Thought it was pretty good with an unpredictable ending.
The Westerner (William Wyler)
Well made and superbly acted 40âs Western. Gary Cooper stars as a drifter who befriends Walter Brennanâs Judge Roy Bean. What I found interesting about this movie is that it consists of many rather long scenes heavy on conversation. Similar to Tarantinoâs style. Cooper is known to hate this movie as most people believe Brennan stole the film from him. But in my opinion, Coop holds his own quite nicely.
The Outrage (Martin Ritts)
I guess in the early 60âs, it became fashionable to adapt Kurosawa movies to Western settings. This particular one is an adaptation of Kurosawaâs Rashomon. Though most people say it is nothing special, I thought it was a magnificent movie that was heavily atmospheric. James Wong Howeâs cinematography is perhaps the best Iâve ever seen from the man. Shot in very stark Black and white. It also has a great cast with Paul Newman (as a Mexican bandit!), Laurence Harvey, Claire Bloom, William Shatner, Edward G. Robinson, and Howard Da Silva.
Iâld like to see The Outrage; Iâm a great fan of James Wong Howeâs camerawork (and the cast is stunning). Can you get it on DVD?
yes
Sergeant Rutledge (John Ford)
In my opinion, Fordâs best films are those that are set not in grand, expansive deserts (The Searchers, Wagon Master, Fort Apache) but those that have more confined settings like Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine, Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. In his bigger Westerns, the locale takes over. Fordâs real power is in directing actors and drama and he is great at this. Mostly because of the outlandish personalities in these dramas. Sergeant Rutledge is a court room Western so there are great many verbal battles that are always good when handled by Ford. Anyway, the film is a great story of Sergeant Rutledge (Woody Strode) who is accused of raping and murdering a local white girl. Circumstantial evidence points directly to him but There is more to the story than that which is told in flashback via recollections of witnesses (similar to The Outrage). It is a powerful, moving, and genuinely suspenseful film that had me literally sweating by the end. And after it was over, I laughed with great satisfaction at the film I had just seen. Not laughing at it but with such joy. This truly is a great film as well as a great western as their is a perfect balance between the outdoors adventure we get in The Searchers and the confined setting of such classics as Stagecoach. Jeffrey Hunter leads the cast in a performance much much ore restrained than in The Searchers. Woody Strode is also very good as the morally conflicted Buffalo soldier. At times his delivery may seem wooden but that is what I used to think of Gary Cooper. But I know understand there acting style. Never mind the technicalities.
Anyway, great film
[quote=âkorano, post:6985, topic:141â]Sergeant Rutledge (John Ford)
Anyway, great film[/quote]
Much agree with you. Great movie 
[quote=âkorano, post:6985, topic:141â]Sergeant Rutledge (John Ford)
In my opinion, Fordâs best films are those that are set not in grand, expansive deserts (The Searchers, Wagon Master, Fort Apache) but those that have more confined settings like Stagecoach, My Darling Clementine, Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. In his bigger Westerns, the locale takes over. Fordâs real power is in directing actors and drama and he is great at this. Mostly because of the outlandish personalities in these dramas. Sergeant Rutledge is a court room Western so there are great many verbal battles that are always good when handled by Ford. Anyway, the film is a great story of Sergeant Rutledge (Woody Strode) who is accused of raping and murdering a local white girl. Circumstantial evidence points directly to him but There is more to the story than that which is told in flashback via recollections of witnesses (similar to The Outrage). It is a powerful, moving, and genuinely suspenseful film that had me literally sweating by the end. And after it was over, I laughed with great satisfaction at the film I had just seen. Not laughing at it but with such joy. This truly is a great film as well as a great western as their is a perfect balance between the outdoors adventure we get in The Searchers and the confined setting of such classics as Stagecoach. Jeffrey Hunter leads the cast in a performance much much ore restrained than in The Searchers. Woody Strode is also very good as the morally conflicted Buffalo soldier. At times his delivery may seem wooden but that is what I used to think of Gary Cooper. But I know understand there acting style. Never mind the technicalities.
Anyway, great film[/quote]
Glad to see you are getting in to these older westerns Korano. I think maybe your successful exploration of Film Noir has prepared your palate for the styles of these earlier oaters and their personnel. They are not the same as more recent efforts but there is gold to be found there if you are prepared to dig and get used to their style. Your comment on Gary Cooper is a great example I think. His style of acting can appear âwoodenâ to the uninitiated but I believe it belies a lot of subtlety that is, by its very nature of course, not necessarily obvious. But his performance in films like The Westerner are understated to perfection. Walter Brennan may steal the show in that picture as you rightly say but he couldnât do it without Cooperâs presence to play off of and contrast to.
Anyhow, hope your journey through the older westerns continues to prove worthwhile for you.
Canât disagree more with you Korano about Ford Westerns. I think Sgt Rudledge is Fordâs weakest western in every respect.
What would you say is his best Western?
The Man who shot Liberty Valence, Fort Apache or The Searchers
Stagecoach is an important film from a historic point of view, but Iâm not very fond of it. Havenât seen My darling Clementine in a while (remember it as very uneven). Some of his non-westerns are very good: How green was my valley, The quiet man, The grapes of wrath.
It seems we surprisingly donât have a Ford thread, but of course we had talked about him at various places:
http://www.spaghetti-western.net/forum/index.php/topic,2039.msg58575.html#msg58575
My darling clementine
Lets carry on in the new thread for this discussion.
http://www.spaghetti-western.net/forum/index.php/topic,2617.new.html#new
âRide Vaqueroâ (1953)
- Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner. Anthony Quinn
Plot: IMDB
Esqueda, an outlaw, attempts to force settlers King and Cordelia Cameron out of his territory. Esquedaâs mother raised Rio as her own. Rio has loyalty to Esqueda but also feels the settlers should be able to stay. A showdown between the two raised as brothers is unavoidable.
Phantomâs Review: Solid, well acted western. Interesting plot, plenty of action and Ava GardnerâŚwhat else do you need
Just finished:
[size=12pt]Non aspettare Django, spara[/size] (Donât wait Django, Shoot / Mulargia)
Low, low budget, shot on no more than three or four different locations, for most part more a succession of scenes than a real movie, but ⌠I somehow managed to like it
Review coming up later this week
Excellent - look forward to it. If I remember right I started the thread on this one and really enjoyed it. It could be due a rewatch - now!
[quote=âscherpschutter, post:6995, topic:141â]Just finished:
[size=12pt]Non aspettare Django, spara[/size] (Donât wait Django, Shoot / Mulargia)
Low, low budget, shot on no more than three or four different locations, for most part more a succession of scenes than a real movie, but ⌠I somehow managed to like it
Review coming up later this week[/quote]
Iâve just watched this as well. Thoroughly enjoyed it (yet again). Iâm fully prepared for scherps review now (and Iâve made notes). 
[quote=âscherpschutter, post:6995, topic:141â]Just finished:
[size=12pt]Non aspettare Django, spara[/size] (Donât wait Django, Shoot / Mulargia)
Low, low budget, shot on no more than three or four different locations, for most part more a succession of scenes than a real movie, but ⌠I somehow managed to like it
Review coming up later this week[/quote]
Which version did you see ?
The German Low-Cost DVD ?
I like the movie. Iâm looking forward to your review.
[quote=âThe Stranger, post:6998, topic:141â]Which version did you see ?
The German Low-Cost DVD ?
I like the movie. Iâm looking forward to your review.[/quote]
I saw the Italian DVD
Itâs Italian audio only, but the on-screen title is in German, so I guess they used the same print
Itâs not clean, but otherwise itâs a pleasant transfer; nice widscreen picture, anamorphic, good colours (a little faded though), running time 1:23:54
[quote=âscherpschutter, post:6999, topic:141â]I saw the Italian DVD
Itâs Italian audio only, but the on-screen title is in German, so I guess they used the same print
Itâs not clean, but otherwise itâs a pleasant transfer; nice widscreen picture, anamorphic, good colours (a little faded though), running time 1:23:54[/quote]
Yes, print is likely to be the same.
The German version is just as long.
Has only German audio.