My Darling Clementine
Posted: October 10th, 2009, 4:15 pm
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I know a lot has been said about this movie but it's all scattered in different threads and hard to find. Many people consider this a great western. I always avoided it because I was under the impression that Victor Mature was the star, but I finally sat and watched it this a.m. and pleasantly found that Henry Fonda is the star. I understand that John Ford met Wyatt Earp at one point in life and he related the facts about how the gun battle at the O.K. Corral actually took place. Considering that, I realize why the battle was so tame in comparison to so many other gunfights that have been staged in movies and on T.V.
In any case, I think this was a feather in Fondas' cap. Not knowing Earps' personality, playing it as laid back as he did, made him a very interesting character. I wondered why he sat quietly when Doc H. tossed that gambler out of town when Doc returned to town, then later chided him for the action. Up until then the assumption is made that Doc is the un-named leader of the town with a nothing sheriff, so he had no way of knowing a new sheriff had been chosen in his absence. I still wonder about it. I saw little reason for Linda Darnell to be there other than as a trouble maker, but I guess she was something to add to the story. I love Linda but she was wasted in this one. The one who took my breath away was Cathy Downs (Clementine). Too bad she never followed the path she started with this movie and dropped to 'B' movies and TV guest shots. She was lovely, and IMHO was an asset to MDC. I looked her up on imdB and learned she was groomed for 'A' movies, but turned to 'B's' with her then husband. l was happy to see Ward Bond as a good guy when so often he is, not necessarily 'bad', but taciturn and unfeeling. I always feel sorry for little Tim Holt in movies like this where he is not the star. He literally had to peek around Ward Bond to be noticed in the bar scene when Wyatt introduced his brothers to Doc. For me, thankfully, Victor Mature was not a major part of the scenery, he was of the story, but not 'on stage' at all times like Fonda. Finally my wonderful, lovable Gramps 'Stumpy' from last weeks' Rio Bravo, to a ruthless killer in todays' movie. The man is a golden gem.
I find no quarrel or dislike for any of the acting, directing, or camera work in this film. Put all together it makes a fine movie, but . . . I don't see any greatness in it. It's a good routine western action movie, with the big, bang up gunfight at the end. Enjoyable for a western fan (me) to watch on a rainy Saturday morning, or a boring evening, and I would recommend it to friends for just that, but not rave about anything in, or about it.
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I know a lot has been said about this movie but it's all scattered in different threads and hard to find. Many people consider this a great western. I always avoided it because I was under the impression that Victor Mature was the star, but I finally sat and watched it this a.m. and pleasantly found that Henry Fonda is the star. I understand that John Ford met Wyatt Earp at one point in life and he related the facts about how the gun battle at the O.K. Corral actually took place. Considering that, I realize why the battle was so tame in comparison to so many other gunfights that have been staged in movies and on T.V.
In any case, I think this was a feather in Fondas' cap. Not knowing Earps' personality, playing it as laid back as he did, made him a very interesting character. I wondered why he sat quietly when Doc H. tossed that gambler out of town when Doc returned to town, then later chided him for the action. Up until then the assumption is made that Doc is the un-named leader of the town with a nothing sheriff, so he had no way of knowing a new sheriff had been chosen in his absence. I still wonder about it. I saw little reason for Linda Darnell to be there other than as a trouble maker, but I guess she was something to add to the story. I love Linda but she was wasted in this one. The one who took my breath away was Cathy Downs (Clementine). Too bad she never followed the path she started with this movie and dropped to 'B' movies and TV guest shots. She was lovely, and IMHO was an asset to MDC. I looked her up on imdB and learned she was groomed for 'A' movies, but turned to 'B's' with her then husband. l was happy to see Ward Bond as a good guy when so often he is, not necessarily 'bad', but taciturn and unfeeling. I always feel sorry for little Tim Holt in movies like this where he is not the star. He literally had to peek around Ward Bond to be noticed in the bar scene when Wyatt introduced his brothers to Doc. For me, thankfully, Victor Mature was not a major part of the scenery, he was of the story, but not 'on stage' at all times like Fonda. Finally my wonderful, lovable Gramps 'Stumpy' from last weeks' Rio Bravo, to a ruthless killer in todays' movie. The man is a golden gem.
I find no quarrel or dislike for any of the acting, directing, or camera work in this film. Put all together it makes a fine movie, but . . . I don't see any greatness in it. It's a good routine western action movie, with the big, bang up gunfight at the end. Enjoyable for a western fan (me) to watch on a rainy Saturday morning, or a boring evening, and I would recommend it to friends for just that, but not rave about anything in, or about it.
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