The Kentuckian
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Movie Reviews of The Kentuckian
Movie Review: Great characters for Matthau and Carradine.
Summary: 4 Stars
A fine family classic in the tradition of The Proud Rebel, Treasure of Lost Canyon, and Rachel and the Stranger.
Burt Lancaster is a widower raising his son in the Kentucky wilderness, which has become too tame for them at the time of this story, so they've saved enough for a river boat ticket to Texas. But a bond girl (Dianne Foster) shows them kindness, so they buy her freedom with their "Texas money." They tentatively plan to take her with them when they save up enough money again, so Lancaster takes a job with his brother (John McIntyre) and Foster works for a local bar keeper played by Walter Matthau in his first screen role. Meanwhile some feuders are pursuing Lancaster just because of his name (Watefield), and bound to catch up soon.
There's an interesting riverboat scene and some plot developments (Diana Lynn) that come between father and son; but the best part is a whip fight with Matthau, a very interesting whip-cracking character who makes this movie worth seeing for his scenes alone. John Carradine is also outstanding as a snake-oil salesman, and the rest of the cast is fine as well.
Movie Review: What it matters is the journey !
Summary: 4 Stars
Burt Lancaster got to build a well rounded film plenty of hearted spirit (in his double role as star and director) through a simple but poignant story about a man and his son trying to find in Texas a new life. But in the meantime they will have to experience the expected clash between their ways of living and the civilization.
The duel between Lancaster and Mathau (the ace of the whip), the stare of stars in the middle of the night and the rite of initiation at the moment his son plays the horn, becoming a man (whose analogy with Sigmund is more than obvious), are a treat.
A heartfelt Western, a delight for all the family to watch.
Movie Review: A nice find
Summary: 4 Stars
If you don't have this movie, buy it and give it a watch. You won't be disappointed.Movie Review: Not bad, not classic, but all Lancaster...
Summary: 3 Stars
One of only two films directed by Lancaster, "The Kentuckian" is neither a rousing success nor a glaring disaster. The direction is not all that stylish, but it is no embarrassment. Bernard Herrmann adds to the picture with his musical score.The story is about Kentucky frontiersman Big Eli, and his son Little Eli, fleeing an infamous family feud and looking for a new life in Texas. They stop along the way to free a bondswoman from her contract, which costs them all of their "Texas money", the funds set aside for passage to Texas.
Big Eli goes to work for his brother (John McIntire), in the tobacco business, and life among townspeople changes his plans, much to his son's dismay.
There is romance, and some pretty fair action with Lancaster in a whip fight. The best moment is Lancaster rushing to reach a shooter as he reloads his flintlock rifle in real-time.
Walter Matthau has a good turn as a menacing town boss, and John Carradine does a marvelous portrayal of a medicine man/snake oil salesman. Una Merkel plays Eli's sister-in-law.
Dianne Foster is ravishing as the freed bondswoman Hannah. She guest-starred in a ton of TV classics in the 50's and 60's, including "Wagon Train", "Perry Mason", "The Fugitive", "Honey West", "Petticoat Junction", and "Route 66".
At times, the picture does not seem to know where it's going. At other times, the picture is very cohesive. The DVD transfer isn't bad, either. Well worth a viewing, "The Kentuckian" is a real treat for Lancaster fans.
Movie Review: Good directorial debut for star Lancaster.
Summary: 3 Stars
The Kentuckian(1953) is a fairly well made pseudo-Western/Adventure/Drama from first time director, Lancaster.
He stars in this as a Kentucky backwoods man travelling with his son and dog through the country in an attempt to start a new life in Texas. There's trouble along the way as society tries to make Lancaster conform to a much more "stable" form of life. Meanwhile, two killers are on his trail, gunning for him due to an old family feud.
Lancaster directs the film well, employing lots of beautiful natural scenery to create a great sense of place. Technicolor was just right for this film and highlights the adventure.
The acting is just fine, particularly the star. He gets good support from Walter Matthau(in his film debut) as a villainous, whip cracking scoundrel and John Carradine as a bombastic, medicine man.
However, the film seems dis-jointed at times. Despite two really good action set pieces(Lancaster's fight against Matthau and a whip and Lancaster rushing across a stream to stop a killer loading his rifle in real time) the film at times moves a sluggish pace. The romance is stiffly handled and just ignored eventually. Even the film's main purpose seems to get lost amongst many episodic moments.
While the film is entertaining and worth seeing for the performances and those two action sequences, it's not an essential.
DVD is presented in letterbox and it's a pretty good print. There's also a Theatrical Trailer.