silkythegoat Reviews

Oh! Susanna (1951)

Attention to historical detail

[6/10 · 24 December 2004]

At first I didn't think much, but as the plot became interesting I decided to stick with it. While I'm far from an expert on the Old West, the commands issued to the troopers seem real. What was more impressive was the detail of the soldiers loading and firing their single shot carbines. That was a nice touch. However, the use of colt pistols seemed wrong - I believe they would have Navy revolvers in the cavalry. I've read that soldiers were on the low end of the social hierarchy in the West and this was represented in the townspeople's attitudes, although in this case they had a specific reason. As far as the acting, I guess I have a soft spot for Forrest Tucker (maybe from watching F-Troop as a kid, as horrible as it was in retrospect.) Chill Wills was a hoot! I liked the way he yelled the commands - took you by surprise. So, all in all not a great film, by any stretch of the imagination, it was worth watching. And seeing the track record of the writer that's not surprising.

The Quiet Gun (1957)

Not Your Run of The Mill Western

[7/10 · 7 November 2004]

Far from simple minded, this film raises some moral questions in an intelligent way. Actually, fairly relevant for today. Oh, and there's a bit of unobtrusive humor, as well. The plot makes sense. The film moves along at a good pace and is neither too long or too short.

Nicely acted in an understated way - particularly Forrest Tucker (far removed from his later "F-Troop" days). Old stand-by Hank Worden plays his usual eccentric character. The ominous Lee Van Cleef is also present. Definitely worth 80 minutes of your time.