The perfect way to celebrate the Duke's birthday!

Is to watch the "Quiet Man" on Netflicks. They just added it as a "New Movie." Heh.

It is my favorite of all John Wayne movies. You can't beat it. It has all the regulars of the John Ford stock company. A great story.

I will be watching it tonight.

Rest in Peace Philadelphia,

Philadelphia Thursday has passed away. The bright and cute ornament to Fort Apache has gone on to the big Fort in the Sky. She joins her Dad General Owen Thursday, Captain Kirby York, Sgt Major Michael O'Rourke and Sgt Mulcahy.

She is in a better place. America has changed from what it was back in her day. It is much less  United and a much more oppressive State. The sense of patriotism and unity is gone. Now it is just tribes fighting. Much worse than just the Apache or the Sioux. It is black vs. white. Gay vs straight. Married vs unmarried.

Every conversation has become the final battle against Cochise.

May you rest in peace Sweet Philadelphia.

 

ricpic said...What that picture needed was Walter Brennan for comic relief. In fact, now that I think of it, every picture needs Walter Brennan for comic relief

Unfortunately, Walter Brennan refused to ever work for John Ford after his performance as Ike Clanton in
"My Darling Clementine." 

You see Ford had been such a sadist and ball buster that Brennan was furious throughout the film and vowed never to work with Ford again. When Ford would bust on him and say what made him think he was an actor....and Brennan would say "The three fucking Oscar on my Mantle is what!"

On the other hand they may remake this western with some half a mo guy who is love with a box of oranges and call it "My Darling Clementine" while he sticks his dick into some fruit. It would win Best Picture in a walk.

I have been reading about the movies

I have been reading biographies this week and I have been concentrating on bit players in the John Ford universe.

I read the biography or autobiography of John Agar, George O' Brien and Harry Carey Jr. They were all very interesting. I also dipped into a biography of Howard Hawks.

But I couldn't find anything for Victor McLaglen, Hank Worden, Ken Curtis or Francis Ford. What a rip-off.

Sometimes when I search Amazon I get results for book that cost about $50. That is freaking unbelievable. Jeez.

Anyway it was good reading as I read how they made movies like "Fort Apache" and "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon."

The Informer!

Katie Madden: Ah, Gypo, what's the use? I'm hungry, and I can't pay my room rent. Have you the price of a flop on you?
Gypo Nolan: No.
Katie Madden: What's the use? Ah. don't look at me like that, Gypo! You're all I got! You're the only one. You know that. But what chance do we have to escape? Money! Some people have all the luck! [Indicating the ad in the travel agency window]
Katie Madden: Look at that thing handing us the ha-ha! Ten pounds to America! Twenty pounds and the world is ours?
Gypo Nolan: What are you saying that for?
Katie Madden: I know that what you hate the most is a tout who runs to the Black and Tans. A git who betrays his mates. You can't do it Gypo, I would rather be a whore.
Gypo Nolan: But it's not for the money. They are my friends. My true friends. Not the ones I have been around with these past few year.
Katie Madden: Ah but Gypo, if you turn informer you should never darken my door again. You are dead to me.

But he must learn that a man's word to anything, even his own destruction, is his honor.

One of my favorite movies on the relationship between a father and a son is of course a movie that is so vital to understanding this blog. It is of course John Ford’s masterpiece Rio Grande.

I am sure you know the story. Lt. Colonel Kirby Yorke a hero of the Civil War (like our pal Custer) is commander of a post on the Texas border. Hostiles have been raiding and escaping across the border into Mexico. So it has become increasing frustrating as it is impossible to stop the attacks without breaking the law by following then raiders into sovereign territory of another country (Mexico).

There is an added complication as Col. Yorke’s estranged son Jeff has enlisted after flunking out of West Point. Col. Yorke accepts his enlistment but refuses to baby him and treats him even worse than the regular recruits even though his faithful Sergeant Quincannon looks after the boy. He allows his son the chance to find his way as a man without holding his hand and forcing others to kiss his ass which a lot of fucking yuppie parents could take a lesson from let me tell you.

To add to the mix, Yorkes true love his estranged wife Kathleen (Maureen O’Hara) comes to the post to plead to have her son released as he was under aged and she is too fearful that he will be hurt. So of like the yuppie moms who are afraid of their puppies playing on the freaking monkey bars in Carroll Park. But Col. Yorke let’s his son make up his own mind and he stays on to become a hero in action as he helps rescue some kidnapped children (OK Ford likes to load the dice).

Anyway, the conflict and competing tugs of the relationship of duty, family and honor are fascinating. The conflict that can occur between being a good husband and being a good father is laid bare for all to see. You can please your partner by giving in to their wishes, but that might not be the best thing for your child. Sometimes you have to break the rules if it’s the right thing to do.

Check out this film the next time you have a chance.

Oh by the way, when I first decided to comment and blog I decided to do it with a pseudonym for various reasons. I wanted to use the name the Duke used as a boxer in the Quiet Man. But I misremembered it as Trooper York. It actually was Trooper Thorn for Sean Thornton but once I figured that out I had already been commenting for months as Trooper York. So I stuck with it. You get the idea.

Smile when you say that partner.

In a thread about "The Man who shot Liberty Valance" our fellow Western and Wayne officiando An Edjamikated Redneck said...

I love the lessons in this movie; especially the way the shooting of Valance comes about.

Tom could have taken Valanace out at any time, and both of them knew it; consequently Valance kept his head when Tom were Tom was concerned.It was the pending shooting of Stoddard that caused, not to step out and face down Valance man to man as the code required, but to shoot him from ambush, so Stoddard could look good to the girl, teh girl Tom loved.

He broke the Code to keep the girl happy, something that wouldn't have happened had Tom stepped into thr street.And then he admits to the Pilgrim that he shot the man form ambush.

I have always finished that movie wondering; did he really shoot Valance, or did he make up the story to keep Stoddard in the race for represenative?Not that Tom wasn't capable of the shot, but was he capable of the ambush?

I have a slightly different take on this. You see John Ford had met many of the actual cowboys who had lived during those days. Hell Wyatt Earp was hanging around Hollywood until the twenties so Ford got some first hand accounts of what it was really like in the West. The men who built empires and cattle ranches were hard men. They didn't have fancy notions about a "code" and you have to meet out in the street face to face and that Hollywood bullshit. Most violence was spontaneous and messy. A lot like the fights in the TV show Deadwood and the violence there rang true. A straight up gunfight was pretty unusual. Certainly facing a guy out in the street with the whole town hiding behind water barrels and fence posts. The actual historical murder of Wild Bill Hickok was a case in point. Jack McCall just walked up behind him and blasted him in the head. That was the norm not the exception. The murder by Dan of the one eared outlaw on the stairs was also more the way it was. He just pulled out his blade and slit his troath. If you read historical accounts you would be amazed at the number of shots fired and missed in these "gunfights." I think the violence in the West has a lot more similarity to drive-bys by the Crips and the Bloods then it does to the beginning of "Gunsmoke."

My favorite "Gunsmoke" episode didn't even have Matt in it. It starred Buddy Ebsen as an old mountain man who's daughter or granddaughter was raped by a band of outlaws passing through. Newly was covering for the Marshal so he goes on the trail of these outlaws but the old mountain man ( a Jim Bridger/Kit Carson style figure) is always one stop ahead of him killing those guys one at a time. No fuss. No muss. No big show. Like shooting pests. Or killing bugs.

One of the most interesting discussions of this is in a book by Louis Lamour called "Bendigo Shafter." I highly recommend it to Western Fans. Now Louis Lamour practically patented a lot of Western Cliches so I don't claim by any means that his stuff isn't mostly Hollywood. But in this book the hero, "Bendigo Shafter" is a lawman who is stalked by an old mountain man and outlaw called Stacy Follett. He is a regulator and assassin who regularly shoots people in ambush. His eventually decides not to kill Shafter and they actually become friends. But his discussion of these themes is very interesting and worth the look. It is my favorite book by the dean of Western Writers.

In the end, I think Tom did kill Liberty Valance and the newspaperman just got it wrong.

Remember: "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

Or as Tom Doniphon would say: "The only thing worse than a journalist, is a lawyer who becomes a Senator and steals my girl."

Pilgrim, hold it.

Tom Doniphon: [Valance has tripped Rance in the diner, causing him to spill a tray of food] That's *my* steak, Valance.
Liberty Valance: [laughing] You heard him, Dude. Pick it up.
Ransom Stoddard: No!
Tom Doniphon: Pilgrim, hold it. I said you, Valance; *you* pick it up.
Liberty Valance: Three against one, Doniphon.
Tom Doniphon: My boy, Pompey; kitchen door.
[Valance looks and sees Pompey at the door holding a rifle]
Floyd: I'll get it, Liberty!
[Doniphon kicks Floyd in the face as he bends down to retrieve the tray]

Paid in advance.

Link Appleyard: Mr. Peabody's awful hurt and he needs you bad over at his office.
Liberty Valance: What's the matter, Mr. Marshal? Somebody have an accident?
Doc Willoughby: So that's it, another one of your 'accidents', huh Valance? I'm looking forward to the day when it's you they'll be calling me for.
Liberty Valance: [tossing Doc a silver dollar] Paid in advance

Major Kendall: I suggest you see a doctor.

Colonel Marlowe: I don’t care what he does… he can only make it worse. He’s a doctor. They claim they can heal and they feed you all their pills and such but you still die anyway.
Hannah: Someone close to you?
Colonel Marlowe: My wife. She never had a chance once the doctors got a hold of her. I held her in my arms as she let out her last breath. And I swore I would never let one of those butchers ever get close to anyone I loved.
(The Horse Soldiers 1959)

"Red Will" Danaher: I'll count three, and if you're not out of the house by then, I'll loose the dogs on you.

Thornton: If you say "three," mister, you'll never hear the man count "ten."

"Red Will Danaher" Not you and twenty Dolan's with yer.

(The Quiet Man, 1952)

No patty-fingers, if you please. The proprieties at all times. Hold on to your hats

chickenlittle said...
OT (but not really) I finally watched "The Quiet Man." Wonderful, just wonderful. Thanks to all who recommended it.

I hate say I told you so, but I told you so. Here at Trooper York we introduce to new things you are going to love. Great Beers. Hot Chicks. Boars Head Pepper Ham. Camel toe.

Well you will like most of it.

What will Mr. Flynn be thinkin'?

Mary Kate Danaher: I have a fearful temper. You might as well know about it now instead of findin' out about it later. We Danahers are a fightin' people.

Thornton: I can think of a lot of things I'd rather do to one of the Danahers - Miss Danaher.
Mary Kate Danaher: Shhh, Mr. Thornton! What will Mr. Flynn be thinkin'?

(The Quiet Man, 1952)

A fine soft day in the spring.

[first lines] Father Peter Lonergan, Narrator: Well, then. Now. I'll begin at the beginnin'. A fine soft day in the spring, it was, when the train pulled into Castletown, three hours late as usual, and himself got off. He didn't have the look of an American tourist at all about him. Not a camera on him; what was worse, not even a fishin' rod.

(The Quiet Man, 1952)

Walking past Simon in the fog?

Katie Madden: Ah, Gypo, what's the use? I'm hungry, and I can't pay my room rent. Have you the price of a flop on you?

Gypo Nolan: No.

Katie Madden: What's the use? Ah. don't look at me like that, Gypo! You're all I got! You're the only one. You know that. But what chance do we have to escape? Money! Some people have all the luck! [Indicating the ad in the travel agency window]

Katie Madden: Look at that thing handing us the ha-ha! Ten pounds to America! Twenty pounds and the world is ours?

Gypo Nolan: What are you saying that for?

(The Informer, 1935)

Not one of them was Italian! Who sez John Ford was a bigot?

[repeated line] Robert Marmaduke Sangster Hightower: ...little Robert...

William Kearney: Robert William.

Pedro "Pete' Roca Fuerte: Robert William Pedro.

(Three Godfathers, 1948)

Cause I said so, that's why!

Gypo Nolan: And now the British think I'm with the Irish, and the Irish think I'm with the British. The long and short of it is I'm walkin' around without a dog to lick my trousers!

Kattie Madden: Why you be giving Tina Fey a call. She'll be doing anything that one.

(The Informer, 1935)

Hey she's pretty hot for someone born in 1910.

Tonight I am leaving you in Marguerite Churchill. Born on Christmas day 1910, she costarred in the Dukes first big break, The Big Trial. Directed by Raoul Walsh who always razzed John Ford that he was the guy who discovered the Duke.

Of course we all know it was Clara Bow.

And I think she tipped off Marguerite.

You got a breath on you like a hot mince pie.

[Brittles knows Quincannon has been drinking on duty]

Captain Nathan Brittles: You got a breath on you like a hot mince pie.

Top Sergeant Quincannon: Ah, Captain darlin'. As you well know I took "the pledge" after Chapultepec.

Captain Nathan Brittles: And Bull Run, and Gettysburg, and Shiloh, and St. Patrick's Day, and Fourth of July! (She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, 1949)

After Christmas dinner and all the presents we all sat around the living room and I grabbed the remote and they had She Wore a Yellow Ribbon on the Western channel. Of course the kids had never seen it and they loved it.

And all the adults had breath on them like a hot mince pie.

"Here's a stick to beat the lovely lady with."

The history of the depiction of the relationships of men and women and violence are as old as the history of the motion pictures. Tracy and Hepburn, Gable and Colbert, Stewart and Dietrich all were depicted in various famous movies engaged in hand to hand combat in the battle of the sexes. But my favorite pairing of all time is of course John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara.

The famous liberal icon and all around nasty cunt Pauline Kael once disparaged Maureen O’Hara as portraying a “John Ford” woman whose main job was to keep the home fires burning and say things like “Be careful Matt.” As usual the incoherent feminist twat had no idea what she was talking about. The women of the John Ford films were tough enduring pioneer women who were creatures of their times but who were full partners with there men. Even the citified Claudette Colbert who moved to the rough Frontier in Drums along the Mohawk, toughed up and became a full partner with her husband in the fight for survival. And no one was tougher than Maureen O’Hara.

The first pairing of Wayne and O’Hara in Rio Grande has always seemed to be the best to me. They were originally meant to star in the Quiet Man but the Studio insisted on the cavalry movie first to pay for the quaint Irish tale. The themes of honor and duty and sacrifice recur throughout Fords work and he sets up the contrast between Colonel Yorkes stern dedication to his honor and Kathleen’s devotion to a genteel ideal past of the antebellum south. North vs. South. Yankee vs. Confederate. Man vs. woman. The continual battle of opposites that attract each other. It is a staple of all the movies that Wayne and O’Hara made together.

In the Quiet Man, they are transported to Ireland as Sean Thornton woos and marries Mary Kate Danaher despite the obstacle placed in their path by her brother the Squire. The comical fist fight between Thornton and Red Will Danaher is also a staple of most of Fords best work bring a measure of comedic violence to leaven the sentiment. You know he didn’t want it to be too mushy.

If Rio Grande and The Quiet Man were the work of the master, then McClintock is homage by lesser talent. Made by Wayne’s Batjack productions it was done at the time the studio system had fallen apart and stars had to finance their own projects. Wayne was able to get financing based on the fact that it was a Western and starred him and O’Hara which was considered money in the bank. Loosely based on the Taming of the Shrew the comic violence and conflict between the rough hewn frontier and the civilizing influence of a woman were also in place. Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen, the son of Victor McLaglen who played Red Danaher as well as Wayne’s faithful sergeant in so many Ford Films. McLaglen had a long career directing Westerns but he is of course just a pale imitation of the Master. And he was constrained by Wayne’s sensibility as he had his pet writer pen this trifle of a home movie. Also starring Wayne’s son they basically copied the comic fight scene from the Quiet Man but made it between a Wayne and O’Hara with a lot of slapstick thrown in. So it is not quite fair to judge McClintock in comparison with the work of the master John Ford.

Still, it is miles better than the crap these assholes produce today.