rohanaka

Wow, what a touching account of his relationship with Ford...I think you can tell alot about someone by the way they are spoken of after they are gone. Everybody wants to speak well of the dead...and even if you don't like somebody, you can usually find something polite to say. But when you hear so many of these personal accounts of moments between friends as I have seen and read about Ford on this site (and I am sure I've only seen a few of the whole of what is out there) that really says something for who he must have been as an individual.

My main reason for starting this thread is that I just watched The Big Country tonight and did not know where to post these comments....I don't know how to post movie photos on this site, and since I can't classify EVERY western as my favorite (or can I ?) I thought it might be nice to have a place to meander through a few westerns from time to time without having to start a new thread for each one....so taking a cue from our good friend Miss Goddess--I borrowed her "stroke of genius" and decided to open a "Western" movie rambles thread. (April--hope you don't mind-they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!) :-) And if anyone wants to post their movies for discussion on here, you are more than welcome...or if not that is ok too. What did you western fans think of The Big Country? I had not seen this one in YEARS--maybe even decades. In fact, I had the story all mixed up in my head when I first started watching it...but then everything started falling into place. I liked it when Heston's character tried to get Peck to ride "Old Thunder" (the horse who couldn't be broke) and Gregory Peck was smart enough to figure out what was going on. The way Peck's character handled that situation told me everything I needed to know about who he was as a human being and how he was going to conduct himself for the rest of the story....and then later when he came back without the big audience and took the challenge on his terms....that was really one of my favorite parts. And wasn't Jean Simmons just LOVELY-even though she is really not made up to be the "pretty one" compared to Carrol Baker. And boy oh boy--those two old men sure did hate each other. I think one of the most powerful moments was when Heston stood up to the Major and more or less told him he wouldn't be his "bully" anymore and all the men stood with him...and then when the Major rides off alone--one by one--they all show up riding through the canyon behind him--starting with Heston. It was such a powerful moment that said so much about how they all respected the Major-- and yet, all I could do was find myself wishing they were going for a more honorable reason then just the fact that the old man just really hated Burl Ives' guts. (kind of a sad commentary to see so many men display so much integrity for such an unworthy cause) Don't want to say too much more because I probaby am getting too close to "spoiler" territory. I won't go so far as to say this is one of my favorite westerns--but I was really glad to be able to see it tonight. And despite the strong cast and the powerful story, for me the best part of this entire film was the SCENERY!! Que' Bonita!! (By the way--the little ranch hand guy--Ramon--also one of my favorite parts) :-) Thanks for letting me share...Feel free to "Ramble On"

#10 (WWF Dress Rehearsal) "Now tomorrow night when we do this, we'll add a lot of groans and yelling to make it more convincing. Oh--and don't forget your bottle of fake sweat and the fake blood too. Last time some of the folks in the front row of the audience threatened to demand their money back because they didn't get splashed with body fluids--let's make sure we give them a good show this time...watta ya say?"

Spielberg told of the one time he met Ford and how Ford taught him the importance of the "horizon line" when composing a shot (or in a painting, for that matter Hi Film Fatale--lucky guess I my part then about Ford's influence on his work. :-) The "face" thing that I mentioned just seems to be one of the areas that I have noticed where both of these men excel.

Capra I have noticed that about his films as well...I can't say I am familar enough with the others to comment, but it seems to be a great way to bring out different aspects of the story and the events that are happening at any given moment. I know some would disagree, but I have always enjoyed Spielberg (generally speaking). I can't say all of his movies are for me, but several of my favorites from the last 30 years forward seem to have his name on them.

suddenly the volume has jumped from 19 to 64 That has been known to happen around here from time to time...especially when the news is on. I think it is a "dad" thing! :-)

Don't Look In The Basement For Queen And Country... She's Dressed to Kill. Country Life is Beautiful...

Taking a break from all the variations and going with some original style this time....(other's please feel free to post in whichever version you prefer) :-) Soylent Green Berets Just One of the Guys and Dolls Bring It On Golden Pond Life With Father?s Little Dividend The Shepherd of the Hills Have Eyes of Texas

stick-insect Well--at least this way no one will ever think we disappeared if we turn sideways. :-)

I really need to see this movie again...it has been a VERY long time for me. I can't even remember HOW long. I would like to see it now in the light of all the new info and many conversations I've had here and read on this topic since I came back on this site this summer. Wow...My Darling Clementine at Lincoln Center.... What a treat! I think that would be one aspect of New York life that would be very much to my liking. (I never really considered those kind of pluses when I think of big city life) :-) If you do get a copy of the documentary--hope it is a better one than I have--the sound and the picture were both very "bargain bin" but still the content was great. :-)

National Velvet new word: puppy

Glory Road to Hollywood Star... ...Wars.... :-)

deformed--The Hunchback of Notre Dame new word: neolithic

Glory--I think this one is a stand alone too--since it also is a one word title. Lots of points 2U

What I have is called "The American West of John Ford" (at least on this DVD anyway) it was part of a very inexpensive 20 film set called "John Wayne, Amercian Hero" that I bought recently at Walmart. (I'm a bargain shopper) :-) What I have been able to watch of it is so far has been rather poor quality(film condition wise) but I figured to get even a bad copy of Angel and the Bad Man and McClintock was worth 5 bucks to me. And I also got a bunch of Duke's early westerns--most are only an hour or less in length--so someday I will sit down and see what they are like. As far as the documentary is concerned--I don't remember who directed it--but will try to find out--it's not listed on the box and my husband is using the DVD player right now--so will have to put it back in another time to see what it said.--but it is a very old documentary---probably from the late 60's or early 70's as Wayne, Fonda, Stewart, and Ford were all still alive--and I'm only judging by the way the three actors look in age. And it is a mixture of the 3 of them taking turns "hosting" different segments where they comment on Ford and how is was to work for him and the different memories that they shared with him. And then Ford talks with them about different things he did and remembered about filming. It was really fun to see them interact with each other. Another part that I really liked was when Henry Fonda started talking to him about My Darling Clementine. He and Ford both told how Wyatt Earp actually told Ford how the whole OK Corral thing went down and that the way it was shot in this film was supposedly somewhat close to the way it really happened. Which seemed unusual to me since I know Ford relied so heavily on "legend" in his storytelling. But evidently Earp even said that he waited for the passing stagecoach or wagon ( I can't remember) to go by to create a "smokescreen" of dust for him. It was a big surprise to me to hear it all. Oh- and April--something the Duke said made me think of one of your posts...he said something like "Ford didn't just tell a story, he wrote a poem; and he didn't just use a camera to film, he painted a picture." That's not an exact quote, but it's close to what he said. After I watched it I was sorry I'd waited to see it. Should have watched it ahead of the movies, but I just kept putting it off. It may be one you've seen already, but it was all new to me. Well worth the inexpensive price to get all of that together in one box--even if the film quality is not up to standard. :-) PS--I just went into the TCM movie database and found this documentary--it was done in '71 and directed by someone name Denis Sanders--I also saw the one you mentioned done by Peter Bogdonovitch (sp?) and it sounds as if it may have some similar aspects to this one--but the one I saw is strictly the 4 men mentioned with no other interviewers or narrators. It's sounds like it was more "personal" because Duke and the other men sort of sit around and "joke" with Ford while they are talking. And it's one on one because they each take turns--I don't think there are any sequences when it is the four of them together--might be wrong--but that's what I'm remembering anyway. Message was edited by: rohanaka

Amistad

07 "Man, can you believe all the paperwork you gotta fill out just to get a library card these days??"

Ray Walston in South Pacific with Rossano Brazzi

Jenetico--I think your posts on here have been first rate! Hope you will keep posting. While You Were Sleeping With The Enemy Of The People I Know What You Did Last Summer Time Bandits of Dark Canyon River of No Return to the Secret Garden of Evil Dead of Night Of the Hunter's Moon Over Miami Rhapsody in Blue Moon Tango Lesson Before Dying Young at Heart of Darkness Before Dawn of the Dead of Night ...at the Museum....

Ethan was an experienced MAN and Marty was still a BOY. I agree--to borrow from a favorite line in Raiders of the Lost Ark--it's not the years--it's the mileage--:-) and in terms of "miles" (and years too) Ethan was way ahead....Marty had a long way to go to catch up--but I think by the end of the story, he was finally getting there. I ended up watching that documentary on Ford that I mentioned earlier tonight that is on that DVD set I bought recently. After talking about it earlier this evening, I decided I wanted to see it for myself...( I kind of put if off because I just haven't made the time to sit down and watch it.) I am sure that for all the more experienced folk on here--this is only one of many Ford documentaries you've already seen, but it was a treat for me---Duke, Jimmy Stewart, and Henry Fonda all sitting around talking with (and about) Ford. One of the things that caught my attention was how Duke explained the closing scene of The Searchers--he said that Ford never really explained why he shuts Ethan outside.( I remember talking with someone on one of these threads a while back and I said that I've always wondered what Ethan was going to do the next day after all those years of "searching" had finally come to an end. He's the only one you really have to wonder about--everyone else had a future pretty much laid out except for him) I still did not get an answer to that question, but one thing that Duke did say was that he decided to cross his arm at the very end as a sort of tribute to Harry Carey--who's widow (Olive) was on the other side of that door-and also because Carey had been such an influence on Ford. I thought that was kinda nice.

I try to keep a look out for all my old movie favorites when I go there--but haven' t seen that one yet. However, one time I did get a DVD set with 20 of the Duke's films---mostly little 50-60 minute early films--some I've never heard of--I haven't had time to watch them yet--It's kind of poor quality but it came w/ Angel and the Badman and McClintock--two of his that I really like--so it was worth the $5 just to get those two--and someday when I have more time I will watch all the other stuff on there-- I think there is even a Ford documentary on there as well....I haven't had it too long so I need to sit down some time and check it all out. don't forget the M&Ms. HA! We already bought the M&M's on sale yesterday at the grocery store--have you tried the new cherry ones??? They taste like chocolate covered cherries--without the goo!! :-)

The 1995 miniseries is my favorite version of the story Jenny--I just now read your posts on this topic...I haven't looked through this thread in a while. I'm embarrassed to admit, I've never read the book...but I LOVE the miniseries you mentioned. I even got my husband to watch it with me.(and that's saying a lot because usually he hates any movie or tv program that is "to be continued".) I do enjoy the 40's version--and think it is just about my favorite Greer Garson film-maybe only slightly ahead of Mrs. Miniver) and I also think the entire cast was very entertaining. But I definitely prefer the '95 version.Wasn't it on A & E??? (That was back when they used to show more than just reality stuff and reruns of CSI Miami.) I don't have either this or the Garson version in my home collection, but if I ever do break down and buy one--the '95 series is the one I'd choose. (I think Colin Firth was first rate--in fact--the entire cast did a great job.)

I was looking at your list earlier....the one film this summer that I did not get to see yet that I still wanted to go see--was Journey to the Center of the Earth...but it may be just as well. You aren't the first person I've heard say something like "meh" when they were describing it. :-) It's a major event for my husband and me to get to go to the movies together anyway--babysitter arrangements, time schedules, etc....maybe we'll wait till it comes out on DVD or something--that way if I'm disappointed--it won't be such a wasted effort. :-)

I've only seen 4 new releases this summer--but that's four more "new" movies than I have seen in probably the last year...so I'm on a roll! Favorite "newbie"--Kung Fu Panda--I went with low expectations....and was very pleasantly surprised. Also saw--Get Smart--and again--also very pleasantly surprised....thought Carell's interpretation of Agent 86 was terrifically funny and they kept the risque stuff to a minimum. My husband and I both laughed all the way through this film. (And we were laughing "with" it....not "at" it.) :-) Others may have a different opinion....but we thought it was a good show. Two that I found disappointing....Wall-E--visually superb...but the story was very disappointing. (And the over-use of that "Hello Dolly" tune just about did me in.) Not a "horrible" movie...just not as good as I was hoping for. And the other disappointment....Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull....I'm a huge "Indy" fan and while he was as great as always....and the action was really fun....the story was about as lame as I have ever seen. They had 20 years....surely they could have come up with SOMETHING better than that!! But...these are just my opinions...other's may disagree.

Jenetico--we must have been posting close to the same time...because we both came up w/ an answer to Mr6666's "Hunter" :-) So we will let the next poster figure out where to pick it up (PS--most are posting one at a time.... but occassionally some have been posting more...the judges are very lax as there are really no rules....we've sort of been making it up as we go along!) :-) Next post-er--please pick it up at either....Moon over Miami... OR--Hunter: the Reckoning...and we can all go on from there.... :-) Message was edited by: rohanaka