Introduction: The “High Noon” Fantasy The Iconic Image: Two Men, One Street, One Clock The image is burned into popular culture: two gunslingers standing at opposite ends of a dusty street, hands hovering over holstered pistols, waiting for the clock … Read more
The Frontier Between History & Legend The period between 1865 and 1895 represents the actual Wild West, though the mythology surrounding it extends far beyond these three decades. Cinema transformed scattered historical events into a foundational American narrative that often … Read more
Cast:Joel McCrea as Judge Richard ThorneMiroslava as Amy Lee BannermanKevin McCarthy as Tom BannermanJohn McIntire as Col. Buck BannermanNancy Gates as Caroline Webb Rated: PG Duration: 66 Minutes Directed by: Jacques TourneurProduced by: Robert GoldsteinScreenplay by: Herb Meadow / Don MartinPhotographed … Read more
Cast:Jeff Bridges as Jake RumseyBarry Brown as Drew DixonJim Davis as MarshalDavid Huddleston as Big Joe Rated: PG Duration: 93 Minutes Directed by: Robert BentonProduced by: Stanley R. JaffeScreenplay by: David NewmanPhotographed by: Gordon WillisMusic by: Harvey Schmidt One of … Read more
I first started writing about maverick director Sam Peckinpah way back a couple of years ago when I put together a birthday celebration Facebook post on his work, most of which I am reproducing here for the first of this … Read more
I know this is probably going to be a contentious list but, starting with the presumption that John Wayne is to all intents and purposes considered by our readership to be numero uno best cowboy star ever (and if you … Read more
The following actors are listed in order of birth date as opposed to either how well-known they might be or how many films they appeared in. Chief John Big Tree Born in 1877 and a member of the Seneca Nation … Read more
One-Eyed Jacks (1961) To label “One-Eyed Jacks” as a troubled production would be an understatement. This article includes affiliate links. If you choose to purchase any of the products we’ve discussed in this article, we may receive a small commission … Read more
I first made contact with Harry Carey Jr., or ‘Dobe’; as he came to be known, back in 1998. I’d met up with the film director Andrew McLaglen at Pinewood studios to discuss a script I’d written about the making … Read more
Laramie “Laramie” first aired in America in September 1959 with the main role in the show going to John Smith as Slim Sherman who, along with his brother Andy, played by Robert Crawford (younger brother of actor Johnny “The Rifleman” … Read more
Sugarfoot Based upon the Warner Bros Western “The Boy from Oklahoma”, released in 1954, “Sugarfoot” (also known as “Tenderfoot” over here in the UK) debuted on the ABC channel in September 1957. Will Hutchins appeared as the lead character Tom … Read more
A few years back I wrote an article on my favourite John Wayne films I saw as a snot-nosed kid. I thought it was time to revisit those halcyon days of childhood again but this time consider the TV Westerns … Read more
Having previously highlighted some of the Westerns I saw as a child in the 1950s I figured it was time to revisit those halcyon days and take a look at some of the other cowboy movies from that era. There’s … Read more
As I said quite a while back when tackling the subject of John Wayne’s male co-stars, “I’m sure you’re all going to have your own opinion on who did or didn’t make it onto this list. It’s given me food … Read more
Welcome to the first of three, possibly four-part article on what I hope will be a definitive list of the numerous co-stars of JW who were also known for their singing careers. Edit: Possibly 5 part This will also include … Read more
I’ve never been that keen on John Wayne doing ‘funny’. To me, he’s just not cut out to be either a clown or the butt of someone else’s joke but Duke obviously didn’t mind, seeing as he appeared in a … Read more
Psycho Cowboys Part I We’re all familiar with the usual suspects when it comes to back-shooting murderin’ dry-gulch killers such as Lee Marvin and Bruce Dern as featured in the Westerns of John Wayne. I thought maybe we’d wander off … Read more
Welcome to part one of our two-part article on the best of John Wayne’s pre-stardom Westerns. Having spent quite a lot of time reviewing the films John Wayne appeared in before stardom beckoned with “Stagecoach” I thought I’d go back … Read more
Director John Sturges began his career in 1946, helming a number of popular film noirs in the early years with titles such as “Shadowed” and “The Sign of the Ram”. Despite his eventual recognition as a director of Westerns, he … Read more
Having spent numerous hours watching all of the films featured in this three-part article on a series of seven movies known as the ‘Ranown’ cycle, I’ve decided to reference a well-informed essay by film critic Richard T. Jameson in the … Read more