Film_Fatale

One of the funny things about the movie is that Paramount still owns the rights to it - even though it sold the bulk of its pre-1949 non-silents to MCA/Universal. The reason, apparently, is that the sale was done with television showings in mind, and nobody at that time thought this movie could possibly be shown on TV.

> {quote:title=JackFavell wrote:}{quote} > Howdy, ma'am! > > I did not watch Silverado, though I meant to. I was busy getting my little one to bed and then catching up here on the boards.... Howdy, dahling! Well, the good thing about both of tonight's westerns is that they are both on DVD. However, *The Last Command* (1955) which shows Monday night, is NOT available on DVD, although it was released on VHS at some point. It shows at 9pm PT/12am ET, and won't show again until March. (According to the credits, J. Carrol Naish plays Santa Anna! ) Then Tuesday morning, Jacques Tourneur's *Stars In My Crown* will be showing: *Stars In My Crown* (1950) A parson uses six-guns and the Bible to bring peace to a Tennessee town. Cast: Joel McCrea, Ellen Drew, Dean Stockwell, Alan Hale Dir: Jacques Tourneur BW-89 mins, TV-G So I'd say we'll be starting the week pretty well, westerns-wise. Also, although technically not exactly a western, John Ford's *The Fugitive* will be showing on Monday morning/afternoon. That's another Ford movie that is shamefully not yet on DVD. Anyone planning to watch any of these movies?

Just wanted to give everyone a heads-up, this Western hadn't been mentioned by anyone but is going to be showing Monday night: *The Last Command* (1955) Texas hero Jim Bowie defends against Mexican general Santa Ana. Cast: Sterling Hayden, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Richard Carlson, Arthur Hunnicutt Dir: Frank Lloyd BW-110 mins, TV-PG Here is the TCM article: http://www.tcm.com/thismonth/article/?cid=95527 *The Last Command* Certain historical events are simply too cinematic to be left alone by Hollywood. The battle at the Alamo, with its out-numbered heroes and lots of bloody gunplay, re-appears every few years, the latest installment being John Hancock's 2004 box office bomb starring Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton. Frank Lloyd's The Last Command (1955) may not be the biggest or best known cinematic interpretation of the events at the Alamo, but it boasts a strong cast and enough gritty action sequences for what amounts to a glorified B-picture. Sterling Hayden stars as Jim Bowie, who, yes, is the inventor of the Bowie knife. As the story opens, Bowie lives peacefully in Mexico-owned 19th century Texas. But his American-citizen neighbors, Mike Radin (Ernest Borgnine) and William Travis (Richard Carlson) are itching for secession. Although Radin and Bowie eventually end up in a knife fight (word to the wise - don't get into knife fights with people who invent knives), Bowie winds up siding with the secessionists. This, of course, leads to a showdown at the Alamo, during which 187 men hold off an onslaught of 7,000 Mexicans for nearly two weeks. The narrative builds slowly, but the final battle is terrifically staged, even if you aren't surprised by the outcome. Historians are always complaining that Hollywood plays loose with the facts, and The Last Command is certainly no different than other Alamo pictures in that regard. It's best to just sit back and enjoy Hayden's gruff performance, and Borgnine's rather inexplicable street-smart presence. No amount of frontier garb could fully take the New York out of this performer. (He seems to forever be digesting a Nathan's hot dog and a beer.) Max Steiner's rousing score is also a big highlight. You'll probably recall that John Wayne directed and starred in The Alamo (1960), an overblown variation of this story which co-starred Richard Widmark. Wayne had been trying to get the film off the ground for quite a while, and was actually negotiating the deal with Republic, who financed The Last Command. Unfortunately, Wayne wanted to make a much more ambitious (i.e. costly) film than Republic head Herbert Yates was prepared to finance. Some people also believe that Yates insisted on using Vera Hruba Ralston, a former Czechoslovakian figure skater and would-be Republic "movie star," as the Duke's love interest. Wayne had already worked with the marginally talented Ralston on Dakota (1945), and blanched at doing it again. So there went the deal. But that wasn't the end of Republic's interest in the Alamo. In a move that seemed at least partially designed to get Wayne's goat, Yates rushed The Last Command into production. The film he ended up with certainly can't compete with Wayne's epic in terms of sheer scale, but as Western novelist Brian Garfield notes in his Western Films guide, it has "considerably more verve and drama." Wayne's picture, though visually spectacular, is simply too grandiose and lumbering to sustain much tension. Sometimes, it seems, smaller really is better. Especially if you're the guy putting up the money. Producer/Director: Frank Lloyd Screenplay: Warren Duff (based on the story by Sy Bartlett) Cinematographer: Jack Marta Editor: Tony Martinelli Music: Max Steiner Art Design: Frank Arrigo Principal Cast: Sterling Hayden (James Bowie), Anna Maria Alberghetti (Consuela), Richard Carlson (William Travis), Arthur Hunnicutt (Davy Crockett), Ernest Borgnine (Mike Radin), J. Carrol Naish (Santa Ana), Ben Cooper (Jeb Lacey), John Russell (Lt. Dickinson), Virginia Grey (Mrs. Dickinson), Jim Davis (Evans), Eduard Franz (Lorenzo de Quesada), Otto Kruger (Stephen Austin), Russell Simpson (The Parson), Roy Roberts (Dr. Sutherland), Slim Pickens (Abe), Hugh Sanders (Sam Houston). C-110m. by Paul Tatara

Vargas, "Mike" - Charlton Heston in *Touch of Evil*

That's quite a few westerns you've watched lately, Jackie! Although of course I tend to think of *Border Incident* as another genre altogether. You watching *Silverado* and *Barbarosa* tonight? I get what you're saying about "realism" in John Ford's westerns, and for me personally it goes a little beyond just "realism", but rather a somewhat artistic version of the world. It was explained a little bit in *Directed by John Ford*, they gave the example of Maureen O'Hara's veil in *How Green Was Our Valley*, I think. So it included things that were possible in real life, but somehow also definitely enhanced for the benefit of the camera.

Very nice guitar! And welcome to the forums, h_cue!

Are you a big fan of 60s music, Jake? When I was in college I used to listen to oldies almost all the time. This is one of my other 60s favourites: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfuRz1w_8ss And in colour: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gDfHT-TcbY

Merle Oberon :x

> {quote:title=JakeHolman wrote:}{quote} > A great movie, too... > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQwwqajZXD8 Most definitely an awesome movie. Just hope it might be released on blu-ray one of these days. B-) And for some strange, this Sunday afternoon I suddenly felt like listening to this:

*Jules et Jim*... c'est magnifique!! :x

> {quote:title=BelleLeGrand1 wrote:}{quote} > To celebrate Randolph Scott's birthday, I've just watched The Walking Hills for the first time and wish to highly recommend it to anyone here who hasn't had the chance to see it. It's got a great cast (Ella Raines, Edgar Buchanan, John Ireland) directed by John Sturges. Kind of a film noir Western with echoes of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. I don't know if I have ever seen that one. Thanks for the recommendation, Belle!

Yes! I'm the ghost of his evil brother. I practice in bad medicine, don't you know. The heart in my name is turned upside down. I honestly refuse to believe that. :|

Sean Penn was in *Fast Times at Ridgemont High* with _Jennifer Jason Leigh_

Well, they say there's a black sheep in every family.

Well, even if the movie isn't showing today, it's a fun topic for a Sunday afternoon.

> {quote:title=movieman1957 wrote:}{quote} > The winter scenes are one thing I admired in that they did them in winter. In the early scene you can see their breath. It's the same later with some of the horses. It sure does look cold. At least in the good old days you couldn't fake it . Now I hear people say they have put in the breath with special effects. It's true, CGI effects can be used for the breath effect, but depending on circumstances, it can easily be more expensive than actually shooting in a cold location.

_Very_ nice poster, although the movie is apparently not on today's schedule. But with that nice painting of Coop, who's complaining?

> {quote:title=CineMaven wrote:}{quote} > I can even see it be re-made. > > Audrey Hepburn.......Anne Hathaway > Shirley MacLaine.....Julianne Nicholson > James Garner..........Any handsome leading man will do. > Miriam Hopkins........Sure there are any number of capable character actresses who can play this ditsy harpy. > As long as they don't consider Ben Affleck for the James Garner part....

Jane Powell was in *Seven Brides for Seven Brothers* with _Howard Keel_

MM alert - FMC showing *Monkey Business* (1952) noon on Monday, Jan. 26th.

Showing on Fox Movie Channel today at 9:30am ET- John Ford's *My Darling Clementine* - with Henry Fonda, Linda Darnell, Victor Mature.

> {quote:title=rainingviolets21 wrote:}{quote} > And did anyone mention the most beautiful and lovliest redhead ever to appear on the screen > ARLENE DAHL ? Lovely, indeed! Arlene was just honoured Saturday night at the San Francisco Film Noir Festival; the event included screenings of *Wicked as They Come* and *Slightly Scarlet* - the latter one, in SuperScope and Technicolor, of course also features Rhonda Fleming.

Jean Arthur

For music-lovin' folks - two great modern musical movies are coming up next Friday as part of the TCM Underground: *Ladies And Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains* (1982) An obsessed young woman launches an all-girl rock band. Cast: Diane Lane, Ray Winstone, Peter Donat, David Clennon Dir: Lou Adler C-88 mins, *Eddie and the Cruisers* (1983) Cast: Tom Berenger, Michael Pare', Joe Pantoliano, Matthew Laurance Dir: Martin Davidson