Jason's Blog, page 185
February 20, 2011
Bandolero!
James Stewart helps his brother Dean Martin and his gang to escape from a prison. They kidnap Raquel Welch and head off into Mexico, followed by sheriff George Kennedy and a posse. Directed by Andrew McLaglen.
Yes, Stewart and Martin play brothers in this film. Are there any Hollywood actors from this period that look less like brothers? They should have hired Jack Palance as a third one. Stewart seems to have realized the unlikeliness of the casting and plays his part as if it was a comedy. Mexican bandits are taking on the role usually played by Indians, faceless villains to be gunned down by the main characters. The film is no classic, but fairly entertaining and that there Raquel Welch sure was purty.
Yes, Stewart and Martin play brothers in this film. Are there any Hollywood actors from this period that look less like brothers? They should have hired Jack Palance as a third one. Stewart seems to have realized the unlikeliness of the casting and plays his part as if it was a comedy. Mexican bandits are taking on the role usually played by Indians, faceless villains to be gunned down by the main characters. The film is no classic, but fairly entertaining and that there Raquel Welch sure was purty.
February 19, 2011
Winchester '73
James Stewart is looking for the man who killed his father. At the same time we follow a winchester prize rifle as it goes from one owner to the next. Also starring Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea and in a small part Tony Curtis, directed by Anthony Mann.
This is the first of the Stewart / Mann westerns, and probably the best one. The film looks great in black and white, much better than The Naked Spur did in colour. And it always helps to have Dan Duryea as the villain, even though he only turns up two thirds into the film. Why wasn't this guy a huge star? He was pretty much the Cary Grant of bad guys. The Indians in the film actually say Hooka-Hey! when they attack, just like in the Blueberry comics. I thought that was something Charlier and Giraud had made up. One can also admire the economy of the film, how there's no dragged out ending. When the story is over, the film is over. It doesn't have the "Okay, let's talk about our feelings for five minutes." often found in modern films.
This is the first of the Stewart / Mann westerns, and probably the best one. The film looks great in black and white, much better than The Naked Spur did in colour. And it always helps to have Dan Duryea as the villain, even though he only turns up two thirds into the film. Why wasn't this guy a huge star? He was pretty much the Cary Grant of bad guys. The Indians in the film actually say Hooka-Hey! when they attack, just like in the Blueberry comics. I thought that was something Charlier and Giraud had made up. One can also admire the economy of the film, how there's no dragged out ending. When the story is over, the film is over. It doesn't have the "Okay, let's talk about our feelings for five minutes." often found in modern films.
February 18, 2011
A Fabiolous drawing
Ah, sorry about the awful pun. This is a drawing by Fabio Viscogliosi done for the Norwegian version of Pocket Full of Rain. Fabio is one of my favourite cartoonists and an inspiration for me starting to do wordless comics. I recommend his book Da Capo, published by L'Association, that collects all his vagabond cat stories.
The Naked Spur
James Stewart gets help from old guy Millard Mitchell and ex-soldier Ralph Meeker in capturing outlaw Robert Ryan who has a 5000 $ reward on his head. On the way to the nearest city to collect the money Ryan tries to set the other men up against each other. Also starring Janet Leigh, directed by Anthony Mann.
The film is in colour, but in the pre widescreen 1,33:1 format, that feels a bit claustrophobic for a western. Mann doesn't get to use the landscape that much as part of the story. The concept for the film is simple but effective - the men slowly turning against each other, but I thought that was much better done in The Treasure of The Sierra Madre. In this film it doesn't get as ugly as it could have been. The greyhaired and middleaged James Stewart from the westerns of the fifties looks really different from the the young Stewart from the Capra films in the thirties. If you didn't know better, you'd actually find it hard to guess that it's the same actor.
The film is in colour, but in the pre widescreen 1,33:1 format, that feels a bit claustrophobic for a western. Mann doesn't get to use the landscape that much as part of the story. The concept for the film is simple but effective - the men slowly turning against each other, but I thought that was much better done in The Treasure of The Sierra Madre. In this film it doesn't get as ugly as it could have been. The greyhaired and middleaged James Stewart from the westerns of the fifties looks really different from the the young Stewart from the Capra films in the thirties. If you didn't know better, you'd actually find it hard to guess that it's the same actor.
February 17, 2011
A drawing...
... of the character Courtney Crumrin, created by Ted Naifeh. Originally drawn for a comic book store in Montpellier, it was later included in a gallery in the back of an album published by Akileos.
February 16, 2011
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
James Stewart is the young and naive senator battling the cynical forces of Washington. Also starring Jean Arthur, Claude Rains and Thomas Mitchell, directed by Frank Capra.
This film is also dated, but not as bad as You Can't take It With You. A film like It's A Wonderful Life still works today since it has an element of a fairytale or a tale of Dickens. In this film that takes place in the more realistic world of politics you lose that element. I still find it a bit hard to believe in Capra's insistence of the decency of the common man, but even an old cynic like me have to confess that I was moved by Stewart's performance towards the end of the film.
This film is also dated, but not as bad as You Can't take It With You. A film like It's A Wonderful Life still works today since it has an element of a fairytale or a tale of Dickens. In this film that takes place in the more realistic world of politics you lose that element. I still find it a bit hard to believe in Capra's insistence of the decency of the common man, but even an old cynic like me have to confess that I was moved by Stewart's performance towards the end of the film.
February 15, 2011
You Can't Take It With You
James Stewart, the son of a rich man, falls for Jean Athur who comes from a family of eccentrics. Directed by Frank Capra.
Well, they can't all be classics... The film won the Oscar for best film of 1938, but has dated pretty badly. It has some of the same ideas as It's A Wonderful Life, that friends are more important than money, but while it worked in that film it leaves a bad taste in this one. Apparently, all rich people are stuffy and unhappy, the working man is the only sensible one and the sollution for everybody is to become a child again. It can be seen as either terribly naive or phoney and condescending, a movie made for the common people by a rich film director. Having seen the film you risk ending up as a strong believer in capitalism, and I'm not sure if that was the intention.
Well, they can't all be classics... The film won the Oscar for best film of 1938, but has dated pretty badly. It has some of the same ideas as It's A Wonderful Life, that friends are more important than money, but while it worked in that film it leaves a bad taste in this one. Apparently, all rich people are stuffy and unhappy, the working man is the only sensible one and the sollution for everybody is to become a child again. It can be seen as either terribly naive or phoney and condescending, a movie made for the common people by a rich film director. Having seen the film you risk ending up as a strong believer in capitalism, and I'm not sure if that was the intention.
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