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mike-foxton4
Reviews
The Searchers (1956)
An absolute classic
The Searchers is widely regarded as maybe the greatest Western of them all. I think it is maybe John Wayne's greatest performance. Often scandalously underrated as an actor, John Wayne is superb here as Ethan Edwards, a man torn between civilisation and savagery. That he is a racist is not in doubt, and he is an outsider among the whites. But you still get the feeling that he is the person the whites will turn to if Indians threaten. Ethan Edwards is a former Confederate soldier, with a shady past. He arrives at his brother's house with money gained somehow (he won't say) and there are hints that he is wanted by the law. He joins a posse of Texas Rangers in pursuit of Comanches, but here again we get the feeling that he is going to do things his own way, and to hell with anyone else. Monument Valley looks as good as ever, and the musical score is excellent. A great film. Recommended.
Chato's Land (1972)
A splendid film.
Chato's Land is the second of two westerns directed by Michael Winner in the early 70's, the first being Lawman. Many of the actors who appeared in Lawman are also in Chato's Land. Chato, played by Charles Bronson, is pursued by a vengeful posse after killing a lawman, who provoked him. But he turns the tables on them and soon he is hunting them, and they know it. The posse is led by Captain Quincy, a former Confederate soldier played by Jack Palance. He is basically a decent man who respects Chato, but is unable to control his men, and this has fatal consequences as Chato gradually picks them off. The posse end up trapped in Chato's Land, and the climax sees the last survivor trying to escape, but Chato won't allow him to, and he has no choice but to go back. I really like this film. Recommended.
Fort Apache (1948)
A Classic
This film is the first and to my mind the best of John Ford's cavalry trilogy. It is the Custer story in all but name, with Henry Fonda as Colonel Owen Thursday in the Custer role, and John Wayne's Captain York presumably representing Captain Benteen, one of Custer's subordinates at the Little Big Horn, who despised Custer and openly clashed with him several times. This film is notable for its detailed portrayal of life on an army outpost, the like of which I cannot recall seeing to this extent in any other film. The Apaches are treated with sympathy in the film. Captain York respects them, and tries to get Colonel Thursday to, but Colonel Thursday is more interested in winning glory by defeating them. During the film, Colonel Thursday and Captain York clash several times, but at the end, with Thursday's attack on the Apaches a disaster, Captain York tries to rescue him and take him to safety. It is here that Colonel Thursday redeems himself to some extent by insisting on returning to the remains of his command to die with them. All in all, a great film.