New Acquisition: Shane (1953)

 

Rio Grande (1950)

 

A cavalry officer posted on the Rio Grande is confronted with murderous raiding Apaches, a son who's a risk-taking recruit and his wife from whom he has been separated for many years.

Classic John Ford western Features in best manner many its director's hallmark features: a meandering plot, rollicking scenes alternating with solemn songs and lively action and all in beautiful blacl-and-white cinematography.

Halliwell*: "Thin Ford Western on his favourite theme, with too many pauses for song, too many studio sets, and too little plot. Aficiandos, however, will find much to admire."

Maltin***: "The last of  director Ford's Cavalry trilogy..., and the most underrated: a vivid look at the gentlemanly spirit of the Cavalry during post-Civil Ward days...Beautifully shot by Bert Glennon and Archie Stout..." 

New acquisition: Rio Grande (1950)

 

Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1980)

 

In 19th-century Oklahoma, two teen girls who love stories about outlaws, are on a quest to meet and join up with them. They find a shadow of a former gang and although disappointed, still try to help them escape from a vigorous Marshal.

From memory: Obviously intended as a female variation of Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid, this Western does have similar charm, humor and vivacity plus a good star cast, but remains not quite as memorable. 

Halliwell (no star): "Rather winsome family Western, with too little real action and too much romping about."

Maltin***: "Very pleasant little Western...Winning cast, including Plummer in film debut."

Se incontri Sartana prega per la tua morte (1968)

 

One-Eyed Jacks (1961)

 

After robbing a Mexican bank, Dad Longworth takes the loot and leaves his partner Rio to be captured but Rio escapes and searches for Dad in California. 

Superior Western offers a psychologically complex revenge story with great performances and beautiful cinematography,  but is not always coherent in its characterizations, and the romance is not quite convincing.

Halliwell  (no star): "Grossly self-indulgent Western controlled (unwisely) by its star, full of solemn pauses and bouts of violence." 

Maltin***: "Fascinating but flawed psychological Western...Visually striking, and a rich character study, but overlong."

Joe Kidd (1972)

 

An ex-bounty hunter reluctantly helps a wealthy landowner and his henchmen track down a Mexican revolutionary leader. 

Raucous and rather inconsistent  Western obviously tries to cash in on the success and style of the Italian Spaghetti Western genre, even utilizing their Clint Eastwood persona stereotype, all with mixed results, albeit entertaining enough along the way. 

Halliwell (no star): "Rough-and-tumble star Western with untenable moral attitudes."

Maltin**: "...ordinary Western; nice photography and a rousing scene where Eastwood drives a train through a barroom." 

Hour of the Gun (1967)

 

Marshal Wyatt Earp kills a couple of men of the Clanton gang in a fight. In revenge, Clanton's thugs kill the Marshal's brother. Thus, Wyatt starts to chase the killers together with his friend Doc Holliday. 

Serious, contemplative Western is intelligently staged emphasizing the gravity and ambiguity of its revenge topic;  chemistry between Garner and Robards is remarkable and, together with some beautiful cinematography, adds to the quality of this film.

Halliwell**: "Vividly set, slowly developed Western which makes an ambiguous but forceful figure of Earp. Generally confident and interesting."

Maltin**: "...begins well, becomes increasingly tedious. Robards has a good time as Doc Holliday; flavorful score by Jerry Goldsmith." 

Ulzana's Raid (1972)

 

After fierce war chief Ulzana and a small war party jump the reservation bent on murder and terror, an inexperienced young lieutenant is assigned to track him down. 

Relentlessly tough and violent Western shows no sympathy for any side of the conflict, which may seem dubious, but rather emanates a quite nihilistic viewpoint.

Halliwell (no star): "Bloodthirsty, reactionary Western with unpleasant shock moments." 

 

Maltin***1/2: "Gritty Western tale...with jarring bursts of violence."

News of the World (2020)

 

 

A Civil War veteran agrees to deliver a girl, taken by the Kiowa people years ago, to her aunt and uncle, against her will.

Very-well made Neo Western adds modern issues (racism, child abuse) to its narrative, which is heart-felt, but also a bit sentimental, plus some great landscape and realistic cinematography; Helena Zengel is absolutely convincing, and Tom Hanks does his thing - as the Good Samaritan.

Ride With the Devil (1999)

 

During the American Civil War, two friends join the Bushwhackers, a militant group loyal to the Confederacy. 

Excellently and beautifully directed Western with an excellent cast takes its time to analyze the causes and effects of war, but somehow fails to make a lasting impact due to a lack of focus on its agenda. 

Halliwell**: "Dour, beautifully photographed semi-western, a harsh drama of idealism corrupted and redeemed; it ably shows the futility of war, as both sides commit atrocities and betrayals, but might have benefitted from a maturer point of view than that of its youthful participants."

Maltin**1/2: "Interesting subject matter is diffused by overlong, sometimes unfocused treatment, though the time and place are well drawn. Pop singer Jewel makes an impressive acting debut." 

 

The Duel (2016)

 

A Texas Ranger investigates a series of unexplained deaths in a town called Helena. 

Dark, brooding, at times hallucinatory tale has good production value and some moments, but it's plot development is slow and indecisive, even irritating; no problem for Woody Harrelson doing his thing. 

C'era una volta il West (1968)

 

 

A mysterious stranger with a harmonica joins forces with a notorious desperado to protect a beautiful widow from a ruthless assassin working for the railroad.

 

A masterpiece Western that elevates the genre onto a level of pure myth; it is immaculately composed like an opera with leitmotifs for each main protagonist, beautifully photographed in John Ford territory and full of memorable scenes, both humorous and vicious - and Henry Fonda's first appearance in the movie is a genuine shock.

Halliwell***: "Immensely long and convoluted epic Western marking its director's collaboration with an American studio and his desire to make serious statements about something or other. Beautifully made and very violent."

 

Maltin***1/2: "Sergio Leone's follow-up to his "Dollars" trilogy is languid, operatic masterpiece...Fonda (brilliantly cast as one of the coldest villains in screen history). Exciting, funny, and reverent, with now-classic score by Ennio Morricone; not to be missed."

 

Sam Whiskey (1969)

A widow hires an ex-gambler to retrieve gold bars from a sunken river boat in Colorado and discreetly return them to the Federal Mint, from where they had been stolen by her dead husband.

Good-natured, but sloppily handled Western comedy is mainly focused on its star, but has not much more to offer.

Halliwell (no star): "Easy-going but rather slackly handled Western."

Maltin**: "Modestly mounted, uninteresting Western wasting talents of good cast...For Western aficionados and Reynolds addicts only."

Paradise Canyon (1935)

Sent to find counterfeiters, an investigator joins a medicine show.

The Last Trail (1921)

The Buckskin Lady (1957)

A tough beautiful, woman is attracted to a new young doctor in town, but has to contend with a reckless gunslinger who wants her at any cost.

McLintock! (1963)

Cattle baron George Washington McLintock fights his wife, his daughter, and political land-grabbers.

Another wildly entertaining John Wayne - Maureen O'Hara variation on The Taming of the Shrew. Not suitable for feminists.

On rewatching: Male-bonding festivity looks like they intended to have as much of fun as possible on set and imagined it would reflect onscreen - unfortunately it does.

Halliwell*: "Sub-Ford Western farce borrowed from The Taming of the Shrew, with much fist-fighting and mud-splattering, and rather too much chat in between."

Maltin***: "Rowdy slapstick seldom stops - a giant mud pit free-for-all and a public spanking for O'Hara are just a few of the stops along the way in this Western version of The Taming of the Shrew. Not recommended for feminists."

True Grit (2010)

A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father's murderer.

Solid and tasteful remake of a John Wayne classic with a great central performance, but the movie doesn't add anything new or unique.

On rewatching: Entertaining and well-made, but not better than the original; perfect role for Jeff Bridges, though.

Maltin***: "Remake of the 1969 hit allows Bridges to put his own stamp on the role...The Coens' script calls on their love for language..., while cinematographer Roger Deakins fills the screen with beautiful imagery. Entertaining, to be sure, but being as unsentimental as it is, there isn't any emotional resonance when it's all over."

The Homesman (2014)

Three women who have been driven mad by pioneer life are to be transported across the country by covered wagon by a pious, independent-minded young woman, who in turn employs a low-life drifter to assist her.

Excellently directed Western with a dark, bleak vision of the period  is an intense experience, thanks to exhilarating performances by Jones and Swank  and a a good throughout and some magnificent cinematography.