I've been watching in order as many of the Spencer Tracy films as I could as I read the new biography about him. When you pop this film into the DVD player from that perspective, you realize that even though Tracy had starred in a good many great films, with this film he entered truly modern film making.
Here you had wide screen photography, on-location shooting, rich -- but realistic -- Technicolor (I believe this was only his second color film, the first being "Northwest Passage", 14 years earlier), and what I'll call realistic modern (aka gritty) acting by the principals.
There were so many times while watching this film that I thought to myself, "God, what a great actor Spencer Tracy was". And, surprisingly perfect for this particular role. His many years of playing polo, though in the past, made him look very natural in the saddle. As a man, I hate to say this, but his beautiful gray -- almost white -- hair made him look the part of tough western father so perfectly. And his diction, whether being rough on his foolish sons, or tender with his Mexican wife. Even though I had this on my DVD shelf, I'd only watched it once before, but I would have to say this was one of Spencer Tracy's finer performances, and actually a very different role for him.
It's been said that Tracy liked the then young Robert Wagner, who plays the favored (though racially mixed) son in this movie. I've always been rather neutral about Wagner -- liking him in some films, and not so much in others. Here he does an admirable job and manages to look the part. On the other hand, Richard Widmark, who had to suffer through 4th billing on this film, is a wonderful actor, but his scenes in the first half of this film are minor, weak, and his role is just too negative to like his character at all. His stronger scenes come later in the film when you begin to see how impressive his acting could be. Jean Peters and Katy Jurado are excellent, although make no mistake, this is a man's picture. The two other sons -- Hugh O'Brien and Earl Holliman have minor roles -- often in the frame, but with little significant dialog. There were a number of films where Earl Holliman was a whining-son type, and this is one of them...very unlikable type of role, and not demonstrative at all of the level of work he was capable of. Another notable character actor here -- E.G. Marshall -- plays an important role, and does it well, though he does not have much screen time.
There was a time, of course, that Westerns were a dominant force in both motion pictures and television. And, when I was young I loved them. But Westerns are passé, and it is a rare Western that can hold my attention today. This is one such film. It isn't often that I give an "8", but I will here. This is a extremely fine motion picture that deserves a place on your DVD shelf.
Here you had wide screen photography, on-location shooting, rich -- but realistic -- Technicolor (I believe this was only his second color film, the first being "Northwest Passage", 14 years earlier), and what I'll call realistic modern (aka gritty) acting by the principals.
There were so many times while watching this film that I thought to myself, "God, what a great actor Spencer Tracy was". And, surprisingly perfect for this particular role. His many years of playing polo, though in the past, made him look very natural in the saddle. As a man, I hate to say this, but his beautiful gray -- almost white -- hair made him look the part of tough western father so perfectly. And his diction, whether being rough on his foolish sons, or tender with his Mexican wife. Even though I had this on my DVD shelf, I'd only watched it once before, but I would have to say this was one of Spencer Tracy's finer performances, and actually a very different role for him.
It's been said that Tracy liked the then young Robert Wagner, who plays the favored (though racially mixed) son in this movie. I've always been rather neutral about Wagner -- liking him in some films, and not so much in others. Here he does an admirable job and manages to look the part. On the other hand, Richard Widmark, who had to suffer through 4th billing on this film, is a wonderful actor, but his scenes in the first half of this film are minor, weak, and his role is just too negative to like his character at all. His stronger scenes come later in the film when you begin to see how impressive his acting could be. Jean Peters and Katy Jurado are excellent, although make no mistake, this is a man's picture. The two other sons -- Hugh O'Brien and Earl Holliman have minor roles -- often in the frame, but with little significant dialog. There were a number of films where Earl Holliman was a whining-son type, and this is one of them...very unlikable type of role, and not demonstrative at all of the level of work he was capable of. Another notable character actor here -- E.G. Marshall -- plays an important role, and does it well, though he does not have much screen time.
There was a time, of course, that Westerns were a dominant force in both motion pictures and television. And, when I was young I loved them. But Westerns are passé, and it is a rare Western that can hold my attention today. This is one such film. It isn't often that I give an "8", but I will here. This is a extremely fine motion picture that deserves a place on your DVD shelf.