Finding Out of the Past and Berlin Express express to be interesting Film Noir's,I've been keeping a look out for more titles by auteur Jacques Tourneur. Gripped by the tough as nails Nordic Noir False Trail,I took a look to see what else was on the BBC catch-up service,and found a Tourneur Western that helped to turn my morning into a great day.
The plot:
As the US Civil War begins, cowboy Owen Pentecost wins a dirty card game that allows him to own a salon. Allowing dressmaker Ann Merry Alaine and the other staff to continue working at the salon,Pentecost tries to not take sides in the war between the North and the South. Finding the war to be building momentum,Pentecost fights to keep his salon safe whilst being a father figure to orphan Gary John Lawford,who (unknown to Lawford) dad was killed by Pentecost.
View on the film:
Holding Pentecost back from taking sides in the American Civil War, Lesser Samuels adaptation of Robert Hardy Andrews's novel greatly plays on Pentecost's ambiguity,with Pentecost's whip-smart skills gaining him enemies on both the North and the South lines, and the memories of how he killed Lawford's dad haunting Pentecost's attempts to be a father figure to Gary. Along with the powder keg fights, Samuels keeps the guns blazing with cracking dialogue that hits comedy one-liners and also goes into the concern Pentecost has of being trapped in the middle of the war
Going to the West for the final time, director Jacques Tourneur & cinematographer William E. Snyder bring the shadows of Tourneur's Film Noir's to the Western,as the sunlight that welcomes Pentecost into town turns into the darkness of war dawning on the town. Setting off spectacular stagecoach chases, Tourneur makes the final stand-offs impressively gritty,as elegant side shots subtly captures the killing of the great day.
Not needing the help of any man, Virginia Mayo gives an excellent performance as Ann Merry Alaine,whose off the cuff wisecracks and confidence in her own views allows Mayo to make Alaine as much of an outlaw as the cowboys. Left with a hand of nothing but bad options, Robert Stack give a great performance as Pentecost, thanks to Stack peeling away Pentecost initially cocky manner to reveal a torn with doubt outlaw,who fights to welcome a great day.
The plot:
As the US Civil War begins, cowboy Owen Pentecost wins a dirty card game that allows him to own a salon. Allowing dressmaker Ann Merry Alaine and the other staff to continue working at the salon,Pentecost tries to not take sides in the war between the North and the South. Finding the war to be building momentum,Pentecost fights to keep his salon safe whilst being a father figure to orphan Gary John Lawford,who (unknown to Lawford) dad was killed by Pentecost.
View on the film:
Holding Pentecost back from taking sides in the American Civil War, Lesser Samuels adaptation of Robert Hardy Andrews's novel greatly plays on Pentecost's ambiguity,with Pentecost's whip-smart skills gaining him enemies on both the North and the South lines, and the memories of how he killed Lawford's dad haunting Pentecost's attempts to be a father figure to Gary. Along with the powder keg fights, Samuels keeps the guns blazing with cracking dialogue that hits comedy one-liners and also goes into the concern Pentecost has of being trapped in the middle of the war
Going to the West for the final time, director Jacques Tourneur & cinematographer William E. Snyder bring the shadows of Tourneur's Film Noir's to the Western,as the sunlight that welcomes Pentecost into town turns into the darkness of war dawning on the town. Setting off spectacular stagecoach chases, Tourneur makes the final stand-offs impressively gritty,as elegant side shots subtly captures the killing of the great day.
Not needing the help of any man, Virginia Mayo gives an excellent performance as Ann Merry Alaine,whose off the cuff wisecracks and confidence in her own views allows Mayo to make Alaine as much of an outlaw as the cowboys. Left with a hand of nothing but bad options, Robert Stack give a great performance as Pentecost, thanks to Stack peeling away Pentecost initially cocky manner to reveal a torn with doubt outlaw,who fights to welcome a great day.