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Clint Eastwood fired the original director, Philip Kaufman(The Right Stuff), and took over the reins of this project himself. He may have had a point: this brutal, thoughtful western, a near-tragedy about a Civil War veteran whose past comes looking for him, is probably Eastwood's most mature frontier drama prior to the Oscar winningUnforgiven. Hoping to build a quiet life in a cooperative community of settlers, Eastwood's Wales blames himself when his enemies attack the homestead, and he has to revert to his warrior instincts to help fend off the threat. The jittery intensity of Sondra Locke (who would be Mrs. Eastwood, at least for a while), and the screen-filling charisma of the late Chief Dan George harmonize beautifully with Eastwood, who had finally figured out how to add depth and texture to his stock-in-trade Man of Steel persona. This one may be too short on action to satisfy fans of Eastwood'sDirty Harry films, or of the Italian westerns he made with Sergio Leone, but it's an honorable effort.--David Chute ... Read more

Reviews (68)

One of the best westerns ever made.....
I have seen this western many times on tape and my copy of the movie had started to lose its luster. When I heard it was coming on DVD, I knew I would see the film as Clint Eastwood intended it.

As far as a film is concerned, it is a very good tale of revenge and devotion to friends. Eastwood is great as the title character and the film has some very good supporting performances. The exteriors where the film was shot are beautiful and are just as good on DVD as in reality.

The DVD is a great, inexpensive version of a great Western. The 16:9 widescreen version of the film highlights the colors and tones that were filmed by Eastwood. The color is good as well as the Dolby 5.1 Surround Soundtrack. There is also a French soundtrack (which is very humorous when Eastwood utters the best line of the film, "You going to pull them pistols or whistle Dixie"). The disc also contains trailers to many other Westerns as well as the trailer for Outlaw Josey Wales.

You should not miss this great DVD. The price is right and the movie is one of Eastwood's best. This is one of the better looking westerns that I have in my DVD collection. If you love great westerns and movies about the American Civil War, you will love this DVD!

Deserves 10 stars!
What can you say about Clint Eastwood's westerns except, great! His movies (acting and directing)changed the whole look and feel of this genre. This is definitely my favorite western, heck it's probably my favorite movie...period. Josey Wales is based on the novel by Forrest Carter, "Gone to Texas". After reading the book Clint knew he had to make the movie and he did an excellent job of capturing the spirit of the novel. The DVD transfer is very good. It was like watching it for the first time when I saw the DVD after the VHS version. This is what westerns are supposed to be so... "are you gonna get this video or whistle Dixie"? BUY IT!

Eastwood has the union army surrounded

Director: Clint Eastwood
Format: ColorRated:
Studio: Warner Studios
Video Release Date: September 2, 2003

Cast:

Clint Eastwood ... Josey Wales
Chief Dan George ... Lone Watie
Sondra Locke ... Laura Lee
Bill McKinney ... Terrill
John Vernon ... Fletcher
Paula Trueman ... Grandma Sarah
Sam Bottoms ... Jamie
Geraldine Keams ... Little Moonlight
Woodrow Parfrey ... Carpetbagger
Joyce Jameson ... Rose
Sheb Wooley ... Travis Cobb
Royal Dano ... Ten Spot
Matt Clark ... Kelly
John Verros ... Chato
Will Sampson ... Ten Bears
William O'Connell ... Sim Carstairs
John Quade ... Comanchero Leader
Frank Schofield ... Senator Lane
Buck Kartalian ... Shopkeeper
Len Lesser ... Abe
Doug McGrath ... Lige
John Russell ... Bloody Bill Anderson
Charles Tyner ... Zukie Limmer
Bruce M. Fischer ... Yoke
John Mitchum ... Al
John Davis Chandler ... First Bounty Hunter
Tom Roy Lowe ... Second Bounty Hunter
Clay Tanner ... First Texas Ranger
Robert F. Hoy ... Second Texas Ranger
Madeline T. Holmes ... Grannie Hawkins
Erik Holland ... Union Army Sergeant
Cissy Wellman ... Josey's Wife
Faye Hamblin ... Grandpa Samuel
Danny Green ... Lemuel
Kyle Eastwood ... Josey's Son
Richard Farnsworth ... Comanchero

Josie Wales' family was murdered and his home burned by union redlegs, so he joins Bill Fletcher's border raiders on the confederate side of the war and does his share of getting even. When Fletcher turns in his men for money (except Wales) and they are all killed, Wales becomes an outlaw on the run from union authorities. They hunt him clear into Mexico, where things come to a head. Josie Wales single handedly surrounds the entire union army and the Indian nations.

This is a good story, well acted by all concerned, and very well directed by Eastwood, as are all of his films.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Josey Wales - Fastest gunslinger in the West!
Clint Eastwood's movie, The Outlaw Josey Wales, is a classic in the Western genre. This movie is one of the best Western movies that I have ever seen.

The story of the movie goes like this. Josey Wales(Clint Eastwood) is a peaceful farmer in Missouri with a family in the middle of the Civil War. One day some Union Soldiers burn down his house (with his son in it) and kidnap his wife. Angry and Furious, Josey Wales joins some confederate guerillas and fights hard. When Confederacy surrenders, Josey Wales refuses and heads west. He travels to Texas and along the way picks up odd group: couple of Native Americans, an Old Grandmother, a beautiful woman and two servants. At the same time they are chased by Union soldiers.

I will not reveal the story further. However, what makes this movie a classic is the depth and dimension to the characters and superb action.

The character of Josey Wales is really complex. He turns from a peaceful farmer to a tobacco chewing, hell raising, gunslinger. However his humane side is seen through his hard attitude at times. He saves a native american girl from couple of scoundrels. He also saves travelers from another group of bandits. At the same time, he is a tobacco spitting hard man. Josey Wales spits on everything, from a scorpio to a union officer. The other characters are not as intensely developed, which is understandable since Josey Wales is the primary focus of the movie.

The action in the movie is just amazing. I will summarize three great scenes which will make you, the reader, want to just watch the movie. In first scene Josey Wales is carrying food and confronted by four soldiers... In another one Josey Wales(and his six-shooter) all by himself is up against 10-15 bandits...In the last one, Josey Wales and his Six-shooter, go toe-to-toe against tens of horse-riding soldiers...

I will leave the action for you to watch.

Also this movie is directed by Eastwood himself. He is as good as a director as he is as an actor.

FYI: This movie is based on the book "Gone to Texas".

Classic Clint!
If you could only watch two of Clint Eastwood's westerns, "The Outlaw Josey Wales" and "Unforgiven" would by my choices!

Chief Dan George and Clint have a chemistry that adds humor and depth to the main story line of revenge, retribution, and a journey for justice. Sandra Locke, with her doe-eyed innocence, adds a little gentle feminity to the picture.

The movie is exciting, suspenseful and rewarding. No one is better as a wronged-man-evening-the-score than Clint Eastwood and this is one of his most memorable roles. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

"Teachers" is for teachers
This movie is for and about teachers. "Teachers" lampoons a typical overcrowded urban high school and the group of burned-out, misfit teachers who work there. The school is being sued for graduating a student who can't read, and school administrators are more concerned about preserving the supposed-credibility of their school than with correcting the problem which led to the lawsuit.

Nick Nolte plays Alex, a former idealist who has grown bitter and cynical over the years. As the movie begins, he is a drunken womanizer who may or may not show up to class. He has been allowed to continue his dysfunctional ways because his behavior fits in with that of the other teachers. All this begins to change when his deposition for the lawsuit is taken by an attorney and former student whose life he had touched. She is appalled at his loss of ideals and challenges him to again make a difference in students' lives. When his interest in teaching reawakens, his attitude becomes a problem for the administration in their quest to squelch the lawsuit. They turn on him and try to make him a scapegoat for the school's numerous problems.

Many of the characters in "Teachers" are recognizable as people we have all known:

School Board Member - An overbearing bureaucrat whose main emphases are compliance and minimization of bad publicity.

Principal - A complete airhead whose most common response to any question is "I don't know". He hides in his office most of the time and defers all decisions to the assistant principal.

Assistant principal - A capable educator and former idealist who has become bitter and cynical over the years. His current emphasis is to survive each day with the fewest number of casualties. In the end, he conspires to make his friend Alex a scapegoat in the lawsuit in order to preserve the school's dismal status quo.

School secretary - A capable and unflappable matron who (along with the assistant principal) keeps the school running.

School psychologist - She's the craziest person on staff. In the opening scene, she goes nuts and attacks another teacher in the office in full view of students and faculty.

Gym teacher - Has a long history of having sex with students and getting them pregnant. He is passed from school to school by the school district to conceal his crime.

"Ditto" - A burned-out teacher who mimeographs worksheets for his students so that they can quietly work while he sits at the back of the room reading the newspaper. His proudest accomplishment is getting the award for "Most Orderly Classroom" several years in a row. He ends up dying behind his newspaper during class and no one even notices.

The school's best teacher - Richard Mulligan plays an escaped lunatic who masquerades as a teacher until he is caught. No one ever asks to see his credentials. In a short period he becomes the school's most beloved and most effective teacher. The unspoken message here might be that you'd have to be crazy to become a teacher.

Teacher union rep - A whining weasel who passes himself off as the teachers' best friend, but shamelessly sells Alex out in exchange for a meaningless concession from the school board.

This film is not an indictment against teachers per-se. Rather, it is an indictment against a community that would allow such an educational system to exist. Parent and community apathy seem to be the culprits here.

Consider how parents are portrayed in the film: First we learn of the parents who filed the lawsuit around which the film revolves. It is apparent they were less concerned about their son's education than about the money and/or notoriety to be gained from the lawsuit. (Surely they must have known their son couldn't read prior to graduation). Later we meet a set of divorcing parents who are more concerned about antagonizing each other than about meeting their son's needs. When Alex tries to help their talented-but-misguided son, they converge on the school to thwart his efforts. These are not the actions of parents concerned about education.

Community apathy has allowed the school system to become more concerned about its image than with education, which leaves teachers caught hopelessly in the middle. Without the support of parents, the school board, or the teachers union, they languish. It could happen anywhere, despite our obligation as a society to prevent it.

"Teachers" has a B-movie feel and the writing could be better. But it conveys a powerful message and is particularly interesting to teachers who can see some reality in it.

Duality and Star Power
< Teachers > is criticized in these reviews for the very duality that makes it so much like reality. There are true tragedies, and truly comedic moments, that occur in back-to-back moments in an everyday high school. There are also a batch of famous people in the film.

The movie is more like reality than most movies of its era, and is tedious for people not in the education industry or paying close enough attention to understand what is going on. It is funny, then poignant, then exasperating and finally hopeful. Christopher Plummer, the crazy-but-outstanding teacher, is truly inspiring, while whatzisname, the Vice Principal, is the self-serving authority figure we all love to hate. Other teachers are lampooned just like the characters one would expect to find in a more gothic version of Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

But real high school IS duality-- the juxtaposition of the giddy, the outlandish, the hypothetical and the grim, played out all day long.

Nolte and Williams play the dual sides of the stereotypical teachers who are in the middle, trapped somewhere between hope and desperation as they try to do their best with what they have. They give good performances, but it's only the teachers in the audience that can fully identify with how the characters must truly feel. In my opinion, it's a film that's more or less an inside joke-- written by teachers and school board members, for themselves.

Ralph Maccio plays his Outsiders character, more or less, which was no stretch for him despite the fact that he was about 24 years old when the film was shot.

I haven't seen the film since Columbine. It would be interesting to go back and view it from a more modern perspective.

mediocre at best
This movie had promise but something was just OFF thoughout it. Something just wasn't quite where it should have been. not a bad film, but certainly one you can skip.

great extras
The "stars" in this film are the extras, especially the tall guy of the two who come to take away the "crazy" substitute. Does anyone know his name? Has he appeared in anything else?

Just misses the mark.
This film has the ability and the drive to be a serious wake-up call for parents, teachers, and students. Unfortunatly, it jumps from drama to comedy so much that you feel that the producers-writers-directors have long gave up on the film or at least can't make up their minds. Don't get me wrong, there is a messege to be heard here, but the writers can't seem to hit it on the head, just what they want to say. A quick example would be when the school is raided by the police, and they conduct a search of all the lockers. A clearly mentally disturbed student (played wonderfully by Crispen Glover) is shot for trying to remove a gun from his locker. Instead of going with this impact for a while and trying to get into the other character's head, the film quickly jumps to comedy by the next scene. And that's the end of that. The school is being sued by an ex-student who graduated without learning to read. It is an honest and hard look at our education sysytem, and again, the politics that get in the way. Nolte is outstanding as always, as is Judd Hirsh in a strong post Taxi role. The problem is: How can viewers take "Teachers" seriously when we feel that the filmmakers themselves don't? ... Read more

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There are so many things right about this 1956 production of Moby Dick, it's a shame it is remembered for the one (debatable) thing wrong with it. As Captain Ahab, the bearded, one-legged, insanely obsessed whaler, Gregory Peck has often been called miscast. The mild, level-headed Peck had many talents, but the volcanic eruptions of Ahab seemed beyond him--even Peck himself felt he was a bad fit for the part after he finished playing it. (Pauline Kael opined that Peck looked like "a stock-company Lincoln.") Yet Peck's quiet brooding works an intriguing variation on the fiery character. John Huston, a director with a taste for location shooting, had his hands full with the difficult open-water filming in Ireland and the Canary Islands ("The catalogue of misadventures was unbelievable," he later wrote). Since Ahab is chasing the rare white whale, three false whales had to be constructed, two of which were lost at sea. For all the miscues, the film is amazingly controlled, and especially beautiful to look at: Huston and cinematographer Oswald Morris developed an unusual color process meant to suggest old whaling engravings. The director wrote the script with the science fiction writer Ray Bradbury, an inspired choice to adapt Herman Melville's epic novel. Richard Basehart plays the narrator, Ishmael, and Orson Welles provides a wonderful single-scene role as Father Mapple, declaiming the mysteries of the sailor's life in a thundering sermon. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (40)

A courageous effort by John Huston
It took a lot of guts to adapt "Moby Dick" to film and instead of maligning John Huston's effort, critics should have hailed his courage. This is a fine, intelligent film with a lean screenplay by Huston and Ray Bradbury. While I would have loved to have seen Laurence Olivier play Ahab, I think Gregory Peck turns in an adequate performance. Much of the action is shot at various outdoor locations and the special effects were impressive for the time. The great Orson Welles appears in the small but important role of Father Marple. The themes of friendship, revenge, and the role of conscience are all examined in "Moby Dick". Great literature often tanks when translated to the big screen. While "Moby Dick" is not among the greatest films of all time, it is a solid, admirable adaptation of Melville's masterpiece. I highly recommend it.

Epic film of American Masterpiece....a wicked great film
The collaboration of Director Houston, script writer Ray Bradbury and Gregory Peck heading a superb cast, make this production of Melville's masterpiece marvelous. It's said that John Houston "drove"...with flattery, fear and abject insult... now justly reputed master of American fantasy/allegory, Ray Bradbury like Ahab himself to create the script that makes MOBY DICK exciting adventure...without diluting its dark, Apocalyptic symbolism and portents. MOBY DICK is regarded by many as THE GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL. No one will disagree its demands and reward are comparable to...for example...Dostoyevsky or Conrad's work. AHAB is one of the great figures of world literature; perhaps,the most powerful ANTI-HERO yet written. Gregory Peck is...in my estimate...uniquely succesful in his cinamatic incarnation of this "godly, ungodly man." The symbolic depths that Moby Dick essays are manifest. Bradbury's pierces "cardboard masks" of the human conditon, ultimately tested, with sure insight and genius comparable to Melville. John Houston's control of his material is equally deft. Pacing is swift. From the moment Royal Dano delivers his "warning"...as Prophet Elijah...the Pequod's foreshadowed doom is pursued with recklessness that hypnotically enthralls the viewer as Ahab intended to beguile his crew. Against Peck's Ahab is Leo Genn's Mr. Starbuck. Genn plays this stalwart Quaker as tragic antagonist but ironic disciple whose fatal conversion to Ahab's defiance/obsession("I'd strke the sun if it insulted me!") seals the fate of his comrades. Richard Basehart plays guileless Ishamel without hint of the cynicism he brings to his most famour role as Ivan in THE BROTHERS KARAMAZOV. Comparison with the recent HALLMARK Patrick Stewart hinges on what you surmise MOBY DICK to be about, therefore, expect from a film. Patrick Stewart is magnificent as Ahab. But, in my mind's eye, GREGORY PECK IS AHAB. Moby Dick is about...like Apocalypse Now!...courage confronting radical evil tragically becoming that which it beholds. This is Ray Bradbury's craft above all else. His script focuses on the mankind's combat with Evil. Houston has filmed Melville's ultimate metaphor for such an impossibly malign force of Nature: THE GREAT WHITE WHALE. Ray Bradbury has written many parables about such battles (Fahrenheit 451; Tales "Quicker than the Eye"; Something Wicked This Way Comes) and Herman Melville seems soul-mate blood brother. John Houston's MOBY DICK, and Gregory Peck's Ahab epitomize the grandeur of what Melville called his "wicked book." In my estimate, this is the definitive rendering, the epic film of the American masterpiece. It is a wicked, great film......

Boring!!!!!!!!
This movie is very boring and is not very good. While watching this shameless movie, I fell asleep. It is about Ahab and his obsession with a white whale (Moby Dick). If you are looking for action this is not for you. It gets somewhat suspenseful in the last half-hour. However, I do not recommend it to anyone!!

Very exciting classic!
Moby Dick is a very exciting classical tale, retold in a movie starring Gregory Peck and Richard Basehart. The director also seems very experienced, and his talent really shows in the fight scenes between Moby Dick and the crew in boats. The story tells of a young sailor shipping aboard the Pequod, a whaling ship captained by Ahab. Captain Ahab is obsessed with killing the white whale that took off his leg in a previous encounter. He offers any crew member a spanish doubloon, if they spot the whale first. The entire story is suspenseful, ending in a mind blowing climax. The digital transfer used for this is surprisingly good for a 1958 movie. TCM (Turner Classic Movies) has also broadcast a very pristine version, which I taped off of, and it well rivals the quality of the Moby Dick DVD. The best purchase would be the DVD or the television Turner rendition of this riveting classic.

Movie=5 Stars / DVD= 4 Stars
John Huston's film of MOBY DICK is perhaps a rare exception. It's a great film in its own right, apart from the great novel upon which it is based. The case can easily be made that this film does not 'do justice' to the book, if only for the reason that it does not cover every aspect of Melville's original. But this film proves that a slavish literary imitation is not necessary for a great film.

The director fought with the studio over the color process used in MOBY DICK: it's intentional. He and the cinematographer were trying to capture a visual style that would be evocative of a certain style of painting and that would contribute to the mood of the story. Huston also fought with Ray Bradbury over the screenplay. The great science fiction author was literally reduced to tears by the gruff director, and he wrote a book about the experience. There was also some conflict over the casting of Gregory Peck as Ahab. Some say Orson Welles or Leo Genn (Starbuck) would have been a better choice. This may well be, but it should be admitted that Peck rises to the occasion when it's called for. The great scene with the Spanish doubloon and the great scene with Starbuck on the bridge, where Ahab explains his obsession. Few other actors are likely to have surpassed these moments.

MOBY DICK (1956) was not filmed in widescreen. This DVD presents the film in the original aspect ratio. It looks very good and and nothing appears to have been done to tamper with the look of the film in terms of color. This is how is should look.

Anyone interested in background on this film should read THE HUSTONS by Lawrence Grobel. The harrowing production is detailed, with plenty of attention given to the above-mentioned conflicts and also to the shooting of the INCREDIBLE final sequence.

Some extras would have been welcome, but this DVD is more than worth owning by any fan of Melville, Huston or American film. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wonderful Classic
All I will say is "I LOVE THIS MOVIE"!! I am so glad to have found it online! I haven't seen it since it first came out and I was a kid. I have always wanted to find it on video to buy! It is just a western romance about a cowboy's heart ache and his search for his runaway wife. But I won't tell you much more (like other reviews). I don't want to ruin it for you. Other people are making this mistake of telling the ending, such as who kills who and when and so forth. HELLO!! Don't ruin the ending!!!

The Other Devine Miss M?
What can I say- this movie's more fun than you might think... despite the dreadful performance by Morgan Fairchild (far from devine)!! Where are the Petticoat Junction girls when you need them? As always- Willie's cool and collected and he manages to keep a straight face whenever Ms. Fairchild dribbles her lines! Why the producers failed to cast Katharine Ross or, perhaps, the sexiest woman in the film- "Cindy" (Baytowns Miss Marinell Madden... who eventually offs Mr. Nelson while wearing a wonderfully campy wig!) is beyond me, but I always enjoy this movie whenever I catch it, and will long for a DVD of out takes whenever somebody sees fit! Just checking for you!

RED HEADED STRANGER
I JUST WANTED TO SAY WILLIE IS A GREAT ACTOR/SINGER/ GODBLESS YOU WILLIE..I WANT THIS MOVIE ON DVD

Don't forget the yellow haired lady...
Am I the only person that remembers Marinell Madden played the yellow haired lady? She actually has the first line in the movie and is killed later on. She actually had a big part and yet is not even listed in the credits. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One of the best epic westerns
Ford is perfect for this role, and the story is told very well. Fantastic cinematography, including wagons and horses racing to claim land and Ford's strong moral stand at a party with big-time politicians trying to change his views. Timeless and powerful. I loved the ending and Anne Baxter's performance. A great plot with suspense and unpredictable consequences. Very handsome movie, with strong cast.

Magnificent film, one of the best westerns, very artistic
Ford is perfect in this role. The cinematography, including the wagons racing to claim their land, was outstanding. Anne Baxter gives a great performance as the woman Ford leaves for another woman. Great suspense and drama, bold sweeping action, and a wonderful plot perfectly cast and filmed. An essential part of any western collection. I haven't seen the original Cimarron yet, but I cannot imagine telling the story any better. The ending is great too, powerful and patriotic. This is a timeless classic of epic proportions and beautiful storytelling.

Cimarron
I'm glad this is back in print - it's been a while since I've seen it, but it is a classic Glenn Ford role - the deep, rightous, but haunted cowboy. This is definately not a chick movie - the thought processes and emotions that Ford's character explores are no more understood by actual women than they are by his character's wife. My favorite scene is his return from the Spanish American War, and I also thought the ending was well done.

Character of Courage
Clancy (Glenn Ford) portrays the atypical hero of an era gone but not forgotten. His penchant for fun adventure and excitement, always accompanied by goodness and virtue, soon find him at odds with his beautiful new wife. Even though their newspaper business flourishes with potential and periodic problems Clancy's internal restlessness drives him on to War and remote engagements while his dutiful wife attends to the newly founded entity set in the heart of Oklahoma immediately after land rush. Nostalgic movie goers who rarely see the raw character of courage so eloquently presented in films today will relish this return to the adventure of a "humble and reluctant hero." Prepare to shed a tear or two and enjoy a hearty laugh. But Cimmaron will not quickly retire from your memory once you've watched it. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A top knotch western!!!!!
This is an all time classic film.
Extremely well done and very enjoyable.
The cast reads like a who's who is western movies.
I highly reccomend this film to all western movies fans!!!

Against the Grain
This is an unduly neglected work that sank quickly into audience oblivion - the Vietnam seventies were not a good time for Westerns. True to the iconoclasm of the period, the producers set out to debunk the mystique of the cattle drive, and in the process take a big swipe at that arch-romancer of the Old West, John Ford. They only half-succeed. Put simply, their stab at realism is undone by too much gunplay, too much blood, and way too much conventional violence. Staples of the ordinary Western, their presence here only serves to reinforce the usual cliches. Much better when the story-telling cowboy refuses Geoffrey Lewis's challenge by quitting the drive, saying a gunfight over trifling matters makes no sense. That's certainly no cliche.

The role reversal at movie's end is stunning, given what Hollywood has led us to expect. Nevertheless, it works by bringing out a latent code of honor that at times can guide even the most brutal among us. Here Ford is trumped by Kurosawa. There are many fine touches in the movie. Billy "Green" Bush is totally convincing as the ruthless trail boss; Gary Grimes, appropriately callow; and the four gunsels, alternately abusive and sullen, while Geoffrey Lewis's cold-eyed stare bespeaks a lifetime of casual cruelty. Not the best of anti-Westerns, but deserves consideration.

Earthy and gritty western
Seems most like the real thing than most westerns I have viewed in the past.

They don't get better this!
I saw this film when I was 12 back in 1981 on tv and was captivated and emotionally saddened as with few other films, especially western films. This film begins with a teenagers dream of becoming a cowboy and tears it down as the youth realizes what being a cowboy is really about. In many ways the film UNFORGIVEN by Clint Eastwood does the same thing only with gunfighters instead of cowboys. THE CULPEPPER CATTLE CO. is a much better film. It moves faster and has better characters.

For years I have tried to rent or buy this movie. Almost no stores have it or have even heard of It. I finally found it at a video store that was liquidating its previously viewed films. I am so glad Amazon is now offering it. I hope that it ends up on DVD soon

Perhaps the most realistic Western of all
For realism, this movie is hard to beat!

'Culpepper Cattle Co.' is the story of a young boy who has his heart set on becoming a cowboy. He is successful in getting hired as cook's helper on a drive.

The movie chronicles the cattle drive, which encounters outlaws, a conspiracy of townspeople, and the normal arguments, drinking and fights between the drovers. It is gritty, and it 'feels real.' The boy, Ben, is surrounded by the rigors and realities of life on the trail.

The characters are well and believably acted, although by relatively unknown actors (at least to me.) Which perhaps is best, because one is not distracted by the expectations of some movie star's predictable reactions to each situation.

This is a fine movie, and one which provides some humor, suspense, and a good plot. It may be the best of its genre you will ever see, despite the lack of expensive, top talent to act the parts.

Joe Pierre
author, Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

"I've never seen a woman who was more like a man," a character observes of Vienna (Joan Crawford), who has just opened a saloon that hasn't exactly endeared itself to the local townspeople. Emma (Mercedes McCambridge), the local sexually repressed, lynch-happy harpy, is particularly displeased. Vienna is wooed both by the Dancin' Kid (Scott Brady) and by Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden), a peripatetic tough guy-turned-troubadour with whom she has a past.

When the Kid's gang (which includes Ernest Borgnine) decides to knock over the bank before heading to California, Emma wants just about everyone in sight on the business end of a rope. Nicolas Ray's 1954 epic was considered one of the downright strangest Westerns of all time--the women were far tougher than the men (Johnny watches on laconically during the bank robbery, not bothering with heroics), and some saw in the film a bizarre allegory for the McCarthy Red scare. A half-century later, it's still a curious, intriguing piece of moral ambiguity from a time when such a thing ostensibly didn't exist. Hayden is an enigmatic presence, and Crawford's commanding star turn is what you'd expect. --David Kronke ... Read more

Reviews (11)

"Joannie's Guitar"
Joan Crawford said "I should have had my head examined" for doing
this film. But lovers of true cult should have their heads examined
for not having this film in thier collection. Ground breaking in so
many ways. This film not only predicted the feminist movement by a
mile it also plays on the communist themed witch-hunt if you really
want to read into it. Dispite it's title, Joan Crawford plays lead
it this stagebrush saga of two desparate women trying to hold on to
the only man who meant something in their lives. And what a cast of
stars! Sterling Hayden as Johnny, Ward Bond, Ernest Borgnine, Scott
Brady and of course Mercedes McCambridge as the "other woman" and I must say Technicolor never looked better in a western,I counted
at least six shades of red in Crawford's lipstick alone. I'm not
talking "The searchers" or anyhthing but its just a great obcure
film to sit back and relax with. So where's the DVD already?

WILD, WILD WEST....CRAWFORD & NICHOLAS RAY STYLE
Bizarre Western directed by the great Nicholas Ray and starring Joan Crawford as Vienna, a tough saloon/casino owner. Vienna is waiting for a railroad to come through to make her business boom but Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge) wants her dead. Emma hates Vienna supposedly because The Dancin' Kid (Scott Brady) likes Vienna instead of her. Vienna hires Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden) to play guitar in the saloon. They are old lovers from Vienna's dance-hall girl days. But all hell breaks loose when a bank robbery goes wrong and Emma implicates Vienna as the leader and leads a posse to lynch her. Vienna is rescued and takes refuge in the Dancin' Kid's hideout. Emma and Vienna will face off before it's over. Incredible tale written by Philip Yordan and laden with symbolism that has caused some to compare this film to the McCarthy witch hunts of the 50's. It's a fascinating piece all right. It's in color and features a great supporting cast with Ernest Borgnine, Ward Bond and John Carradine. McCambridge is pure hellfire as the self-righteous Emma and Crawford is noble and stoic as Vienna and supposedly did her own stunts. Allegedly, Crawford and McCambridge despised each other on the set and this information kind've adds to the fun of the film. Peggy Lee sings the haunting title ballad. A must see. Watch for it.

One of a kind Western action!
"Johnny Guitar" is one of the most bizarre Westerns ever made, probably second only to "Terror of Tiny Town," an oater starring midgets.
That being said, it is virtually impossible to take your eyes off of the screen as the story unfolds. "Guitar" tells the tale of the most desired (!) woman in town, tavern owner Vienna (Joan Crawford), and the woman who will see her destroyed at any cost (a slumming Mercedes McCambridge as Emma). Since there appears to be 200 men for every woman in the town, the pickens are indeed slim for the gents. (And, in this film, Crawford could easily pass for one of the 400 men!) To that end, it is truly bizarre to see how much she resembles Michael Jackson in one of the closing scenes -- heavy facial makeup, red blouse, black jeans, and white socks; straight out of "Thriller."
How Republic Studios talked dozens of fine character actors into supporting roles in this curio is amazing in itself. Western stalwarts Ward Bond, Sterling Hayden (Guitar), Ernest Borgnine, Royal Dano, Scott Brady, Denver Pyle, Clem Harvey, Frank Ferguson, John Carradine, Paul Fix, and Sheb Wooley, among others, are along for the wild ride.
Pour yourself a "tall one," then kick back and enjoy some one of a kind entertainment in "Johnny Guitar."

Vienna Mon Amour
An unconventional take on the conventional Western genre.

On the surface you have title character "Johnny Guitar"---onetime ace gunfighter, now laconic loner and wanderer who has renounced his violent past and refuses to wear his guns. He looks up an old saloon-girl love (Joan Crawford as "Vienna") only to discover a town in turmoil---both his gal and the General Good need defending...

You might think you see what's coming: Johnny, after agonized moral deliberation, straps on his guns again and rights the prevalent wrongs, possibly with the help of his lady-friend, who's ambivalent about his violent past... A la "High Noon", et al.

But NO... Which is what makes this movie such an interesting, important milestone in the Western genre. Johnny G's role in the proceedings is almost immediately negligible; he hangs around the saloon and watches his past amour Vienna first boss around her employees, then confront the angry lynch-mob that stomps in, then placate the bunch of alleged outlaws who drunkenly seek refuge from a sandstorm and proceed to tussle with the already-assembled law folk... Vienna vanquishes all foes, with Johnny making smart remarks, but doing little else, throughout. Even after the law leaves and Johnny brawls with a gang-member, all of his action is off-camera---while we see Vienna parry verbally with one outlaw inside the saloon, we hear the sounds of scuffling outside, then witness the defeated bad guy come stumbling through the swinging doors. (Now WHEN has a Western EVER deprived us of a good old-fashioned street-brawl?? Aside from gunfights, that's the next best excuse for action.)

Johnny and Vienna DO kiss and make up, of course. But on the morning after, even though Vienna IS wearing a dress rather than the slacks we first saw her in, the two immediately head to the town bank, where Vienna again plays an active role in the goings-on while Johnny waits passively outside... He eventually does strap on the guns again, but it's certainly a minor plot point by that time: The final obligatory shoot-out has nothing at all to do with him.

Joan Crawford seems absolutely WIRED in her performance here, especially in the first half of the film, before the more conventional chasing/lynch-mob stuff starts. The early scenes in the saloon are especially fascinating and tension-filled because of Crawford's weirdly quivering intensity. She later regretted taking the role ("I should have had my head examined"), but time has proven her wrong---both she and the film are truly worthy of the cult status they've achieved.

Joan Crawford in western melodrama.
Like most of Joan's movies, I've seen this about 5-10 times. Her '50s movies were wild and over-the-top (Torch Song, Queen Bee, etc.) but that's why they are so great and entertaining. Johnny Guitar typifies Joan's far-out '50s technicolor period. Like always, she's tough with a tender side. Always captivating to watch. The best reason to buy this movie is because it is such a grand, glossy, big-budget western melodrama weeper spectacle. In color, too (you can see close-ups of Joan's beautiful blue eyes). It's really something else, and the haunting Victor Young score you will not soon forget. Peggy Lee sings Johnny Guitar while Sterling Hayden and Joan disappear in the sunset. Joan was a legend and this film was really the end of her queen of the box office status. After the success of Sudden Fear, both Torch Song and Johnny Guitar flopped (two films I think she really put her heart in). The films are classics today but Joan was just thrown aside for a couple years before her Columbia contract (her box office status never really recovered). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Western auteur Anthony Mann and aging Western icon Gary Cooper team up in this stark tale of a trio of train passengers stranded in the middle of the desert after a railway holdup. Taking responsibility for his helpless compatriots (Julie London as a sad-eyed prostitute and Arthur O'Connell as a garrulous but cowardly banker), craggy-faced Link Jones (Cooper) takes them into a veritable viper's nest in a desperate gamble. It turns out the respected town elder is a former member of the outlaw gang that robbed them, and he's welcomed back by patriarchal gang leader Dock Tobin (Lee J. Cobb) like the prodigal son. The other bandits are not so forgiving but humor the old man while plotting to unmask Cooper as a devious traitor in a battle of wits and wills. Mann returns to his favorite themes of family and betrayal with a dramatic twist and wrenches up the jagged conflict with the most spare imagery of his career: the trio hiking down an endless horizon of empty track, a lone ramshackle shack on the arid plains, the desolate ghost town where Tobin's planned bank heist turns out to be a pathetic fantasy. Mann's taut direction creates a tension that hangs in the air like the sword of Damocles over the stranded travelers and explodes in cruel, raw violence. Reginald Rose (12 Angry Men) wrote the literate if sometimes overly symbolic script, and John Dehner, Jack Lord, and Royal Dano costar as Tobin's angry gang members. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Better than you might expect

This is not a typical "B" Western. Jimmy Stewart plays a man with a dark side, and a dark past for a change. He had about given up Westerns because he found himself playing parts that were too similar too often. This one was different.

Playing opposite Julie London, who played a saloon singer whose complaint was that everyone made passes at her, she fell into a situation (along with Stewart) where she was subjected to real brutality--tastefully handled. Lee J. Cobb played the heavy, and did his usual great job. Stewart was thrown back in with his old gang, from whom he had escaped once, and again was expected to rob banks and kill.

The story was good, and the acting was superb, as might be expected from such a cast. A dark, forboding film, which will hold your attention.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Brutality
Gary Cooper stars in this intense Western as a former outlaw, now reformed, who finds himself trapped by circumstances with his former gang. Cooper is on a train that is held up by the gang, and left behind, he, Julie London, and Arthur O'Connell meet up with the gang and witness firsthand their brutality and violence. The gang is headed by Cooper's uncle, Lee J. Cobb, who is pleased to see Cooper return. He's planning a big bank heist, the heist to end all heists, and wants Cooper to be a part of it like old times. Of course, Cooper must find a way out.

The tension in the film never lets up, as the threat of violence hangs in every scene. Cooper is fine in one of his last performances, portraying a man who has tried hard to overcome his past, finding himself in a situation where he must literally fight for his survival. London also does well as the saloon singer finally experiencing love, giving a quietly moving performance. Cobb is explosive as usual, helping to give the film some of its tension and edge.

Man Of The West is well photographed in colour, with empty spaces looming everywhere in the backdrop of the struggle. Director Anthony Mann keeps everything simple, if not elemental, not shying away from portraying the brutality of the characters and the situation. Other than an obviously "stagey" fight between Cooper and one of the gang (lots of easy to spot fake punches), there is a dark realism throughout the movie.

Man Of The West may not be a very well known Western, but it deserves to be seen.

Message for MGM: Why Pan & Scan?
I recently saw a gorgeous widescreen print of this film on TCM. This grim, brooding tale of disillusionment in the old west, like Sam Fuller's "Forty Guns" one year before it, shattered many of the conventions of the Western and helped reinvent that genre, a decade before "The Wild Bunch" or Leone's "Man With No Name Trilogy". Yes, Anthony Mann's films are violent (his direction always exhibits a brutal directness), but the body count is much lower than in any John Ford movie I've seen. It's just that Mann understood that dead bodies are heavy, they have weight, and must obey certain laws of gravity. I don't think it was the killing that alarmed most people, but the effects of that killing, as both heard in the loud thud of bodies hitting the ground and as seen in the way men must writhe around and mix with the earth as they die. Though MAN OF THE WEST was filmed in glorious CinemaScope, the only version available on vhs is an abysmal pan&scan, which is particularly unacceptable in a picture that aims to express the distance between men, and the barrenness of the landscape, by dislocating much of the action to the extreme edges of the frame. This works only if the action is shown in wide angle, but MGM, unfortunately, has shamefully compromised Mann's vision. If TCM has access to a print of the film that preserves the proper CinemaScope ratio, why can't MGM release it on DVD in anamorphic widescreen? I highly recommend MAN OF THE WEST, but don't bother with this pan&scan vhs version.

A Classic Film
Man Of The West is a classic. Gary Cooper dominates a sterling cast with his powerful portrayal of Link Jones, a former killer who has long since suppressed the demons within. However, when he meets up with his Uncle and former partner, Dock Tobin (Lee J. Cobb, brilliant) he is forced to confront the fact that there is still a killer inside him. There is a brutal fight between Cooper and Jack Lord which is one of the meanest, most vicious fights I've ever seen in film. The only flaw, as others have pointed out, is that this video version is not letterbox. Avoid it and wait for TCM to show it in its original widescreen format. Better yet, why doesn't MGM/UA simply release a letterbox version? Cooper made this back-to-back with another classic, The Hanging Tree. But Warner Home Video has seen fit to remove it from distribution here in the U.S. It's available in Europe and Canada, but not here. Idiots!

This is a Magnificent Film
This is truly a magnificent film. Acting -- especially Gary Cooper's Link Jones, a man who is drawn back into his earlier life as a killer -- and direction and script and cinemaphotography, they are all flawless. The only flaw is in this video, from MGM/UA. I've written them, trying to get them to release this in letterbox and DVD, all to no avail. Do not buy this pan-and-scan version, since director Anthony Mann took full advantage of the wide screen to tell his story. In the pan-and-scan version, Cooper is missing from much of the action. This is because it is a typically tight-lipped Cooper performance, thus he is lopped out of the frame -- even though he is central to every single scene in the entire film! This is a magnificent film which is deserving of a better fate than MGM/UA video distribution. TCM shows it in letterbox, catch it there. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent Film
While not historically accurate, this is the most under-rated westwern I have seen. Robert Duval makes a convincing Jesse James with his evangelical outbursts and psychopathic behavior.Cliff Robertson plays the sly, yet introspective, charming ladies man as Cole Younger. The soundtrack and narrative couldn't be better. This is one very entertaining movie, with Duval and Robertson at their best.

Good film, bad history
Cliff Robertson is charming and charismatic as the outlaw Cole Younger and Robert Duval is menacing and more than a little scary as his comrade Jesse James in this film which purports to tell the story of the real-life attempted robbery of a bank in Northfield, Minnesota. The plot deviates sharply from some of the historical facts, but the greatest historical "sin" of the movie is the way in which it presents the townspeople of Minnesota, showing corruption, cowardice, and incompetence where, in fact, a group of ordinary people stood up to the most notorious outlaw gang in the West and basically shot them to pieces. This film in its strongly anti-Establishment thrust is certainly a product of its times, enoyable to watch but not history.

An Overlooked Gem
"Ain't it a wonderment?" Phil Kaufman uses the framework of the James/Younger Gang's disasterous raid at Northfield Minnesota to create a unique and witty revisionist Western. Full of nice touches like an early, rough & tumble baseball game in a cow pasture, steam caliopes & tractors, and other period details. Wry humor in the hypocrisy of the banker & townsfolk, and in Robert Duvall's self-righteous, manipulative, psychopathic Jesse James and Cliff Robertson's laconic, intelligent, reflective Cole Younger. Well cast in all departments, nicely photographed in the gritty, wet, McCabe & Mrs. Miller fashion, with a similar slant on history. No idea why Maltin was muddled.

Simply a great western...
This is a really gritty western in the film period of The Wild Bunch and McCabe and Mrs. Miller. And what is probably a fairly accurate reenactment of the failed final bank job of the Younger-James Gang. Great characterizations of these outlaws, with Cliff Robertson as probably the toughest outlaw who ever lived. Cole Younger was allegedly shot 23+ times with heary caliber firearms and survived to a ripe age. Great entertainment, but not for the whole family. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Awful
It's a toss up as to which version of Crane's Civil War story is the worst adaptation, this one or the one with Richard "John Boy" Thomas. Both have all the appeal of moldy hardtack and rocks in your brogans.The basic story is intact, but it tumbled down hill from there. Sticking Audie Murphy in films just because he was a war hero didn't always work. He was only a fair to middling actor and trundling Bill Mauldin out was a major mistake. Mauldin should have stayed at the drawing board. Historical accuracy doesn't exist in either version. Uniforms, weapons, etc are all typical Hollywood, and while this doesn't entirely detract from the story, it does dampen the effect.Maybe a director will re-make this one. It certainly seems like re-makes are all the rage, but when you run out of ideas, fall back on what works.

Did they get it?
Is this a post-WWII patriotic vehicle or is it a true adaptation of Crane's powerful and ground-breaking story?

The story is NOT about heroism. Frankly, I was surprised to see this film was made so soon after WWII and right at the beginning of the Korean War. Crane's novel is one of the great anti-war pieces ever written, ranking with "All Quiet on the Western Front." So is this film to be likened to "Apocalypse Now" or more like "The Green Berets"? Sadly, I fear the latter, if the spin on the trailer is accurate. Comparing it to "Birth of a Nation" would suggest that it is thought of as a patriotic vehicle rather than a message film. I thought maybe John Huston himself had the courage to film this story the way Crane intended it, but of course it is up to the viewer to "get it" or not.

Crane's work is a naturalistic rendering of the inhumanity of war. It is not about becoming a hero -- it is about a soldier who begins as an isolated and fear-filled boy but through the horrors of war becomes part of the "war machine." It is not about the glory of war; it is about the loss of humanity that war demands of its participants. In the end, even after acts of "bravery" the soldier wants to go home and flee warfare altogether.

It is ironic that Audie Murphy, one of the highest decorated soliders of WWII, is playing the young soldier. I wonder how many WWII veterans watching this film related to the fear and the sense of inhumanity presented at the core of the story.

But of course, the Civl War is held in a different context than WWII, perhaps rightly so. The enemy here is quite different than Nazi troops, or is it? Read or watch "All Quiet on the Western Front" if you want to explore that question further.

The film itself is well-made. Huston's direction is quite good, with some interesting camera angles and great cinematography. The censored language is quaint now, but the overall feel is still one of comeraderie and some realism. Newcomers Murphy and Mauldin both hold their own quite well. It is great to see Andy Devine and even William Schallert in supporting roles. As for the DVD, I would like to have seen more extras and more notes on the production itself -- were the actors just that or were they early re-enactors?

Overall it works as a war movie, I just wonder which side of war this movie really is supporting.

Great movie that could have been even better
John Houston's story of a young Union soldier who overcomes his fear of battle is wonderful. Audie Murphy's portrayal is stirring and quite lifelike, the movie doesn't portray any super human motives, but a simple soldier who is quite naturally scared going into battle and overcomes his fear. However, Houston doesn't allow Murphy's character to get into excessive machoism either, as he finds out that many of his comrades did the same thing he did, turn and run. Had the movie execs not chopped this movie up, it could have been even better. As it is, it's a bit too short and lacking in details such as the battles portrayed in the movie patterned after a real battle. The unit portrayed isn't even mentioned until the end of the movie. It would have been fun to follow Murphy's character's unit through the war.

A real soldier's film
The purely psychological aspect of this film -- not only about fear on the combat field, but of being afraid of being afraid -- is great. The young men really personify a young man's innate fear of failure, fear of death, fear of combat and fear of being a coward. "He was a real Jim Dandy," an unknown soldier says of the "Tall soldier," who, for the purposes of the movie personifies what a REAL soldier should be -- brave, willing to give his life, going on until there is no energy left in him. But the main character personifies every human -- outwardly trying to act the part expected of him, and inwardly doubting himself. This movied really touched me. Stephen Crane's portrayal is brought to light in such a vivid way.

Fine film about war and courage and human nature
John Huston directed this film adaptation of the famous Steven Crane
novel. As soon as it was finished, he left to work on The African
Queen, leaving the editing in the hands of the studio. But it was
1951, the height of the McCarthy era. There was a movement in this
country against anti-war films. And so the film was cut to a mere 69
minutes, which put it into the category of a "B" movie to be
shown only as a second feature. That was a full fifty years ago, and
in spite of the supposed butchering job on the cutting room floor, the
film definitely has stood the test of time. Of course I will never
know what the original was supposed to be. And I haven't even read the
novel. But I sure am glad I saw this video.

I understand that Steven
Crane wrote the book in 1894, which was a full thirty years after the
Civil War. He was 22 years old at the time and had never actually been
in a battle himself. He was trying to say something about war and
courage and human nature rather than about the specific war. And so
his work is unique among the vast body of writings about that awful
period of history that tore at the heart and soul of our
country.

Audie Murphy stars as The Youth and, with the exception of
Andy Devine who has a small role lasting no more than a minute, the
rest of the cast are unknowns. They all portray Union soldiers and we
first see them bored and anxious to fight a battle. They brag about
their courage and how they all intend to stand firm in the heat of
battle. The Youth has his doubts and the tension mounts as the
inevitable battle tests them all. Frightened, The Youth flees. Later
though, he returns and proves his manhood. The story is as simple as
that.

There is also a narrator in the story, reading excerpts from the
pen of Steven Crane. The language is beautiful and adds depth to the
simple conversations of the soldiers. The black and white photography
is grainy and much of it is shot in shadow, adding to the intimacy and
the authenticity of the film. There was a literary rhythm to it all
and it added intensity.

The role called for excellent acting and Audie
Murphy was perfect. I understand that in real life he won national
fame as the most decorated GI in WW2, winning 45 medals. He led a
turbulent life, plagued by what is now known as post traumatic stress
syndrome. A compulsive gambler, he won and lost fortunes, was addicted
to prescription sleeping pills and was once acquitted of attempted
murder charges stemming from a fistfight. But all that came later. In
1951, he was perfect for the role of The Youth. Recommended
... Read more

Reviews (24)

A Most Accurate Depiction of the Civil War and the Old West
Hollywood couldn't make a movie like Josey Wales today. In an age of political correctness, sappy westerns, and revisionist history, I find this movie a refreshing break from modern "reality." It is a classic, and one of the few movies that I own and watch more than once.

The realistic representation, references to actual historical figures, interwoven irony, and tightly knit dialogue make this movie a pleasure even for those prone to analyzing small details.

I grew up in the South and still remember my grandparents describing life during the Civil War in much the same terms that Josey Wales experiences it. The vast majority of Southerners were dirt-poor farmers who had never even seen a plantation, much less owned slaves, and I can't help but regard The Outlaw Josey Wales as a cinematic vindication of the wrongs they suffered at the hands of looting and pillaging murderers like W.T. Sherman.

A couple of interesting side notes that will enrich your viewing of Josey Wales: Clint Eastwood's son in the movie is his son in real life; Lone Watie was a chief in real life; Sondra Lock went on to become Clint Eastwood's wife in real life.

Classic Eastwood, Classic Western, Classic Movie
In recent years, Clint Eastwood's "The Outlaw Josey Wales" has been elevated to a higher plain than it occupied when released in summer 1976. Praised by a handful of critics, the film did well at the box-office but really acquired a following through no less than six highly rated airings on NBC, ABC, and CBS. Now it's often considered Eastwood's finest hour as director and star, even surpassing his Oscar winning "Unforgiven" in some eyes. Among its fans was the late Orson Welles who praised it as one of the finest Westerns ever made, and praised Eastwood as a director worthy of notice long before it was fashionable to do so. In 1996, Eastwood's fifth film as a director was even recognized by the Library of Congress when it was added to the National Film Registry, that collection of films deemed historically, artistically, and/or sociologically important and deserving of protection from tampering by anyone but the original director.

At first glance, I found it overlong and meandering, enlivened only occasionally by some trademark Eastwood gunplay. But if it's a little short on the action for which Eastwood made his name, repeated viewings make it clear that there is much more happening beneath the surface. The Outlaw Josey Wales is very much a film about community and trying to find a place in one. Josey Wales is an outlaw only because he avenged the death of his family at the hands of murderous Union soldiers. Now a hunted man, this peaceful farmer is an Angel of Death wandering the west in search of vengeance but also a place to call home. Its scope is much bigger than the revenge tale at its center, and the film represents an important step in Eastwood's maturation as a director.

Beautifully photographed, splendidly acted (especially by John Vernon), and capably directed, "The Outlaw Josey Wales" is one of Eastwood's finest hours (although "Unforgiven" is superior in my book), and one of the finest hours for the western, as well.

"I RECKON SO."
LEAVE THE WINING 'UNFORGIVEN' ON THE SHELF AND BUY THIS ONE.
EASTWOOD HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER IN FRONT OF OR BEHIND THE CAMERA.
WALES (EASTWOOD) IS A MISSOURI DIRT FARMER RAIDED BY RED LEGS UNION TROOPS AT THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR. AS A RESULT HE BURIES HIS WIFE AND CHILD AND SETS OUT WITH CONFEDERATE IRREGULARS TO "SET THINGS ARIGHT."
AND THAT HE DOES EARNING A REPUTATION AS A FEARED PISTOLERO IN THE PROCESS. ALONG THE WAY HE IS FORCED TO ACCEPT A RAG TAG FAMILY OF LONERS AND LOOSERS.
HE IS FREQUENTLY CHALLENGED AND SYSTEMATICLY BLASTS THE BAD GUYS
PUNCTUATING HIS KILLS WITH TOBACCO SPITTLE ON THE CORPSES FOREHEADS. WHEN A PARTNER REGRETS NOT BEING ABLE TO BURY THE BAD GUYS, JOSEY QUIPS IN TRUE LACONIC FASHION "BUZZARDS GOTTA EAT, SAME AS WORMS.'
THE DIALOGUE SELLS THIS SHOW. THE CHIEF VILLIAN YANKEE WHO IS CHARGED WITH TRAKING THE OUTLAW REMARKS TO HIS MEN (REFERRING TO WALES) "NOT A HARD MAN TO TRACK, LEAVES DEAD MEN WHERE EVER HE GOES." WALES CONCLUDES HIS EPIC MISSION BY FINALLY KILLING HIS ARCH RIVAL 'RED LEGS TERRELL' THEREBY AVENGING HIS LONG DEAD FAMILY.
THE FILM IS NOT WITHOUT HUMOR THANKS TO 'LONE WATIE' AN OUTCAST ELDERLY INDIAN WHO LIGHTENS THE DRAMATIC LOAD WITH TIDBITS OF WIT AND WISDOM. WHEN WALES ASKS WATIE IF HE HAS ANY THING TO EAT.
THE OLD WARRIOR REPLIES AS HE HOLDS UP A COLORFUL STONE "JUST THIS PIECE OF ROCK CANDY, BUT ITS NOT FOR EATIN....JUST FOR LOOKIN THROUGH."
WATIE ENCOURAGES WALES BY INSISTING THAT HE "ENDEAVOR TO PERSEVEARE."

WALES DOES SO AND SLOWLY REDISCOVERS HIS LOST EMOTIONS AND IN THE END WE ARE LED TO BELIEVE ALL WILL BE WELL.

GOOD WESTERN ENTERTAINMENT?

AS JOSEY WOULD SAY "I RECKON SO."

Simply the Best
This is the best Western of all time, bar none.

GREAT!
i love this movie i have seen lots of of clints movies (yes and some R ones but just 2) this is the best! ... Read more

Reviews (66)

An intelligent, inspiring life of Christ.
"King of Kings" was my favorite religious motion picture when growing up, and I believe it still is. When MGM first released it in 1961, movie critics irreverently dubbed it "I Was a Teenage Jesus", since the role of Christ was given to teen idol Jeffrey Hunter. In hindsight, it was an unfair appraisal. Unlike other actors who have played Jesus in the more sublime, "stained-glass" manner that appears to be the norm, Hunter's portrayal showed a very human, energetic Messiah whose divinity still could not be denied. Interestingly enough, "King of Kings" was directed by Nicholas Ray, who six years earlier had directed James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause". This time around, our "Rebel" has a well-defined Cause which places Him at odds with the religious and civil authorities of His day. The film's international supporting cast consists mainly of lesser-known character actors whose performances are mostly able. The great actor/filmmaker Orson Welles gives an uncredited performance as the film's narrator; curiously, the narration was written by science fiction author Ray Bradbury, who is also uncredited. The film's stirring music was composed by Miklos Rozsa, who was no stranger to religious epics (the soundtracks to "Quo Vadis?" and "Ben-Hur" stand out among his other works). Beautifully filmed in Spain, "King of Kings" is an intelligent and reverent profile of He who has been the Way, the Truth, and the Life to hundreds of millions for almost 2000 years. END

Hunter as Jesus Shines!
'King of Kings' features Jeffrey Hunter's finest performance, as a young, dynamic Jesus of Nazareth, and his intrerpretation, open and earnest, is the best part of a movie both uneven and flawed.

Produced by many of the people responsible for 'Ben Hur', the film utilizes some of the same sets, actors (Frank Thring appears in major roles in both films), and composer (Miklos Rozsa, whose score for 'King of Kings' was one of his finest). The cast was fleshed out by respected actors (Robert Ryan is too old but charismatic as John the Baptist, Siobhan McKenna is a glowing Mary, Brigid Bazlen, a deliciously wicked and oversexed Salome, Harry Guardino, an 'over-the-top' Barabbas, a VERY young Rip Torn scores as Judas). While the cast didn't have the 'star power' of 'Ben Hur', or many other Christian epics, the actors, by and large, perform credibly in their roles, particularly Hurd Hatfield and Viveca Lindfors, as Pilate and his wife, Claudia, and Ron Randell as Tribune Lucius.

The film was a MUCH less expensive project than 'Ben Hur'; the budget restraints show most glaringly in recreating Jesus' ministry (most of Christ's miracles are only referred to, not shown), and extras casting (Spanish townspeople, overdubbed with some truly RIPE dialogue!).

The film works best when focusing on Jesus; unfortunately, it veers off into distracting subplots about Barabbas and the zealots, and the decadence of Herod's court. These stories consume a LOT of screen time, and damage the overall impact of the film.

Yet rising above all this is Jeffrey Hunter's interpretation of the Savior. Easily the most audience-friendly of all the actors who have assailed the role, Hunter took a lot of flack for his 'matinee idol' good looks, and piercing blue eyes, but his kindness, his sincerity, and the complete believability with which he delivers Christ's words overcome any qualms about his appearance! The Sermon on the Mount is a film high point, and magnificent; the Crucifixion and Resurrection have the kind of power that can bring a lump to your throat, even after repeated viewings!

While 'King of Kings' lacks the big names and budget of 'The Greatest Story Ever Told', or the emotional core of 'Jesus of Nazareth' or 'The Last Temptation of Christ', in Jeffrey Hunter, the film presents possibly the most compassionate of all screen Messiahs, and makes this film a MUST for the holidays, and your collection!

Jesus Christ Never Existed.
'King of Kings' made in 1961 is a famous film some people have seen or at least heard about. Most people fail to realize all of that doesn't matter because Jesus Christ never existed!! Jesus Christ is a mythological figure the church has exploited for hundreds of years and now the film industry has for almost a hundred years. There is absolutely no archeological or historical evidence that Jesus Christ existed. Even if he did exist, it would be highly unlikely he would have received that kind of punishment.
It is a shame that con artists like these filmmakers are using this mythological figure to make millions of dollars. People have to start swaying away from the manipulations of the church and the filmmaking industry and start looking at the hard facts. Jesus Christ and his crucifixion never happened.

The best one in its genre.
I'm positive that a lot of people have turned back their gazes to former versions of Jesus's life and death in view of the huge acceptance of Mel Gibson's recent film. Revisiting some of the classic titles is a good exercise in hindsight. How things have changed? To the worse, to be sure.

"King of Kings" is an excellent film, one of the best epics ever -alongside the also painfully underrated "The Fall of the Roman Empire"-. The film tells the story straightforwardly, mixing in it a little of historic and political speculation. It has a good rhythm, high visual artistry, admirable sets, genuine multitudes... Of course, Jesus is the wisest and most benevolent of men, and it is but right that he be also the most handsome of all: Jeffrey Hunter at his physical best and with bizarre -but culturally right- characterization.

Miklos Rosza's score is precisely one of its major assets. I think that he hit the target when it came to produce grandiloquent but available music, apt to bring up a sense of the religious or the military, not forgetting some passages of a sweet beauty, like that one with the Wise men in Bethelem.

The film treats Jesus as an all-out hero, on the terms set by his followers: he is a superman, compassionate, able of working miracles, godlike as God's son should be. He delivers his teachings unashamedly and boldly. We are spared ridiculous moments that could issue from clinging too close to the letter of the Gospels. Nicholas Ray is clever enough to offer tactfully the blind man's recovery of sight, the lame walking again, etc

Most of the cast is ideally suited, although I find Hurd Hartfield too strained and joyless as Pilate.

The battle scenes are amazing, and so are the initial images with Pompey breaking into the Sanctum of the Temple.

Whatever your actual feelings about Christianity and Jesus be, you can go back happily to a world of certainties and security ("suspension of disbelief") with a fine work of arte like "King of Kings", very enjoyable. After all, and in the worst of cases, you'll get back your childhood's hero in style.

And praise Samuel Bronston, the producer and the man behind half a dozen of the last and best epics from the sixties. He got the money and contributed much more than that. Gen. Franco, by the way, contributed the masses, since the film was shot in Spain and the Spanish Army was put at the team's disposal.

YOU FUNDAMENTALISTS MAKE ME SICK
I just got done watching my newly acquired dvd of KING OF KINGS.So I decided to go online to write a review.And like always I read other reviews as not to repeat what others have already said.To my shock and disgust I'm hit with one berating after another.READ THE NEXT SECTION LIKE A WHINEY FIRST GRADER: ("That didn't happen in the bible" "This didn't happen in the bible"I'm gonna tell!) That's what you fundamentally retarded people sound like.I can care less about SO CALLED SCRIPTURAL ACCURACIES.If that's so important to you watch your lame copy of JESUS W/Brian Deacon.Wow! badly portraying word for word what's in the bible. You're absolutely right! That is the way to go. Conveying a message and emotional connection are far more important to me.All 4 gospels total approximately 200 pages (give or take the size of the print).Hardly a dent in the life of a 33 year old man.I sure am glad you stopped the movie as not ruin your childrens' thinking. They'll make great document lawyers.I'm done with likes of you. NOW I WRITE TO THE TRUE CHRISTIANS,The ones that believe with their hearts, not a KING JAMES six gun.I bought this disc about a week ago.While (Jesus of Nazareth) is my favorite and (The Greatest Story Ever Told) is a close second,this movie has an untouchable magic of it's own.Sure they spent a little too much time on Barabbas,and Robert Ryan's portrayal of John the baptist is no better than a cold reading, as if he's seen the script for the first time.Or any thing else you want to nitpik about.But the score is wonderful and so many moments will force tears from your eyes,if you only relax yourself into movie.If you contemplate getting this DVD I strongly suggest that you do.The picture is remastered nicely and the sound is very fulfilling,bonus features;not much, total less than 10 minues.Even if you have a personal recording from TCM like I do. Get the disc.It offers you an even more panoramic view not shown on Turner Classic Movies. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Besides being a terrific movie in its own right--and the second entry in a remarkable eight-film series teaming director Anthony Mann and star James Stewart--Bend of the River is also fascinating as a variation on one of the greatest Westerns. With or without anyone else's knowledge, screenwriter Borden Chase reworked scenes, character configurations, and much of the structure of Red River, the screenplay of which he had cowritten (from his own novel) for director Howard Hawks six years earlier. Seeing what Hawks and Mann did with some of the same scenes--a spooky night skirmish with Indians, for instance--makes for a compelling lesson in the transformative power of directorial style.

Instead of Texas and the Chisholm Trail, Bend of the River is set in the Oregon river country, with a wagon train substituting for an epic cattle drive. Wagonmaster Stewart, a man with a secret past he's determined to redeem, rescues another, not-so-ex-renegade (Arthur Kennedy) from a lynching. Stewart finds Kennedy a powerful ally in a fight but ultimately has to face him as a mortal enemy--and to revert to his old savage ways in order to save his adopted community. Along the trail, they are variously companioned and/or menaced by the likes of slick gambler Rock Hudson (compare the Cherry Valance part in Red River) and hard cases Harry (then Henry) Morgan, Royal Dano, and Jack Lambert. There's knockout scenery, as usual with Mann, and fight-to-the-death action as bracing as a plunge into an icy river. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (15)

NOT "modified to fit your screen." DVD is OAR
The movie is a solid 50s western--decent entertainment but not high art like, say, High Noon. It's true star is Mt. Hood, Oregon, shown sparkling in every other shot.

Despite the disclaimer at the beginning of the DVD, this film was NOT "modified to fit your screen." It was shot in 1952, when most films were "full frame," and well before widescreen became standard. In fact the Technicolor process used here never made the transition to widescreen, and that's why the full-frame presentation is correct. (The same is true for Shane, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and the Wizard of Oz.) You'd think the studios would not insert the bogus disclaimer, since it's a dumb mistake that can cost them sales, but this error is actually pretty common on DVD packaging.

The DVD transfer is from a clean source that looks and sounds great. Unlike many later color films, the color is vivid and unfaded. Some scenes do show registration problems, but that's hard to avoid with Technicolor materials (fixing it is $$$$$).

Summary: a potboiler western with pretty pictures at a budget price.

Pioneers struggle to survive in the great Northwest
This western is a film of great visual beauty that has a great cast headed by James Stewart whose task is to guide a wagon train of pioneers through the Northwest Territory to their new settlement in Oregon. Stewart's Glyn McLyntock has a troubled past but also a conscience and a sense of fair play and justice that saves a gunslinger from a hanging. The ungrateful Emerson Cole repays McLyntock with treachery and gun-play and gets involved in swindling the settlers out of their needed winter supplies that have been seized by an unscrupulous owner of a steamboat and saloon. The rugged terrain of the Oregon countryside and dangerous river rapids lend realism to this story, and there is an interesting sub-plot that has McLyntock and Cole fighting Shoshone warriors at night. Julia Adams is pleasing to the eye as a pioneer girl and old hand Jay C. Flippen is a straight shooter who knows a bad apple when he sees one. The rough and tumble action has shoot-outs between the settlers and gold-crazed miners and hired double-crossers who aim to steal the supplies and sell them at a profit. Rock Hudson is a gambler who's handy with a six-gun.

No complaints from me!

It seems that many are complaining about the DVD version. I saw the VHF, and concentrated on the story rather than screen flaws, and so like other Stewart films, I was delighted and entertained.

This is a 1950s movie, when Stewart was in his hay day, and the story (screenwriter Borden Chase wrote the screenplay from his own novel) was a superlative story of the Oregon country, including scenery around Mt. Hood and the Columbia River.

This