Randolph Scott - Tribute

[JackFavell]

I saw Trail Street too. I liked it, it had some charm, nothing special, but not bad. I liked Robert Ryan's "loud" tie, I didn't think it was bad at all, but those saloon costumes, meh!

[mrsl]

.
I've said all along that I love all of Randy Scott's movies but a while ago I did confess that I wasn't crazy about Decision at Sundown. Last week sometime I DVR'd this one because I wanted to see if my feelings had changed with time. They haven't. This plot was a mistake from beginning to end. Randy rides into town to kill a guy who did something with Randy's wife, several years back. It turns out that she was not made of true wifely material and while he was away fighting the Civil War, she was not acting like a nice lady. You finally find this out at the last 15 minutes of the movie (which is only 90 minutes long in the first place). This is a perfect example of "the husband is the last to know". And the whole movie is based on that premise. The bad thing is that Randy chooses the guys wedding day to appear and state the plan to kill him, then he boards himself up in the town livery stable. The point is that Randy is all wrong in his plan to kill because his pride is hurt. He didn't know his wife was a floozy, but he did know she went with this guy willingly, then committed suicide. Many of Randy's movies are based on revenge for a wrong done to his dead wife, but the reasons are understandable - she was raped, abducted, killed, or any hundreds of other things, but in this case he's working from pure jealousy, and not a plan to right a wrong. Last time I saw this one was a few years ago but my feelings have not changed with this second viewing. There are a couple of side events that occur, such as his sidekick gets shot when the sheriff promises he will get away free if he gives himself up, the intended bride realizes what a skunk her almost husband is, and the town men get some of their self assurance back, but they are minimal compared to the main story.

For the first time ever, I don't recommend Decision at Sundown (a Randolph Scott production), even for an afternoon viewing.
.

[JackFavell]

That's too bad Anne! I really love DAS, because of all the reasons you don't like it. It's actually my favorite of the Boetticher/Scott westerns.

[mrsl]

.
Jack:

Isn't that funny???? You and I are usually 100% in sync on most matters. To me in Decision at Sundown, Randy is doing what is usually carried out by the villain of the movie - planning a revenge killing. Randolph is usually the one with the clear head who keeps everyone else on the straight and narrow. Maybe its just because he's so out of character in this that I dislike it. However one out of what (?) about 40 movies is my only true dislike isn't too bad for a record.
.

[JackFavell]

Not at all, Anne! One out of forty is a great track record!

I'm glad we can have those differences occasionally, just because those opinions give insight into people's character.

I am going to be watching The Spoilers(1942) soon, and I've heard it is another Scott switch up.

[Vienna]

Love Randolph Scott westerns and so enjoyed reading all the comments.
What I find interesting about DECISION AT SUNDOWN is simply that Randolph is totally different from his usual characters. This is a conflicted character and the ending doesn't leave you thinking anything is going to get any better for him.
I love TALL MAN RIDING and thought Peggie Castle was such a sympathetic character. John Baragrey always a convincing baddie.
Randolph had another lovely leading lady in Ellen Drew in MAN in THE SADDLE. And what a good performance from John Russell ,hopelessly in love with Ellen.
I also like FIGHTING MAN OF THE PLAINS in which it was nice to see Victor Jory in a sympathetic role for once.

Vienna's Classic Hollywood. http://dancinglady39.wordpress.com

[JackFavell]

I'll have to watch the two middle ones you mentioned, I don't think I've seen them. Decision at Sundown is my favorite Scott western, it's so completely twisted. I really liked Fighting Man of the Plains...it's a simple tale with no real surprises, but it's told in the best, most entertaining way.

[mrsl]

.
I watched Tall Man Riding today for only the second time. Actually it's running right now after midnight on the Encore Western channel while I'm here on the computer. Anyway, I taped this one early this a.m. at about 3:30 and enjoyed viewing it this afternoon while recouping from my physical therapy which I am again attending. I really like the story here about a fellow who returns to a town he was bullied out of years earlier, because of getting involved with a land baron's daughter. Here he seeks revenge against her father, by proving he was not then, nor now, a shiftless bum. He wants no physical harm, or any land grabbing, just restoring his own sense of worth. It's a good movie like most Scott/Mann collaborations, but in this case, if it was a new movie, opening now, I would be unhappy with the ending, and probably write a comment in a critic's review. I guess because Dorothy Malone is the bigger star, she ends up with Scott, but throughout the movie, she is constantly berating him, calling him names, and blaming him for everything bad that happens in town, and giving him no trust at all. At the same time, Peggie Castle is secretly helping him against her boy friends' wishes, hiding him and tending his wounds when he is beaten up, and sending him secret notes warning of certain dangers, and during all of this, he is coming to like her. Then for some goofy reason, the writers have Peggy shot and dies, while Scott goes back to Dorothy. Naturally other things happen but this is the gist of the story which I rarely give away. I hate to mess up someones enjoyment in watching, but it really irked me that the ending was so unlikely. As the man Scott usually plays, he would never stand for the crap Dorothy handed out to him all thru the movie, and he would appreciate Peggie's kindness, in fact at one point he tells her that if he was to pick a woman he knew he could rely on and trust, it would be her. So it is illogical that he would return to Dorothy. Therefore, dumb ending, as far as I'm concerned. But still, I did like the film and will watch it again.
.

[Rita Hayworth]

I also like FIGHTING MAN OF THE PLAINS in which it was nice to see Victor Jory in a sympathetic role for once.

I would love to see this movie ... FIGHTING MAN OF THE PLAINS ... someday, because of Victor Jory and it was considered one of his better roles in his career.

[RedRiver]

If you look up TALL MAN RIDING on IMDB, you'll probably see a picture of a DVD. I bought that three set for ten dollars. Not a bad deal! "Tall Man" is OK. Scott rarely made a western that wasn't watchable. But I share your dissapointments in this one. COLT 45 is the best of the three films on that video, thanks in large part to the talents of Ruth Roman. The third offering is FORT WORTH.

[Mary-Kate]

Tall Man Riding is a favorite Scott western of mine. Very tightly paced regarding plot construction, every scene builds on the last scene and the story is always going somewhere. A great cast too, some actors who haven't been mentioned yet are Robert Barrat, John Dehner, and Paul Richards. Barrat makes a great tough rancher, Dehner is always fun to watch, and Richards plays psycho killers with the best of 'em.

I remember that the first time I saw Fighting Man of the Plains, I was initially skeptical of Victor Jory being cast as a good guy, but in the course of the film I actually wound up accepting the casting. I think Victor did a good, compelling job in the role. This from someone who was traumatized as a child by Injun Joe chasing Tom Sawyer.

[RedRiver]

every scene builds on the last scene and the story is always going somewhere

I'm so glad you said that, Mary Kate. That's a concept I appreciate, even if this is not one of my favorites. One event clearly, and believably, leads to another. This happens...because that happened. There should be more stories like that. Perhaps I don't give this Tall Man enough credit!

[Mary-Kate]

every scene builds on the last scene and the story is always going somewhere

I'm so glad you said that, Mary Kate. That's a concept I appreciate, even if this is not one of my favorites.

Thanks, RedRiver, and you're welcome.

One event clearly, and believably, leads to another. This happens...because that happened.

Exactly! I think they used to call it good storytelling...

There should be more stories like that.

And the majority of them were made pre-1970.

Perhaps I don't give this Tall Man enough credit!

Well, you know that I can't really disagree...

[RedRiver]

The late Mr. Ebert said something about stories where characters do things because they really would do them in a given situation. Not because the writer planned for it to happen! Ebert said it much better than I, but it was a fascinating point.

[movieman1957]

I was about ready to add this to the "Westerns" thread but this seemed like a good place since I watched Scott in "Fighting Man of The Plains."It's not nearly as broad as the title suggests and is a decent and regular type film.

Scott plays outlaw Jim Dancer who is being escorted by a Pinkerton-like detective back for trial when an accident allows Scott to take on the identity of the agent and pass himself off as dead. Another man with a past (Victor Jory) helps Scott at the time and knows his secret. But they are all there for a second chance and Scott becomes a leading citizen. Eventually a few start to question some things and things start to get difficult. In addition to him keeping his secret he also is called upon to stop land grab by town council member who is at heart of Scott's trouble.

Dale Robertson makes his film debut as Jesse James but it is a small role and not central to the film. Paul Fix and Rhys Williams are about the only other familiar faces.

Nothing jumps out as overly good or bad but it is always fun to see a new Scott western.

As a side note it uses the same Columbia set that was used in "Decision At Sundown" and quite a few other 50's westerns.