Merle Oberon hardly seemed the type of actress to play in a comedy and Western. It shows a little bit in "The Cowboy and the Lady," but that may be as much due to a screenplay that's not very tight. For instance, her rapid come-on with the handsome cowboy she just meets seems way overboard for a person who has led such a sheltered, structured social life. Again, I think that may be due to the script.
Okay, so that aside, and the notion of a far-fetched meeting and romance, the characters are all quite good and the acting is good all around. No stranger to Westerns, Gary Cooper does very well as a rodeo cowboy and ranch hand, Stretch Willoughby. Oberon IS a lady, as in the title, Mary Smith. But much of my enjoyment in this film comes from a bevy of supporting actors who were stapples of good films during Hollywood's heyday.
Three-time Oscar-winner Walter Brennan is a young-looking 43 years old, playing Sugar, another cowhand friend of Stretch. Patsy Kelly plays Mary's maid and friend in Mary's deception, Katie Callahan. And, Harry Davenport, as Uncle Hannibal Smith, has a familiar role to cinephiles of a likeable, understanding, good-natured, and terrific supporting role one never tires of. Some other Hollywood fillers of the period who always added something to films are Irving Bacon, Berton Churchill, and Emma Dunn.
There's one terrific scene in this film that's hilarious. Stretch is having a house built for him and his bride on the Hawkins ranch. The carpenters are at work and the house is all framed. Stretch has drawn furniture on the floor of the living room. He goes to look it over another time and begins to imagine what it will be like for Mary and him. So, he moves around the table marked on the floor, does motions with his arms of holding a chair for Mary to sit down, then goes to his side and half squats as though he's sitting at table. Later he stands by the fireplace and is talking out loud to his wife. Well, as this is going on, his fellow cowhands and the carpenters gather around and watch him. After he notices them, he invites them in, and they go through some of the same funniness. This scene comes to a very funny finish with Ma Hawkins.
Here's a favorite line from the film. Mary Smith, "Uncle Hannibal, what do I tell him?" Uncle Hannibal Smith, "Nothing! Your poor father's accustomed to being in the dark.
Okay, so that aside, and the notion of a far-fetched meeting and romance, the characters are all quite good and the acting is good all around. No stranger to Westerns, Gary Cooper does very well as a rodeo cowboy and ranch hand, Stretch Willoughby. Oberon IS a lady, as in the title, Mary Smith. But much of my enjoyment in this film comes from a bevy of supporting actors who were stapples of good films during Hollywood's heyday.
Three-time Oscar-winner Walter Brennan is a young-looking 43 years old, playing Sugar, another cowhand friend of Stretch. Patsy Kelly plays Mary's maid and friend in Mary's deception, Katie Callahan. And, Harry Davenport, as Uncle Hannibal Smith, has a familiar role to cinephiles of a likeable, understanding, good-natured, and terrific supporting role one never tires of. Some other Hollywood fillers of the period who always added something to films are Irving Bacon, Berton Churchill, and Emma Dunn.
There's one terrific scene in this film that's hilarious. Stretch is having a house built for him and his bride on the Hawkins ranch. The carpenters are at work and the house is all framed. Stretch has drawn furniture on the floor of the living room. He goes to look it over another time and begins to imagine what it will be like for Mary and him. So, he moves around the table marked on the floor, does motions with his arms of holding a chair for Mary to sit down, then goes to his side and half squats as though he's sitting at table. Later he stands by the fireplace and is talking out loud to his wife. Well, as this is going on, his fellow cowhands and the carpenters gather around and watch him. After he notices them, he invites them in, and they go through some of the same funniness. This scene comes to a very funny finish with Ma Hawkins.
Here's a favorite line from the film. Mary Smith, "Uncle Hannibal, what do I tell him?" Uncle Hannibal Smith, "Nothing! Your poor father's accustomed to being in the dark.