he does is because he loves her.* And he was right about Coarsegold! As you wisely mention in later posts, Joshua is too judgmental. He thinks the very worst of everyone. I believe he's being played as an extreme just as Coarse Gold is being shown as another extreme. This is where "black and white" can be dangerous. It looks to simplify. It's either one or the other, with no in between. Well, that's just not how life is. And Peckinpah drops this on us in the film, to my delight, of course: *I think this slows the whole middle down. Once the plot gets back to Scott and McCrea and their disagreement over the gold it picks up for me. Then they finally come together again at the finale when the Hammonds finally catch up with them and the shoot out begins.* I'm with you again. The middle of the film had me wondering how good it was going to be. The ending truly elevates the film. But I did enjoy the middle of the film, too. It's just nowhere near as good as the beginning and the end. *The rapport and chemistry between Scott and McCrea is great and their characters are well written. The characters have a long and good friendship and know each other well. They light up the screen.* Perfectly said. It's wonderful to see these two together. It really is an ode to the western and the old cowboys who were on the way out. It's great. *Parts of the film feel like a distraction to the main plot. Hartley is a burden to them which if the focus had been on the gold it may have taken on a different flavor. Take out McCrea and I don't think it is as good as some of Scott's later 50's westerns. But kudos to whoever got McCrea and Scott together for this film. Without them it wouldn't be near the film it is now. But that's just me.* For me, I believe the addition of a girl, an innocent girl, adds to the entire honor and morality of the story. Doing the "right thing." It's not just about the gold and their doing a mission. There's way more to it all. There's way more to being a good person than just doing your thing. I also liked the path of Heck (Ron Starr). He was no different than the Hammonds with Elsa when all of this started. Then he quickly grew up, thanks to the help of Gil (Randolph Scott) and Steve (Joel McCrea). He wasn't just jealous of the Hammonds for taking his "gold" from him. No, not at all. He was upset over the kind of people they were and that they were mistreating Elsa. Elsa becomes his gold. He feels the need to protect her, just as Steve needs to do so with the gold. And, in the end, Gil feels the same about his "gold."

*Your ranking of* *Brief Encounter after* *Cry Wolf doesn't bode well for Jackie's favorite. Because in no way is CW in the same league. So what sank it for you? You can answer this when you respond to Jackie's eloquent post, I don't mean to interrupt.* I liked it but I didn't love it. I actually loved the little relationship between Albert (Stanley Holloway) and Myrtle (Albert Godby) more than the one between Alec (Trevor Howard) and Laura (Celia Johnson). I do believe David Lean (and Noel Coward) captures the entire idea of an "innocent" love affair. There's nothing lascivious about Alec and Laura. They are just feeling unfulfilled in their life, despite having a lot in their life. It's the kind of attention the other offers that is different than what they currently have.

*Are you having trouble posting?* No, but everyone's name is being shown in the middle of their post. *Boy, I have no recollection of any of that. I'll try to rewatch it soon. Jackie will be delighted you liked Tone so much.* He's fantastic in *The Lives of a Bengal Lancer*. He's very quick and smooth; wonderful delivery. *I really enjoy those movies, too especially as they are done at this time. The emphasis is often on setting a mood, and that is something I respond to.* I usually like those films, as well. I love the danger of them. Barbara starred in two other "woman in danger" films during this period: *The Two Mrs. Carrolls* and *Sorry, Wrong Number*. I suppose *Jeopardy* could also be classified as such a film. *I thought Barbara was especially pretty in this movie, too.* So did I! I think she looks terrific. *What was interesting to me was that just as each of them was unsure of the motives of the other, we are kind of unsure too, at least to begin with in Barbara's case. Her explanation of her marriage was rather unconventional.* And that's exactly what I loved about the film. I loved all the distrust. It really kept me guessing as to who was on the level and what was going to happen next. *You're right that they are well matched. Even the characters are both brainy types, it's like they are excited by each other's grey matter.* *One of the things I like about Flynn is he could play intelligent characters as well as men of action.* Interestingly enough, I've only seen two of his films now, with the other being *The Sun Also Rises*. I have liked him in both. I prefer him in *Cry Wolf*, though. *Liar! You don't like any of this comedies!* I like *The Whole Town's Talking* ! I also like two of the Will Rogers flicks. *I'm not an expert on what makes Sturges unique, so I can't really say whether or not I agree about the comparison.* The idea of a goofball getting caught up in something way bigger than he reminded me a lot of Sturges. Plus the entire community rallying around his cause and then starting to turn on him is very "Sturges." Also the presence of William Demarest as the father was a big factor.

So does that mean Hester cheated on Joshua (R.G. Armstrong)? Was Joshua strict beforehand and this drove Hester away, ala Elsa (Mariette Hartley)? Or did this create Joshua's strictness?

Whoever is in change of the design and functionality of the board is doing a bang-up job. *I don't understand those parentheses. Anything that has to do with math has to be explained as if to a two year old child because my brain doesn't compute.* The first number in parentheses is how you guessed I'd like the film and the second is how you liked it. *I just realized we're talking about two different movies. I am thinking of Beau Geste. I haven't seen* *Lives of a Bengal Lancer recently enough to even rank it, so you can just remove it from my list altogether.* *What did you like about it so much? Who's in it, besides Gary? See, it's a complete blank for me.* Franchot Tone plays Gary's "thorn in the side" comrade. He's sensational. The film is somewhat similar to *Wee Willie Winkie* and a little similar to the father/son story in *Rio Grande*. It's about the son of a colonel (Richard Cromwell) joining the base despite his father's (Guy Standing) disapproval. The son wishes to do right by his father but his father is afraid to show any feeling towards his son. That part of the story is okay. What I really liked was the pairing of Coop and Tone, as both ended up being "bigger brothers" to the colonel's son. This is a " 'brothers' in arms" kind of film (ala *Beau Geste* ) that I liked. For me, Tone is the best part, but I also enjoyed Coop. *Conversely, I enjoyed Cry Wolf more after seeing it again than I did the first couple of times. Errol is bit too muted and the twinkle in his eye is missing, but Barbara is great and it's a fun mystery. Light.* I enjoyed them both. I thought they proved to be great adversaries. It seems like the mid-to-late-40s featured many of these "don't go in that room!" films with women in the lead. I know of *Jane Eyre*, *Dragonwyck*, *Secret Beyond the Door*, *The Red House*, and *The Spiral Staircase*. Even *Notorious* features this. *As for When Willie Comes Marching Home, I've only seen it once and I'm not a fan of Dan Dailey or service comedies in general. I'm surprised you didn't bottom list it since Ford + Comedy usually sinks for you.* I've liked some Ford comedies! It felt like Ford was playing Preston Sturges. At first I was annoyed by it, but then I started to enjoy it and I ultimately came to like it.

Thanks, Movieman. I've been keeping up with the discussion, and I should be able to join it later tonight.

It looks like we think completely differently about these films! That's rare for us. Here is how I liked them: *1*. Ride the High Country (3/8) *2*. The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (10/9) *3*. Cry Wolf (5/5) *4*. Brief Encounter (1/7) *5.* Soldier of Fortune (9/1) *6*. Flying Leathernecks (4/10) *7*. When Willie Comes Marching Home (11/11) *8*. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (8/3) *9*. The Captive City (6/4) *10*. The Killer That Stalked New York (2/6) *11*. Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (7/2) The closest we come to liking something is *Cry Wolf*. And, yet again, I like a Ford film more than you! And I like Coop way more than you!

*I didn't think you were such a fan of "Jennifer Hart".* Oh, yes. I still have a bit of crush on her. She's very affectionate. My brother got me the first season of the show for my birthday. It had long been on my list. *And where is "Rowdy"?* He just missed my list. I barely had 40 names for the women but I had about 60 for the men. *P.S. Matt was a U.S. Marshal.* D'oh! I completely screwed that up.

Hey there, FXReyman -- *Well, this is a sentimental favorite of mine. Just being born in 1960, I had no chance to see this when it first came out in the theaters. But in 1967, Disney re-released this film and I got to see it on my birthday that year! Along with two of my closest grammer school friends. It was so cool! The thing I remembered the most about the film wasn't really so much about the film but it was the fact that this was the first time in my young life that I attended a movie without one of my parents escorting me. We sat about half way down the theater and I don't recall even getting up to go to the bathroom. We just sat there transfixed looking at the screen. To be honest, I don't recall too much about the film from that day. I would see the film again years later and I fell in love with it all over again. Just a wonderful story and for it's time, really good film-making.* I really like that story. I like hearing about childhood memories. Many of my favorite films from the late-70s and 80s are all about my childhood. I still love them. *When I first saw Liberty Valance, I found it to be a very unusual film. I think I may have been in my early twenties or so and my appreciation for early 1960 films especially those films that were photographed in black and white were less than appealing to me. Especially those films that tried to show outdoor scenes on a sound stage. I had yet to discover the true essence of B/W films. Flash forward twenty years and my fondness for B/W films had increased to the point that most of the films I was adding to my collection were the old B/Ws.* I completely understand that. It took me until my late-20s before I could begin to appreciate older films, particularly those shot in black and white. *But somewhere I found Hatari! And I loved it!! The movie transcends several levels for me. Oh, sure it is really an adventure movie filmed in a faraway place, but I look at it as an early example of the buddy picture. Although in it's case it is really more of an ensemble piece. And I really like ensemble pieces, especially the ones that throw all sorts of different characters together and they have to work together to solve some sort of mission or job. That is why I love The Professionals (1966).* What I liked most about *Hatari!* was the scenes of the "hunt." I thought Howard Hawks did an exceptional job of capturing the speed and adrenaline of such pursuits. *Well, the 60's were an interesting decade. Mainly from the standpoint that it is the decade that really saw the final collapse of the studio system and the rise of independent producers and directors. The abolishment of the Hays Code also influenced many filmmakers. Although I really think that most filmmakers were already pushing the envelope early on in the decade. There was a sense that the standard Hollywood film was on its last gasp of air then, especially when you consider many of the "light" fare of films that I chose to include on my list of favorites were in fact throwbacks to an early era of film making. You compare your list to mine and you know what I am talking about here.* The kind of films made and the tone of the 60s is what pushes me away. I always think of epics and musicals with the decade, and those are two of my least favorite kind of films. I also think of the beach flicks, Elvis, Hammer/Corman/Castle horror, and social-conscience films of the era that tend to turn me off more so than on. I also seem to be cold on the stars of the time. The old guard was leaving or losing their virility and the actresses of the 60s just don't do it for me like those of the 40s and 50s. Having said all of that, I will say that I'm still very early on in my exploration of the decade. *You selected 99 films for your list where as my list totaled 100. Your list has more films in certain years where as my list has ten films from each year.* Yeah, comparing my list to yours is going to be off because I have only seen 99 films from the entire decade. *Okay so you have listed 14 films here ranked as they would be ranked in the decade of the sixties. That is an even more daunting task than just picking which film ranks higher than the next film on the list.* It's definitely a challenge. Since I'm in the process of watching these movies, I'm always looking to see where my latest viewing ranks within its decade. Almost all of my classic film viewing has occurred in the past ten years, so all of this is very new to me. *I see where you chose Psycho as your number one film. I could never have done that. Of all of Hitchcock's films, I have always felt that Psycho was a little out of character when you place all of his other films up against it. It is just my belief that Hitchcock was always better at telling suspense tales. And even though Psycho has suspense, it really is a horror film, one of my least favorite genres.* You're right, *Psycho* is definitely a horror film. And I love that. I definitely like horror films. It's one of my favorite genres. *Now if we were going to select a year from this decade to pick as the best year, then I would have to say that 1962 would be right up there alongside 1939, and 1946. Just a superb year for films.* I completely agree. It's a terrific year for film. *Batman for not so obvious reasons could be similar to my pick of McLintock for 1963. A sentimental favorite film if there ever was one, would you not agree? Not a great film, but a film that you enjoy. And that is what these favorite lists are all about.* You've got it. Batman is one of my all-time favorite television shows and I really enjoy the film. It's a lot of fun. It's very much a personal choice for me. *The Birds has never been one of my favorite Hitchcock films. I like the performances like Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren and one of my faves from the seventies, Suzanne Pleshette, but overall the film does not do anything for me.* When I joined the board, I mostly liked *The Birds*. Then when I watched it again for analysis, I ended up really liking it. I love that it's a mother-in-law film disguised as a horror film. It's ingenious. Only Hitch. *Donovan's Reef and McLintock! are personal faves of mine of the Duke. He was very good at light comedy. A lot of people don't realize this. Always thing of him as this giant of a man of action in westerns, war movies and such. But he was quite good in these two films.* This is another thing I have learned thanks to this board. John Wayne is a fantastic comedic actor. He's just an underrated actor, overall. Before this board, I would have never said such a thing. *In Cold Blood was at one time my favorite film for this year. It eventually was surpassed by El Dorado and others, but it still remains a powerful film about murder and the eventual capture of the two criminals. I really liked Forsythe's role as the dogged police pursuer Alvin Dewey. A really wonderful film told in flashback. The novel was even better. Point Blank is your number one here where as on my list it is ranked number nine. Blank is what I like to refer as part of the coming of age of the crime thriller that along with Bonnie and Clyde (which was released two weeks prior to this film) started the whole business of reinvigorating the genre. Actually taking it form the noir stage to the modern crime stage. All other modern (post 1967) crime films can legitimately state that these two films got the ball rolling as far as the modern crime film is concerned.* *In Cold Blood* is one of the better looking black-and-white films that I have seen. It's visually strong in many ways. And I definitely agree with you about *Point Blank* being an important film that helped to usher in the new kind of crime film, a "genre" that the 60s sorely lacks after the death of film noir in the late-50s. So do you look to watch the films you haven't seen or have you pretty much stopped watching "new" classics? For example, what are the most recent 60s films you have seen for the very first time?

I'm not going to include animated shows, such as The Simpsons. I know better with you. And I won't include my favorite horse, either. Favorite Female TV Characters: 1. Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt in Three's Company ) 2. Daisy Duke (Catherine Bach in The Dukes of Hazzard ) 3. Chrissy Snow (Suzanne Somers in Three's Company ) 4. Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson in The X-Files ) 5. Laura Petrie (Mary Tyler Moore in The Dick Van Dyke Show ) 6. Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery in Bewitched ) 7. Jeannie (Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie ) 8. Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas in That Girl ) 9. Florence Johnston (Marla Gibbs in The Jeffersons ) 10. Sally Rogers (Rose Marie in The Dick Van Dyke Show ) 11. Jennifer Hart (Stefanie Powers in Hart to Hart ) 12. Sabrina Duncan (Kate Jackson in Charlie's Angels ) 13. Sonny Lumet (Donna Dixon in Bosom Buddies ) 14. Helen Roper (Audra Lindley in Three's Company ) 15. Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter in Wonder Woman ) 16. Aunt Esther (LaWanda Page in Sanford and Son ) 17. Laverne DeFazio (Penny Marshall in Laverne & Shirley ) 18. Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore in The Mary Tyler Moore Show ) 19. Miss Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake in Gunsmoke ) 20. Colonel Wilma Dearing (Erin Gray in Buck Rogers in the 25th Century ) 21. Vera Louise Gorman (Beth Howland in Alice ) 22. Florence "Flo" Jean Castleberry (Polly Holliday in Alice ) 23. Jill Munroe (Farrah Fawcett in Charlie's Angels ) 24. Carol Brady (Florence Henderson in The Brady Bunch ) 25. Rhoda Mergenstern (Valerie Harper in The Mary Tyler Moore Show ) Favorite Male TV Characters: 1. Jack Tripper (John Ritter in Three's Company ) 2. Fox Mulder (David Duchovny in The X-Files ) 3. Batman (Adam West in Batman ) 4. MSgt. Ernest G. Bilko (Phil Silvers in The Phil Silvers Show ) 5. Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane (James Best in The Dukes of Hazzard ) 6. Boss Hogg (Sorrell Booke in The Dukes of the Hazzard ) 7. Detective Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen in Police Squad! ) 8. Fred G. Sanford (Redd Foxx in Sanford and Son ) 9. George Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley in The Jeffersons ) 10. Stanley Roper (Norman Fell in Three's Company ) 11. Ralph Furley (Don Knotts in Three's Company ) 12. The Joker (Cesar Romero in Batman ) 13. Bo Duke (John Schneider in The Dukes of Hazzard ) 14. Kip/Buffy Wilson (Tom Hanks in Bosom Buddies ) 15. Luke Duke (Tom Wopat in The Dukes of Hazzard ) 16. Rob Petrie (Dick Van Dyke in The Dick Vany Dyke Show ) 17. Gil Favor (Eric Fleming in Rawhide ) 18. Larry Dallas (Richard Kline in Three's Company ) 19. Henry/Hildegard Desmond (Peter Scolari in Bosom Buddies ) 20. Uncle Jesse Duke (Denver Pyle in The Dukes of Hazzard ) 21. Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli (Henry Winkler in Happy Days ) 22. Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce (Alan Alda in M*A*S*H ) 23. Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor in All in the Family ) 24. Pvt. Duane Doberman (Maurice Gosfield in The Phil Silvers Show ) 25. Sheriff Matt Dillon (James Arness in Gunsmoke )

Good evening, Little Red Buick -- *I don't know most of the films well enough to know how to rank them, but here's what I am pretty sure of:* *1. Brief Encounter* *2. Ride the High Country* I like your confidence! What makes you believe I'd like them the most? *Lives of a Bengal Lancer I loved as a kid, but later on, whne I came back to it, I was a little bored. I haven't seen in for so long, I can only remember that I liked a jailhouse scene.* You saw that as a kid? That's great! Did you just stumble across it or did someone introduce it to you? *I can't really rank the Sherlock Holmes films, having never seen them next to one another. I like them all.* I recently got the collection, so I've been watching them in order.

And how do you like those movies, Miss Gun for Hire?

I've watched another group of films, Miss Goddess. I'd love to know how you like the films and I'd love for you to guess how I liked them. If anyone else cares to chime in, please do. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Brief Encounter The Captive City Cry Wolf Flying Leathernecks The Killer That Stalked New York The Lives of a Bengal Lancer Ride the High Country Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror Soldier of Fortune When Willie Comes Marching Home

Wow! What a sensational post, Rey! I've got a lot to reply to. I hope to do so later this evening. I should be around. I also want to reply to Fordy Guns' post on favorite TV characters. It's been a while since I tried doing such a list.

Howdy, Cowboy Chris -- *Frankly, I'm a little surprised either of you enjoyed it as much as it sounds.* I liked the family theme of the film and the loyalty of Sam and Dog. *Spent the latter part of the afternoon watching "Ride The High Country." I've not seen any real discussion on it (if there is one to be had.) Maybe after we're done with Duke you might share any thoughts there.* I just got the Peckinpah box set last month, so I can watch it.

*I mean if you have a dad like Jacob McCandles. * Yeah, that would make a difference. *She evidently did quite a few. They even inducted her into the Western Hall of Fame.* Wow! That's quite an honor. *Only if the situation calls for it.* As much as you slap, you would be saying "Dog" a lot!

*It's the kind of experience boys probably dream of.* You think so? I guess that depends on your dad. The experience can sometimes be embarrassing. *She has a small part, but not much interaction with Wayne beyond maybe one small scene. I like her in westerns and in films noir.* I don't know if I've seen her in a western or not. *What else in New York?!* You seemed to want an attack dog!

*Well, yes, that's all true and I agree.* And I know his sons came to appreciate him more because they got to spend time with him and be around him in action. *Marie Windsor? I like her alot, though she's no Maureen O'Hara.* Marie is in "Cahill"? That's interesting. And I know she's not Maureen to you. Especially with the Duke. *You can't walk a skillet.* You just want to walk the dog?

BIG JAKE IS BIG SPOILED *Only because it didn't end in bloodshed.* No, not really. I understand the meaning of the scene, it's just not my kind of scene. *But how do they affect him? He didn't seem any different at the end!* I thought he was. I believe he respected his sons more and I thought he felt a closeness with his grandson. I think it would be more difficult for him to just abandon these boys after all of this. I feel he'll be more responsible and accountable. *I suppose so, but there wasn't much female presence in Cahill, and I didn't mind as much.* Did you like the actress as much as Maureen? *I felt terrible, too. Dog was mighty handy to have around. I'd love to have him in New York.* They died viciously, too. And you've got a skillet!

BIG JAKE SPOILED BY SNIPPY *We just met McCandles at that point!* But that scene was on the silly side, for me. *I'm amazed you liked this movie at all.* Me, too! But I liked how the sons and grandson come to affect Big Jake, and vice versa. I also love Sam (Bruce Cabot) and Dog and what they end up doing. *In a way he was like my father. Smart and sarcastic about it. "You just had a look in your eye that worries me." ha!* I'm sure your dad said that a lot to you! *When you really notice a character's absence then they weren't used enough.* You wanted the female presence! *And I didn't care for how the Indian just got killed and there was no real reaction to it. This is gratuitous to me. Reactions are what I look for, more than "action".* I was surprised by there not being any kind of remorse over the loss of Sam and Dog. But I can tell you that I provided it for them. It hurt to see them perish. It was a good feeling to have. *Oh, I thought you had it. Funny those 60s/70s movies aren't all together in one bunch, they're so similar.* I've got a lot of Wayne, but I don't have that one.

*I'm sorry it took so long,* Shiftless! *I think the violence in this one bothered me too much. The beginning and end scenes just seemed to drag out longer for the sake of showing a blood bath. And it didn't need it! I'd like to have seen much more character work from the actors, many of whom were real pros, than all that killing.* Sigh. You and your violence! I guess I'm just used to the violence so it doesn't bother me. *too bad Jim Davis' bit was so small but that was one of my favorite segments.* Oh, my. I was still worrying about the film at that point. *And the music was pretty good, the variations on that tune, "Frere Jacques", that little Jake plays in the opening...Ro...it had me thinking of Rhoda, ha!* Music?! This is just getting worse and worse! *Jake kind of reminds me of Rooster Cogburn, if Rooster had had kids with his wife. He just wasn't played for comedy.* He has his comedic moments, which I like. *Patrick Wayne was good, and of course, Richard Boone as the bad guy. "You understand? Say it." that was funny, my parents always did that.* You had Richard Boone as your parents? That explains a lot with you! *And of course, the running joke that McCandles was thought dead by everyone, I liked that. Only Martha seemed to know he was alive and where to find him.* I definitely liked that. *I still wish they could have returned and gotten a reaction from Martha.* That would have been a much better ending than the silly still. *I'm bewildered there was so little use made of Maureen. Less time shooting and killing in the beginning is one way.* I'm guessing Maureen didn't want to do much at this point of her career. *Maybe we can talk one day about Cahill US Marshall to compare.* I'd have to get that one.