Westerns | Hollywood Yesterday

Maureen O’Hara, Comanche Territory (1950)

October 18, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Comanche Territory Lobby Card

Given that I am, undoubtedly, the biggest Maureen O’Hara fan in the world, it will come as no surprise to you that I’ve even seen her less-known films, including Comanche Territory (1950, directed by George Sherman).

The funny thing is, some of her lesser-known films are some of my favorites! Don’t get me wrong, nothing beats The Quiet Man, McLintock!, Rio Grande, The Parent Trap, Spencer’s Mountain, Sinbad the Sailor or the legendary Miracle on 34th Street, but the beautiful actress had a LOT more wonderful films than most realize.

In addition to these well-known outstanding films, a few of my other favorites are:

A Woman’s Face
Kangaroo
The Red Head from Wyoming (trust me on this one, it’s good!)
The Spanish Main (possibly my favorite of her swashbucklers)
Buffalo Bill
The Fallen Sparrow
Dance, Girl, Dance
The Black Swan

Comanche Territory is simply a great, old-fashioned, fun, and deliciously entertaining Western. She didn’t have the same kind of chemistry with her leading man in this one (Macdonald Carey) as she had with other actors (Melvyn Douglas, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Brian Keith… and an actor you may have heard of before… John Wayne!). The movie is more than worth watching.

You can find Comanche Territory (affiliate link to the dvd) on Amazon. I don’t think it’s available on Prime Video yet.

Maureen O’Hara, Comanche Territory

James Stewart and Shelley Winters, Winchester ’73

September 14, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

James Stewart and Shelley Winters Winchester ’73

If you’re one of those people who forget the magnetism Shelley Winters had on the big screen, I have a homework assignment for you – watch her in Winchester ’73 (pictured here) and in Executive Suite (1954). She’s one of the highlights from both films, which is absolutely saying something since James Stewart stars in one and William Holden, Fredric March, and Barbara Stanwyck star in the other!

Don’t get it twisted, the other stars are extraordinary, too (as always) but there’s just a little something extra about Shelley Winters’ screen presence. A little somethin’ somethin’ if you will.

If you haven’t seen Winchester ’73 or you’ve never seen it, I hope you’ll watch it soon. Each time I do, I ask the same questions…

Shelley Winters was exceptional – why wasn’t she used even more and why isn’t she mentioned more alongside Ava Gabor, Marilyn Monroe, and Lana Turner?
Why do I not ALWAYS name this movie when listing my favorite Westerns?
I wonder if James Stewart knew just how great an actor he was?

You can find Winchester ’73 on Amazon (link to the dvd on Amazon) or watch it on Prime.

Maureen O’Hara, John Wayne, and Yvonne De Carlo: McLintock!

August 31, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Maureen O’Hara, John Wayne, and Yvonne De Carlo in McLintock!

One of my favorite Westerns is McLintock! (1963). Talk about an outstanding cast: John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Yvonne De Carlo, Stefanie Powers, Patrick Wayne, Chill Wills, Jerry Van Dyke, Jack Kruschen, Strother Martin, Edgar Buchanan, Bruce Cabot… The director, Andrew V. McLaglen, was an all star, himself!

Like most Westerns (and films, for that matter), McLintock! doesn’t need to be taken overly seriously – unfortunately may people choose to do so anyway.

I’ll let you in on a little secret – it doesn’t make me enjoy it any less!

It’s just a fun, outrageously colorful and light-hearted Western that may possibly get better each time I see it.

Buy McLintock! (link to the dvd on Amazon) on Amazon or watch on Prime.

Maureen O’Hara, John Wayne, and Yvonne De Carlo in McLintock!

John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, McLintock

August 5, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, McLintock

I love A LOT of old movies… so many that I almost laugh when someone asks me what my favorite movie is. FAR too many to name… but there is and will always be a special corner of my heart reserved for Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne movies. The Quiet Man, McLintock!, Rio Grande… love them all and love them dearly.

McLintock! (1963) was sublimely directed by Andrew V. McLaglen and starred the Duke, Maureen, Patrick Wayne, Stefanie Powers, Jack Kruschen, Chill Wills, Yvonne DeCarlo, Jerry Van Dyke (love him in this role!), and a host of other colorful stars creating colorful characters. Like its stars, the movie is deliciously larger than life and more fun than it has a right to be.

If you’ve never seen it, or haven’t seen it in a while, I hope you’ll watch it soon. It is a romp… a perfect, glorious romp!

You can find McLintock! (Amazon Link) on dvd or watch it on Amazon Prime.

John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, McLintock

The Wild Wild West: My Newest Wild Wild Obsession…

May 23, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Ross Martin and Robert Conrad: The Wild Wild West

Today’s Picture of the Day is a publicity photo for The Wild Wild West with Ross Martin and Robert Conrad. As my confession in the post’s title admits, I am obsessed with this tv series. Oddly enough – in spite of growing up with a father who LIVED for Westerns, I’d never seen a single episode until recently.

I guess my dad couldn’t fit it in with Gunsmoke, western movies, Bonanza, The Lone Ranger, and The Big Valley. Heck, a fella only has so many hours in the day, right?!

My husband introduced me to The Wild Wild West recently and we’ve been plowing through the episodes – thanks to a great channel, FETV, that shows a lot of great classic television shows.

The Wild Wild West ran for four seasons from 1965-1969.

You can find the complete series on dvd on Amazon (See: The Wild Wild West) – this is one extra special series. I’m so sorry my dad missed it!

Merle Oberon and Gary Cooper: The Cowboy and the Lady Lobby Cards

May 3, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Gary Cooper and Merle Oberon

In the 1938 film The Cowboy and the Lady, Merle Oberon plays a lonely, somewhat bored socialite (Mary) who pretends to be a maid to add color and variety to her life. She meets a humble and kind cowboy named Stretch Willoughby (how’s that for a name?!) who has no idea of her true identity.

This is a really cute film that’s heavier on comedy than anything else. It’s a lot of fun, doesn’t take itself too seriously, has two wonderful leads in Merle Oberon and Gary Cooper AND co-stars Walter Brennan (he makes everything even better, doesn’t he??).

You can find The Cowboy and the Lady on dvd on Amazon or watch the movie in Prime.

Sue Ann Langdon and Henry Fonda, The Cheyenne Social Club

March 12, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Sue Ann Langdon and Henry Fonda, They Cheyenne Social Club

With so much bad news going around, I thought it was a great day for extra-fun pictures of the day. Here are the one and only (and ever so wonderful) Sue Ann Langdon and Henry Fonda.

These photos are from The Cheyenne Social Club (1970 – also starring James Stewart and Shirley Jones). It has been entirely too long since I’ve seen this one!

You can find a “Double Feature” DVD Set on Amazon – The Cheyenne Social Club and Firecreek (James Stewart and Henry Fonda).

Sue Ann Langdon and Henry Fonda, The Cheyenne Social Club

Dodge City: A Great Western with a Seemingly Non-Western Cast!

December 1, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn, and Ann Sheridan, Dodge City (1939)

Dodge City (Amazon link) is a fairly underrated Western, but one that is very, very good. VERY good. When I first sat down to watch the film (a few months back), I had no idea what to expect. For one thing, you don’t exactly associate any of its main three stars with Westerns, do you?! And yet, each one came across as though they were as accustomed to Westerns as horses and cowboy hats.

In a role he handled perfectly, Errol Flynn is the hero (Wade Hatton) in charge of bringing law and order to a wide open town (Dodge City). He has an eye for the lovely Abbie Irving (Olivia de Havilland) but she wants nothing to do with him because he had to shoot her brother.

Dodge City Trivia

Errol Flynn’s character, Wade Hatton, was based on Wyatt Earp.
This was the 5th of 9 movies made together by Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn.
The barroom fight (which was pretty darn epic) was the largest ever filmed at the time.
Olivia de Havilland wanted the saloon singer role that went to Ann Sheridan. During this period of time, reportedly, the wonderful actress was uninspired by the roles she was getting. The fact that, during a professionally unhappy time she STILL turned in a wonderful performance shows just how devoted to her craft she was.
Alan Hale appears in this film – it is always fun to see “Skipper” show up in a movie!

You can find Dodge City on Amazon.

Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn, Dodge City

Barbara Eden, Flaming Star (1960)

November 22, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Barbara Eden, Flaming Star (1960)

When I started out making the Old Hollywood blog Hollywood Yesterday, I intended to focus mainly on the Golden Age of Hollywood. However, along the way, I realized that limiting the fun was in NO way the best way to go about this whole celebration of “Hollywood Yesterday.” After all, I enjoy classic television and many movies from the 50s, 60s, and even 70s as much as I do the earlier films.

What’s more, some of my absolute favorite stars were shining in these years. One of my very favorites is pictures above in all of her glory and beauty – Barbara Eden!

Due to the fact that many Old Hollywood blogs and social media accounts DO focus primarily on Hollywood’s earliest days, many of these wonderful stars are often overlooked. Not going to happen here! Barbara Eden, Elvis, Ann-Margret, Elizabeth Montgomery and the rest of them deserve to be celebrated, appreciated, and introduced to new generations as much as anyone.

Sorry… I’ll go ahead and step down off of my soapbox now!

If you’ve never seen Flaming Star (Amazon Link), check it out. It was, literally, a movie caught between the 50s and 60s and it is very apparent, as it has great elements from each decade. Best of all, it has Elvis Presley and Barbara Eden – a beautiful pairing if there ever was one!

Barbara Eden and Elvis Presley, Flaming Star

Stagecoach (1939): One of John Wayne’s Best Westerns and a Personal Favorite

November 20, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Claire Trevor and John Wayne, Stagecoach

One of my favorite genres of movies is Westerns. My dad was a huge Westerns fan and I watched them with him from the time I was old enough to walk. In fact, my first memories of Westerns involve horses, cowboys, and women in long dresses. John Wayne was one of his favorites and he is, most definitely, one of my own favorites.

Seriously, there aren’t many things better than grabbing raspberry tea, a big bowl of popcorn, and losing yourself in a John Wayne Western for a few hours… two Westerns if you have the time!

I recently re-watched one of my favorite Westerns of all time, Stagecoach, and wanted to take a few minutes to talk about it.

Plot: A group of colorful people are on what should be an uneventful stagecoach trip – two women, a doctor who likes… no, loves.. to drink, a banker, the drivers, and the famous Ringo Kid (John Wayne). The peaceful trip suddenly becomes very eventful when they learn that Geronimo is in the area and looking for big trouble.

The wonderful movie stars an absolutely perfect cast: John Wayne (Ringo Kid), Claire Trevor (Dallas), John Carradine (Hatfield), Andy Devine (Buck), Thomas Mitchell (Doc Josiah Boone), Donald Meek (Samuel Peacock), Louise Platt (Mrs. Lucy Mallory), Berton Churchill (Ellsworth Henry Gatewood), and George Bancroft (Marshal Curley Wilcox).

Continued below the cast photo!

Orson Welles (someone who knows a thing or two about film-making) stated that Stagecoach was the perfect textbook of film-making and said he watched the film more than forty times in preparation for the making of Citizen Kane (1941).

Smart man!

Although John Wayne had minor roles in John Ford’s Mother Machree (1927) and Salute (1929), Stagecoach truly marks the beginning of their partnership. It also, in my opinion, marked the beginning of Wayne’s legendary career.

If you’ve never seen this simply outstanding Western, I hope you’ll get your hands on a copy (or find it on television) as soon as possible. As a bona fide John Wayne fanatic and expert Westerns viewer, I guarantee you this – Stagecoach is one of the best ever made.