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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A curious book, October 10, 2008
This review is from: MOVIE WESTERNS: Hollywood Films the Wild, Wild West (Paperback)
I must kick myself. I buy too easily everything concerning westerns. The writer has collected anything that interest him in this book. He seems to like B-westerns of which he has written critiques. I don't. There is no preface, no stated aim in this book. He just throws in anything that interests him. Included are Kettles in the Ozarks and Lost Tresure of the Amazon. There is 27 page list of Charles Starrett's films and 30 pages of western money makers. I am not that interested in Starrett or who is on top of money making. If you are, by all means buy this book. Mr Reid may be an Australian, because he lets us know when a particular film was released there.
His evaluations are often quite interesting and readable. Like him I have never liked The Searchers,The Man from Laramie and Red River that much. The Searchers has obnoxious humor and the stories of the latter two have holes. Of course, they are not bad films, but not as good as Warlock, Rio Bravo, Shane or the Boetticher films. Without Wayne they would not be as good. Reid likes Angel and the Badman, The Big Country, Black Bart, The Boy from Oklahoma, The Capture, Destry Rides Again, The Duel at Slver Creek, Fury at Furnace Creek, The Mark of Zorro (1940), Montana, Pursued, Riding Shotgun, San Antonio (he must be an Errol Flynn admirer), Seventh Cavalry, Shootout at Medicine Bend, Tall in the Saddle, Topeka, Wagon Master. Not a bad list.
This book is probably published by the author, which really shows. A good editor would had been useful. I expected too much from this book.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must-Have Book for Western Movie Fans!, January 11, 2008
This review is from: MOVIE WESTERNS: Hollywood Films the Wild, Wild West (Paperback)
This mammoth book of 271 large-format pages provides a feast of entertainment for movie western fans. Originally published under the title, "Westerns for a Rainy Saturday", this greatly expanded edition details not only typical matinee westerns like "Riders of Destiny" (starring John Wayne), "The Duel at Silver Creek" (one of the best pictures Audie Murphy ever made), "In Old Monterey" (an unusual entry from Gene Autry with one of the most large-scale action climaxes ever lensed for a "B" western), and "Rough Riders' Round-Up" (another very unusual entry from Republic, this time with Roy Rogers as the nominal lead--would you believe, it's actually the heroine, Mary Hart aka Lynne Roberts, who has the larger role?) , but the big "A" productions everyone has heard of, e.g. "The Searchers" (John Wayne), "San Antonio" (Errol Flynn), "The Big Country" (Gregory Peck) and "The Spoilers" (Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott as the villain for once, and John Wayne). Hollywood doesn't make movies like these any more, but fortunately they are still available on cable TV and DVD. In addition to all the films that are reviewed and detailed with complete cast, technical credits and release information, this book also provides an index to Charles Starrett's complete career (a listing with main cast details of all his 166 movies), a list of all the "Zorro" pictures (including serials and television), and a year-by-year rundown of the top western stars at the USA box-office from 1936 through 1954. As if all this were not enough to bring joy to every western fan, the book is attractively illustrated with reproductions of original cinema posters.
The following review by editor, Ross Adams, was printed in the August 2008 issue of "Dress Circle" magazine: "Movie Westerns: Hollywood Films the Wild, Wild West" will delight western fans no end! This is genuine John Wayne and Gene Autry territory, complete with poster and lobby card reprints. In fact this book is a "must" not only for all serious "western" aficionados, but for every man, woman and child who wishes to relive their Saturday matinee days. Of course, as John Howard Reid points out, many of these movies are now available on DVD. In all, 174 westerns are reviewed in this book. The reviews list all the actors (not just the main stars), every credited person in the production team, plus copyright and release dates, and running times, as well as a story synopsis, production notes and comments. There are also several bonus features, including one in which J.H.R. lists the top western money-making stars from 1936 through 1954. Of course, at one time or another, certain actors were tagged exclusively as "western" stars. A few, like John Wayne and Randolph Scott, made the grade to "A" movies; while three - Gary Cooper, Alan Ladd and James Stewart - were always "A"-grade stars. In many of the "B" films, the star's horse played a more important role than the leading lady! It's interesting to note that Dale Evans was the only female star ever to make the annual lists of "Western Money-Makers"! John Howard Reid has her listed as number 9 for 1947.
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