Though I often agree with critics, there are times when I simply don't know where they are coming from. This is one of those times. While the basic storyline of revenge, lust for gold and legacies built on lies may be nothing new or groundbreaking for this genre, this a solid and very entertaining western. There are no big twists here and what you see on the surface is exactly what the film delivers. However, sometimes a simple story, well told is all you need from a western. This movie tells its story very well. The basic story may be familiar but there is a reason for that. It is a good story, and I felt myself invested from the very start. The characters are great. They may not be especially complex and your first impressions, pretty much say everything about them but you like or hate (depending on if they are a good or bad guy first) these characters and truly care about what happens. The performances from the three leads (Pierce Brosnan, Samuel L. Jackson, Brandon Lessard) are all quite good. Brosnan is great as the sheriff bringing some great humanity and power to what could have been your typical western role. He also fits perfectly in this western setting, and I would love to see him in more westerns in the future. Young Brandon Lessard holds his own with the bigger name cast. However, it is Samuel L. Jackson, who runs away with the film. He is simply enjoying playing a character who is pure evil and loves every minute of it. It is obvious that Jackson enjoyed himself, just as much as the character enjoys the violence he creates around him. This makes for a dynamic performance that even those who don't like the film have to appreciate. The filmmaking may not show off, but it delivers exactly what one would want from the film. In the tradition of John Ford and other classic western directors, the location shooting in Montana is absolutely beautiful to look at. The action scenes are also very well done, feeling appropriately tense and exciting. Meanwhile at only a little over 90 minutes, the movie is engrossing for its whole runtime.
However, I admit that the familiarity of this film, makes it hard for the movie to stand out among so many similar westerns.
With westerns coming out less and less today to have one as well made and engrossing as this come out is a pure delight.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Whispering Hope. This beautiful hymn comes from the pen of Alice Hawthorne (the pen name for poet Septimus Winner), who is best known for her contributions to children's music with songs like, Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone? and Ten Little Indians.
This is followed by pianist Floyd Cramer with a lovely instrumental version of How Great Thou Art. This comes from his 1971 instrumental gospel album, Sounds of Sunday.
Afterwards is Dick Curless with I Love to Tell the Story. When recovering from a sickness, Arabella Katherine Hankey wrote a poem about the life of Christ. This poem was broken into two parts the first being called The Story Wanted (published in January 1866) and the second called The Story Told (published in November 1866). I Love to Tell the Story comes from this second part. In 1869 William G. Fisher put this text to music and that is the version we know today. Still, it is worth noting that Hankey wrote her own music for these words, but her music was seldom used and is now forgotten.
For Father's Day, here is The Talleys with How Deep the Father's Love for Us. This comes from their 2012 album, Love Wins.
Then comes Blind Willie McTell with his 1940 recording of Old Time Religion.
Next comes The Sons of The Pioneers with their 1937 recording of One More River to Cross. Our good friend Leonard Slye (aka Roy Rogers) takes the lead vocal here, but like many of the best Sons of the Pioneers recordings, the highlight is the group's great harmonies. The incredible Hawaiian steel guitar player, Sam Koki joins the boys on this recording and does a fine job.
Afterwards comes Johnny Cash performing Greystone Chapel from his legendary 1968 album, At Folsom Prison. This song was written by Glen Sherley, who was an inmate in Folsom at the time. The song was given to John by a minister at Folsom Prision. Glen Sherley also wrote another hit country song, Portrait of My Woman, which was made a hit by Eddy Arnold. After this song's success Sherley would even record a live album in Folsom, while still being in prison. When he got out of prison, Johnny Cash met him at the gates. Sherley would even become a part of John's live shows. However, when Sherley would threaten to kill some of those on the shows and similarly violent threats against people, John had to let the singer and songwriter go. Singing background on this song is The Statler Brothers and Carl Perkins can be heard as one of the guitar players. The Statler Brothers and Carl Perkins were both part of John's live shows as well.
Today's musical selection ends with The Monroe Brothers with their 1936 recording of I Dreamed I Searched Heaven for You.
Now for a sermon from Greg Laurie appropriate for Father's Day.
Now for an episode of The Lone Ranger radio show entitled In His Father's Footsteps (1952).
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place. Acts 17:26
So, Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him."
The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:34
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12
But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled. 1 Peter 3:14
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Hello, my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again, it is time for more classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with one of the best of the many celebrity caricature cartoons of the 1930's, Disney's Mother Goose Goes Hollywood (1938). Without any of the sentimentality or pathos seen in other Silly Symphonies of this time, this is a pure comedy cartoon and a top notch one at that. While this film is best enjoyed by those who recognize all the movie stars that are being caricatured here, like the best of these celebrity caricature cartoons, this is still a lot of fun for those who don't know them. This short itself was a culmination of various ideas that had been pitched around the Disney studio starting in 1932. This included ideas for an abandoned Silly Symphonies short from the mid-1930's called The Hollywoods, which would have taken place in a forest full of birds and animals that closely resembled popular Hollywood stars. This also included an idea of a proposed Silly Symphony entitled Mother Goose Land, which would find the Mother Goose characters feeling like they were too old fashioned for modern audiences and deciding to jazz up their image with modern music. These two shorts that were abandoned, were revived and combined to create Mother Goose Goes Hollywood. As work commenced on this new film, there were so many ideas that it was even considered releasing this as a two-reeler (most cartoon shorts ran one-reel in length). Ultimately though the picture would be released as a one-reeler. Like all Disney films of this period the short benefits from a top-notch cast of animators. Izz Klein animated the opening with Mother Goose in the scroll and the scenes involving Laurel and Hardy. Bob Stokes animates the scenes with Kathrine Hepburn, Eddie Cantor and the blackbirds singing. Ward Kimball (one of Walt's famed Nine Old Men) animates the scenes involving Hugh Herbert, Ned Sparks, The Marx Brothers, Joe Penner (including the cameo by Donald Duck) and much of the big dance number. Grim Natwick (who was greatly responsible for the design of Betty Boop) animated scenes involving Charles Laughton, Spencer Tracey, Freddie Bartholomew, W.C. Feilds and Charlie McCarthy. Jack Campbell (a very underrated Disney animator who is best known for his work on the Blue Fairy in Pinocchio (1940)) animates scenes involving Greta Garbo, Edward G. Robinson and Wallace Beery. Don Patterson animated the orchestra on the shoe as well as caricatures of George Arliss and Clark Gable. It is worth noting that Laurel and Hardy are Simple Simon and the Pie Man here as the real Laurel and Hardy almost played the same Mother Goose characters in their feature film Babes in Toyland (1934). This short cartoon made its TV debut on an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on February 11, 1958.
Now we join Honey Halfwitch in Clean Sweep (1967).
Next comes a delightful black and white Porky Pig cartoon, Get Rich Quick Porky (1937). This was an early cartoon for director Bob Clampett (1937 was his first year as a director) and while it may not be as wild as some of the director's later work, there is plenty to enjoy here. This cartoon also marked the last appearance of Porky's sidekick, Gabby Goat. There is not much to Gabby besides him being grumpy and easily irritated, but the contrast between him and the more optimistic Porky makes for delightful watching. Two of the animators on this movie would later become great Looney Tune directors in their own right. Chuck Jones animates the wonderful scene with the dog, the gopher and a bone as well as the film's ending. Norm McCabe animates Gabby underground with his jackhammer as well as Porky handing the deed to Honest John.
Up next is the Terry Toons short, The Wolf's Pardon (1947). This movie, like today's first cartoon takes Mother Goose characters into the then current pop culture.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
In the 1930's the Fleischer Studio's Popeye cartoon had reached an incredible level of popularity even rivaling that of Mickey Mouse. These simple black and white seven-minute cartoons captured the hearts of moviegoers just as much as any feature film. Because of this both Paramount encouraged the cartoon studio to create something bigger with Popeye. The result was a series of three two-reel full color cartoons starring the cartoon sailor. These films were over twice the length of an average Popeye cartoon, and they felt bigger in every way possible. My personal favorite of the three is the second, Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves (1937). This one has the same larger than usual and visual gorgeous look as the others, but in my opinion the humor in this short is probably the funniest. The cartoon was later edited down to a seven-minute short with some new animation featuring Popeye and his nephews for a cheater cartoon, Popeye Makes a Movie (1950). The following are some exhibitor reviews from the Motion Picture Herald, "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves (Color Special): Popeye the Sailor - A two-reel cartoon that means nothing more at the box office than a single. Does not compare with 'Sinbad the Sailor' in entertainment. Running time, 17 minutes. A. Goldson, Gold Coast Theatre, Chicago, Ill. Neighborhood Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Not nearly as funny as it ought to have been. Still most everyone enjoyed it. Popeye needs a change of diet anyway. One tires of too much spinach. - L. A. Irwin, Palace Theatre, Penacook, N.H. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Ran it to bolster 'Rosalie' and really believe it drove in a few. Play it. They'll enjoy it. Running time, 20 minutes. - A.E. Eliassen, Rialto Theatre, Paynesville, Minn., Small Town and Rural Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Popeye the Sailor - Played this with 'College Holiday.' We put this in as a double attraction and which met with a great success. Played the Easter Sunday with very good business. Had a large matinee. Popeye sure pleases the children. -Edelstein Amusement Company, Homer Theatre, Hibbing, Minn. General Patronage." "Popeye the Sailor Meets Ali Baba and His Forty Thieves: Color Special - This is an extra price cartoon of two reels, which was just one reel too long. They can't sustain an audience's attention for the extra length, and it got boresome before it was halfway through. Don't buy it. Kids will like it of course but you don't pay off with them. - A.E. Hancock, Columbia Theatre, Columbia City, Ind. General Patronage."
Now for one of Walt Disney's silent Alice Comedies, Alice's Circus Days (1927). Like all of the Alice Comedies, this film features a live action Alice entering an animated world. Playing Alice is Lois Hardwick, the fourth and last child actress to play the character. However, at this time the series was winding down and the filmmakers were focusing more on the animated characters then Alice herself. Animators on this movie include Ub Iwerks, Rollin "Ham" Hamilton, Hugh Harmon, Paul Smith and Rudolph Ising (who was also the live action cameraman).
Next is a Fleischer Screen Song short, I've Got Rings on My Fingers (1929). So, get ready to sing along and follow the bouncing ball.
Now for one in a series of 22 Short Films About Springfield (1996).
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman.
Walt in Wonderland: The Silent Films of Walt Disney by J. B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt.
