The Western Movie Thread

PhantomStranger

New member
"The Searchers" (1956)
Ethan Edwards, returned from the Civil War to the Texas ranch of his brother, hopes to find a home with his family and to be near the woman he obviously but secretly loves. But a Comanche raid destroys these plans, and Ethan sets out, along with his 1/8 Indian nephew Martin, on a 5 year-long journey to find the niece kidnapped by the Indians under Chief Scar. But as the quest goes on, Martin begins to realize that his uncle's hatred for the Indians is beginning to spill over onto his now-assimilated niece. Martin becomes uncertain whether Ethan plans to rescue Debbie...or kill her.

In my opinion, this movie is damn near perfect. Not only is this Wayne's best film, but it's probably one of the best American films ever made. Great cast, scenery, action and acting. A true classic.:gun:
 

PhantomStranger

New member
"Pursued" (1947)
-Robert Mitchum, Teresa Wright
*spoilers*
Mitchum plays a jaded Civil War vet who's pursued into the west by inner demons from childhood and real life killers in the present. His love for his stepsister (Teresa Wright) leads to a fatal gunfight with her brother. Angry and intent on seeking revenge on their wedding night,Wright marries Mitchum, but the arrival of a mysterious stranger out to settle a score with Mitchum sidetracks her and leads to a startling conclusion.

Very weird western. Light on action and heavy on melodrama. It's kind of a western soap opera. Beautiful black and white cinematography give the film a mystery kind of atmosphere. Very different but entertaining.;)
 

Niteshade007

New member
PhantomStranger said:
"The Searchers" (1956)
Ethan Edwards, returned from the Civil War to the Texas ranch of his brother, hopes to find a home with his family and to be near the woman he obviously but secretly loves. But a Comanche raid destroys these plans, and Ethan sets out, along with his 1/8 Indian nephew Martin, on a 5 year-long journey to find the niece kidnapped by the Indians under Chief Scar. But as the quest goes on, Martin begins to realize that his uncle's hatred for the Indians is beginning to spill over onto his now-assimilated niece. Martin becomes uncertain whether Ethan plans to rescue Debbie...or kill her.

In my opinion, this movie is damn near perfect. Not only is this Wayne's best film, but it's probably one of the best American films ever made. Great cast, scenery, action and acting. A true classic.:gun:

The Searchers is one that my dad loves, but it honestly isn't my favorite. But then again, I'm not much of a fan of really any John Wayne film.

It's certainly not a horrible film, and overall I think the acting is actually pretty decent. Although, Natalie Wood playing someone who was taken into an Indian tribe as a child would probably be a lot tanner than she was in that movie. Still beautiful, though. The quote that always get stuck in my head is:
"Stand aside, Martin."
"No you don't Ethan. Ethan no you don't!"

Not really sure why, but I find that line hysterical. Maybe it's the delivery.
 

otto rahn

New member
PhantomStranger said:
Todays movies:

"The Plunderers" (1948)
-Rod Cameron

An Army officer pretends to shoot a sheriff (but not the deputy) and then goes undercover with a horse rustling gang.

Average western adventure. Nothing great but watchable.


"Fistful Of Dollars"
-Clint Eastwood

Sergio Leone's classic about a mysterious strangers involvement with warring factions in a Mexican border town.

One of the greatest western films ever made.:gun:
Perhaps, but I still prefer the film that it borrowed its theme from ,"Yojimbo"!;)
 
High Plains Drifter

High Plains Drifter. A favourite of mine with its supernatural elements, although Clint denies that the stranger is a ghoul, saying that he was the dead marshall's brother!
 

PhantomStranger

New member
herr gruber said:
High Plains Drifter. A favourite of mine with its supernatural elements, although Clint denies that the stranger is a ghoul, saying that he was the dead marshall's brother!


I remember several years ago I read an interview with Clint Eastwood and he said that in the original script for "High Plains Drifter" it said very plainly that "The Stranger" was the dead marshal's brother, but Eastwood decided to make that a little on the vague side, so that audiences would make their own decisions on who "The Stranger" was.
As a fan of supernatural films. I always went with the ghost and/or Angel of Death angle.
 
PhantomStranger said:
I remember several years ago I read an interview with Clint Eastwood and he said that in the original script for "High Plains Drifter" it said very plainly that "The Stranger" was the dead marshal's brother, but Eastwood decided to make that a little on the vague side, so that audiences would make their own decisions on who "The Stranger" was.
As a fan of supernatural films. I always went with the ghost and/or Angel of Death angle.

I can remember when I was younger that I was very disappointed with the possibility that the legendary Clint could be a ghost! The fact that HE could have been killed was not an appealing one. When I heard the dead man's brother info I was pleased, even though the film gives no clues to this theory.
 

PhantomStranger

New member
"Pale Rider" (1985)
-Clint Eastwood

Story of a mysterious Preacher who protects a small group of miners from a larger mining company trying to take their claims.

I like this movie. I know the plot is taken from "Shane" and it's yet another Clint Eastwood spooky gunslinger, but I've always enjoyed this film. Not very original but lots of fun to watch.
 

PhantomStranger

New member
"War Paint" (1953)
-Robert Stack, Peter Graves

Lieut. Billings and his army patrol are ordered to deliver a new peace treaty to the Indian Commissioner, who is missing. They have nine days to get the treaty to Chief Gray Cloud or there will be war. Chief's son Taslik offers to guide them. But as their water runs low and conflicts escalate, they can't help wondering why Taslik is wearing war paint.

Average western adventure, with all the crossing the desert cliches.
 
PhantomStranger, how do you feel about 'The Valley Of Gwangi'? A strange,yet,entertaining Harryhausen flick from '69. Cowboys v's dinosaurs! I personally, think it's his masterpiece. It is filmed brilliantly in Technicolor by Erwin Hillier and the soundtrack is one of the best western scores I've ever heard, coming from the masterful Jerome Morross (The Big Country).

P.S If you don't see this post, dont reply.:D
 

PhantomStranger

New member
herr gruber said:
PhantomStranger, how do you feel about 'The Valley Of Gwangi'? A strange,yet,entertaining Harryhausen flick from '69. Cowboys v's dinosaurs! I personally, think it's his masterpiece. It is filmed brilliantly in Technicolor by Erwin Hillier and the soundtrack is one of the best western scores I've ever heard, coming from the masterful Jerome Morross (The Big Country).

P.S If you don't see this post, dont reply.:D


I love "Valley Of Gwangi". It's one of my favorite movies. Great FX and story. One of Harryhausen's best.
 
valley20of20the20gwangi20320x240.jpg



Imagine a remake of this!
 

PhantomStranger

New member
The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Seven gunmen defend a small Mexican village aganist a band of outlaws

In my opinion this one of the greatest American made westerns ever. Great story, action, and music. A classic.
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
PhantomStranger said:
The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Seven gunmen defend a small Mexican village aganist a band of outlaws

In my opinion this one of the greatest American made westerns ever. Great story, action, and music. A classic.

And American-born, right?
 
Attila the Professor said:
And American-born, right?

Heh. Magnificent Seven is such a horrid film. Especially considering it's a cheap knock-off of Kurosawa's far superior original. Damn shame so few realize its origins.
 

San Holo

Active member
PhantomStranger said:
"The Searchers" (1956)
Ethan Edwards, returned from the Civil War to the Texas ranch of his brother, hopes to find a home with his family and to be near the woman he obviously but secretly loves. But a Comanche raid destroys these plans, and Ethan sets out, along with his 1/8 Indian nephew Martin, on a 5 year-long journey to find the niece kidnapped by the Indians under Chief Scar. But as the quest goes on, Martin begins to realize that his uncle's hatred for the Indians is beginning to spill over onto his now-assimilated niece. Martin becomes uncertain whether Ethan plans to rescue Debbie...or kill her.

In my opinion, this movie is damn near perfect. Not only is this Wayne's best film, but it's probably one of the best American films ever made. Great cast, scenery, action and acting. A true classic.:gun:
Yeah, this is one of my favorite movies of all time-but I've always had unanswered questions about the story..Is Debbie supposed to be Ethan and Martha's love child..or is Martin Pauly Ethan's son, raised by his brother-maybe Martin and Debbie are brother and sister...seriously... I have always thought John Ford was hiding something in this movie.:confused:
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
San Holo said:
Yeah, this is one of my favorite movies of all time-but I've always had unanswered questions about the story..Is Debbie supposed to be Ethan and Martha's love child..or is Martin Pauly Ethan's son, raised by his brother-maybe Martin and Debbie are brother and sister...seriously... I have always thought John Ford was hiding something in this movie.:confused:

To the first question, it seems unlikely - considering Ford's whole preoccupation with the loss, as well as his Catholic mores, the sadness of the Ethan/Martha love angle is that very probably, nothing ever transpired between them. And even accepting that it's possible that they could have had an affair at some point, before or after Martha's marriage to Aaron, nothing in anyone's performance seems to suggest, to me anyhow, that Debbie is Ethan's daughter and not his niece.

To the second, well, that's quite simple...Martin Pauley was discovered by Ethan some years ago after Indians (don't recall which tribe) killed his parents. With that said, Martin was certainly <I>raised</I> as though Debbie were his sister, albeit one who was rather young when he would have been older.
 
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