A Celebration of Western Movies… Pardner!
A Minor Ballad / Gordon Lightfoot / 1967
“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.”
– Sir Edmund Hillary
Castle Mountain
Showing the ‘saddle back’ behind it
and the high meadows where many hikers venture.
Majestic, Powerful, Inspiring.
We head for Revelstoke, BC, Halcyon Hot Springs.
Then to Nakusp, BC and Nakusp Hot Springs.
We’re back.
We were only gone 6 days, but it still took me a couple of days to recover. (LOL!)
Remember when Holidays used to be relaxing adventures?
But I’m 76 now … so hardly anything is relaxing.
Sadly, at times it’s just nice to get back to your own bed.
Not that this trip wasn’t enjoyable. It was wonderful! (Thanks Rose.)
We saw and experienced a lot of great things.
It’s just that travelling is not what it used to be when you get older.
Look a this for instance:
I recall a time when all I needed was a duffle bag and my thumb.
Crazy enough though, I think we used most of this stuff.
Even crazier, we often find we forgot something?
Heading Out
Thems the ROCKIES in the distance.
No snow on them. (Yet)
And you might think that after driving through them
about a thousand times, it would be boring.
You’d be wrong.
But …
Uh Oh! Some kind of road construction … ?
Ah … they’re building another Wildlife Bridge over the highway.
They’ve built a lot of them over the years.
So they must work?
Moving along …
There used to have signs telling what Mountain we were lookin’ at.
Don’t know why they stopped that?
Over the years I’ve taken a lot of pics of Cascade Mountain.
Why not?
You will often see people who have hiked up to the bottom of the Falls.
But not today.
Next: Castle Mountain …
More coming …
The Rose – sung by Bette Midler – written by Amanda McBroom
I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.
– Audrey Hepburn
I think that most Miracles are small and flow right past us.
Like tests.
To see if we’re paying attention.
They are like Gifts and Rewards for feats
we didn’t even know we were achieving.
When we left on our little holiday, Rose’s Sunflowers were green.
I really never thought they were going to open. It was so late in Summer.
But when we returned they had suddenly exploded.
I could hardly believe it.
The bees were happy.
Rose and I are heading into the BC interior for a few days.
It’s our Birthday present to ourselves … both Virgos …
(whatever that means?)
Going to jump in some Hotsprings and look at the Stars.
Nakusp Hotspings is one of our destinations.
Just hoping for decent weather –
though I’ve never been a person who could get defeated by weather.
See you soon.
“Yet hope remains while all the company is true.”
Just an Old Fashioned Love Song / 3 Dog Night / 1975
“Love me tender, Love me sweet,
Elvis has stinky feet.”
kid’s rhyme 1956 / author unknown
I was an 8-year-old schoolkid in Homewood, Illinois
when Elvis recorded “Love Me Tender“ in 1956.
Elvis was 21.
I was not a fan.
I was just a kid.
And although Elvis made some good music over the years that I liked,
all those movies soured me against him.
Guess they weren’t made for me.
Then …
in 1966 he recorded this song:
“Love Letters”.
Love Letters is a Popular Music Classic that was written in 1945
with lyrics by Edward Heyman and music by Victor Young.
It has been recorded by nearly 400 Artists including,
Nat Cole, Peggy Lee. Jack Jones, Patti Page, Sammy Davis, Tony Bennett,
and on and on …
just about everybody.
And I know there several superb interpretations.
But Elvis’ version really nailed me.
It was then that I realized just how GOOD this guy really was.
“Everyone needs to be loved.“
– Paul Williams
That’s What Friends are For – 1974
Written by Paul Williams
– Sung by Jack Jones
A beautiful song,
and a truly inspired interpretation
by Jack Jones.
Not to be confused it with that other song by the same name,
That’s What Friends are For was initally sung by B.J. Thomas in 1972.
There are other interpretations, but none come close to
Jack Jones inspired version.
Wikipedia:
Paul Hamilton Williams, Jr. (born September 19, 1940) is an American composer, singer-songwriter, and actor.
He is perhaps best known for popular songs performed by a number of acts in the 1970s including Three Dog Night’s rendition of “An Old Fashioned Love Song”, Helen Reddy’s “You and Me Against the World”, David Bowie’s “Fill Your Heart”, and the Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days and Mondays”, as well as his contributions to films, such as writing the lyrics to the #1 chart-topping “Evergreen”, the love theme from A Star Is Born, starring Barbra Streisand, for which he won a Grammy for Song of the Year and an Academy Award for Best Original Song; and “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie. He also wrote the lyrics to the opening theme for The Love Boat, with music previously
composed by Charles Fox, which was originally sung by Jack Jones,
and later, by Dionne Warwick.
He has also had a variety of high-profile acting roles such as Little Enos Burdette in the 1977 action-comedy Smokey and the Bandit, and as the villainous Swan in Brian De Palma’s Phantom of the Paradise (which Williams also co-scored, receiving an Oscar nomination in the process), as well as television, theater, and voice-over work for animation.
A very good series.
Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám
A translation?/interpretation
by Edward FitzGerald (1859).
I have only memorized this first quatrain of Fitzgerald’s wonderful translation/interpretation of Khayyám’s epic and sublime poem.
A vast amount of the World’s Greatest Literture
lies uncreated in the English Language.
In fact, a unfathonable amount of such great literature was created before the English language (as we know it) even existed.
And in dialects now lost to us.
Therefore, unless we can speak every language and dialect ever created we can’t access a massive amount of Art/Literature.
Even then, it would be possible to encompass only a small amount of it.
However, there have been valiant attempts to bring such works
into our own Language and Culture.
– even as this meets the problems of interpretation.
Omar Khayyám
Below: just 3 of FitzGerald several attempts
to interpret just the first quatrain:
Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night
Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight:
And Lo! the Hunter of the East has caught
The Sultán’s Turret in a Noose of Light.
FitzGerald, Stanza I, 1st ed.
“Wake ! For the Sun behind yon Eastern height
Has chased the Session of the Stars from Night ;
And, to the field of Heav’n ascending, strikes
The Sultan’s Turret with a Shaft of Light.
FitzGerald, Stanza I, 2nd ed
WAKE! For the Sun, who scatter’d into flight
The Stars before him from the Field of Night,
Drives Night along with them from Heav’n, and strikes
The Sultan’s Turret with a Shaft of Light.
FitzGerald, Stanza I, 5th ed
FitzGerald probably worked, reworked, refined, and re-edited
Khayyám sublime epic poem until the day he died.
And then was still unlikely content.
Even as we sense what was likely
‘a labour of love’on his part
“He’s not really dead, as long as we remember him.”
– Dr. McCoy, (Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, 1982)
Though I once knocked my sister out with the ‘Vulcan neck pinch‘
(that’s my story and I’m sticking to it),
I never considered myself a Trekkie –(Star Trek Super Fan),
cuz I could never do the Vulcan Salute/Greeting.
(I’m also lousy at Mind Melding).
Below are most of the places I’ve lived in Southern Alberta:
Except Vulcan.
So I’ve always considered myself to be an Albertan.
And I know Big Town and Small Town, Alberta.
Which brings us to Vulcan, Alberta which under ordinary circumstances
would be considered to be your typical small Alberta Prairie Farm town.
BUT nothing ever seems to have been ‘Typical’ about Vulcan.
Firstly, it’s unusual name:
“Vulcan was named by a surveyor for the Canadian Pacific Railway back in 1915 for the Roman god of fire—all of the streets throughout the town were originally named for gods and goddesses …
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/vulcan#:~:text=Vulcan%20was%20named%20by%20a,who%20mostly%20work%20in%20farming.
Also …
Wikipedia says:
“Vulcan once had nine grain elevators, more than any other location west of Winnipeg, Manitoba, making it the largest grain
shipping point at that time.”
I remember locomotives like this below.
There are 57,200 farms in Alberta.
Next: Part 3 …
Space … the final frontier / Leonard Nimoy / Spock
A while back Don Osterag was talking about
Leonard Nimoy (Spock) and Star Trek.
https://donostertag.wordpress.com/2015/02/27/qa-with-nimoy-in-iowa/comment-page-1/#respond
This interested me because Nimoy had visited the small Alberta town of Vulcan in 2010 in response to an invitation from locals who had proclaimed Vulcan as the “Official Star Trek Capital of Canada” –
Vulcan being Spock‘s home planet in the Star Trek TV show.
Being the good sport that he was, Leonard came up.
To say that this was a BIG DEAL for Vulcan (population about 2000)
would be an understatement.
Nimoy demonstrated his generous and affable nature.
In all this, Rose and determined to visit Vulcan
this summer and enjoy our time there.
So we did …
Next:
Vulcan Visit / Part 2
Lately we’ve been getting very direct warning about how tenuous our survival and existence is – and how dependent we are upon many resources outside of our personal control.
First, our whole communtications systems in this area
went down for 24 hours.
The only thing we had was Radio.
No phone, no TV, no computer, no WiFi …
– no way to find out what was going on.
The next thing was a major City water pipe broke –
forcing water consumption restrictions for a month.
Then we had an electrical storms that knocked out
electricity in some areas.
Now, yesterday, the town of Jasper was devastated
by a forest fires that swept into Jasper National Park.
Still on the grid ?
– dependent upon resources outside of your control?
Think about it.
How much food do you have around?
I went out on our front steps yesterday evening and took these pics:
Forest fires in Alberta.
We don’t worry too much about them out here on the Prairie –
and wouldn’t even know they were happening –
if it wasn’t for the smoke.
HOWEVER, most of Canada is FOREST.
Check any map.
So this is a big problem.
AND NOW in the age of Climate Change
it’s amplified. Considerably.
Almost like living on another planet.
Feel the heat.
I’d heard this was cancelled.
Guess they changed their mind.
Frankly, I enjoyed Season 1.
INVICTUS by William Ernest Henley
Possibly the most memorized poem in the English Language?
Certain to be on the Literature circulum of most schools.
Powerful, uplifting, inspiring …
and short.
Click to enlarge.
Don’t get me wrong. I loved these guys.
I listened to the Lone Ranger on Radio
in those Thilling days of Yesteryear … the early 50’s.
… long ago.
But not forgotten.
Next: Clue Number 2 !!!
Edgar Albert Guest
KIRK DOUGLAS
JAMES STEWART
GLENN FORD
Next …
No. 5
I haven’t been posting much lately.
Sorry about that.
I’m just too much of a perfectionist
to just throw something up on the board.
BUT …
Here’s stuff I’m working on:
“To B or not to B”
Why B Westerns don’t have to be B.
Greatest Western Movie Songs
My next
Top 10 Favorite Western Star of all time …
and other stuff …
Hang in there.
(I’m trying)
It’s Rose’s Garden.
Gardening is a Rose’s passion – so I don’t interfere.
I only ask her to plant Poppys and Nasturtiums.
Poppys is easy – they pop up by themselves.
Nasturtiums are Annuals though and you gotta plant ’em.
Below:
some of Rose’s Poppys in bright sunlight.
Mini Libraries are another thing we like.
We put books in and take ‘me out.
I look for Louis L’Amour Westerns and the Classics like
The Three Musketeers and Gulliver’s Travels …
especially if they are illustrated.
Carburn Park
Rose and I go out somewhere pretty well every day.
Just to get some exercise.
Carburn Park is one of our favorite places to go here in Calgary.
It’s big – has nice pathways, flowers, wildlife,
and lots of water.
Gooslings Ahoy!
A small flotilla …
… time for a break …
The Bow River is running high right now.
It’s still ‘run off’ in the nearby Rocky Mountains.
Alberta Roses … our Provincial Flower.
A nice day for a short hike.
Next …
The Ol’ Water Hole !
“Nobody gets to be a cowboy forever.”
– Jack Palance
Monte Walsh … a real maverick
MFW: Monte Walsh seemed to get decent promotion – lots of excellent posters – and boasts a stellar cast …
yet somehow seemed to slip under the fence?
But I believe this is one Western that will age well and eventually earn it’s rightful place at the bar.
I’d say this is a Western Classic.
MFW: “100%” from critcs and “57%” from viewers ??
That’s a pretty large canyon.
But I liked it.
“When we get through… you’re gonna want to take a nap, sit on the porch and wait for the mares to come callin’.”
To Justice.
Cheers.!
Andy Williams
yep … hard work.
July 12, 1942 – March 17, 2016
He was 73.
The Lone Ranger Opening and Closing Theme 1949 – 1957
The enduring popularity of the Lone Ranger is a very interesting phenomenon which must mystify a lot of todays young people who never grew up with it – and probably consider the whole thing to be
somewhat Camp in character.
Yet there are still several (many?) Lone Ranger websites on the internet – well over 60 years after the masked man rode across our radios and our black and white TV screens.
That tesifys that something is special.
But what? Why?
What was it about this guy – and what he stood for – that grabbed so many people … and still does?
Surely it is embodied in The Lone Ranger Creed.
A Creed that today seems more relevant now than ever.
THE LONE RANGER’S CREED
“I believe…
That to have a friend, a man must be one.
That all men are created equal and that everyone has within himself the power to make this a better world.
That God put the firewood there
but that every man must gather and light it himself.
In being prepared physically, mentally, and morally to fight when necessary for that which is right.
That a man should make the most of what equipment he has.
That ‘This government, of the people, by the people and for the people’ shall live always.
That men should live by the rule of what is best for the greatest number.
That sooner or later … somewhere … somehow …
we must settle with the world and make payment for what we have taken.
That all things change but truth, and that truth alone, lives on forever.
In my Creator, my country, my fellow man.”
The Lone Ranger: “Only you, Tonto, know I’m alive. To the world, I’ll be buried here beside my brother and my friends… forever.”
Tonto: “You are alone now. Last man. You are lone ranger.”
The Lone Ranger: “Yes, Tonto, I am… the Lone Ranger.”
“Once I got the Lone Ranger role, I didn’t want any other.”
~ Clayton Moore
As I said, Glenn Ford made 26 Westerns. Ive been trying to catch up.
BUT he was making Westerns before I was born!
Therefore I cannot profess expertise. Only what I like.
I can say that his Westerns definitely display
his unquestioned Star Power. He could carry the ball –
and was a Box Office Star for at least 40 years – in any film genre.
FYI: Several of his Westerns are available to watch for Free
on YouTube and other Internet Locations.
And most are of watchable quality.
I just watched The Violent Men (1955) on YouTube …
I have to think that a lot of Western Fans
would consider The Violent Men to be a Western Classic.
It is a good Western with a stuning Cast:
Glenn Ford, Edgar G. Robinson, Barbara Stanwyck, Brian Keith,
Richard Jaeckel, Jack Kelly …
With great Writing and dialogue.
I then rewatched The Man from Colorado
also on YouTube.
… and I have to confess it’s still tough to watch Ford play a Badguy.
But he did it again in 3:10 to Yuma.
A few other Favorites:
Thanks Glenn!
Moving on.
Been working on my last post for Western Favorite Glenn Ford.
I want to do a good job and it’s not coming together swiftly.
I’m not all that swift myself right now,
but we’ll be right along.
Hope you’re all having a great Spring.
I’m Posting this because maybe it will be useful information for somebody?
I’ve been getting sick a lot recently. Never happened before. I’ve had great health most of my life. But now I seem to be getting sick quite often. Even worse, I don’t heal up like I used to before. A bug I caught recently lasted 6 weeks! In the past I normally would have gotten such a thing within a week. My conclusion that my Diabetes 2 has seriously impacted my immune system. I didn’t know this could happen. I will have be aware of this going forward. This is my new reality/normal. To say this in influencing me in a lot of ways is an understatement. That’s life I guess. Things can change and we have to adapt. Or else. This is mainly why I haven’t been Posting much lately. Thank You for hanging with me.
Onward …
It’s official.
We’ve been back for a few days, but I got sick again right away.
It’s a Cold? I guess? …. but who knows these days?
The Cruise was great – tarnished a bit by our inexperience at such things.
Yet ever interesting.
That ship is … Large.
I’ll get back at things right away …
… He said.
Looks promising …
Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in 1978.
In 1942 he joined the American Marines for 3 1/2 years then transferred to the navy as a captain , a rank he held for the rest of his life.
Awarded the French Legion of Honor Medal (Legion d’Honneur), and appointed to the rank of Knight of the Legion of Honor in 1992, by the French Government for service in World War II. Created to honor extraordinary contributions to the Republic of France, the Legion of Honor is France’s highest distinction.
“William Holden and I weren’t just good friends.
He was my very best friend. I feel his loss very much still.”
In 1967 Naval Reserve Officer Lt. Cmdr. Ford (then aged 51) volunteered to serve for three months as a liaison officer attached to a Marine unit, with the Marine rank of full colonel, in Vietnam, and on several occasions endured enemy shelling.In 1967 Naval Reserve Officer Lt. Cmdr. Ford (then aged 51) volunteered to serve for three months as a liaison officer attached to a Marine unit, with the Marine rank of full colonel, in Vietnam, and on several occasions endured enemy shelling.
Went on a jungle mission with a Special Forces team
during the Vietnam War.
Credited with being one of the fastest “guns” in Hollywood westerns; able to draw and fire in 0.4 seconds, he was faster than James Arness
(Matt Dillon of Gunsmoke (1955)) and John Wayne.
Ford and Van Heflin … ‘3:10 to Yuma’
He had intended to portray Hondo Lane in Hondo (1953), but backed out when John Farrow was chosen to direct. Ford and Farrow did not got along while making Plunder of the Sun (1953), causing Ford to lose interest in the role. The role was subsequently portrayed by John Wayne.
His few attempts at playing villains were not generally well-received.
Critic David Thomson complained “3:10 to Yuma” suffered because of Ford’s “inability to be nasty”.
“What are you squeezin’ that watch for?
Squeezin’ that watch ain’t gonna stop time.”
– Glenn Ford as Ben Wade / 3:10 to Yuma
Quiet on the set! Master at Work …
One critic has noted the likely influences of German Expressionist film makers in 3:10 to Yuma. Such insight is beyond my ken – so it’s much appreciated. Other, closer to home influences, are more obvious, as from Fred Zinnemann’s High Noon and John Ford’s Classics Stagecoach,
My Darling Clementine … others.
No color? No Computer Generated Effects?
No problem.
All the unique virtues of Black and Film making are in evidence. Plus more:
high angle … low angle … wide angle … echo shots … close ups … lighting … shot framing … scene composition … dramatic use of Light/Dark/Shadow … Direction …
Nearly every shot in 310 to Yuma is crafted … seamlessly and unpretentiously integrated.
Daves knew it all – used it all …
3:10 to Yuma: Western Classic.
That’s a wrap.
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
Rose has signed us up for another Cruise.
This time it’s a 10-day Caribbean Cruise.
On this big ship:
The Enchanted Princess
WOW!
Leaving Monday.
Flying to Fort Lauderdale (5 hours from Calgary).
Jumping on Ship.
Will hit Anigua, Martinique, St. Lucia, Dominica,
St. Thomas, and Grand Turk.
I’m still a rookie at this Cruising thing so I don’t know what to expect?
Hoping the seas are glassy and sunsets beautiful!
I’m 75 now, so my travelling days may soon be over.
But I’m sure I’ll suffer through it all somehow.
*KOFF*
See you later …
I thank everybody for their kind feedback on my annoying QUIZ!
But I did really figure somebody woulda got him right away?
There was indeed some educated guesses to be sure.
OK then … LOL! … this is my last hint:
*Drum roll*
(or at least smoke signals)
He’s not in this pic:
But he IS in this pic
That rumpled hat never gave him away eh?
The QUIZ:
Though I thought my previous hints would have given him away …
I’ve recieved a request for an additional hint about
Who wuz that mysterious Western Movie Star?
Additional Hints:
– Was a prominent Film Actor for over 50 years.
– One of the biggest box-office draws of the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.
– Five of his films have been selected for the National Film Registry
by the Library of Congress as being
“culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant.
-inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the
National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
I hope these hints will be sufficient?
Still workin’ on a couple of
My Top Ten Favorite Westerns Stars.
One of them might surprise ya?
So I’ll start a bit of a Quiz:
First Clue:
This Star made over 25 Westerns!
Spanning about 40 years!
BIG CLUE:
Seemed to wear the same kind of rumpled cowboy hat in a lot of ’em.
???
OK … No Cheatin!
OK, OK, go ahead and cheat.
Likely won’t help none anyway.
Next Clue coming … (if necessary)
There’s still a few of us who remember the Folk Era of the 60’s.
It was big and a lot of great music came out of there.
One of my favorite groups of that time was The Brothers Four.
Four guys who could really sing.
This is a favorite of mine:
Hope you like …
Only in Theatres …
“The great thing about the movies … is you’re giving people little … tiny pieces of time … that they never forget.”
– James Stewart
So ends my tribute to James Stewart / Western Hero
one of my Top Ten Favorite Western Stars.
I could go on and on about him because …
James made about 18 Westerns.
Several are considered Western Classics.
You decide:
“I’d like people to remember me as someone who was good at his job
and seemed to mean what he said.”
– James Stewart
Done Jimmy.
Movie Posters in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
also seem to be different than what I would have expected.
On every poster James Stewart’s name is Billed above John Wayne’s.
You would at least expect them to be side by side? No?
Even then, Stewart’s name appears first.
And though some might argue that they appear equal in
size, color and text, Stewart’s name is still before Wayne’s.
Again, I wouldn’t expect to see this unless
it was approved by Wayne himself.
It’s possible there’s something going on here
that I don’t know about … ? Contractual agreement?
*shrug?* But there it is.
I wonder though that if The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
came out today the Poster might look like this instead:
But … you know what? Though Jimmy was unquestionably worthy
I wonder if he could have cared at all?
In any case: “This is the West, sir.
When the legend becomes fact print the legend.”
Dune: Part Two had its world premiere at the Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City on February 6, 2024 and is set to be released internationally on February 28, 2024 and in the United States on March 1, 2024,
by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Denis Villeneuve / Dune 3 Script Almost Finished …
https://variety.com/2023/film/news/denis-villeneuve-dune-3-script-almost-finished-1235829382/
In Movies, Billing is a big deal.
Billing refers to Order, Place, Size, and Color of your name
as it appears on The Marquee, Posters, Advertising, Film Trailer,
and on Screen, etc. – if at all.
In The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
I noticed some interesting Billing anomalies.
Between 1949–1957 and 1959–1974
John Wayne
was in the Top Ten Money Making Stars 25 times!!!
That’s a record number.
This includes 1962 when The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was made.
So you’d expect that Wayne would be Top Billed on everything, right?
Wrong.
But for some reason (unknown to me), he wasn’t.
Let’s start with the Official Trailer Preview.
James Stewart is Billed first!?
Wayne is Billed Second!:
Both Bills are the same size and configuration …
BUT Wayne’s Bill is still an obvious Second.
I doubt this could have occurred without Wayne’s approval.
Wayne had great respect and friendship with Stewart.
This was later reflected again when Stewart was handpicked by Wayne
for a nice role in Wayne’s final Film: The Shootist (1976).
And it’s notable that both Stars were Billed
ahead of the actual Movie Title Banner itself:
This reflects Stewart’s and Wayne’s Star Power of course –
They were the Draw.
However …
… on the actual Film Screen … things are different:
Wayne is Billed first – as we would have expected.
Stewart is second …
… and both are still Billed before the Film Banner:
Another interesting Billing oddity of that Lee Marvin isn’t Billed at all !!
in most any of the Movie’s advertising –
even though he plays the Title character, Liberty Valance.
Lee had not yet emerged as a Top Star.
That was soon to change.
Next:
We’re going to check the
Billing on the Movie’s Posters.
February 27 on HULU
That Song …
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance / sung by Gene Pitney
Written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach
It’s no secret that a popular song can be a powerful way to promote a Movie. It’s been done plenty of times. And The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance is a great song – and Gene Pitney was a great singer
and a popular Artist at the time.
HOWEVER …
Why pick Gene to sing the song it at all?
You’d figure for a Western Movie you’d call for a Country Music Star. No?
There were lots around.
How about Johnny Cash for instance?
I bet he would have done a great job.
YET …
… in my own research of over 20 other Artists who have done versions of the song, I couldn’t find even one that I considered was better or equal to Pitney’s! And more that a couple seemed to deliberately mimic him.
Seems he was the right choice after all.
Good on you Gene.
(Incidentally, I own quite a bit of Gene’s music.)
The 45 RPM Record Sleeve
The 45 RPM Vinyl Record
Remember those?
Possibly not.
More …
The song was never used in the Movie!
Most people don’t notice this (for some reason).
Despite spending 13 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart –
peaking at No. 4, it was never included!.
Why?
Wikipedia reports:
“Pitney stated that the recording session was paid for by Paramount (who made the Movie), and that it was midway through the effort when he found out that the song was not going to be included in the film”.
He apparently didn’t even know this until the film had
already been released!
WOW!
The song was ranked No. 36 in
The Western Writers of America’s list
of the Top 100 Western Songs of all Time.”
Amazing.
Looking back on posts I made in 2013.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Lee Marvin
February 19, 1924 – August 29, 1987
Between The Comancheros and Cat Ballou (Oscar), Marvin continued his meteoric climb to the Hollywood heights with perhaps his most famous role as Liberty Valence in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Many will agree that Lees viscous performance easily upstages Hollywood greats John Wayne and James Stewart – and perhaps establishing an iconic benchmark for Western villainy. YET, on the official poster (below) we still see Marvin billed a distant 4th behind Stewart (billed first over Wayne?), Wayne, and Vera Miles – with no notable image of Marvin – even though his character (Valance) is in the movies title !!! I’ll never figure out Hollywood marketing.
Look for another future Western Badguy superstar (yet to emerge)
Lee (Van Cleef) as one of Marvin’s henchmen.
(Above) That’s Lee at the bottom … I guess
Love him or hate him, you’d really have to search for a long time to find a lousy picture of John Wayne. This guy was charisma personified.
No lack of Star Power.
I can’t say where the The Man from Laramie would place on most
Western fan lists, but because of the impact it had on me I place it high.
It is a good Western and I would guess that most Western fans
would watch it more than once. Would I call it a Classic?
Yeah … I think I would.
Official Trailer:
James Stewart stated that of all the westerns he made this one was his personal favorite. – IMDB Trivia
James Stewart and Anthony Mann collaborated on five Westerns:
Winchester ’73 (1950), Bend of the River (1952). The Naked Spur (1953). The Far Country (1954), and The Man from Laramie (1955).
Dragged through the campire.
A scene you’d only want to shoot once.
Acting. It’s easy.
Next:
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
I was 7 years old in 1955.
And some images from this Movie were so powerful to me then
that they’ve stuck in my conciousness all these years:
The scene where James is roped by the badguys
and dragged through the campfire.
And, in particular, the brutal scene where
they shoot his hand.
But when I think that what we are exposed to these days – every day –
this stuff wouldn’t even make us flinch.
Is this what they call “Normalized” now? or “Desentitized”?
Makes me wonder how such things are affecting our kids …
Whether we like it or not, Weapons have played a monumental role
in World History. Still do. And we see no end in sight.
This should make us all wonder …
And somewhere among this uncountable tally,
are the weapons and guns of the American West.
The Winchester ’73
This is not to celebrate Weapon technology,
yet such has always been at the forefront of human endeavour.
IMFDB “Internet Movie Firearms Database” – a website I often refer to
for research here does offer quite a bit on “Winchester ’73”.
https://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Winchester_%2773
I drop a few of their images here:
There she is:
Tony Curtis even gets a good look at the rifle …
OK … moving on to My Favorite James Stewart Western:
The Man from Laramie / 1955
Apology:
I started this a while back, but I got distracted.
I was sick for quite a while and I got distracted by other things … Life.
This is just one of a few topics I need to finish before I die.
“I sort of got into Westerns… It was a sort of desperation move, really.
I had several pictures that didn’t go very well, and I just realised that I would have to try something else.”
– James Stewart
What can you say about James Stewart as a Western Movie Star?
You might he shoulda bin first on my list ! … and I wouldn’t argue.
Because in Westerns he had it all:
The drawl, the walk, the demeanor … everything.
Including a ton of charism/Star Power with Acting Talent.
So … if you think this was an easy selection … you’d be right.
Stewart was born to be Westerns and he made several Western Classics:
“100%”!!! WOW.
“7.6” out of 10 / Not so generous.
But most Westerns Movie fans regard this as Classic.
Tony was an uncredited extra in the movie.
You gotta pay your dues.
Described as a two-part event, Chapter 1 is scheduled to be released on June 28, 2024, and Chapter 2 is scheduled to be released on August 16, 2024.
Looks possible.
For my own part, I would rather excel in knowledge
of the highest secrets of philosophy than in arms.
– Alexander the Great
There are a many incredible people throughout history that did amazing things that seem to defy normal human ability.
Napoleon was one. Alexander another.
I believe that if the truth about these people in what they achieved
and how they were able to do it were revealed,
most people would not believe it.
Yet I feel because of this I feel most depictions fall short.
How is possible to credibly reveal such a thing? or person?
Which is not to say that what they did would be held as positive or noble
in achievement by us – only that were able to do so.
???
Solve this my friend … and the Gordian Knot is childsplay.
Whatever possession we gain by our sword cannot be sure or lasting, but the love gained by kindness and moderation is certain and durable.
– Alexander the Great
Linda put the Coffee on / Ray Materick / 1975
Easy to Say / Ray Materick / 1976
I know you’ve all bin waitin’ with Bated Breath to hear …
… who the Mystery Artist was who sang that
Mystery Song I’d been looking.
It took over a month …
But I wasn’t going to give up.
I had long exhausted everything I could think of to find it:
Lyric Searches -Artist searches – Album databases searches
of Country and Country Rock Artists from the early 70’s … and I even used
Shazam which claims it “will identify any song in seconds.” But it didn’t.
When it was finally discovered who it was, I was surprised to see that it was a Country Rock artist I had investigated early in my Search,
but had dismissed him because I couldn’t locate
any album by him that had that song on it.
Finally I asked Greg at Country 105 Radio if he could help me out
and I sent him the Lyrics and MP3.
It took him a few days, but he found it!
I had not been confident.
But here it is:
I’ve also discovered that Ray is still around
making music and giving concerts.
Good to hear.
Now I can move on to my next mystery.
I often wonder where certain expresions we use every day come from …
You’ll breathe easier once you master this frequently misused phrase.
Bated breath first appeared in Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice in 1605.
Using a shortened form of abated, which means “stopped or reduced,” the phrase refers to people holding their breath in excitement or fear as they wait to see what happens next. If you’re watching the Olympics and Simone Biles is performing a new dismount to win the gold, you might watch her dizzying twists and flips with bated breath.
These examples show the breathless suspense that the expression evokes:
As the world watched with bated breath, Apollo 13 re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on April 17 and splashed down in the South Pacific. (Fox News)
The whole common room listened with bated breath. (Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban)
Bait refers to small pieces of food used to catch fish or lure animals into traps. So it’s not possible to have baited breath, even if you eat a ton of minnows. The association of bait with a trap ready to spring may lead people to misuse this expression, even in national publications:
While the world is waiting with baited breath for the announcement that Beyoncé’s much-anticipated twins have arrived, the Internet has come up with plenty of theories about this milestone event. (Time)
We’ve now spent around 85 straight minutes this season with the show just spinning around in its own private circle, waiting with baited breath for something to change, or for the show’s comic-book bad guy to show even a hint of nuance. (The Verge)
Bated isn’t in common use any more except in this phrase — but knowing that abate means “to slow or stop something” can help you remember that waiting with bated breath means you’re breathless with anticipation. Unless you’ve devoured several cans of sardines in the hopes that your fishy breath will lure a nice big trout out of the river, baited breath is incorrect.
There are several (many?) exellent recitations
of Robert Service’s classic poems.
I like those by Hank Snow.
https://youtu.be/IS7i9PB_y4Q?si=Wzdx1ODeUPBE009n
Hank Snow
May 9, 1914 – December 20, 1999
In his time Hank recorded 140 albums and charted more than 85 singles
on the Billboard country charts from 1950 until 1980.
ROBERT W. SERVICE
16 January 1874 – 11 September 1958
Not your average Sourdough.
The Spell of the Yukon
by Robert W. Service
I wanted the gold, and I sought it;
I scrabbled and mucked like a slave.
Was it famine or scurvy—I fought it;
I hurled my youth into a grave.
I wanted the gold, and I got it—
Came out with a fortune last fall,—
Yet somehow life’s not what I thought it,
And somehow the gold isn’t all.
No! There’s the land. (Have you seen it?)
It’s the cussedest land that I know,
From the big, dizzy mountains that screen it
To the deep, deathlike valleys below.
Some say God was tired when He made it;
Some say it’s a fine land to shun;
Maybe; but there’s some as would trade it
For no land on earth—and I’m one.
You come to get rich (damned good reason);
You feel like an exile at first;
You hate it like hell for a season,
And then you are worse than the worst.
It grips you like some kinds of sinning;
It twists you from foe to a friend;
It seems it’s been since the beginning;
It seems it will be to the end.
I’ve stood in some mighty-mouthed hollow
That’s plumb-full of hush to the brim;
I’ve watched the big, husky sun wallow
In crimson and gold, and grow dim,
Till the moon set the pearly peaks gleaming,
And the stars tumbled out, neck and crop;
And I’ve thought that I surely was dreaming,
With the peace o’ the world piled on top.
The summer—no sweeter was ever;
The sunshiny woods all athrill;
The grayling aleap in the river,
The bighorn asleep on the hill.
The strong life that never knows harness;
The wilds where the caribou call;
The freshness, the freedom, the farness—
O God! how I’m stuck on it all.
The winter! the brightness that blinds you,
The white land locked tight as a drum,
The cold fear that follows and finds you,
The silence that bludgeons you dumb.
The snows that are older than history,
The woods where the weird shadows slant;
The stillness, the moonlight, the mystery,
I’ve bade ’em good-by—but I can’t.
There’s a land where the mountains are nameless,
And the rivers all run God knows where;
There are lives that are erring and aimless,
And deaths that just hang by a hair;
There are hardships that nobody reckons;
There are valleys unpeopled and still;
There’s a land—oh, it beckons and beckons,
And I want to go back—and I will.
They’re making my money diminish;
I’m sick of the taste of champagne.
Thank God! when I’m skinned to a finish
I’ll pike to the Yukon again.
I’ll fight—and you bet it’s no sham-fight;
It’s hell!—but I’ve been there before;
And it’s better than this by a damsite—
So me for the Yukon once more.
There’s gold, and it’s haunting and haunting;
It’s luring me on as of old;
Yet it isn’t the gold that I’m wanting
So much as just finding the gold.
It’s the great, big, broad land ’way up yonder,
It’s the forests where silence has lease;
It’s the beauty that thrills me with wonder,
It’s the stillness that fills me with peace.
