USMR - Jimmy Stewart Westerns

 USMR - Jimmy Stewart Westerns

Unsolicited Movie Ranking - Jimmy Stewart Westerns Version

So a couple of weeks ago Shelli Hamer York came in as I was watching an old Jimmy Stewart western. Then, much to my bewilderment she asked me....."Did he do a lot of Westerns?"

DO WHAT? Uhhhhh, YEA!.

With films like Its A Wonderful Life, Anatomy of A Murder, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington and four different Hitchcock Classics to name a few, it is easy to overlook that Jimmy Stewart was one of the most successful Western stars in Hollywood. Outside of John Wayne, Jimmy's western catalog is as impressive as anyone's. Stewart was the leading box office draw of the 1950's and his westerns played a huge role in that success.

So, once I set my astonishment to Shelli's questions aside I did what anyone else would do. I made a list of all of Stewart's westerns and decided to re-watch and rank them all. Just like anyone!

Stewart starred in 17 westerns over his career. I'm ranking 13 looking at the 20 year period from 1950 to 1970. Excluded are Destry Rides Again (39) which was a huge hit but sort of stands by itself 11 years prior. I am also excluding How the West was Won (62) and Cheyenne Autumn (64) because he was part of huge cast and not central to the success. Also excluding the Shootist because that was Wayne's film...period. And before anybody asks, Shenandoah isn't a western...don't get me started.

A few observations.....I had seen all the films at least once except for Firecreek. How I missed a western starring Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda is beyond me but I had never even heard of it until now. It wasn't a big hit but still.....I should have known.  It had been as much as 30+ years since I had seen some of these. Certain impressions I had from years ago have definitely changed. Here are a few things that stuck out.

One, probably because I'm a father of a 19 year old daughter the number of instances in these films where Jimmy's love interest eventually ended up being an actress less than half his age was glaringly obvious. Stewart, by all accounts was a good guy and a gentlemen. But I have to admit when watching these films with matured eyes it adds a creepier aspect to a lot of films from this era....not that the same doesn't still go on.

Two, the films that relied heavily on a detailed depiction of interactions with Indian tribes invariably hurt the overall quality of the film. It just leaves such a believability gap. (Don't get me started on the ridiculous gun fights)  It is easy to knock how Hollywood portrayed Native Americans....which was blatantly racist. That alone shouldn't diminish the film when watching it in proper context. My problems come from just bad film making. The writing and acting and direction, even when really good film directors like Anthony Mann tried to depict Native American life and lives,  really stands out and hurts some of the films. It hurts them contextually and it hurts them as sheer entertainment.

Three, the number of actors who pop up in multiple films is pretty amazing. It was common with the studio system and directors to use actors they were comfortable with. Some practically play the same character with different names. Will Geer (Grandpa from the Waltons), John McIntire, Andy Devine, Arthur Kennedy, Harry Morgan (Col Sherman Potter), Millard Mithcell, Dan Duryea and Jack Elam were all staples. Not to mention future stars who made appearances like Rock Hudson, Shelley Winters, Tony Curtis, Audie Murphy, and Shirley Jones.

Finally, and this is important, there isn't a bad movie in the bunch. Some come off as a bit campy for today's viewers to be sure but watching them with context and era in mind it is an amazing body of work. Especially when you consider these are only 13 of the 17 westerns and constitute less that half the films Jimmy starred in between 1950-1970...SHUT UP!

13.    Broken Arrow ('50)  A classic Anthony Mann western based on a true story. If you want to talk authenticity issues....Jeff Chandler, born Ira Grossel to a Jewish family in Brooklyn, got nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Apache War Chief Cochise. To its credit, this was one of the first movies that showed Indians as something other than savages. Cochise was portrayed as a wise and thoughtful leader. That aside, all the interactions with the Indians are so clumsily filmed and written it just has a difficult time translating to a current audience.

12.    Firecreek ('68)  Not a bad movie at all. Even with two huge stars it feels a little like a TV movie. There was a lot to explore here that the script or director just never chose to exploit. Would have loved to see a director like Peckinpah shoot this. It wanted to be edgier but just never got there.

11.    Two Rode Together ('61)  Great cast. Stewart plays a scheming, opportunistic sheriff to a tee. Great chemistry with Richard Widmark. Like John Wayne's Searchers this movie is about finding and "rescuing" white captives of Comanche war raids. Definitely inspired by actual events it is still awkward to view the portrayals of the Native Americans especially with Chief Quanah Parker being played by German born Henry Brandon. The movie tries to show the complexity involved but again, maybe because of censor rules or just the melodramitic acting style, or should I say overacting, really dings what is otherwise a very enjoyable film. 

10.    The Naked Spur ('53)  Robert Ryan eats up his scenes and Janet Leigh takes her turn as the lady who is half the age of the men she is likely to show interest in role.

09.    The Rare Breed ('66)  This was actually the only film that I wasn't able to re-watch. But I have seen it 3 or 4 times  so I thought I was good. Stewart, Maureen O'hara and Brian Keith. It's a return to the gruff loner Stewart played so many times eventually making a connection and caring for something or someone besides himself.  

08.    Bandelero ('68)  When Jimmy isn't playing a gruff loner he's probably playing the cowboy with a heart of gold who is out to save his ne'er-do-well brother who is almost always on the wrong side of the law. Here the brother is Dean Martin and the love interest was Raquel Welch. All wrapped up with George Kennedy as a jealous, obsessed sheriff.

07.    The Cheyenne Social Club ('70)  A real buddy movie with two real buddies. Fonda and Stewart were roommates as young actors and they had a lifelong friendship. Their comfort and ease with each other is great in this western comedy. Light-hearted and charming.

06.    The Man From Laramie ('55)  Another great mysterious loner who gets wronged and gets even. A stranger in a strange land taking on a rich land baron and his crazy son. I knocked this down to 6 cause of some silly Indian stuff but it really is top notch.

05.    Bend of the River ('52)  I could easily shuffle 6 through 3. All four with solid stories. All four about grit and determination and fighting the odds. Along with Far Country this is the some of the most gorgeous cinematography of all the films. The other thing you will notice is some of the stars are actually pretty solid horsemen. Filming where they take some of the wagons in this movie really gives you a good idea to how difficult some of these drives and conditions were.  Arthur Kennedy is great in this film as he goes mad over making money....and Aunt Bea from Mayberry makes an appearance.

04.    Night Passage ('57)  Along with Winchester 73 this has one of the better scripts. Throw in Audie Murphy and Brandon DeWilde (the kid from Shane) and the railroads traveling through the Rockies you have a really special film.

03.    Far Country ('54)  One of the few films of the era set in Alaska. It was the 4th Anthony Mann western and they were were in their stride. Plus no goofy interactions with the natives. This movie's famous climax was set up all through the film starring Jimmy's horse Pie. Jimmy rode Pie in 17 films and often said he was the best costar he ever had. That's some pretty good company.  When Pie died he was buries on the Stewart family ranch.

02.    Winchester 73 ('50)  This was the one that showed people Jimmy could be a believable tough guy. It started the 20 year western run and it was a superb story and well written. The throughline with the rifle changing hands held the narrative. Rock Hudson as a 20 year old Indian chief and Tony Curtis as an Army grunt and Shelly Winters as the damsel.  

01.    Man Who Shot Liberty Valance ('62)  Often the greatest casts on paper don't make the greatest films. It is hard to imagine a better cast than Stewart, John Wayne and Lee Marvin. That's heavyweight. Directed by one of the masters John Ford. Funny that a film full of legends is remembered for the famous line. "When the story becomes legend...Print the legend." 

Unsolicited Movie Reviews - 2025 Oscar Edition

 

Here we go again. Oscar time is upon us. It is the most wonderful time of the year! At least for me. Every year's crop of Best Picture Nominees is a mixed bag, and this year is no different. Two major blockbusters that take place in imaginary worlds but one has more music. One slapstick comedy with hookers, gangsters, drug dealers and sex. A real bio pic about a poet and pseudo-bio pic about an architect. Next year they’ll make a gangster film about a plumber. There are Popes, witches, Cardinals, prisoners, drug kingpins, oligarchs and the strangest set of twins……ever.

 It’s a different crop. I didn’t hate any of them. If I’m honest my favorite film of the year wasn’t even nominated. If you get a chance check out Sing Sing. It was superb. But these are the films we have. They vary in story, style, scope and theme. They are all worthy additions to the world of cinema even if they are not your cup of tea!

These are listed in my order of rankings. Top to Bottom for the Best Picture Award.
This is NOT necessarily what I think is going to happen with the award. Do not use this list to make bets. You will lose your house. These are listed in the order that I would rank them if I had such a vote for Best Motion Picture. I would love to hear from you and know what you think. 

Conclave Conclave is a tense political thriller set against the backdrop of Vatican secrecy. It is exactly the grown-up dramas filled with gripping dialogue, amazing performances, stunning visuals and intriguing plots that are why many of us fell in love with cinema. It is the real deal. Such an amazing follow-up for Edgar Berger after his amazing All Quiet on the Western Front. His status as auteur is solidified. Raph Fiennes continues to be as steady and dependable actor/star as we have. Villian, hero, character actor you name it. Fiennes’ resume is elite. Have Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini as your “supporting” cast doesn’t hurt. In a landscape where cinema seems like Pop Country, Berger is playing that good jazz that is so entertaining that you don’t even realize how complicated it is.

Dune: Part Two When Part One came out I said it was the first time I felt the way I did when I saw Star Wars for the first time. There have been countless worlds imagined in faraway places with Sci-Fi dreams of flying saucers and grand story telling tropes of battling dynasties and messiah figure heroes.

But Denis Villeneuve’s Dune was the first one that felt complete to me. It felt fully throated and dare I say believable. This first came to the screen in 1984, by David Lynch no less, and it was awful. I know some people loved it back then but even with adjusted eyes for 1984 viewing…. it’s just bad. It was campy, synthetic and devoid of anything organic to relate to. Let’s face it. This nomination is for both Part One and Two. Much like Lord of the Rings Return of the King. They may just reward the entire work. Maybe they should because they both delivered mesmerizing visuals, emotional storytelling and a faithful adaptation of the script to a beloved source material.

The Substance Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance may have achieved the status of the “PERFECT DATE MOVIE”. Is ts a rom-com, or a period piece or a love story with a little action or violence that can pacify women and men alike?  NO! It is a body-image horror film that delves into themes of transformation and self-destruction. How does that make the perfect date movie? Well, it speaks to, especially women, about the unattainable levels of perfection that can destroy self-esteem and confidence turning their lives into a quest for society’s image of beauty. It has subtexts of the horrors women experience around self-loathing, body image, representation, feminism and agency. For men, it is at its core a Sci-Fi drama with violence and gory imagery. But most importantly for the guys, and this can’t be overstated, Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley spend a lot of time naked…..I mean a lot. See, perfect date movie! But in all seriousness, The Substance was the most surprising of all the films this year for me because I liked it much more than I was expecting. The film’s grotesque imagery may not be for everyone, but it offers a unique viewing for everyone because it will speak something different to everyone based on their own background. It has as point of view to be sure, but the really special quality of the script is the massive amount of subtext that the viewer can pull from their own life. And, in many cases, probably more than the authors could have even intended.
Demi is probably gonna get her Oscar and hats off to her, it will be well deserved. But, make no mistake, Margaret Qualley is superb as well and her career can be a long time if she chooses.

Wicked Listen, if you don’t like musicals…. I don’t know what to tell ya. You’ll probably hate this. If you do love Broadway musicals then you almost definitely have an opinion about Wicked and it’s most likely positive. It has worked its way into the pantheon of American Musical Theater. It is every bit an

Oklahoma, South Pacific, Les Miz or “fill in the blank”. It is a huge and popular show and that is what makes bringing it to the screen so perilous. It’s possible that absolutely nobody will be happy with the final product. Keeping it exactly the same as the show you risk ignoring the natural differences in medium from the stage to the screen. Make too many or the wrong adjustments and you risk the seething disdain and monumental hatred of 10 million drama kids of all ages!

So, I’m going to make this simple. Wicked (PART ONE) is great. It works on every level. The two stars are STARS in every way you need to be in musical theater. Are they both a little “diva-ish”? Sure. But they are also two obscenely, talented mega-stars that you need to carry a film like Wicked. If Elphaba and Ga-linda don’t work the movie don’t work. They are both exquisite. Especially when you consider that all the music was recorded live on set. Art, Costumes, Make-up, Sets, Special Effects….you name it the film hits all of its notes. I honestly can’t imagine a fan of the musical not liking the film. Will it win best picture? I doubt it but if it did it would be worthy. My guess is that the academy will wait till part 2.

Anora Sean Baker’s Anora is at the least a polarizing film. I have seen it billed as a modern-day Cinderella story. A more accurate analogy would be Cinderella’s drug induced, sex-ladened, pretty, damn hysterical fever dream.  The movie felt like it had two definitive halves. The first is dark and meandering as you learn of Anna’s (Anora) circumstances. The second part, and it turns on a dime, is a border line slapstick comedy, albeit dark comedy. It goes into overdrive until the it comes to its sad, poignant and probably inevitable stop.  While these things are fickle, Anora should be a star turn for Mikey Madison who has been doing quality work for the last 10 years. She is engaging and most importantly believable. Even in some amazingly unbelievable situations.

I’m Still Here To put it plainly, this is a wonderful film set in Rio De Janeiro circa 1970. It based on

the true story of Eunice Paiva and the arrest and disappearance of her husband Rubens at the hands of the Brazilian military regime. It is a subtle and sweet movie about love and resilience. It is a powerful reminder of the strength of family and sheer will need to survive.

The Brutalist I saw one article that touted Brady Corbet’s The Brutalist as “an ambitious architectural

drama”. Man, that’ll sell it. First the good/great about the movie. The acting. Brody is phenomenal but the so is Guy Pierce in a role that is quite different. Even for an actor who can’t really be typecast. The cinematography is its own character of the film. Its addition to the nuance and tone of all the scenes is
palpable. It’s a grand story both narratively and visually with hints and inspirations of Citizen Kane. The not so good…. it’s just too damn long. I’m perfectly fine with long films. I love them in fact. But for a three plus hour film the ending seemed rushed and rather un-satisfying by comparison the exquisite nature of the rest of the film. I’m glad I watched it, but I doubt I’ll ever watch it again.

A Complete Unknown James Mangold’s biopic of Bob Dylan, A Complete Unknown, offers an intimate yet enigmatic portrayal of the legendary musician.  That seems entirely appropriate for a figure who has been enigmatic and intimate for his entire career. Timothée Chalamet’s performance is beyond commendable. It is transformative as he performed all the music live and himself. It does add a realness and familiarity that is hard to describe. As with all biographies, there are some questionable dalliances with accuracy.  Many of these can be attributed to Bob himself who was heavily involved in the story working to continue those enigmatic tendencies he obviously thrives upon. It’s a solid film. It’s not the best biopic I’ve ever seen. Had it not been about Dylan and if Chalamet’s performance was less than stellar it would have never made the nomination.

Nickel Boys Based fictional novel that is based on actual events, Nickel Boys is a harrowing tale of
human injustice and the resilience and eventual consequences of surviving the injustice.  I’ve not read the book but if the movie captures half of the emotional weight effectively it would be a tough read. The movie’s somber tone may feel unrelenting and while you think you probably “know” where it’s going it keeps you unsure till the end. The use of perspective and point of view worked for me as a matter of storytelling. I can see how it may be off-putting for some people.  Man’s cruelty to man is always so devastatingly sad and unfortunately all to believable.

Emilia Pérez Emilia Pérez is a bold gender-bending film that mixes musical elements with crime drama. Ironically, the film comes across as not exactly knowing what it wants to be. There are two words (maybe three) in that sentence that will keep a lot of people from ever seeing the movie. Gender-bending and Musical. Both are pretty polarizing, lol. That’s unfortunate. While the characters in the movie seem to know exactly who they are, the film itself is more confused. Don’t get me wrong. It is a terribly engaging story with intrigue, tension, mystery and scope. I personally think the biggest problem with the film is the musical aspect. The musical numbers are fine, but they cause tonal shifts that distract from the narrative. That’s not to say musicals can’t be serious, they can. But here, the story is strong and works on its own. I wish the makers had trusted that and left the music….in the closet. (I’m Sorry).  Kudos for ambitions and experimentation, just missed the mark a little.