Gunfight in Abilene

When I think tough western stars, I can picture a whole lot of different actors, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Randolph Scott, Steve McQueen and many others. Then there's Bobby Darin who I typically think of as more of a singer/entertainer than an actor. He did act though if not often, like 1967's Gunfight in Abilene, a starring effort for Darin.

Having spent the last two years of the Civil War in a Yankee prison camp, former Confederate officer Cal Wayne (Darin) returns home to Texas having made a vow to himself that he won't use a gun anymore. The war has warped him, and he wants nothing to do with violence anymore, but his town may not let him abide by that decision. A range war is brewing between the farmers who want nothing more than their land to be untouched and the local businessman and banker, Grant Evers (Leslie Nielsen), who is backing the cattle ranchers. Cal is and was friends with Grant, putting him in an interesting spot. He wants nothing to do with the fight, but with Grant's encouragement, he takes the job as the town sheriff, hoping to hold the fight off and save plenty of lives in the process. With violence brewing, even Cal is going to have to decide how much he'll stand by his word and promise to himself to not use a gun.

From director William Hale, this 1967 western is interesting if not particularly good. A B-western with studio backing, it was clearly filmed on the cheap. The opening Civil War segment borrows quite liberally from 1965's Shenandoah for its battle sequences (and the music) only to have the action involving Darin's Cal and his men move to a very obvious indoor set. That sets the tone for the rest of the movie, a small-scale story set almost entirely in one small town. We get stock footage from some other westerns -- notably The Last Sunset among others -- that is rather jarring compared to the film footage for 'Abilene.' For me, this is a western that never really recovered from there on in. It never manages to create an identity for itself, content to be an inoffensive story with some rather obvious limitations.

So how about singer/crooner Bobby Darin as a wild west hero? Well, there's mixed results, but the fault can't be placed on his shoulders too much. The character -- if nothing else -- is interesting. We meet him during the fighting in the Civil War, commanding the remnants of a patrol that's been taken to pieces by Union forces. In the chaos of battle, he even accidentally shoots one of his own men, Grant Evers' brother, a secret that drives him to make the no-gun policy. The time in the prison camp warps him, wanting a clean slate once the war is over. So there's that, right? Yeah, it ends there. Darin does a good job as the brooding former sheriff turned sheriff who may/may not have a death wish. He also has to decide which of two women he loves, if he can ever tell Grant the truth, if he can complete the job without a gun, all that fun stuff. His outfit doesn't help, a perfect, immaculate black hat and what appears to be a beige corduroy shirt and pants set. It's quite a look, not quite the intimidating and iconic poncho worn by Clint Eastwood or the eye patch worn by John Wayne.

In the B-western casting department, there isn't much in the way of star power in the rest of the flick. Nielsen is the biggest name but his character is solely presented....and then allowed to do nothing really. He's off-screen too much and not utilized properly in the movie's last third. Emily Banks is Grant's fiance who was Cal's fiance but without hearing from him for years, she feared he was dead and moved on. Oh, and there's Leann (Barbara Werle), a possible hooker/saloon girl who also loves Cal because we needed an unnecessary love triangle. Donnelly Rhodes is pretty good as Slade, Grant's enforcer who isn't interested in any hurt feelings, just making a big payday. Don Galloway has some fun as Ward, Cal's deputy who tries to back him up as much as possible and also appears to be wearing a rug for a vest. Michael Sarrazin makes a small but key supporting part in his screen debut as Cord Decker, a young farmer returning to his land and family following the Civil War.

It's a weird western in general. It doesn't even break the 90-minute mark but still manages to be dull and slow-moving at almost all times. There's both too much going on in terms of characters and storylines and not enough. Not enough you say? Okay, not enough that's interesting. There is little to no action other than a brutal fist fight between Darin and Johnny Seven's sadistic Loop, and the titular gunfight involves some off-center camera angles and exactly one gunshot. A disappointing end result. It even has a disappointing theme song sung by Darin himself so...yeah, it's got that going for it. Listen below.

Gunfight in Abilene (1967): * 1/2 /****

A Man Called Gannon

There is a certain charm I associate with westerns. The idea of a man riding across the country, all his possessions he's either wearing or they're on his horse with him, and answering to no one is an incredibly cool premise for me. Countless westerns have used that iconic character, the loner-drifter-cowboy, including 1969's A Man Called Gannon, a remake of 1955's Man Without a Star.

Riding a train west after a failed cattle ranch in Texas, cowboy drifter Gannon (Tony Franciosa) meets Jess Washburn (Michael Sarrazin), an inexperienced Easterner from Philadelphia. Jess wants nothing more than to be a cowboy, but he's got no idea where to start. In a jam when they witness a murder, Gannon saves Jess, and the youngster feels obligated to him. Booted off the train, they get jobs working at a local cattle ranch through Matty (Susan Oliver), a prostitute and "friend" of Gannon's. As the experienced cowboy teaches Jess everything he can, they find themselves in the midst of a budding range war. As the sides separate though, Gannon and Jess find they may be on opposite sides.

It's been awhile since I saw the 1955 version/original so I didn't associate this 1969 remake right away with it. The 1955 version starred Kirk Douglas and was pretty good in a simple, straightforward kind of way. There's no reason to remake it to begin with, but here we go just the same. 'Gannon' is one of a wave of movies released in the late 1960s and early 1970s about the changing of the west on the personal level; the cowboy. It reminds me a lot of Monte Walsh, released a year later. It tries to be a little too lyrical and schmaltzy, especially its main theme, a folk song called 'A Smile, A Memory and an Extra Shirt.' 'Gannon' struggles to find the right tone from the get-go, bouncing back and forth between physical comedy, goofiness and the natural darkness that comes from the changing times in the west. Pick a route and take it.

What makes it worthwhile is the casting of Franciosa and Sarrazin in the two lead roles. Neither actor had a ton of star power, but they were both solid actors capable of delivering above average performances. It doesn't hurt that the two parts -- the weathered, veteran cowboy and the inexperienced, wet behind the ears youngster -- are basically the definition of two archetypal western characters. You've seen them before, and you will see them again. I typically think of Franciosa as more of a heavy, a bad guy, so it's cool to see him in a more straight, good guy role. He at first wants nothing to do with Sarrazin's Jess, but can't really shake the persistent youngster. Sarrazin too does a fine job with the part, a young man who so desperately wants to be something, anything, that he puts himself in a bad situation to get to that point.

The relationship that develops between the two is the best part of the movie. Gannon keeps on teaching everything he can, and to his credit, Jess does a good job of picking things up whether it be shooting, roping, or handling a horse. Gannon has a checkered past and still holds some tremendous guilt from a past incident that went horribly wrong. In young Jess, he sees potential to right a wrong. The problem is simple, he can only show him how to do things, but at some point, Jess will have to decide things for himself. As the hooker with a heart of gold, Oliver does a very good job as Matty, a woman trying to fix Gannon for lack of a better description. Judi West plays Beth, the ranch owner trying to keep the place afloat by any means necessary (and with anyone who will help....in the bedroom), John Anderson plays Capper, the ranch top hand, David Sheiner is the maligned but tough sheriff, with James Westerfield, Gavin MacLeod and Eddie Firestone playing some of the cowhands at Beth's ranch. 

Unfortunately as things develop in this 105-minute flick from director James Goldstone, the pace lets up and the story loses steam. The opener, with Gannon meeting an old acquaintance (Jason Evers) as a telegraph line is set up, is nearly perfect, setting up how out of place this veteran cowboy is in a changing world. But as things progress, the story goes in too many directions and never quite gets back on the right track. It's never bad, but I started to lose interest (a lot) at about the hour-mark. Harmless enough western, probably worthwhile for a watch.

A Man Called Gannon (1969): ** 1/2 /****

Sometimes a Great Notion

Spend enough time in front of a camera, and an observant actor/actress is going to pick certain things up.  More than just acting, you see what it takes to actually make a movie from a business perspective.  There is a notion that actors turned directors are primadonna who just want a chance to show off their all-around skills.  I usually think of the positive examples though, actors who became successful, respected directors like Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford and Warren Beatty.  One of my favorite actors, even Paul Newman took a crack at movie-making from the director's chair.

Released in 1970, Sometimes a Great Notion was just Newman's second directing effort.  It was nominated for two Academy Awards -- neither of which won -- and features an all-star cast, all of whom deliver performances worth talking about individually.  As a collective group, they are great together.  Based on a novel by One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest author Ken Kesey, 'Notion' has still somehow managed to be generally forgotten over the last 40-plus years despite the talent involved in the production. It was only recently that it became available on DVD through the Warner Archive.  Why has it been forgotten?  Who knows for sure. What I do know is that it is definitely worth catching up with now.

In a small tight-knit coastal town in Oregon, the local loggers union is and has been on strike for quite awhile. Only one company remains open, the one belonging to the Stamper family, long-time residents of the area. Family patriarch Henry (Henry Fonda) is hobbled by a recent fall that broke his left arm, but with sons Hanks (Newman) and Joe Ben (Richard Jaeckel), is in good hands. While everyone else objects to them continuing to work, the Stampers don't really give a damn, claiming they need to keep their word and fill contracts. If everyone else wants to go on strike, let them. In the midst of the work stoppage, half-brother and semi-hippie Leeland (Michael Sarrazin) returns home with some previous issues welling up among the family.  The Stampers try and piece it all together, figure it out, all the while worrying that the union will take drastic measures to put them out of business.

I read about this movie years ago but was never able to track down a copy or stumble across it on TV, but thanks to Netflix Instant watch, I did finally get a chance to watch it.  As a director, Newman carves out a little niche of Americana here with his story of the Stamper family.  At times, it reminded me of a 1970s version of John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath in its portrayal of the not so perfect, never easy life of a middle to lower class American family.  They are close-knit, all of them willing to stand up for the other, but that doesn't mean everything is perfect. Hank's wife Viv (Lee Remick) is struggling to continue on with the life she leads. Sarrazin's Lee marvels how the family and the business goes on, some of the time completely oblivious to the problems around them. But when backed into a corner, family issues and personal problems will get thrown aside because family comes first, last and always.

A sucker for strong ensemble casts, I fell hook, line and sinker for this one.  I loved, LOVED this movie.  Why it isn't held in higher regard I just don't know because it certainly deserves more recognition than it's gotten.  The cast is the biggest reason for high marks. Newman's Hank is that quintessential Newman character, a bit of a rebel, someone who does things his way and doesn't really care what others think of him.  Sarrazin's Lee is his polar opposite, a product of the late 1960s who's embrace a different lifestyle but returns to his estranged family after his life took a new turn. Half-brothers with quite a past (no SPOILERS here), the two men are vastly different but also perfectly similar. Lifestyles and outlook on life are different, but they are both strong-willed, smart, incredibly stubborn and both hard workers. They butt heads because they are so alike. Remick is typically solid as the quiet, attentive wife trapped in a life she doesn't think is so glamorous anymore, and Fonda is the perfect choice to play the Stamper patriarch. A tough son of a bitch and crude to boot, he keeps his family going almost by force of will alone.  The supporting cast includes some very recognizable 1970s face including character actors Roy Jenson, Charles Tyner, Jim Burk, and Joe Maross as town heavies trying to influence the Stamper's decision.

Telling a story revolving around family, certain stereotyped characters are going to be common place -- the prodigal son, the tough patriarch, the tough and intelligent first son, the affable if somewhat simple younger brother -- but working with Kesey's novel, Newman and the cast rise above anything that might be seem commonplace.  There are elements of a Greek tragedy here because from the start there is just an assurance, a guarantee that everything will not end well for the Stampers.  The shoe drops late as the family tries to fill their contracts SPOILERS from here on in SPOILERS with Fonda's Henry and Jaeckel's Joe Ben both dying when a tree splinters, the explosion setting off a chain reaction. Henry loses an arm and later dies in the hospital while Joe Ben gets pinned under an immense fallen log and later drowns. His death scene is so heartbreakingly real with the darkest, black humor rolling through as an undercurrent, it's just perfect.  It is well-written drama at its best, characters you've come to love put into these life and death situations.  Newman's reaction comes from the gut, his heart tearing itself apart because he wasn't able to death. END OF SPOILERS You can watch the whole scene HERE.

One of two Oscar nominations 'Notion' earned, Richard Jaeckel got the nod for Best Supporting character, eventually losing out to Ben Johnson for The Last Picture Show (an equally deserving part).  I've long been a fan of Jaeckel, one of those great character actors who started out playing heavies and then worked his way up into key supporting roles.  He's given a chance here to not just be a tough guy here, instead showing off his acting chops.  His Joe Ben is married (wife Linda Lawson) with two kids and has in recent years found God. He's not a simple man or a stupid one, but he also isn't overly intelligent or could ever be accused of being a thinker. The character is one that's hard not to love, making his late death even more tragic.  Pinned under the log, he jokes with Newman's Hank about what's happening, laughing at the situation he finds himself in. It is genuinely funny and equally tragic, one of the greatest, most emotional death scenes I've ever watched.

Nothing flashy here, just a good old-fashioned story about a family living and trying to survive.  The cast is phenomenal, the musical score from Henry Mancini quiet and moving, the setting unique if the circumstances aren't.  If nothing else, the look at the logging business is incredibly interesting to watch. There's something primal about watching a tree hundreds of feet tall being cut down, falling back to the ground with a deafening crash. It provides a great setting for this story, an underrated 1970s classic with a perfectly appropriate ending in tone, story and character. The movie is available to watch at Youtube, starting HERE with Part 1 of 11.

Sometimes a Great Notion <---trailer (1970): ****/****

Harry in Your Pocket

Well, it's August now so that means Turner Classic Movies is doing its annual Summer Under the Stars festival every day of the month. That can be good and bad depending on the star of the day, and even then they tend to show more mainstream, well-known star vehicles. So with James Coburn Day earlier this week, I'd seen all but one movie on the schedule, 1973's Harry in Your Pocket.

I was skeptical going in because Coburn made some classics, some above average movies, and then there's a gap until you hit rock bottom with a handful of movies I couldn't stand. I'll file this one right under the above average category. As a favor to an old friend, master thief/pickpocket Harry (Coburn) agrees to form a wire mob team, a group of pickpockets working together. Harry and his friend Casey (Walter Pidgeon) must recruit a few other members and decide on Ray (Michael Sarrazin), an inexperienced, low-level thief, and Sandy (Trish Van Devere), a young woman looking for some quick money.

A story about pickpockets might not seem like a huge thrill ride, but everything works smoothly after a somewhat slow start where everyone is introduced. The movie breaks down the techniques, the mannerisms, the planning that goes into a simple and quick theft of a man's wallet. Harry's one rule is simple, 'I don't carry the goods.' It's with his help of the team, Casey picking their mark, Sandy providing the distraction with some short skirts, and Ray taking the handoff, that Harry and Co. start to rack up some serious money.

Of course, that'd be too easy overall, wouldn't it? Harry takes a shine to Sandy who's dating Ray. Ray sees all this developing and doesn't go along easily. On top of that, Ray wants to branch off on his own but is worried he'll lose Sandy to Harry in the process.

Leading the cast, Coburn at his smooth, coolest best. In his better parts, Coburn gave effortless parts where it often seemed he wasn't even trying. As the expert pickpocket, he pulls off that kind of part here. Just by being there, Pidgeon gives 'HiYP' a ton of credibility. Whether you know him or not by name, I can guarantee you've seen him in a movie or two. An underrated actor who is excellent here as Coburn's aging sidekick. Sarrazin and Van Devere are the two youngsters, representing themselves well against two great presences in Coburn and Pidgeon.

Throw in a catchy 70s score from Lalo Schifrin, and you've got a well-rounded, well-told story. The movie doesn't appear to have been released on DVD or VHS so keep your eye out at the TCM website for another showing. Worth it for Coburn fans to see the laconic actor in one of his many silky smooth anti-heroes. You can check out the first 10 minutes here, and then another scene as Harry discusses strategy with his crew.