Red River: John Wayne and Montgomery Clift battle it out in Howard Hawks’ classic western

Red River(1948), starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift, was the first western directed by Howard Hawks. This film was Clift's debut movie and was a major turning point in John Wayne's career. I didn’t know the big son of a bitch could act John Ford after watching John Wayne in Red River Director Howard Hawks … Continue reading Red River: John Wayne and Montgomery Clift battle it out in Howard Hawks’ classic western →

McLintock!: John Wayne transitioned into a charming & affluent ‘Patriarch of the West’ with this rollicking comic-Western

John Wayne has never shied away from propagating his socio-political views through his films and McLintock!(1963), co-starring his favorite heroine Maureen O'Hara, is perhaps the ultimate 'John Wayne Western', where his reel and real life personas are seamlessly mixed up. In 1963, two very successful films were released that bore the unmistakable stamp of two … Continue reading McLintock!: John Wayne transitioned into a charming & affluent ‘Patriarch of the West’ with this rollicking comic-Western →

Bite the Bullet: Gene Hackman heads up an all-star cast in this underrated, highly entertaining, high-spirited Western adventure

Bite the Bullet(1975), written and directed by veteran Richard Brooks, is the last of the magnificent old-fashioned westerns. It eschews traditional cowboys and Indians narrative to delve deep into the relationship between man and his horse and man and the western wilderness to create an exhilarating adventure story. "In 1906, a newspaper promotes a 700 … Continue reading Bite the Bullet: Gene Hackman heads up an all-star cast in this underrated, highly entertaining, high-spirited Western adventure →

The African Queen: John Huston brings together Bogart, Hepburn and the wild African landscape to create the ultimate romantic adventure

The African Queen(1951), starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn, was director John Huston's adaption of C.S.Forester's 1935 novel of the same name. The film had one of the most difficult shoots in movie history, but it resulted in one of the most endearing romantic adventure films of all time, with Bogart winning an Oscar for … Continue reading The African Queen: John Huston brings together Bogart, Hepburn and the wild African landscape to create the ultimate romantic adventure →

Tom Horn: Steve McQueen transcends his cool persona and delivers a deeply moving performance as the legendary Western folk hero

Tom Horn (1980) was Steve McQueen's penultimate movie and was released just a few months before his death on on November 7 1980. Though it's not a film that immediately comes to mind when one thinks of McQueen, the film features one of his most deeply felt performances as the legendary gunfighter in the old … Continue reading Tom Horn: Steve McQueen transcends his cool persona and delivers a deeply moving performance as the legendary Western folk hero →

Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid: Paul Newman and Robert Redford gives timeless portrayals of the legendary outlaw duo in this quirky, delightful Western Classic

Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid(1969), starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford and, Directed by George Roy Hill, is one of the most popular Westerns ever made. The film made a star out of Redford and revitalized the Western genre,but, it is writer William Goldman who leaves the strongest imprint on the film, with his … Continue reading Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid: Paul Newman and Robert Redford gives timeless portrayals of the legendary outlaw duo in this quirky, delightful Western Classic →

The Getaway: Steve McQueen’s cool charisma powers this highly entertaining action-romance from Sam Peckinpah & Walter Hill

The Getaway(1972) starring Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw, was the most commercially successful film that revered director Sam Peckinpah ever made. Though not as personal as his other works, the film still bears his stamp, both visually and thematically. The Getaway is Sam Peckinpah's least personal work and, his biggest commercial success; he made it … Continue reading The Getaway: Steve McQueen’s cool charisma powers this highly entertaining action-romance from Sam Peckinpah & Walter Hill →

Major Dundee: Charlton Heston gives a towering performance in Sam Peckinpah’s epic civil-war Western

 Major Dundee(1965), starring Charlton Heston and Richard Harris, was Sam Peckinpah's first big studio film. But the studio took it away from him in post-production, and was ultimately released in a version which he never approved. But whatever is left in this version still makes for a near-great film with some great themes, moments and … Continue reading Major Dundee: Charlton Heston gives a towering performance in Sam Peckinpah’s epic civil-war Western →

The Man who shot Liberty Valance: In his final Western with John Wayne, John Ford subverts the myths of the Old-West that he himself created

The Man who shot Liberty Valance (1962) was the last western John Ford made with John Wayne. The film, also starring James Stewart, Lee Marvin and Vera Miles, is Ford’s most political film that subverts a lot of myths about the American West as well as the John Wayne persona that Ford himself created  “This … Continue reading The Man who shot Liberty Valance: In his final Western with John Wayne, John Ford subverts the myths of the Old-West that he himself created →

Point Blank: John Boorman’s avant-garde Noir masterpiece gave Lee Marvin his most iconic role

John Boorman's Point Blank(1967) is one of the greatest and most unusual crime\noir thrillers ever made. Apart from being an extraordinary hybrid of American and European film sensibilities, the film also provided Lee Marvin with his most iconic role. 1960s was the decade of revisionism in American society and American cinema. Every movie genre was … Continue reading Point Blank: John Boorman’s avant-garde Noir masterpiece gave Lee Marvin his most iconic role →

Prime Cut: Lee Marvin takes on Gene Hackman in this lurid, satirical gangster thriller that epitomizes the eccentricity of 1970s cinema

Lee Marvin has done some of the weirdest and wildest movies of his time, but nothing comes close to Prime Cut(1972). At first glance, the film, directed by Michael Ritchie and co-starring Gene Hackman, appears to be just a typical Lee Marvin 'tough guy' action thriller, but the film is layered with some truly dark … Continue reading Prime Cut: Lee Marvin takes on Gene Hackman in this lurid, satirical gangster thriller that epitomizes the eccentricity of 1970s cinema →

Murder on the Orient Express: ‘The Grand Hotel’ of murder mysteries is a grand tribute to the golden age of Hollywood

Murder on the Orient Express(1974) , based on Agatha Christie's famous novel, is a glossy, star studded murder mystery directed by Sidney Lumet. The film boasts an all-star cast consisting of Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman, Lauren Bacall and others, topped off by a highly enjoyable performance by Albert Finney as detective Hercules Poirot. When the … Continue reading Murder on the Orient Express: ‘The Grand Hotel’ of murder mysteries is a grand tribute to the golden age of Hollywood →

Nevada Smith: Steve McQueen’s dynamic star turn makes this a highly enjoyable Western adventure

Nevada Smith(1966), starring Steve McQueen, is an episodic Western revenge drama directed by genre veteran Henry Hathaway. It's one of McQueen's most successful outings, with the star in top form, elevating a very generic revenge movie with his dynamism and charisma. "I don't see nothing, except my father laying on a covered-floor all burnt and … Continue reading Nevada Smith: Steve McQueen’s dynamic star turn makes this a highly enjoyable Western adventure →

Giant: James Dean casts a giant shadow on this sprawling Texan epic

Giant(1956), directed by George Stevens and starring Rock Hudson, James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor was Dean's last film, and it was released after his death. "Everybody thought I had a duster. Y'all thought ol' Spindletop Burke and Burnett was all the oil there was, didn't ya? Well, I'm here to tell you that it ain't, … Continue reading Giant: James Dean casts a giant shadow on this sprawling Texan epic →

Hey Ram: In Kamal Haasan’s modern Ramayana, Lord Ram turns Travis Bickle in a quixotic quest for vengeance against Gandhi

Kamal Haasan's magnum opus Hey Ram(1999) is celebrating it's 20th anniversary this year. Kamal wrote, produced and directed this film, apart from playing the lead role.The film is set during a tumultuous period in Indian history, starting with the communal riots of 1946 and ending with the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi Maa Nishada Pratistham Tvamagamahsāsvati … Continue reading Hey Ram: In Kamal Haasan’s modern Ramayana, Lord Ram turns Travis Bickle in a quixotic quest for vengeance against Gandhi →

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 →

Hard Times: Charles Bronson at his very best in this hard-edged action drama from director Walter Hill

Hard Times(1975), starring Charles Bronson and James Coburn, was Director Walter Hill's debut movie. It remains a terrific exercise in gritty, genre filmmaking and boasts of a definitive Charles Bronson performance. With his  weather-beaten, craggy, inscrutable features and limited dialogue delivery skills, Charles Bronson is the last person one would expect to become a movie … Continue reading Hard Times: Charles Bronson at his very best in this hard-edged action drama from director Walter Hill →

The Beguiled: This overheated, Gothic melodrama is the strangest and the most ambitious Clint Eastwood film ever

Based on Thomas Cullinan’s 1966 novel, originally published as ‘A Painted Devil’,and directed by Don Siegel, The Beguiled(1971), is Clint Eastwood's strangest, boldest and most surprising film as an actor Take warning by me, don’t go for a soldier, don’t join no army For the dove she will leave you, the raven will come And … Continue reading The Beguiled: This overheated, Gothic melodrama is the strangest and the most ambitious Clint Eastwood film ever →

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 →

Only Angels have Wings: Cary Grant epitomizes the tough, existential Hero in this prototypical Howard Hawks classic

January 18 marks Cary Grant's 116th birth anniversary. So it's good time to look back at one of his most memorable performances in one his greatest films: director Howard Hawks' 1939 film Only Angels have Wings, which has now completed 80 years. The film was, perhaps, the first time Grant broke from the mold of … Continue reading Only Angels have Wings: Cary Grant epitomizes the tough, existential Hero in this prototypical Howard Hawks classic →