The Cheyenne Social Club (1970)

Director:

Gene Kelly

Writers:

James Lee Barrett (written by) and
Davis Grubb (novel)

Release Date:

12 June 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Tagline:

Where the West Was Really Made

Plot:

An aging cowboy finds to his embarrassment that the successful business he has inherited from his brother is actually a house of prostitution.

Plot Keywords:

Inheritance | Cowboy | Brothel | Prostitution | Hooker

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

James Stewart	...	John O'Hanlan
Henry Fonda	...	Harley Sullivan
Shirley Jones	...	Jenny
Sue Ane Langdon	...	Opal Ann
Elaine Devry	...	Pauline
Robert Middleton	...	Barkeeper - Great Plains Saloon
Arch Johnson	...	Marshal Anderson
Dabbs Greer	...	Jedediah W. Willowby
Jackie Russell	...	Carrie Virginia
Jackie Joseph	...	Annie Jo
Sharon DeBord	...	Sara Jean (as Sharon De Bord)
Richard Collier	...	Nathan Potter
Charles Tyner	...	Charlie Bannister
Jean Willes	...	Alice
Robert J. Wilke	...	Corey Bannister
Carl Reindel	...	Pete Dodge
J. Pat O'Malley	...	Dr. Michael Foy
Jason Wingreen	...	Dr. Farley Carter
Hal Baylor	...	Barkeep - Lady of Egypt
Charlotte Stewart	...	Mae
Alberto Morin	...	Ranch Foreman
Myron Healey	...	Deuter
Warren J. Kemmerling	...	Kohler (as Warren Kemmerling)
Dick Johnstone	...	Mr. C.Y. Yancey
Phil Mead	...	Cook
Hi Roberts	...	Scared Man
Ed Pennybacker	...	Teamster
Boyd 'Red' Morgan	...	Hansen (as Red Morgan)
Dean Smith	...	The Bannister Gang
Bill Hicks	...	The Bannister Gang
Bill Davis	...	The Bannister Gang
Walt Davis	...	The Bannister Gang
John Welty	...	The Bannister Gang
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Alexander	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Frank Baker	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Danny Borzage	...	Barfly (uncredited)
John Dehner	...	Clay Carroll (uncredited)
Sam Edwards	...	Barfly Getting Up from Table (uncredited)
Ben Frommer	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Michael Jeffers	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Phil Schumacher	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Hal Taggart	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Max Wagner	...	Barfly (uncredited)
Dan White	...	Barfly Getting Up from Table (uncredited)

Directed by
Gene Kelly

Writing credits
James Lee Barrett		(written by)
Davis Grubb		novel

Produced by
James Lee Barrett	....	executive producer
Gene Kelly	....	producer

Original Music by
Walter Scharf

Cinematography by
William H. Clothier		(director of photography) (as William Clothier)

Film Editing by
Adrienne Fazan

Production Design by
Gene Allen

Set Decoration by
George James Hopkins		(as George Hopkins)

Costume Design by
Yvonne Wood

Makeup Department
Vivienne Walker	....	hair stylist
Frank Westmore	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Paul Helmick	....	unit production manager (as Paul A. Helmick)
Richard Kobritz	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Helmick	....	assistant director (as Paul A. Helmick)

Art Department
Thomas Gark	....	lead man (uncredited)
Gene Lauritzen	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Bob McLing	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Fred Faust	....	sound
James Nelson	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Canutt	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dean Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunts (uncredited)

Music Department
John Mick	....	music editor
Walter Scharf	....	conductor

Other crew
Hazel W. Hall	....	script supervisor (as Hazel Hall)
Jack N. Young	....	location scout (uncredited)

Production Companies

• National General Pictures

Distributors

• National General Pictures (1970) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinerama Releasing UK (1970) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1971) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1974) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:12 (old rating: 16)

Filming Locations:

Bonanza Creek Ranch - 15 Bonanza Creek Lane, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Company:

National General Pictures

Trivia:

This is the only film Henry Fonda made in which he sings under the main title.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When John and Harley are crossing the railroad tracks to see the Cheyenne Social Club for the first time, it is apparent from the camera angle that the last structure on the right is only a facade with no building behind it.

Quotes:

John O'Hanlan:Will you tell Mr. Willowby I would like to talk to him?
Harley Sullivan:He's still in the Doc's office.
John O'Hanlan:I didn't know he was sick.
Harley Sullivan:He weren't until you started that fight. He was hit in the face with a piano stool, so they say. I hear that saloon looks like it was in the path of a buffalo stampede.
John O'Hanlan:All for a good cause, Harley. All for Texas.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Danger! Death Ray (#7.20)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Rolling Stone

Great Western Comedy

This is a great comedy western without being stupid satire and is nothing like Blazing Saddles by Mel Brooks. I personally hate satire on a high level. This is a hilarious movie with a great cast of characters. I first saw this movie when I was very young. But to ensure before I rated that I didn't remember this movie as funny just because I was a kid. I recently viewed it again. I am 44 and thing it is hilarious. I enjoy mostly serious westerns but also love comedic westerns when they are done well. Other good movies are Maverick, Support Your Local Sheriff, Support Your Local Gunfighter and John Wayne's "McClintock". So if you don't like any westerns that have comedy then this will not be for you. Perhaps you just go more for gritty reality such as Tombstone, Wyatt Earp, Unforgiven or classics such as True Grit and The Outlaw Josey Wales. But if you enjoy a laugh without being stupid satire you will like this movie. I am assuming that is why the reviews that have been written were mostly negative.