Wayne D. Dundee's Blog, page 16

Another Look: THE BIG SKY (1952 film, directed by Howard Hawks)

Howard Hawks, without a doubt, is my favorite film director.I liken him to a top-notch old pulp writer from the Golden Era. He could work in any genre and make it his own, producing work that was high quality and highly entertaining. He never seemed to strive for lofty significance, just to do a good job at telling good stories; and, in the process, he just happened to turn out work of considerable significance.Consider the range of films he made and only a sample of titles in various genres: Screwball comedies (Bringing Up Baby; Ball of Fire) – Crime Dramas (Scarface; To Have And Have Not; The Big Sleep) – War Films (Ceiling Zero; Sergeant York) – Musicals (A Song is Born; Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) – Horror (The Thing From Another World;and, yeah, I don't care if the credits do say it was directed by Christian Nyby, we all know damn well it was Hawks).
Curiously, considering that one of the trademarks Hawks became famous for (in addition to rapid, overlapping dialogue) was tough-guy, male-bonding, "a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do"-type of storylines, he only made a handful of Westerns. Six total, if you include 1934's Viva Villa!, for which it was generally known that Hawks did uncredited work both in writing and directing. His four best known Westerns are the ones he did with John Wayne --- Red River; Rio Bravo; El Dorado; and Rio Lobo. The first three are widely considered among the best of the genre (personally, Red River is my all-time favorite film, period) --- the less said about Rio Lobo, the better. (It was the last film of Hawks' career, so one has to wonder if perhaps he wasn't in the best of health, or maybe just played out.)
All of which is a sort of long-winded way to arrive at The Big Sky.This is one of Hawks' least-discussed and least-heralded films. That's a shame because it is a very entertaining, very well done movie. (It received two Academy Award nominations – one for Arthur Hunnicutt, in the Best Supporting Actor category; one for Russell Harlan in the Best Black & White Cinematography category – neither a win.)One has to consider this a Western Movie, although it is set in 1832 in the Missouri River wilderness as opposed to the more traditional post-Civil War period. "Frontier Movies", generally speaking, have never seemed to attract as wide an audience.
The story follows a fur trading company --- "free traders" as opposed to larger, company-financed, work-for-hire outfits such as the Missouri Company, who they are up against in this case, willing to stop at little to cause their failure and drive them from the territory. They are on their way upriver to trade with the Blackfoot Indians. "Frenchy", the leader of the free trading keelboat crew, has an ace in the hole in the form of Teal Eye, a Blackfoot princess whom he is returning to her people and expects grateful treatment in return. Jim Deakins (played by Kirk Douglas) and Boone Caudill (Dewey Martin) join them, along with Boone's uncle Zeb (Hunnicutt), as hunters to provide fresh meat for the traders/keelboaters. In addition to the danger and hardships of the river and other natural elements, harassment from the Missouri Company, attack from the Crow Indians (enemies to whites as well as to the Blackfoot tribe), the free company must also contend with jealousy and conflict between Jim and Boone, who each develop feelings for Teal Eye.
All of this is wonderfully filmed against the backdrop of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and is definitely a case where the viewer wishes Technicolor had been used. Nevertheless, the scenery is spectacular and only adds to the strengths of the film.
Speaking of scenery, holding her own against Nature's kind as wall as against  acting prowess of Douglas, Hunnicutt, and the rest, Elizabeth Threatt is intoxicatingly sultry and quite memorable in her role as the Indian princess. Nevertheless, she was barely seen or heard from afterward. Almost as curious is the very limited success of co-star Dewey Martin, who held his own equally as well in this outing, but whose career never really took off afterward. He worked sporadically on and off for several years, both in films and on TV, but never really played anything with the stature of this role. (Hell, he even won the girl away from Douglas.)
I should note that The Big Sky movie is based on the highly regarded novel of the same name, by A.B. Guthrie. It is the first in a trilogy of books (The Way West [Pulitzer Prize winner] and Fair Land, Fair Land being the other two) detailing America's westward expansion and the settlement of Montana. The connecting character in the three books is Dick Summers, a friend to Boone Caudill, who appears in the Big Sky novel but not the movie. (Trivia note: Kirk Douglas also appeared in the movie version of The Way West, in the role of former senator and wagon master William Tadlock.)
Bottom line: If you're in the mood for an action-packed, slightly "different" Western served up nicely by the hands of many solid professionals, lead by Hawks, check out The Big Sky. It's a fine way to spend 140 minutes.

IF "THE GREATEST GENERATION" WAS SO GREAT - WHY ARE WE DOING THINGS SO DIFFERENTLY THESE DAYS?

Yesterday's 70th anniversary of WWII's D-Day invasion caused me to reflect (albeit not for the first time) on the question posed in the above title. The "greatest generation" is what we continue to call (and rightfully so) the men and women who faced and endured WWII and the years immediately preceding and then following. Years that made the United States the richest, most successful, most generous, most powerful, and most admired country in the world.I pose that those conditions --- at least the perceptionof them --- aren't necessarily the case any more; either in our own eyes or in the eyes of others.I won't get too much into the politics of it, although they certainly play a part.I just want to do a brief, simple, common man comparison between the people, the folks, who made up that generation and what we seem (to me) to have today. At 66 years of age, I am part of the first wave of "baby boomers" conceived right after the big war. So, since I was born while my parents were in their late teens, in a manner of speaking (like plenty of other kids who came along in the late Forties), I sort of "grew up" with my parents and therefore feel a close kinship to their generation. Certainly more so than today's so-called "Millennials", and at least two or three generations prior to them.
My parents' generation were the children of the Great Depression. Most of them were well versed in hardship and sacrifice and tough times. More of the same --- this time in a war effort to foil the advances of truly evil forces --- only rallied them to show the stuff they were made of, what they had been forged into from frontier times onward. Yeah, you've heard it before … when the going got tough, the tough got tougher.On the battle front and home front alike – men, women, and even children buckled down and did everything they could, whatever it took, to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and support our country and our troops to win the war that had exploded on our very doorstep one infamous morning in December.And after we and our allies had prevailed, the United States was ready to bust loose with renewed vigor and determination to make our country even more exceptional (it wasn't considered a distasteful term back then) than ever.And that's what we became. That's what the Greatest Generation made us.
The Greatest Generation seemed to expect and acceptthat life came with some share of hard times and challenges. And the way to overcome them was through effort, hard work, and focus on achieving individual goals.Today (and I'll expand this to include those beyond just the current generation) too many people seem bent on achieving their goals simply by whining and bellyaching and blaming others for their shortcomings, and looking to somebody else (often the all-to-willing government) to "level the playing field" and provide them an easier path.Now I'm not naïve enough to believe or say that hard work was ever a guarantee to success. I'd have to look no further than my own father --- who, in words spoken to me shortly before he died, noted that he "worked hard at hard work" without any significant financial success (though the measure of a man and father can be taken in other equally important ways, but that's a discussion point for another time). But, nevertheless, hard work and focus is a way --- and the best way, in my humble opinion --- to achieve success. If for no other reason than my belief that one (whether he or she realizes it or not) always appreciate something you've earnedover something simply handed out.
The Greatest Generation worked hard and they rightfully figured that earned them the right to play hard. And they were given the freedoms to do so.They smoked cigarettes; drank alcoholic beverages; ate red meat by the ton, along with eggs and cheese and pasta – and saved the damn grass for the cows and other animals; drove all over hell in cars without seat belts; rode bicycles and motorcycles without helmets; spanked their kids (just like they themselves and generations preceding had been spanked); went to church and believed primarily in the Judeo-Christian values that the founding fathers based the structure of our country on; got bloody noses and skinned knuckles (at all different ages) fighting over silly things like honor and truth; believed in heroes (without a mad rush to find fault and discredit anyone who got tagged with such a term); didn't instantly slap a lawsuit on a neighbor if his dog got loose and scratched one of their kids, or if an errant baseball came crashing through a window; sent their kids to school with baloney sandwiches, an apple, and a Twinkie; sat down at the supper table together as a family unit; prayed at home, school, and public events; stood for the playing of the Star Spangled Banner; gave their kids chores to do as a means to teach them how to earn money as opposed to receiving an automatic "allowance" for doing little or nothing; let kids work outside the home when they were deemed responsible enough by parents and employers (without a pile of state and local permits and regulations) --- and I'm not talking "sweat shop" labor here, I mean things like delivering newspapers or groceries, mowing lawns, painting houses, shoveling snow, or farm kids driving tractors/bailing hay/slopping hogs/feeding chickens/etc.; stood up to bullies on an individual basis, not by giving them the glory and attention of having whole campaigns mounted against them and their pathetic practices; learned about winning and losing in competitive events, not finding satisfaction in merely "participating" … and on and on.And, I'll repeat, a big part to all of this was the "freedoms" to do these things, suffer associated mistakes, learn lessons, and make choices for themselves.
Contrast that to today where there are rules and restrictions on damn near everything we do, say … and (as we apparently are on the brink of) even think.No wonder so many find the only (or easiest) recourse is to whine and blame and point fingers. Who stands and fights any more? 


An excellent example of what I'm trying to convey is the recent widely-publicized example of the old British soldier now in a nursing home who was refused permission to leave and attend D-Day ceremonies at Normandy. I don't know how much of an argument he put up. But I strongly suspect he didn't waste a lot of time pissing and moaning and throwing a hissy fit – he simply made the determination he was going to attend and took steps to make it happen. Nursing home personnel found him missing shortly before the anniversary ceremony in Normandy and, after a panicked search, they discovered that, sure enough, the old gentleman was in attendance at the ceremony, mingling happily with his old comrades from the battle.Now that's the spirit of the Greatest Generation.The flip side, unfortunately, is that the reason the nursing home (I'm speculating here) likely refused permission for the old warrior to make the trip in the first place was safety concerns for his health/well-being and for their liability in allowing him to go.Good ol' lawsuits, remember? And the knee-jerk reaction to try and avoid them at all costs (including the price of common sense and the guts to stand and fight for same).
Don't get me wrong, I'm neither naïve nor stupid enough to pretend that everything under the Greatest Generation was totally hunky-dory and we didn't have problems that needed addressing. As examples, Racial Inequality and Women's Rights issues (especially after how strongly the women on the home front performed during the war) were matters of concern; and practices were in place or beginning that would soon become Environmental problems.But they would not go unnoticed or unaddressed for very long.
Furthermore, many of the problems (in my view) we face today as far as such drastic contrasts in attitudes and practices between then and now are really the direct result – stemming from the best of intentions – of the Greatest Generation members themselves.I heard my parents say at least a hundred times, "I want my kids to have it better than I did." Wonderful sentiment, right? That made me want the same for my kids. Along with every other parent --- and on and on and so forth. Until "better" somehow became "easier" and "easier" became "effortless and entitled" … up to where the government (again with the best of intentions, at least in the beginning) was moved to march in eagerly and relentlessly in order to "help" us.So that's where we're at today. And, in my humble opinion, it ain't a particularly good place to be.
A popular, oft-repeated quote is: "If we don't learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it." That's generally meant in a precautionary way and I don't necessarily dispute it.But I would add: Sometimes the lessons we learn from history should be repeated and maintained.
Don't know where all of this is coming from or why I felt the need to share. But it seemed important to get it off my chest.Just sayin' …

Noteworthy Reads: SHOCKWAVE by Andrew Vachss

This second entry in Andrew Vachss's new Aftershockseries is another mystery/thriller written in the spare, distinct style that has become the author's trademark. But while the writing may be lean and spare, the complexity of the mesmerizing plot is anything but.
Once again we are drawn into the fascinating world of Dell, a former mercenary, and his wife Dolly, a former battlefield nurse. They have strived to make this world --- a new one for them, located in quiet coastal Oregon --- a peaceful, idyllic spot far away from the wars and conflicts they have, each in their own way, known in the past. But that goal is disrupted one morning when a body --- skull shaven, torso covered with neo-Nazi tattoos, murdered in a precisely brutal manner --- washes ashore on a nearby beach. Although this poses no direct threat to Dell or Dolly, its proximity is nevertheless disturbing. Amplifying this is Dell's relentless devotion to loving and protecting Dolly; and Dolly's nurturing instincts toward the vulnerable about her. When an aging, homeless man from the area is arrested for the murder because he turns up with a watch traceable to the victim, Dolly becomes involved via Mack, the devoted lone worker for a local mental-health outreach program. He quickly points out a logical list of reasons why the unfortunate in custody, Homer, couldn't possibly have committed the murder --- but the cops and, more to the point, the weasel of a local DA are advertising the case as having been solved and won't be easily convinced otherwise.Unwilling to stand by and see an innocent man railroaded while far more dangerous animals – the true killers - are still somewhere on the loose, Dolly turns to Dell, knowing the special skills only he can call on is what it's going to take to track down and deliver the real killers. Enlisting the gradually escalating aid and involvement of Mack, along with his other skills and contacts, Dell goes on the hunt with grim intensity. For Dolly, there is nothing he won't do, no stopping point until he succeeds.The trail that leads Dell and Mack to who and what they are after, takes them through the layers of the homeless who live just beyond the perimeter of what the average person sees or knows, in and out of the poisonous pits inhabited by hate groups, riding the rails on the lookout for circuit riders or FTRA (Free Train Riders of America), and eventually into the corrupt depths of federal agencies where deadly secrets and even more deadly alliances have been formed and covered up for decades.
As usual with a Vachss book, there are multiple layers to be enjoyed. One can read it as a straight mystery/thriller – for which it is totally satisfying. Then there are also many intriguing historical facts and the spot-on societal commentary. And, infused through it all, there is the razor-sharp writing, a host of memorable characters, and the narrative power that forces you to keep turning pages.Highly recommended.

Another Look: HANG 'EM HIGH (1968, starring Clint Eastwood)

I saw this when it first came out, at a drive-in theater (where I saw most movies back in those days). I remember liking it quite a lot … Far more than any of the "Man With No Name" films that started Eastwood up the ladder to superstardom. Without the success of HANG 'EM  HIGH, I'd even venture to suggest that ladder might have turned out to be little more than a stepstool to mid-rank stardom. As it was --- with plenty of savvy input and some hard demands made by none other than Eastwood himself, via the deal he had brokered for the movie to be a joint production between United Artists and Clint's newly formed Malpaso Company --- HANG 'EM had the highest grossing weekend opening in United Artists' history (exceeding even the James Bond films to that point) and went on to become one of the top grossing films of the year.In addition its popularity with audiences, it received mostly positive critical reviews. Among its few detractors, however, was a trash job from Variety (and I include this only because the wording makes me chuckle) that stated the film was: "A poor American-made imitation of a poor Italian-made imitation of an American-made Western."
Upon sitting down to watch this film all the way through (not just snippets here and there as I was channel-surfing) for the purpose of writing this piece, it occurred to me that I had not done so for a long time --- too long, I concluded afterward.I'd almost forgotten how tight and tense (although still with plenty of action) the storyline was, and how many veteran character actors it featured in sometimes very brief yet powerful secondary roles. Not that you'd expect anything less from the likes of Ben Johnson, Bruce Dern, Dennis Hopper, Charles McGraw, L.Q. Jones, Alan Hale Jr., James MacArthur, and Bob Steele.In major roles, along with Eastwood, there are Pat Hingle, Ed Begley, and Inger Stevens also turning in fine, strong performances. (Stevens, I gotta say, looks absolutely stunning and comes across very convincing as a single-minded, embittered widow ever vigilant to check out the fugitives brought before the court, in hopes of spotting the men who killed her late husband and ravaged her; her character naturally becomes romantically involved with Eastwood's in the movie --- and, long-standing rumor has it, a similar affair took place in real life during the filming.)
The director was Ted Post --- one of Eastwood's demands, hired in lieu of other contenders like John Sturges or Robert Aldrich. Post was a veteran of many, many TV shows (including several episodes of Eastwood's RAWHIDE series), several made-for-TV movies, and a dozen or so feature films (such as BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES and MAGNUM FORCE, the second of the "Dirty Harry" movies). Recognizing how much the momentum of his career depended on HANG 'EM HIGH, Eastwood wanted a director whose style he was both familiar with and trusted. He got what he wanted, and Post got what was probably the best film he was able to sign his name to as a director.
The plot of HANG 'EM HIGH is fairly simple and straightforward. Eastwood plays Jed Cooper, a former lawman wrongly accused of rustling and then lynched by a vigilante band under the leadership of a former army captain (Ed Begley). Due to a sloppy knot and the timely arrival of a U.S. Deputy Marshal (Ben Johnson) Cooper survives. He's taken back to Fort Grant before Judge Fenton (Pat Hingle) and cleared of any wrongdoing. (Fort Grant and Judge Fenton are fictional counterparts for the real-life Fort Smith and "the hanging judge" Isaac Parker.) Rather than head out on a mission of personal vengeance (which would put him at odds with legal recourse) Cooper is convinced to instead pin on the badge of a U.S. Deputy Marshal and proceed in that manner.Cooper proves to be an exceptional federal marshal but in the course of bringing in various lawbreakers as assigned he also manages to start picking off those who hung him. Eventually, the lynch mob members who are left come looking to kill him --- which they nearly do --- and that forces a final, bloody climax.
All in all, a damn good movie.And, curiously, one that seems to be seldom featured on lists of top Westerns as well in discussions of Eastwood's overall body of work.Nevertheless, if you haven't seen HANG 'EM HIGH in a while --- or perhaps never --- you owe it to yourself to check it out. You won't be sorry.

Available Now: WIDE SPOT IN THE ROAD (a Drifter Detective novella) by Wayne D. Dundee

Just out from Beat To A Pulp Press and yours truly --- I'm returning to my roots as a writer of hardboiled detective yarns. Only this time it's not my old buddy Joe Hannibal out to crack the case (and maybe a few skulls along the way), but rather "the Drifter Detective" Jack Laramie. Set in the early 1950s post-WWII period, this is the fourth title in the series. But you don't have to read them in any particular order. If you like WIDE SPOT and/or are a fan of PI fiction in general, I urge you to also check out the other titles by Garnett Elliott, who has done a terrific job of establishing the character and setting the tone for the whole series. Hopefully readers find my spin a good fit with what has gone before ... If you recall, I'm an old friend of the Laramie "family" inasmuch as I have documented some of the adventures of Jack's grandfather, Cash Laramie, a well known U.S. Duty Marshal who operated out of Cheyenne, Wyoming back in the 1880s. In case you haven't already, heck, you might want to check out some of those also.Available now on Amazon Kindle for the bargain price of only $0.99. Hope you give it a try, I think you'll like it.

Noteworthy Reads: A BURNING DESIRE by J.R. Lindermuth

A new book by John Lindermuth is always a treat to look forward to. When it is part of the "Sticks" Hetrick series, that makes it all the better. And in A BURNING DESIRE, the sixth entry in this fine series, both Sticks and author Lindermuth do not disappoint.
Even though "off screen" much of the time on this outing, Sticks still remains involved in the events and interwoven characters/motivations behind much of the action in this complex tale. Sometimes he serves as little more than a sounding board, sometimes he can't resist poking his finger directly into the goings-on, and ultimately he ends up right in the thick of one of two shattering climaxes.
But the weight of the story, as various characters are introduced and threads from the past become entangled with circumstances of the present, rests mostly on the shoulders of Swatara Creek Police Chief Aaron Brubaker, Officer Flora Vastine (who had been closely mentored by Sticks when he was police chief), and two shady cousins with troubled pasts and troubling intentions for the future. A series of dangerously escalating fires, clearly set by an arsonist, is the fuel that ignites a secondary series of actions and reactions that result first in one murder, then another, and more potentially on tap as additional players with grudges and secrets are sucked into the entanglement. It all ends one fiery night when answers are reached and mysteries solved, but not before more lives are lost and one old enemy fails at revenge while another achieves redemption.
This time out, author Lindermuth shows us a harsher, grittier side of Swatara Creek, home to a number of seedier, meaner residents. But, on balance, he also shows us the "good" side and how it prevails. It's a nice touch to see the continuing growth in recurring characters Brubaker and Vastine --- Brubaker becoming more confident in the performance of his duties (rather than feeling in the shadow of Sticks) and Vastine maturing in her professional life as well as her personal one. But the anchor to it all (which isn't to say he's not without his own transitions, in the romance department, with gal friend Anita) remains quiet, steadfast Sticks Hetrick.
Big, big recommendation!

Noteworthy Reads: A BURNING DESIRE by Wayne D. Dundee

A new book by John Lindermuth is always a treat to look forward to. When it is part of the "Sticks" Hetrick series, that makes it all the better. And in A BURNING DESIRE, the sixth entry in this fine series, both Sticks and author Lindermuth do not disappoint.
Even though "off screen" much of the time on this outing, Sticks still remains involved in the events and interwoven characters/motivations behind much of the action in this complex tale. Sometimes he serves as little more than a sounding board, sometimes he can't resist poking his finger directly into the goings-on, and ultimately he ends up right in the thick of one of two shattering climaxes.
But the weight of the story, as various characters are introduced and threads from the past become entangled with circumstances of the present, rests mostly on the shoulders of Swatara Creek Police Chief Aaron Brubaker, Officer Flora Vastine (who had been closely mentored by Sticks when he was police chief), and two shady cousins with troubled pasts and troubling intentions for the future. A series of dangerously escalating fires, clearly set by an arsonist, is the fuel that ignites a secondary series of actions and reactions that result first in one murder, then another, and more potentially on tap as additional players with grudges and secrets are sucked into the entanglement. It all ends one fiery night when answers are reached and mysteries solved, but not before more lives are lost and one old enemy fails at revenge while another achieves redemption.
This time out, author Lindermuth shows us a harsher, grittier side of Swatara Creek, home to a number of seedier, meaner residents. But, on balance, he also shows us the "good" side and how it prevails. It's a nice touch to see the continuing growth in recurring characters Brubaker and Vastine --- Brubaker becoming more confident in the performance of his duties (rather than feeling in the shadow of Sticks) and Vastine maturing in her professional life as well as her personal one. But the anchor to it all (which isn't to say he's not without his own transitions, in the romance department, with gal friend Anita) remains quiet, steadfast Sticks Hetrick.
Big, big recommendation!

Interview: Richard Prosch (author of ONE AGAINST A GUN HORDE)

In the past couple of years, Richard Prosch has become one of my favorite contemporary writers. Maybe that's partly because I know he is Nebraska bred and born, and remains a devout cornhusker at heart even though he presently resides in Missouri … No, that's really only icing on the cake; I'd still like Richard's writing as much, even if he was a "coaster" of some ilk. He's that damn good.Prosch writes Westerns. Some in a contemporary setting, most set in the more traditional "Old West era" of the late 1800s. His writing is subtly stylistic, thoroughly evoking the time and especially the place he is writing about. His characters are simple and human, yet at the same time somehow colorful and memorable.With the exception of one novella (and a fine one) entitled HOLT COUNTY LAW, Prosch's work so far has been in short stories, some appearing elsewhere, most of them gathered into story collections of his own. Many of his stories feature two recurring characters: Featured most prominently among the stories collected in DEVIL'S NEST, there is John Coburn, also known as The Peregrine (a wanderer or drifter), who has a mysterious, quasi-mystical air about him, a man with a reputation for being good with a gun yet not a gunslinger per se`; and Whit Branham (featured in the aforementioned HOLT COUNTY LAW), a young lawman who at first seems somewhat unassuming – a horse lover and a bit of a dreamer – but gradually proves to be as tough and resourceful as his job and the frontier demand.I could go on, but there's really no need to when the best thing is for interested readers to check out Richard's work, all available on Amazon. A good place to start is with his just-released latest, ONE AGAINST THE GUN HORDE (featuring John Coburn/Peregrine in the title story) --- for which, in conjunction with this blog post, I recently put up a 5-star review on Amazon.Also, to get to know a bit more about the personal side of the man behind the byline, I offer the following Q&A session he recently agreed to participate in with me:


WD:  You grew up on a Nebraska farm and then went on to become a writer,
artist, and teacher living in such places as Wyoming, South Carolina,
and Missouri. Can you give us some details about that transition?

RP: The transition was abrupt. Living in the city, even a small place
like Laramie, brought both petty annoyances (night noises of traffic and
the AC unit at a nearby grocery store) and simple luxuries (walking to
the store for a Coke whenever I felt like it). The move from Wyoming to
South Carolina was much more of a culture shock. What’s funny is that,
after ten years in the Upstate, moving back west was an equal shock.
Once again, I share my days with cornfields and cattle, but it bothers
me that I can’t find local green peanuts to boil!


WD:  Not surprisingly, writing seems to be at the core of all beyond the
farm work. Is it safe to say that writing/becoming a writer has always
been the strongest force driving you? At what age did you first
recognize you wanted to be a writer yourself, and when did you first
produce what you consider a significant piece of work?

RP: Growing up, I was always writing and drawing. Commercial art and
cartooning was my initial career choice because I could make more money
at it, but I was always making up stories in my head while on the
tractor or doing chores on the farm. I remember turning in a short
vampire story in the 5th grade and my teacher saying, “You should be a
writer when you grow up.” I held onto that. First significant piece is
hard, but I’d have to say that co-writing the Emma Davenport comic strip
in 1993 for the Comics Buyers’ Guide was both personally and
professionally gratifying. Up until then, my published writing creds
were all for nonfiction business journals or fluffy romance and
religious pieces. So I think that comic forced me to grow in ways that
are still valuable today. You have to make your words count when they
need to fit inside a word balloon.

WD:  I presume you likely took some writing courses --- anything to
share from that? Perhaps a teacher who was particularly encouraging (or
not)? Obviously, things like plot basics, proper formatting, query
letters, etc., can be taught. But I've often wondered if you can
actually make a writer out of someone who, at their core, doesn't
already have something pulling/pushing them in that direction? Any
thoughts on that?

RP: There’s all kinds of writing, from business copy to commercial
fiction, and I think anyone can learn the craft they choose. I learned a
lot in school about writing, but very little about being a professional.
That said, I do think it takes dedication if you want a professional
lifestyle. Lots of people can make a sale or two, but continuing to
work, to learn, to improve, that’s a choice. And it’s easy to fool
yourself for a while. It’s about sitting down and doing the work. The
writers I have learned from have work ethics like my old German farmer
uncles.

WD:   In 1988, during your journey from farm boy to professional writer
and co-honcho of Lohman Hills Creative, you met and married your lovely
wife Gina (the other co-honcho of Lohman). You have told me how
supportive and important she is to your writing, and it is clear to
anyone who reads her recurring "Simple Pleasures" observations on
Facebook that she is a very talented and perceptive person in her own
rite. Care to tell us more and brag a bit about Gina? Also your son
Wyatt? It is clear from our personal correspondence back and forth as
well as the Facebook posts by both you and Gina that you have a very
close knit family, one you are --- and should be --- very proud of.

RP:  Thank you, Wayne. Gina taught at a college level for many years and
is my best friend and critic, first reader and teacher, and I trust her to slap me as
needed. Her knowledge of literature and the humanities far exceeds mine,
and I don’t think I ever would have continued in art and writing without
her. During the last 25 years we’ve written a lot together, more than
the comic strip. We co-wrote dozens of business articles and have
produced web site copy for a lot of different industries. We’ve even
remodeled a house together without bloodshed! Wyatt is the opposite of
his parents. For him, it’s all about science and engineering, and that’s
widened my perspective and opened windows I thought were shut long ago.
He continues to inspire both of us.  

WD:  Tell us a bit about your writing regimen. Do you have a particular
schedule? Are you a careful plotter/outliner or are you what has become
commonly called a "pantser"?

RP: Until recently I outlined everything. Didn’t always follow the plan,
but I needed that anchor in place to even get started. Lately, like with
the latest batch of stories, I’m more often “writing into the dark” as
author Dean Wesley Smith says. As far as word count, I’m still doing
wind sprints. Sessions of a few hundred, to a few thousand words on any
random day. Then I go for a day or two without writing. Never more than
two or I start feeling anxious. More than three and Gina doesn’t want me
around.  But I’m not happy with that. It leaves me feeling jangled. I’ve
rearranged my schedule for summer to try for a more even keel.

WD:  What writers have influenced/inspired you?

RP:  From the printed page it’s Bradbury and Harlan Ellison, Dorothy M.
Johnson, and Robert B. Parker. I have so much admiration for the
wordcraft of David Edgarly Gates. In personal, one on one advice, Peter
Brandvold and Dean Wesley Smith have turned my head around more than
once. These are people who take the work seriously, who care about the
writing. Not the awards, not the blogs or the association memberships
–the writing.

WD:  Can you discuss what you're working on or planning now? What can
readers look forward to next from the Prosch byline?

RP: Right now, I honestly don’t know. I have a few irons in the fire,
each of which might go a different direction. I’m most enthusiastic
about finishing up the current body of work and getting a fresh
perspective this summer. Like I said before, trying more to just “write
into the dark.”

WD:  Finally, why have you chosen to primarily write Westerns? Don't you
know that dusty, musty old genre was pronounced dead many years ago ---
and several times since?

RP: Unlike anywhere else, the West lets me tap into my personal
experience and opinion. There’s a sense of integration when I write
about walking the range or chasing a cow, things I’ve done over and over
for decades. In my earliest memories I sat on a stool and watched my
grandparents work cattle. And only yesterday, I chased a cow out of our
garden. That sense of continuity keeps me planted firmly in small town
and western settings.

WD:  Thank you for your time, Richard.

RP: You’re welcome, Wayne. It’s great to visit with you!


 

Another Look: (1967, THE LAST CHALLENGE starring Glenn Ford and Angie Dickinson)

This 1967 film from MGM is a largely predictable Western drama with a slightly more adult edge to it, but otherwise not too different from some of the Western series still playing on TV at the time it was released. Nevertheless (with apologies to Aesop), since familiarity often breeds content rather than contempt (which may well be the battle cry of the Western's durability), it remains a solid entry in the genre. In the sure hands of established pros like Glenn Ford and Angie Dickinson --- backed by a supporting cast that included many other pros such as Jack Elam, Gary Merrill, Royal Dano, Robert Horton, Frank McGrath, etc., all directed by Richard Thorpe --- it could hardly be anything less.
The plot is a slight variation on the oft-used "weary older gunfighter trying to avoid ongoing confrontations with cocky younger gunnies looking to make a reputation" theme. In this case, the older gunman is a town marshal (Ford) trying to live down his past reputation by keeping the peace in a quiet little town; yet he still doesn't hesitate to use his gun if/when necessary and when he shoots (as is shown in the movie's opening scene) it is to kill. Enter the younger gunslinger (Chad Everett, in a change-of-pace role) out to prove he's the fastest gun around and unwilling to settle for anything less. "If a man is second best, he might as well be dead," he says at one point. Due to a chance meeting at Ford's favorite fishing hole, as Everett happens by on his way into town, the two men at first seem to like each other as they share some fish and conversation --- until Everett (not knowing who Ford is) reveals his goal for coming to the area. Overall tension builds from there as Everett proceeds on into town, making it clear he still intends to go through with what brought him there; and Ford, wanting to avoid a showdown with the likable young man if at all possible, nevertheless vows that he will kill him if given no other choice. Angie Dickinson, playing Ford's romantic interest who owns/operates the local saloon and brothel, has great concern for Ford's safety if the gunfight takes place. To prevent it, she tries everything from simple persuasion, to a buy-off of Everett's character, to hiring a desperate ex con (Jack Elam) to kill him from ambush.  In spite of everything, the shootout between the two men occurs. Rather than tell you the result, I will resort to that annoying old grade school practice when giving a book report of saying only: "If you want to know what happens, you'll have to (in this case) see the movie for yourself."Nothing ground-breaking or spectacular, as I said at the start, just basic, often stereotypical stuff --- but very well done.
A couple of background notes you might find interesting: In real life, Glenn Ford was an accomplished fast-draw artist. He was generally considered "the fastest gun in Hollywood".This was the final film directed by Richard Thorpe, an MGM workhorse whose career spanned over three decades. He was originally slated to direct The Wizard of Oz, but after only a couple weeks' filming was replaced because his scenes did not capture "the right air of fantasy". Nevertheless, Thorpe's body of work included directing projects in a wide variety of genres with stars such as: Wallace Beery, Ronald Reagan, the Tarzan series, the Lassie series, Robert Taylor, the Thin Man series, Spencer Tracy, James Stewart, Elizabeth Taylor, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, and Steve McQueen. It appears that less than a dozen of these were Westerns, yet his handling of Challenge nevertheless shows a sure hand.
Glenn Ford also had a long career (over five decades, including time out for military service – awarded several medals and ultimately reaching the rank of Naval captain – in WWII and Vietnam) playing a wide variety of roles. Particularly later in his career, he did a lot of Westerns (on TV, as well as movies) and it suited him well. As for Angie Dickinson … well, it's Angie Dickinson, man. In this movie she plays a saloon/brothel owner, does a competent job and looks damn good doing it. What more do you need?
As I said at the start, THE LAST CHALLENGE is good, solid Western entertainment. Nothing more, nothing less. If that's what in the mood for, you could do a whole lot worse.

Noteworthy Reads: KLAW by W.L. Fieldhouse

When James Reasoner contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in reading a galley of KLAW and possibly providing a promotion blurb, I vaguely recalled the title from many years ago and thought I may even have had a copy of it at one time. But I couldn't actually remember ever reading it. At any rate, I told him to go ahead and send me a copy and I'd find time to have a look.
Upon receiving said copy, I began reading and two things became quickly clear: One, I knew I had *not* read it before; and Two, boy was I ever glad James had made one available to me now! This is one tough, terrific Western --- well-written and gripping from start to finish.

Following is what I had to say in a recently-posted Amazon review, along with the blurb I submitted to James and Livia.

Review: This first title in a series by W.L. Fieldhouse delivers a payload of gritty, hardboiled Western action! I was tempted to name a couple other tough Western authors from the great Gold Medal pbo days that Fieldhouse reminds me of, but his writing has some distinctions strictly to his own style that would make such comparisons inadequate either way. Suffice to say that KLAW is a well-written, tough, satisfying yarn of Western vengeance. What you might even call a "classic" of sorts, first published two decades ago and now re-released by Rough Edges Press. And the added good news is that there are two more titles in the series that will be coming soon.
Don't miss any of them!
Blurb: “Western fiction has seen plenty of avenging protagonists over the years, hardened by savagery and betrayal, hell-bent on a course to settle the score with human scum undeserving of taking another breath. But few have ever been more embittered or relentless than Klaw … Replacing tortured flesh and bone with cold steel and determination, he turns the bloody remains of a body left for dead into a killing machine who can't be stopped … Bill Fieldhouse has created a memorable, uncompromising character with the grit, savvy, and willingness to go up against the toughest odds. Told in a no-frills, unflinching style, KLAW is an exciting Western adventure that will leave you clamoring for more.”
As evidence of how widely appealing KLAW is, it has also gained praise from the likes of Steve Mertz and Peter Brandvold. You'll want to be sure and check this one out, I promise you won't be disappointed.