Western Gallery

[MissGoddess]

That's right, I read it had been a radio show---but was Matt played by James Arness at that point? I always thought he was just hired for the TV version. I'll have to do a little research; I know there are a few sites out there dedicated to the series.

[movieman1957]

William Conrad did the voice of Matt Dillon. It's no wonder they hired Arness for TV. They coulbn't be more different physically.

[MissGoddess]

Lol! I can't even imagine! I vaguely remember his tv show "Cannon", which my Mother absolutely loved. I think he guest starred on "Gunsmoke" at least once.

 

Just think: twenty years that series lasted! I find that incredible. And isn't James Arness the only surviving cast member (of the main leads)?

[lzcutter]

If I remember the story correctly, they wanted John Wayne for the role of Matt Dillon. He wasn't ready for television yet so he suggested that they look at James Arness.

 

William Conrad was indeed the voice of Marshall Dillon on the radio show.

[MissGoddess]

Yes, right at the beginning of the first episode you see John Wayne introduce himself and tell everyone that he thinks they will like James Arness and that they will "get used to him, just like you did me, because I'm sure he'll be around a while." Ha ha! What an understatement!

[movieman1957]

Of the main leads Arness is the only one left. Supporting cast still living are, of course, Burt Reynolds and Buck Taylor (no relation.) he played "Newly." He was just in "Comanche Moon" that played this week.

[Bronxgirl48]

I'm looking forward to RIO GRANDE. I've never seen it. I'm gettin' my Pappy westerns, thanks to the Western Channel and TCM!

 

Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

[FrankGrimes]

Howdy, Fordy Guns -- OK I sprang for "Gunsmoke" Season II

 

Wow! A few weeks goes by really fast with you! You're not an impulsive shopper, are you?

 

but it says it's only "Volume 1"....does that mean the seasons were even longer or that they are only giving me half the number of discs for the same price? Sounds like something's stinky in Dodge...

 

Stinky Dodge. I believe there are only 20 episodes on the Season 2: Volume 1 DVD for Gunsmoke. I think the reason why studios decide to split the seasons for shows like Gunsmoke is because the sales of the first season DVD didn't go too well and they are attempting to get more money from the "diehards" of the series since the masses didn't buy as much of the first season as they had hoped. I know Rawhide is caught in a similar situation right now, too. It sucks.

 

I sent off Season I to my Mom (after carefully examining each disc for quality assurance) so she should have it in a day or two.

 

I'd like to quality assure you one right now.

 

I'm sure Elke will love her "used" Gunsmoke DVD, full of cat hair, beauty goop, and champagne.

 

I'll have to ask her what other western shows she likes. I know she loved The High Chaparral but that one is hard to get a hold of.

 

Why ask her since you are basically shopping for yourself?

 

I also ordered Gladiator for her because she's never seen it and I think it's something she'd enjoy (she loves ancient history and I love russell crowe so we're both happy).

 

Ohhh, this makes perfect sense... to a blonde blizzard.

 

I forgot to mention in my review of the first season of "Gunsmoke" was how much I like the character of "Chester". This is the first time I've seen him, having heard so much about him. I wasn't sure if I'd like him because I like "Festus" so much but I do only in a different way. Chester is really sweet and gentle and Dennis Weaver is just a brilliant actor the way he brings out these qualities, not to mention his very touching attachment to "Mr Dillon". I love how he calls him "Mister" even though they seem roughly the same age. He says it with so much respect. The affection between Matt, Chester, Doc and Kitty is very strong from the beginning.

 

The Gunsmoke cast feels like home. It's a warm family unit. I love Festus. "Now, Mathyooo." "Now, Doc, you're just an ornery ol' cuss." I actually liked Newly, too. He wasn't anywhere near as colorful as the others, but I still liked his honest youthfulness.

 

Oh, and, uhhhh, Elke's got a wonderful daughter. Impetuous and wrong-headed, but wonderfully so.

[MissGoddess]

So Buck Taylor is still working? That's great! I liked him as Newly. What a name, "Newly".

[MissGoddess]

Rio Grande is my favorite of the so-called "Cavalry Trilogy" because it's the most focused on family and romance, the action being incidental and the people being more important. Claude Jarman, Jr. gives a wonderful performance as Wayne & O"Hara's son. He did a lot of growing up since The Yearling. It also features the first use by Ford of the Sons of the Pioneers (swoon!). I just adore their singing, it gives me chills when they sing "I'll Take You Home Kathleen..." yikes! I find the relationship between Wayne and O'Hara in *Rio Grande* to be just as erotic---if not more so---than in The Quiet Man. And Victor MacLaglen is hilarious. "Arsonist!" I can't hear that word anymore without thinking of this movie.

 

This movie is about "letting go" to me, about how necessary and painful and wonderful that can be. I get so burned when people label it the "least" of the Cavalry pictures. NOT TRUE. I find it the richest in many ways.

 

The music box scene is the best one in the movie, in my opinion. Just look at the roiling emotions in Maureen's eyes. No director ever captured her spiritedness and sensuality better since she played Esmeralda.

 

[lzcutter]

OK I sprang for "Gunsmoke" Season II --- but it says it's only "Volume 1"....does that mean the seasons were even longer or that they are only giving me half the number of discs for the same price? Sounds like something's stinky in Dodge...>

 

Miss G,

 

Television seasons used to be much longer than the traditional 22 episodes we have grown so accustom to.

 

Season 1 of Gunsmoke according to imdb and some other Westerns television sites says that Season 1 ran 39 episodes!!!

 

It debuted right after Labor Day (back when you could set your clock by the beginning of the new season) and ran until almost the end of August.

 

Season 2 debuted three weeks later and ran for 39 episodes as well. Though Season 2 looks like it was the first to follow the more traditional weekly schedule while Season 1 would air an episode and then three weeks later air another.

 

There were fewer reruns in those days as well.

 

Season 12 had only 29 episodes (1967) and this is when the trend started to make television seasons shorter (more reruns).

 

By 1970 and Season 16 the trend was down to 24 shows a season.

 

Today a full order for a series show is usually 22 episodes beginning sometime between late August and mid-October and running until just after Memorial Day.

[MissGoddess]

Yes, the "Gunsmoke" series I was amazingly long. What peeves me is that I am apparently getting only part of Season II for exactly the same price as the entire Season I. But, at least it's available. I just hope the entire series will make it to dvd. It would be a shame if it stops here.

[MissGoddess]

Bronxie---I hope you're watching!

 

I was shocked to discover that I don't have *Rio Grande* on dvd. What happened?

[FrankGrimes]

I was shocked to discover that I don't have Rio Grande on dvd. What happened?

 

Elke is carefully examining it for quality assurance.

[MissGoddess]

I had always thought *Rio Grande* was in my John Ford/John Wayne box set, but inexplicably it isn't! So I just ordered it separately.

 

Oh my goodness, I just LOVE this movie more and more and more each time I see it. Frank, do you have it on dvd to post some screencaps?

 

TIME FOR A NEW LIST!

 

Favorite John Ford Westerns:

 

1. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

2. *Rio Grande*

3. The Searchers

4. My Darling Clementine

5. Stagecoach

6. Fort Apache

7. The Horse Soldiers

8. Sergeant Rutledge

9. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

10. Two Rode Together

[FrankGrimes]

Frank, do you have it on dvd to post some screencaps?

 

Ohh, I see how it is around here.

 

Do you really think I'd have any John Ford films on DVD?

 

I don't have Rio Grande on DVD. I'd get it tomorrow if it were available locally, but it's not. Sorry.

 

At least you'll get the chance to post your favorite moments when you get the DVD, Miss New Computer Cowgirl.

 

By the way, I really like your list. Surprisingly, you do possess good taste. The only thing is, where is that fine Ford western, Mogambo?

[MissGoddess]

Oh, I don't know when I'll get around to learning to post screencaps.

 

African Westerns are in a class by itself.

[FrankGrimes]

Howdy, Fordy Guns! -- Oh, I don't know when I'll get around to learning to post screencaps.

 

It's not as hard as you may think. If you want a walkthrough, just PM me. You do know how to do that, don't you?

 

African Westerns are in a class by itself.

 

Is that right.

 

[MissGoddess]

I watched *High Noon* earlier today and though I still like the character of "Helen Ramirez" more than Grace's Quaker I do think Grace did a fine job. However, one little point surprised me---when she runs back into town after the gunfire starts, she never calls out for Will Kane yet she is clearly searching for him. Is it because she knows if he answers it would give away his position? She just doesn't look as though she could think that far ahead. I would have expected her to yell for him.

 

It remains a very powerful movie after all this time.

[FrankGrimes]

I watched High Noon earlier today and though I still like the character of "Helen Ramirez" more than Grace's Quaker I do think Grace did a fine job.

 

If only I had an opinion on the High Noon triangle, Pandora.

 

However, one little point surprised me---when she runs back into town after the gunfire starts, she never calls out for Will Kane yet she is clearly searching for him. Is it because she knows if he answers it would give away his position? She just doesn't look as though she could think that far ahead. I would have expected her to yell for him.

 

She'd be a fool to yell because it would put her and Will in further danger. But I am surprised she didn't start to lose it a little once seeing a dead man lying in the street. She soon realized it wasn't Will, though.

 

It remains a very powerful movie after all this time.

 

Yes, ma'am!

 

[MissGoddess]

If only I had an opinion on the High Noon triangle, Pandora.

 

Yes, indeed. Well, perhaps on the occaision of its 100th Anniversary you will honor us with your opinions.

[MissGoddess]

I rather like the way the movie doesn't pretend to be telling history but just a story, so the factual errors don't bother me---they were intended, not the result of ignorance. Ford knew Earp personally as well as other characters that were a product of that time. It's what fills his tales with more spirit to me than if he just shot the facts.

[Bronxgirl48]

Yes, I saw! Now mind you, I haven't seen FORT APACHE or SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON, so I can't compare/contrast with them, but, on its own, I think RIO GRANDE is excellent, and I completely agree with you about Ford's direction of Maureen -- (and that particular scene) O"Hara is luminous. I loved Wayne here, very low-key. (and his body language is just inimitable -- that almost-poetic balletic crouch as he's straining to catch a last glimpse of his son when he leaves the tent) Claude is very good and I loved Victor -- very funny but touching at the same time, the big brawling yet sweet lummox. J. Carroll Naish also very effective. The action scenes were brilliantly done (hope no stunt men or horses got killed in this one), and women in a Ford film are portrayed as waiting, waiting, waiting, as their men go off to war and do their "duty". I might have a quibble with perhaps one too many shots of Kathleen waiting, those iconic Ford poses. LOVED the gorgeous Victor Young score -- this is now one of my favorites. And I adore singing cowboys. All the songs were appropriate, like musical leitmotifs to the story.

[MissGoddess]

Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Bronxie. I actually just found the soundtrack on cd at Amazon and ordered it, I love the music so much.

 

I love "Timothy Quincannon"---"Oh, Uncle TIMMMY!" He's so adorable I could put him in my pocket and that sweet little girl has him wrapped around her finger. McLaglen was just the same with Shirley Temple in Wee Willie Winkie.

[Bronxgirl48]

And that shot through the door cross -- pure Ford. His silent film sensibilies are never far.