rohanaka

I won't go so far as to say this is one of my favorite westerns I got to thinking about my original "Big Country" post when responding to the comments about "Ramon" and I started rolling all the conversations on here around in my head...and I think I am going to have to revise the above statement (from the beginning of all of this)...I have to say after all this thought and all your great responses...I am going to bump this one up on my "ever-growing, constantly expanding list of favorites" It's fun to see how my movies tastes have changed and developed over the years. (Maybe one of those age/wisdom moments!) :-) Message was edited by: rohanaka

The Law and Jake Wade Miss G--is this one for my list? Or (judging from your description) can it wait on my (not yet created) "maybe will watch after I see the other's first" list...pretty soon I will have to start "framing" all these little scraps of paper and decorate my office walls. :-)

Ramon I loved the way he just sort of "latched on" to Peck's character. It was a great supporting character and he (Bedoya) did a good job of portraying the humorous aspects of things (it made the whole situation just seem more "real"--at least for me.) I am embarrassed to admit that I have never seen Treasure of the Sierra Madre....but if (or should I say when?) I do I will watch for him. You and Bronxgirl are right on about the music. I have had that theme stuck in my head ever since the other night. (The tune matches perfectly to the words "It's a Big Country" which I doubt was an accident.) At times it was a little overbearing, but I guess they just wanted it to be as grand as everything else about the film. Regarding the Hannasey Woman" --we need to take a poll as to who she is because I thought she was Ives' wife...at the beginning of her conversation with the Major she says something like "my husband aint here" so I took that to mean the head of the household...I could be wrong about that...anyone else have a thought???

I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar. Lovely--stoic, yet filled with emotion.

she is who she is because her family made her that way That is a very thoughtful way of putting it. I do remember hearing somewhere that they were a very large influence in her life.

Lion in Winter That one's probably my favorite for her...a close second would likely be The Philadelphia story. She was certainly an interesting person. And I believe she was an individual who seem to live on her own terms....not always a good choice in some respects...but she was someone who evidently could carry it off. I saw a documentary one time (I believe on the History Channel or maybe National Geographic) about a hurricane that hit New England (not sure when, but it was earlier in her film career if I recall) and she and her family were there when it happened. If memory serves the family home was either severely damaged or destroyed. It was a pretty devastating storm from what I remember and their were several people in that area at the time who did not survive. Very interesting "trivia" about her that at the time I am sure was anything but trivial.

Any discussions on THE BIG COUNTRY Hi Bronxgirl... we were talking about it in Western Movie Rambles....I took a "copy" off of Miss G's idea and started a little thread for :rambling". I had a bunch of stuff I wanted to post, but did not know where the best spot was because I don't know how to post pictures for the photo gallery and I did not necessarily consider it one of my best ever films...but I did like it and wanted to chat...Hence...the thought behind borrowing the "ramble" idea. Anyone who wants to stop by is certainly welcome to chime in! :-)

Randy Rides Alone A singing cowboy! Now that bumps this one up to the top of my list....I am hoping to catch at least 3 of these later tonight or maybe tomorrow afternoon. Thanks for the info!

Hi Anne I don't know for sure about a schedule reminder on the cable we have..it's pretty basic. I did however look up some of my faves on TCM's database and ask for email reminders so I would be able to remember to catch them when they're on. I used to do a lot of recording on our old VCR but it bit the dust, and I got a new vcr/dvd combo thing from my dad earlier this summer. But the first time I tried to record anything on tape with it, I could not figure out how to set the stupid channel--you may not have seen my other posts, but I am a self proclaimed "technophobe" :-) I got the instuction book out the other day to see how to set it up and am hoping to figure it out for the next time I want to record something. Will see what I can find out about the schedule reminder. Sounds like it would come in handy. Thanks.

HOW THE WEST WAS WON I love this movie...I haven't seen it in years. Believe it or not, the first time I ever watched it was when I was in the 7th grade...they showed it during study hall....for like an entire week or so...it was a lot of fun. That is also where I saw "The Omega Man" for the first time too--(HA! I can't imagine anyone ever thinking that was a good movie for kids that age to watch in a school setting...but it was the mid 70's and maybe they just didn't think about parental ratings and such as much as folks do nowdays...either that or maybe I just think about it more than most people do nowdays....any way--I'm kind of a stickler for not letting kids just watch anything and everything.) (Call me Mama Killjoy.)

AHHHHH! I was just "flipping through" the TV channels and....RIO BRAVO is on AMC!!! (and April after you just posted that YouTube stuff last night) You'd think I would just break down and buy a stupid tv guide or something once in a while so I could keep better track of this sort of thing!! I already missed the first 45 minutes or so...plus I am going to have to leave and run some errands here in a little while any way....so I am calling this one a miss!! :-( I have got to get more of these favorites on tape or DVD so this doesn't keep happening to me!!!!!!!!

Yep-Angel and the Badman is in there....that and McClintock are really the only two films most folks would consider "big name" on there and they were the real reason I bought this set since the whole thing only cost 5 bucks....but there's a whole bunch of little 50-55 minute movies....I am sure they were all made before the Duke became a household name....and I am sure that some are pretty forgettable....but I bet there are some gems in among all the other little "stepping stones" . Will have to watch and see. Here are the other titles--maybe someone else has watched them and would know. These were all made in the 1930's (and all have running times between 50-60 minutes) The Dawn Rider The Desert Trail The Lucky Texan 'Neath Arizona Skies Rainbow Valley The Trail Beyond Texas Terror The Star Packer Paradise Canyon Riders of Destiny West of the Divide Winds of the Wasteland Hell Town The Lawless Frontier The Man From Utah Randy Rides Alone Blue Steel Sagebrush Trail

consistently stupid Oh April...not so! I think it just goes to show that there are too many to list only "10"!! (At least that's the excuse I am using anyway) :-)

Dr Doolittle April, she would probably enjoy all these movies--but so far the only one she's seen is the newer version of Dr.Dolittle w/ Eddie Murphy. I can't remember too much about the one w/ Rex Harrison but they are very different movies....as much as she likes animals, I might have to go find that Harrison one--she'd probably enjoy the music too. ( I can just hear her now..."what's a push-me-pull-you???" ) I have decided after your duke cowboy music posts last night--to check out some of those OLD movies that are on that DVD package we've been talking about... (did you get yours delivered yet??) They are all only about an hour a piece, maybe can find some time to view at least a few of them this weekend. I don't know about you, but I don't think that I have even heard of a lot of these titles...so will have to see what they are all about. I'm sure some are better than others. Let me know if you have any "recommendations".

The Sheherd of the Hills April--although I haven't gotten to see this one again--and it's been a really long time since I saw her in this role, with regard to Beulah-this movie and It's a Wonderful Life were the two I was thinking of....I haven't seen the other two films you mentioned...but I bet she was great....she was pretty versatile if you compare just the two I was thinking of.

I am the Bad Seed Jack!! Never in a million years!!! Don't even think it! :-) I'm not one for any sort of eastern mysticism here, but that little child was Adolph Hitler re-incarnate! HA!! Yes Frank-she's so bad...she's even worse than you!! :-) (or me). Jack I love your list. I have to admit there are some I'm not as familar with as others, but I wish I had thought of Leon Ames, Judy Holliday, and Ethel Barrymore! I wanted to put Agnes Moorhead on mine...but it was so late last night...she was on the "list in my head" but didn't make it to the paper version so I missed her when I typed it in. :-) (I must really be turning into an old fogey-I just can't stay up late like I used to!!) And by the way, thanks for the little tune this thread has put into my warped subconscious...sing along everybody.. 7 Squirrely Cherubs.... 6 Fussy Fussbudgets.... 5 Golden Rings!!!!!

Hi folks--I liked your list April--and the Ford thing "is what it is" I have a few of my own that came from the same source and one movie in particular as I am sure you will notice below.... I did a little thinking and came up with a mixed list of 10--both women and men. I was afraid I'd be here for a year and a day trying to come up with 10 of each--it could go on and on.... I'm sure my list is not as well organized as yours, and likely will be more "hit and miss" on some. But these are the character actors I always seem to like the most..... 1) Walter Brennan:favorite roles were in Sgt. York, Meet John Doe, The Westerner, (and about a gazillion other westerns too) 2) Ward Bond--he's in so many of my favorite movies--how could I not choose him? The Quiet Man...The Searchers...Sgt York....I will stop at three but the original list I wrote on paper has about 8 or so. 3) Victor McLaglen--same story. TQM, Gunga Din, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon...etc etc. 4)Barry Fitzgerald--TQM--no surprise there 5) Mildred Natwick--there is a definite pattern developing here--TQM, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon... Oh my favorite of all has to be 3 Godfathers...it's a pretty small role but how heartbreaking! 6) Edna May Oliver--Pride and Prejudice, David Coppefield, Little Women 7) Spring Byington--Presenting Lily Mars, Little Women--most favorite of all has to be You Can't Take it With You. 8) Frank Morgan- The Wizard of Oz, Shop Around the Corner 9) Henry Jones....Leroy--my boy!! (from the Bad Seed) 10) Jack Elam--...He can play some really rotten charcters but he's also good with the comedy. (Support Your Local Sherriff and all his many "westerns" were great) I like his "sterotypical" greasy, grimy guy that he plays so well...but I also enjoyed him in The Way West...just saw that recently and it is a variation on the theme of the typical "grizzly' looking guy he usually plays....a bit of a change in character anyway. I'm sure there are many I am leaving out, but this will have to do for now....Oh wait--what about Beulah Bondi---and Edmund Gwenn....or how about Ernest Borgnine..or maybe Josephine Hull....I told you this could go on and on.....

sharing this stuff with your little girl We have a lot of fun. She already knows who John Wayne is by sight- (poor kid--she hasn't had much choice in that one) but she also knows his voice. She really liked that recording thing that Bronxgirl posted a while back..I saved it and every now and then I will say something to her with it (usually the "baby sister" one) And she cracks up everytime She is getting to where she also recognizes some of Mama and Daddy's other classic movie favorites. She sort of knows who Cary Grant and Gary Cooper are and she certainly recognizes Maureen O'Hara (She knows TQM is my fave) Whenever she sees me on here she wants to know who I am talking to--she knows your name and Jack's and Bronxgirl too. She's only 5 but she reads at about a 3rd grade level (yes I am bragging just a little) and so she knows everything I am saying when she watches me type. The other day she asked me who April was and I told her your TCM name was MissGoddess....and she said--why does she have two names?? :-) Oh--and she thinks Laffite's name is pronounced "Laff--Ite" (Long I sound) I was posting a reply to him the other day and she happened to walk by. Too funny. I don't always have her in here with me when I am on here because she probably has more keeping her busy than I do--but she is "in the room" sometimes if I am on here in the afternoon or early evenings. Usually she has school work or other things keeping her busy--and she and daddy do a lot of "outdoors stuff" during the summer. So occassionally I get to have a moment to myself...and other times being on here is a "family project" :-) Who knows... maybe someday she will become some sort of classic film historian or something and write a book and dedicate it to her old mom....right after she gets done being a ballerina, a princess, a doctor, and a veterinarian. :-)

Your daughter has great taste! She is quite the little music lover. I think we spent about 30 minutes checking out all the Youtube stuff with the other songs listed around all the ones you posted...she REALLY liked the Cary Grant ones they had when we checked out your post over on that other threatd--Kind of a Drag and You're Just to Good to be True were probably her favorite. If you didn't have time to check out some of the other ones--you ought to go back in there sometime...there's some good "oldies" tunes in there (and the Cary Grant videos are pretty cool.) I believe there may be a couple of different versions of the "Cindy Cindy"song and the tune also gets used with other words too---I think it was a popular song back in the day.

Will have to "Ramble" on over that way and take a look....I don't think I've seen Adventure or The Long Voyage Home...but I didn't know I'd seen "Only Angels Have Wings" until I put the title with the film tonight...so who knows?? I would have a hard time with choosing for Mitchell between Gone With the Wind and It's a Wonderful Life...both characters are just so "pitiful"--but loveable--and very different from one another. I also would probably have to pick his role in Stage Coach too. He really was a versatile kinda guy.

I saw this film quite a while back and did not know the name of it...it was a great story! And I loved the use of the music with the movie scenes in this YouTube thing...very emotional--I agree--well timed. Mitchell is a great character actor....I've seen him in a lot of movies, buy never bothered to find out his name--how rude of me! So I guess that's the second thing I learned from your post--(along with the movie title) I seem to learn a lot of cool stuff nearly everytime I am on here! :-)

Whoa April--these are great songs! I especially loved the Rio Bravo tunes-- I think I like the Rifle Pony Song best myself--although my daughter is watching this all with me and hasn't stopped singing "Cindy--Cindy" since I played that one....she's sitting here singing it over and over...and then she belts out a great big.."I'll marry you some TIIIIIIIME!" I think you have a winner! :-) Rio Bravo is one of my favorites. I always enjoy Walter Brennan and he makes this move so much fun...plus I think Martin did a great job and of course you can't go wrong with the Duke. :-) These songs all make me want to spend the weekend watching some good old westerns...hmmm. :-) I haven't seen The Furies, but I think this is one you mentioned to me before because it is on my list already. Will keep a watch out for it. :-)

find reading about directors so much more interesting than actors. Yes I know that's heresy coming from ME but it's true Actually not so surprising...and it shows by how well you know your subject--from what I've read of your thoughts and comments. If someone were to ask me--which do you think April would rather read about....I would likely have guessed the same as your answer.... :-)

"One or two Oceans I about busted up laughing when he said that-I'd forgotten all about that part, its been so long since I saw this film. The poor fella just didn't quite get the response he was expecting. And you know-if I have to criticize anything I think it would be the OVER use of the phrase 'it's a big country"....I lost count of how many times it was repeated....but it may have been an attempt to insert a bit of comedy because the more times McKay heard it the quicker he started to respond because eventually he got to where he would just interupt people when they tried to tell him about it and say..."I know...it's a big country" I liked Heston too. He turned out a lot better than I first thought he would. I think he could have maybe gone on to maybe work for Peck someday (but then again, maybe not) (again--it's been so long since I saw this--I couldn't even remember which character he was) And this character would be a perfect "grey guy" kinda role..caught between the two ideals. And I too wondered about the whole Baker/Peck romance history--how could they be so caught up in each other at the beginning and still be so clueless about one another. I can maybe see that out of her character... but it seemed to be a bit thoughtless on his part. Surely he'd seen these "spoiled" tendencies in her before....maybe it was a case of love being blind. :-) Personally, I'd have probably thrown something at the tv if he'd taken her back. Another thing I noticed watching this time out too was that I didn't totally disagree with either of the two patriarchs....they both were right in some respects about each other and about their situations...but it was just a case of how much more wrong they were in the other things. And I have to admit (though grudgingly) a certain amount of respect for Ive's character and the fact that his concept of honor was superior to Terril's. He was right about the fact that you don't go dragging women and children into stuff like that (although he did sort of overlook that thought when he decided to have Jean Simmons brought out to his ranch for a "visit") and they way he handled that duel between Peck and Connors was very telling of how he really understood how WRONG some of his ways (and his family"s ways) actually were. But boy, could he be a mean old you know what....when he answered his son ( who asked " Did you want me Pa?" ) with " I did before you were born"...not hard to tell how Connors ended up like that with such a hard hearted guy for a role model. (Chris--I agree-these roles were VERY "unflattering" for a couple of guys I love to think of as the "Friendly Snowman" of beloved children's holdiay programming and the guy known most popularly as "The Rifle Man") :-) Glad you guys think this thread will work out....hope to read lots of interesting posts from everybody!! :-) Message was edited by: rohanaka

I wonder where that "things in three's" wives tale got started. I am sure it is only a coincidence but it does often seem to happen like that. :-) And I think this year it's been more like fours fives, instead of threes--seems like a lot of "famous" and some "not-so famous" folks in entertainment have past on recently. But you know--I don't think it has anything to do with numbers...I just think that happens to be the way it turned out. I haven't done much figuring, but I imagine that there aren't too many left from the GWTW era. Sad to see them all go.