Customer Reviews

American Empire (Audio Described) [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

American Empire" from 1942 it's a great old Western, that has two buddies building a cattle empire during the Reconstruction period. Pretty soon they own what seems to be most of Texas. When one of them becomes ruthless in his ways, and doesn't care who gets hurt on his way to the top, they part ways. That is until a family tragedy makes him see the light, and together they fight off the bad guys. It's a Western lovers Western, complete with the music that makes it a fun view. It stars Richard Dix and Preston S Foster. It is Directed by William C. McGann. This is a good old black and white film. The buying info here(on the VHS edition) show it as being in color.(You may want to check with the sellers to see if it has been colorized)

This film is also available as part of the Great American Western Series on DVD put out by Platinum Disc. It is one of the 4 films on Volume 18 of the series, that include 3 other Westerns from 70's TV. "The Hanged Man" with Steve Forrest,and the other two are episodes from a Glenn Ford series from the early 70's called "Cade's County".

Saddle Up and Happy Trails To You....Laurie

Who knew that they made westerns that were modeled after deep works of literature? This is certainly not your standard white hats versus black hats western. Instead it's almost like Tolstoy as the main character has one minor flaw at teh begining of the film and then slowly becomes a terrible corrupt person because he can't help but keep giving into the bad side of her personality. It's a really deep character study and not at all what you would expect from a typical 40s western. I give it five stars for trying to rise above it's genre.

"This is a wonderful example of how a man's uncontrolled passions and greed can destroy him completely. Director McGann has handled the narrative beautifully, inspiring his cast to give memorable performances. Although I had never viewed a Preston Foster movie before, I have just added his name to my all-time favorite lists of actors. Thanks a2zcds for preserving this amazing offbeat, yet enthralling Western on DVDs."

When I ordered American Empire I thought that it would be a standard western of good guys and bad guys shooting each other outside the saloon. To say that this film is not that is putting it lightly. Instead, it's a metaphor for man's inhumanity to man. Imagine "It's A Wonderful Life" if it had been told from the point of view of the Potter character. I liked seeing a movie that took the Western motif and tried to make a point with it rather than just giving us another shoot em up. Of coruse there is some shooting eventually, it's just not the entire point of the film the way it is with so many other westerns from this era. It represents a nice, interesting change for the better.

American Empire, 1942 film

This story begins along the Sabine River, between Texas and Louisiana. The owners of a paddlewheel steamboat discuss their business. There is a herd of short-horned cattle being driven to market. The owner will pay for transport. There is a disagreement over payment, the boat owners are paid in stock. They decide on a new business. There is entertainment in town. They buy land for their cattle business, there is a market in the North. Bryce & Taylor expand their lands and claim ownership of all cattle found there. [Do cattle recognize the boundaries?] They will drive their herd to Abilene market and collect for their months of work. But Beauchard has been rustling cattle, they want to catch him in the act. There are shots and a chase for action. Abby gives birth to a son. Years go by, their ranch expands.

But there is a shortage in beef totals, somebody is taking them. Can they close their range? Texas is all open country. The ranchers gather to plan a railroad, they need a right of way. The small ranchers would prefer to ship their cattle instead of driving them overland to Abilene. Young Pat has an accident during this incident. There is a conflict over business direction, and the partnership ends. Sailaway discovers an interesting fact: Beauchard is alive. Bryce captures Beauchard for a trial. Will he escape? Bryce buys barbed wire to enclose his land, the other ranchers decide to act. Will Beauchard take advantage of this opportunity? Will the people be warned in time? Will they believe the messenger? Bryce's men use a barricade to block the road. There is a lot of shooting and an explosion. There is a final agreement among the ranchers for a happy ending.

This historical drama uses the cattle business as a background for personal conflict. Since the railroads didn't arrive in Texas until the 1880s that would date this picture.

VCI Entertainment present "RICHARD DIX WESTERN COLLECTION" (236 mins/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) --- now in Glorious Black and White --- VCI presents three outstanding films in the genre of the Western --- Excellent cast of fine actors with Richard Dix, Robert Barrat, Leo Carrillo, Cliff Edwards, William Farnum, Preston Foster, Frances Gifford, Jack La Rue, Chris-Pin Martin, Etta McDaniel, Merrill Rodin, Wally Wales and Richard Webb --- outstanding directors George Archainbaud, Lesley Selander and William C. McGann take the helm of each oater.

The first of three Richard Dix westerns - "AMERICAN EMPIRE" (Released: 11 December 1942) (82 mins/B&W), Dan Taylor (Richard Dix) and Paxton Bryce (Preston S. Foster) are two longtime friends out to make a fortune in post Civil War Texas --- Dan's sister and Paxton's wife Abby (Frances Gifford) assist them in their search, when they set up a thriving cattle business --- Paxton seeks to gain power over them all, and alienates himself from Dan and Abby. Only through personal tragedy does Paxton re-gain his senses.

Second feature - "THE KANSAN" (Released: 10 September 1943) (79 mins/B&W), has Richard Dix and Jane Wyatt reunited as western lawman John Bonniwell and rancher's daughter Eleanor Sager --- Bonniwell chases the James Gang out of town and is appointed marshal by the local bigwig Steve Barat (Albert Dekker) --- As things unfold, Barat is known to be a crook with delusions of grandeur, hoping to use Bonniwell as a glorified henchman in his rise to power --- Meanwhile, an unorthodox romantic triangle develops between Bonniwell, Eleanor, and Barat's brother Jeff (Victor Jory) --- Jory is a scene stealer whenever he's on camera and this is when he's at his best.

In the final feature - "BUCKSKIN FRONTIER" (Released: 14 May 1943) (65 mins/B&W), an action packed western adventure has good guy, railroad man Richard Dix trying to ramrod a trail right through Lee J. Cobb's land. Cobb, also owner of the local freight service, opposes the railroad. Matters are complicated when Cobb's daughter, Jane Wyatt, falls in love with the railroad man.

BIOS
1. Richard Dix (aka: Ernest Carlton Brimmer)
Date of Birth: 18 July 1893 - St. Paul, Minnesota
Date of Death: 20 September 1949 - Los Angeles, California

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc), Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") and Trevor Scott (Down Under Com) as they have rekindled my interest once again for Film Noir, B-Westerns and Serials --- looking forward to more high quality releases from the vintage serial era of the '20s, '30s & '40s and B-Westerns --- order your copy now from VCI or Amazon where there are plenty of copies available on DVD, stay tuned once again for top notch action mixed with deadly adventure --- if you enjoyed this title, why not check out VCI Entertainment where they are experts in releasing B-Westerns and Serials --- all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Time: 236 mins on DVD ~ VCI Home Video. ~ (10/23/2005)