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nigel-hawkes
Reviews
Cattle Drive (1951)
Superb Example of a Lost Genre
The lost genre being the good, challenging family/children's movie.
There were many series Westerns, and later TV variants like Cisco and Hoppy, but "Cattle Drive" is a lovely example of a cinema Western movie for kids but also to be enjoyed by the family. Shortish but with barely a false or draggy moment.
From the reviews already logged, it's obviously warmly remembered by those who saw it as children when it first came out.
Here in the UK it has been shown several times in the last few years and, as I write (March 2012) it's getting consecutive airings on a free to view digital channel.
No surprise: it's a terrific little film, one of two or three in similar vein that McCrea made around that time.
Joel McCrea obviously had an affinity with children, but, then again, wasn't he just a marvellous actor in whatever he did?
To the many points mentioned by the reviewers I would add another-the wonderful music.
The Vanishing (1993)
Trash Has a Name!
A Hollywood remake! A hideous object lesson to all students.
An almost perfect example of how a masterpiece has to be dumbed down to that mythical audience-the American lowest common denominator.
Unwittingly, it insults even that perceived audience.
A good example also of how a usually good actor (Jeff Bridges) wildly misjudges and delivers what the industry knows as a "dog".
But the greatest sadness to all this is that this horror (forgive the pun) is perpetrated by the original director! Why? What motivated him into committing this to film? One of the most bizarre and disappointing recent experiences.
Comanche Station (1960)
Possibly the Greatest Minor Masterpiece
This perfect distillation of the Western is shown very frequently on British TV.
It's difficult to add anything to the interesting and detailed reviews already here. This movie is perfect! If proof were needed in court that a perfect movie can be made in under 80 minutes, this is it. To the long list of items this is also a very touching story; parts of it are heartbreaking.
I'd like to raise an aspect that isn't often explored: the music. Running through the movie is a most lovely theme-for example during the travelling sequences along the river and through the meadows. I have spotted this theme in one or two other films; I can cite "Guns of Fort Petticoat". I have never identified whether it is by Mischa Bakaleinikov (the stated composer) or whether it is a cue by another composer (the databases do mention other contributors). Can anyone through any light on it?
Like many other reviewers I want to visit the locations some day.
Tension at Table Rock (1956)
A Minor Masterpiece
This superb '50s western is what I term a "minor masterpiece". By that I do not mean that it is inferior, rather that its "B" status will inevitably always relegate it to side discussions when the "big" westerns are brought up. But a very convincing argument can be made that this, and many other '50s "B" westerns-including in my view almost all of the Audie Murphy ones-are the absolute pinnacle of the genre.
Other reviewers have given good accounts of the plot so I will instead mention: the marvellous cast (DeForrest Kelly was underused as a westerner-marvel at his performance); the tension that I think is due to the modest running time and the quick, simple scenes that just flow so naturally; great, bright colour (I loathe the dark modern movies); a second-to-none score from an age when there were great film composers; all the essential elements are here-the boy, the tortured hero, believable domestic tensions, the baddies-you just care about these characters.
Every time this appears on British TV I seem to watch it afresh and discover more subtleties.
Minor masterpieces are not that much more common than major ones. Do not miss this movie.
Escapade in Japan (1957)
A Little Gem
Just saw this again on the BBC.
There must be something horribly wrong with modern Hollywood that we get more enjoyment from 50-year-old movies. This little gem has lovely, bright colour (not the dungeon quality we get now), has super performances, particularly from the young leads, works well as a story and also as a very interesting travelogue of post-war Japan.
No foul language and you feel good afterwards.
I'm just so pleased that with TV and DVD we can see these wonderful older movies and introduce them to our own children. I would add this to the list of must-show-to-the-children movies like the Flicka ones and the old Joel McCrea "Cattle Drive" and "Saddle Tramp".