Underrated Westerns or the Best Westerns Many have never heard of

You know what I'm talking about. There are gems out there and many of us have never heard of them before.....so find the gold in them hills and bring it to town!

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Permalink Reply by Just Gus on October 24, 2009 at 7:30pm: The discussion was partially suggested by McKenna's Gold....a film to be avoided. Its a pretty worthless western...yep, there's plenty of fool's gold you find when you're panning!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Just Gus on October 24, 2009 at 7:34pm: It has one bright spot...Julie Newmar as the jealous, bitchy, uber-sexy Indian woman who has been bitten by the McKenna (Gregory Peck) love bug and she's got it bad for him.....well, she has a skinny dipping scene where she tries to kill the other Peck love interest!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by staahsha on October 24, 2009 at 9:19pm: hee! i dvr'd angel and the bad man but i haven't watched it yet. recently, i watched stagecoach. but i understand these are iconic and not little known!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Just Gus on October 25, 2009 at 2:59am: You know, they're little known to you...yes, they are iconic....but if the new generation doesn't embrace it, it is an undiscovered or rediscovered gem!

I saw The General (Buster Keaton comedy) and City Lights (Charlie Chaplin comedy) with full orchestration recently on the big screen! What a joy! The other part of my joy was the people that these films were new to and hopefully my joy is multiplied by their positive word of mouth for these two iconic silent comedies and the geniuses behind them.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Just Gus on October 25, 2009 at 3:10am: Staahsha :hee!

I think you're referring to my Julie Newmar comment.

I'm dead serious. The "boys" love the babes its part of the western experience.

Yes, we love the gunplay (read whatever into that) and the horses (emblematic of freedom, I guess), but the western women are SOOOOO important for our love of the genre.

I can think of certain films where the woman was so-so looking and it was to great effect--Hondo....Geraldine Page is meant to be "plain" and not in touch with her sexuality (a good, solid pioneer woman) and it works....partially because for Hondo (John Wayne) she's THE woman for him and he's not afraid to say things to her like I'm paraphrasing because I couldn't find the actual line) "a woman deserves to be kissed."

"Plain" talk from Hondo
Angie Lowe: I am fully aware that I am a homely woman, Mr. Lane.
Hondo Lane: I didn't mean that. I got a bad habit of tellin' the truth, but being pretty isn't much. I know a lot of pretty people I wouldn't trust with a busted nickle-plated watch. But some others, somethin' comes outa the inside of 'em and you know you can trust 'em. Destarti (Hondo's first wife--Native American and deceased) had that. And you've got it too.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David on October 25, 2009 at 8:27am: Re: Julie Newmar--reeemeow, Cat Woman, I'd have to say I always thought she was hot since the Batman days. She'd have to look pretty nice in that skinny dipping scene to a dusty ole cow poke.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by DLM on October 25, 2009 at 3:17am: The Tracker dead or alive staring Kris Kristofferson is a pretty cool western. Perhaps not a diamond but definitely a hidden gem. Kristofferson plays Noble Adams a famous Indian fighter, and tracker who is called upon to lead one last posse. It just happens his son is home from the east and goes along and see's a father he never knew.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Just Gus on October 25, 2009 at 3:20am: Very cool...thanks DLM! I've never heard of it before!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Just Gus on October 25, 2009 at 3:18am: I have my first nominee for undiscovered or rediscovered gem:

Hondo (1953)--The film with John Wayne and Geraldine Page was based on a Louis L'Amour short story and tells the story of a half-breed Indian scout and a woman with an unfaithful husband and a young son caught in the middle of war between the U.S. cavalry and the Apaches.

Why is it underrated and undiscovered (IMO)? Wayne felt it was overshadowed by Shane also 1953. I think part of it is also that it was filmed in 3-D. 1953 was THE big 3-D year and Hondo was part of the fad....and I think it kinda got lost with and in the fad!

I've listened to the novella and I think it could have been better made and it deserves a remake more than 3:10 to Yuma, but I recommend digging up this gem....I hope you won't regret it!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by DLM on October 25, 2009 at 5:59am: Just Gus, What a great point. I agree, Hondo would be a great choice for a remake. I saw an interview by some Hollywood type, I don't remember who, but anyways he said it's time Hollywood stopped remaking the classics and started looking for those films that where great ideas, but for some reason where not executed well. Any ways Hondo is a great book and a pretty good film. Ya gotta love the Duke.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David on October 25, 2009 at 8:41am: Well, sorry but I'd have to disagree. I haven't read the Hondo book, though I've got it here. I thought the movie was certaninly entertaining enough. I saw it this year I believe, and Wayne did a good job, I thought. I guess I'm just against remakes in general, and I can't imagine another actor doing a better job than the Duke.

Having said that though, I recently saw the original 3:10 to Yuma, and I think the remake worked better for me. For one I'm not a huge Glenn Ford fan (although I've enjoyed him in a few films), and my personal opinion is that he was miscast as the villian. In fact I never could get a handle on Ford acting in westerns, generally speaking, as he just doesn't fit the part imo. I think for me it's that weird small hat he generally has worn in the westerns I've seen him in. Granted he's a good actor, and I assume during that timeframe popular at the box office, he just seemed out of place or too modern looking to be fitting inside the story taking place during the old west.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by staahsha on October 25, 2009 at 9:52am: I agree with you, David about Glenn Ford. I didn't like Russel Crowe as the villain in the remake, either though. Miscast.; ▶ Reply to This