If somebody had told me that I was going to create a thread devoted to him one month ago, I would not had believed it, especially because I scarcely create any threads at all
Today I watched two documentaries included in the Forbidden Hollywood Collection Volume Three: Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick and The Man Who Made the Movies: William A. Wellman, both very informative and entertaining; especially interesting was to see the man actually reminiscing in the latter.
On the human side, to listen to his widow, the beautiful Dorothy Coonan and to his son Bill Wellman Jr. was very rewarding and enlightening. The man defintely had guts.
I did not know that his failed masterpiece "Lafayette Escadrille" (1958) was ruined by Warners, which imposed a happy ending -the original ending had Tab Hunter killed in a mission and his girlfriend committed suicide. But young audiences wouldn't had put up with that, Warners reasoned. I also did not know that Wellman wanted Clint Eastwood for the lead and not Hunter. Wellman ceased to make films after this highly disappointing experience.
Other interesting thing I did not know is that "Track of the Cat" (1954) was filmed as B&W film shot in Color! Only Mitchum's red coat and Dianna Lynn's -I think- yellow scarf or blouse broke this mold. This film was aired some months ago by Cinecanal Classics and I did not see it, now I lament it.
The documentary told everything about the making of The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), I film that I must see -it's a shame I haven't since I have it on DVD- and how Wellman had to agree to make two formula films for Fox in exchange of having the opportunity to film this masterpiece. One of them was "Buffallo Bill" (1944) one of his biggest moneymakers and a film he loathed!
"Yellow Sky" (1948) -another film on my pending list of DVDs to see- was also profiled and it seems to be very good. One of the films closest to this director's heart was "The Story of G.I. Joe" (1945), which he regards as one of his best. He tells in the interview that he thought that "Battleground" (1949) wasn't half as good, human and realistic as the aforementioned film.
Wellman reveals himself as a honest, down-to-earth, very humble man. I liked him a lot. He is also revealed as great woman's director, but of the type of woman epitomized by Barbara Stanwyck -one of my very, very favorite stars. There was a lot of insight in relation to the "Wellman woman" -Anne Baxter in Yellow Sky, Stanwyck in many of his films, the assorted female cast of Westward the Women et al.
Other of his films profusely profiled are -of course- "Nothing Sacred" (1937), "A Star is Born" (19379, "Wings" (1927) and "Public Enemy" (1931), plus "Wild Boys of the Road" (1933), "Heroes for Sale" (1933) and "Beau Geste" (1939).
I would have liked more information and insight on the films he made in the late twenties -ie: "Beggars of Life " (1928) and early thrities - i.e.: "Midnight Mary" (1933).
I'm eager with anticipation to watch most of the films included in this Pre-Code Collection and other films of this great man I have obtained and yet not watched: "The Light that Failed" (1939) and "Magic Town" (1947), for instance.
One final note: Wellman said that the film he enjoyed the most making was "Tarzan Escapes" (1936), of which he directed some scenes. He even asked Mayer or Mannix to direct the next Tarzan film, but they said it was assignment which was beneath his category. He regretted that!
