Customer Reviews

Ramrod [VHS]

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

 

 

One of the bitterest of all range war westerns, Ramrod is an early example of Andre De Toth's muscular intensity that characterises all his work in the genre through the string of very satisfying Randolph Scotts in the 50s to the extremely bleak Day of the Outlaw (1959). Joel McCrea is just fine as the initially weak cowpoke who tries to keep peace on the range in the face of two rival camps, one led by rancher's daughter Veronica Lake (in a ferocious, chilling performance) and the other by tough hombre Preston Foster, who loves and is rejected by her.

De Toth handles the complex plot and screenplay with his usual sharp explorations of shifting allegiances and betrayals of trust; Don Defore's edgy performance as McCrea's erstwhile friend is pivotal in embodying the film's dark mood and tone which some commentators have labelled noir.

It's great to see some of the Scott/De Toths on or soon to be released on DVD. Why not this film? Its brooding sense of evil is quite extreme.

This is an interesting western about power struggle and doing whatever it takes to get what you want! Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake give good performances and look for a young Lloyd Bridges!

RAMROD is a superb little 'film noir' western; McCrea and Veronica Lake mesmerize. This film repays re-viewing.

A ramrod or segundo is the owner's man, his or her representative standing between the owner and range crew. In this case Dave Nash, newly appointed ramrod, is called upon to stand not only between his boss and the crew but also every other cattleman on the range. The reason is that the the 66 outfit is contemplating introduction of sheep to what has been up to now only open range cattle country.

As the film opens, we seem to be getting 'in medias res' after certain things have happened, events of which we have no information. As things move along many things become clear, however, the cheating, lying, murder, and out-and-out villany continue to unfold anew. As one character eventually states, too many men have died in this unofficial range war. For it has become open season, with many characters, including Dave Nash, to have seemingly changed their typical, accepted pattern of behavior.

This film of 1947 follows the Macmillian hardcover book by Luke Short (Frederick D. Glidden) from 1943, which by 1944 in hardcover had already reached its 3rd printing. The mass market paperback has been in print down to the present day, and can be fairly easily located in 2nd hand stores even now. I've had a Bantam paperback on my shelves for many a year, and one interesting thing about the movie is that it follows the book fairly well, which in itself is rather unusual for a Hollywood western of that time or any time.

Another unusual feature of both book and film is the behavior of Connie, or as one person said in another western novel she appears to be "crazy as a tree full of owls". She will deceive anyone to obtain what she wants, but true to fashion once she gets it, it doesn't satisfy, isn't really what she wants at all. And in the process she loses her largest strengths: Bill Schell and Dave Nash. Schell is shot in the back killed by Frank Ivy and Dave Nash finally gets a clear view of Connie's destructive focus, only to walk away before being destroyed.

One person who generally doesn't receive much attention in this movie from reviewers is the Rose Leland character. Arleen Whelan plays her part in this film and for me Arleen pretty much steals the show, talk about a woman of strength and uncommon understanding! Though much will be said of Mrs. Andre De Toth (Veronica Lake) and I've seen many of her films due to my advanced age, I find Veronica very much out-of-character in a Luke Short western, or any western for that matter. She is more at home as the femme fatal of noir mysteries with her blonde, flowing hair streaming down covering her eyes. In this picture she has to keep her hair fairly pinned up, prim and proper, and though playing an unprincipled and somewhat amoral woman, she is rather subdued, even petulant.

All of this aside, RAMROD is still a very interesting western to watch. Filmed in black and white it offers a stark quality to the film, and with DeToth trying to be faithful as possible to Luke Short's book, several innovative angles are brought forth in the filming. Not just another western, this is one that will call for re-viewing as one trys to gain as much as one can from all semi-classic gyrations, twists and turns. As time would show, RAMROD certainly started De Toth upward on his road to eventual cinematic fame.

Semper Fi.

Allied Artists Pictures presents "RAMROD" (1947) (95 min/B&W) -- Starring Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake, Don DeFore, Donald Crisp, Preston Foster, Charles Ruggles & Lloyd Bridges

Directed by André De Toth

Connie Dickason (Veronica Lake) is a strong-willed daughter of Ben Dickason (Charles Ruggles), a ranch owner who has become the toady of a powerful local cattleman, Frank Ivey (Preston Foster), whom Ben once wanted Connie to marry. Connie instead married a sheep rancher and inherited his spread. With her husband out of the picture, Connie becomes determined to run the ranch despite the opposition of Ivey and her father. She hires recovering alcoholic Dave Nash (Joel McCrea) as foreman and a crew of Ivey's enemies. Ivey fights back with violence and destruction, but Dave is determined to counter him legally... a feeling not shared by his associates. Connie's boast that, as a woman, she doesn't need guns proves justified, but plenty of gunplay results.

Veronica Lake gives an strong willed outstanding performance, she is the star of the film.

Ramrod stands as one of the few hybrids between film noir and the western. Regardless of your standpoint on the status of film noir, this film contains typical elements from the pessimistic noirs of the 40's and 50's, Ramrod may be one of the earliest examples of an adult western. It is grim and violent, but fascinating.

Special footnote: -- This film is significant for Lake because she married Director Andre DeToth. It was not a happy union, but DeToth did get a good performance out of his bride.

BIOS:
1. André De Toth [aka: Sāsvari Farkasfawi Tóthfalusi Toth Endre Antai Mihály]
Date of Birth: 15 May 1912 - Makó, Csongrád, Hungary, Austria-Hungary [now Hungary]
Date of Death: 27 October 2002 - Burbank, California

2. Joel McCrea
Date of Birth: 5 November 1905 - South Pasadena, California
Date of Death: 20 October 1990 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California

3. Veronica Lake (aka: Constance Frances Marie Ockelman)
Date of Birth: 14 November 1919 - Brooklyn, New York
Date of Death: 7 July 1973 - Burlington, Vermont

4. Don DeFore [aka: Donald John DeFore]
Date of Birth: 25 August 1913 - Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Date of Death: 22 December 1993 - Los Angeles, California

5. Donald Crisp [aka: George William Crisp]
Date of Birth: 27 July 1882 - Bow, London, England, UK
Date of Death: 25 May 1974 - Van Nuys, California

6. Preston Foster
Date of Birth: 24 August 1900 - Pitman, New Jersey
Date of Death: 14 July 1970 - La Jolla, California

Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 4 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 4 Stars
Overall: 4 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]

Total Time: 95 min on VHS/DVD ~ Allied Artists Pictures ~ (January 1, 1998)

It is a minor tragedy that this tough little range war Western is so little known and not easily available on DVD or VHS I urge lovers of the genre to keep an eye open for TV screenings as they are in for a treat .The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Luke Short and stars Veronica Lake as a headstrong young woman who takes the law into her own hands when her fiance (Ian McDonald)is publiclly humiliated by a powerful range baron -played with suitably nasty snarling relish by Preston Foster .She forms her own gang to strike back at him despite counsel from her "ramrod",and right hand man Joel McCrae who advises she seek legal redress through the office of the sheriff (Donald Crisp).Open range war breaks out betwen the two sides
McCrae is excellent aa a man torn between his employer ,who he believes is headstrong and borderline psychotic ,his duties to her which conflict with his conscience and his love for another woman ,the wholesome town milliner (Arlene Whelan).Indeed ,he like all the characters in the movie is not in control of either themselves or their fate -one way in which this deserves its reputation as a noir Western .

There are good support performances from Lloyd Bridges and Charles Ruggles but Veronica Lake dominates the movie as an out of control self -willed avenger who seeks to manipulate the situation and those aaround her .
Andre de Toth -Lake's real life husband-directs with intensity and vigour .Be advised that it is quite a complex storyline and script and the movie does take work from the viewer

What a shame ...a film noir western and I cant watch it cause I dont have VHS. Havent had VHS for years! the only people that seem to want VHS are the guys producing these Veronica Lake movies! Come on guys ! Why can the foreign markets do it on DVD and we can't? Give us what we want..Veronica Lake movies on DVD!!!

This was a surprisingly brutal western, more like a film noir from the late 1940s, with rough characters who shot first and thought later. I sure wish this was offered on DVD.

Among those with the rough attitudes was the female lead, Veronica Lake, who was nearing the end of her short career. Without the makeup and long blonde hair, she didn't look like the lady who co-starred in those Alan Ladd film noirs. The good guys were played by Joel McCrea and Donald Crisp.

Almost everyone in this film gets shot or killed. Many critics labeled this a B-movie but it sure had a lot of well-known actors for that label. Preston Foster, Don DeFore and Lloyd Bridges also star.

I like black-and-white but this was film that would have looked better in some nice Technicolor with the great mountain scenery that was featured.