Category: 1950s

High Noon: Gary Cooper’s Oscar winning performance towers over this seminal Western classic

High Noon(1952), written by Carl Foreman, produced by Stanley Kramer and directed by Fred Zinnemann is the first of the McCarthy era Westerns, that probed the divisions existing within the American society at the height of the red scare. The film won 4 academy Awards, including a richly deserved best actor trophy for Gary Cooper … Continue reading High Noon: Gary Cooper’s Oscar winning performance towers over this seminal Western classic →

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Gunfight at the O.K. Corral: Burt Lancaster as Wyatt Earp and Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday in John Sturges’ slick, star-driven Western

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral(1957), directed by John Sturges and starring Burt Lancaster as Wyatt Earp and Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday, is perhaps the most popular and flamboyant version of the events leading up to (and occurred during) the legendary Gunfight in Tombstone. On October 26, 1881, Dr. John “Doc” Holliday, allied with the … Continue reading Gunfight at the O.K. Corral: Burt Lancaster as Wyatt Earp and Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday in John Sturges’ slick, star-driven Western →

The Big Country: Gregory Peck and Charlton Heston leads an all-star cast in William Wyler’s Cold-War-era epic Western

The Big Country(1958), with Gregory Peck and Charlton Heston heading an all-star cast, is a visually sumptuous Western drama from the great director, William Wyler. Apart from subverting a lot of the Western myths and genre tropes ,the director intended the film to be an allegory of Cold war, which was at its peak at … Continue reading The Big Country: Gregory Peck and Charlton Heston leads an all-star cast in William Wyler’s Cold-War-era epic Western →

Jubal: Glenn Ford and Rod Steiger play rival cowboys in this taut, psychological Western

Director Delmer Daves' overlooked masterpiece Jubal(1956), starring Glenn Ford, Earnest Borgnine and Rod Steiger, is a loose adaptation of William Shakespeare's immortal tragedy Othello transported to the old West Director Delmer Daves is most famous for his 1957 western 3:10 to Yuma. But for me, his masterwork is the 1956 film Jubal ; which transported … Continue reading Jubal: Glenn Ford and Rod Steiger play rival cowboys in this taut, psychological Western →

Vera Cruz: Burt Lancaster gives a scene-stealing performance opposite Gary Cooper in this colorful Mexican adventure that anticipates & influenced Spaghetti Westerns

Director Robert Aldrich teamed up Gary Cooper and Burt Lancaster in his highly entertaining 1954 western, Vera Cruz. Apart from being the first of the the 'grey' westerns, it also happens to be the chief inspiration for the ultra-violent Euro-westerns of the Sixties. It's too bad that Burt Lancaster never did a toothpaste ad. With … Continue reading Vera Cruz: Burt Lancaster gives a scene-stealing performance opposite Gary Cooper in this colorful Mexican adventure that anticipates & influenced Spaghetti Westerns →

The Searchers: John Wayne’s greatest performance powers John Ford’s seminal Western magnum opus

May 26th marks John Wayne's birth anniversary. To commemorate this moment, here is a look back on his greatest performance in his greatest film. John Ford's Magnum opus, The Searchers(1956), is universally considered the greatest, and the most influential, Western of all times, and often makes it to the top ten list of the greatest … Continue reading The Searchers: John Wayne’s greatest performance powers John Ford’s seminal Western magnum opus →

Touch of Evil: A baroque and wildly innovative Orson Welles masterpiece that came at the end of the golden era of film Noir

Touch of Evil(1958) is one of  Orson Welles' greatest films and it's perhaps the last great film Noir from the classic period. The Film  was butchered by the studio at the time of its release, but has since been restored to its intended form.   Everything about me is a contradiction, and so is everything … Continue reading Touch of Evil: A baroque and wildly innovative Orson Welles masterpiece that came at the end of the golden era of film Noir →

Hondo: John Wayne stars in an exciting 3D Western that emphasizes romance, courtship and father/son bonds

Hondo(1953), starring John Wayne and Geraldine Page, shows some new dimensions of Duke as a star and actor, but still, the film remains a quintessential John Wayne Western. "Women always figure every man who comes along wants 'em." A typical John Wayne line delivered in the typical John Wayne style by John 'Duke' Wayne. The film … Continue reading Hondo: John Wayne stars in an exciting 3D Western that emphasizes romance, courtship and father/son bonds →

Ben-Hur: Charlton Heston’s career-defining performance powers William Wyler’s magnificent epic

William Wyler's spectacular epic, Ben-Hur(1959), is famed for its grand sets and great action sequences, like the famous chariot race and sea battle. In actuality, it is a classy, intimate human drama that puts its emphasis on great themes and ideas above all else. I like portraying heroes of antiquity whose values were grander and … Continue reading Ben-Hur: Charlton Heston’s career-defining performance powers William Wyler’s magnificent epic →

Rio Bravo: Howard Hawks’ classic Western is one of the greatest and most entertaining John Wayne films ever

Howard Hawks' Rio Bravo(1959), starring John Wayne, Dean Martin and Angie Dickinson is one of the best and most entertaining Westerns ever made. It's also the definitive John Wayne Picture, that shows all the facets of Wayne's screen persona to the fullest. "I have a strong affection for the singing sequence in Howard Hawks’ Rio … Continue reading Rio Bravo: Howard Hawks’ classic Western is one of the greatest and most entertaining John Wayne films ever →