Winchester '73
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Movie Reviews of Winchester '73
Movie Review: "Winchester '73 (1950) ... Anthony Mann ... Universal Studios (2003)"
Summary: 5 Stars
Universal Studios presents "WINCHESTER '73" (1950) (92 min/B&W) (Fully Restored/Dolby Digitally Remastered) -- Lin McAdam (James Stewart) and his friend High-Spade (Millard Mitchell) arrive in Dodge City for a shooting contest, in which the prize is a perfectly manufactured Winchester repeating rifle, referred to as "One of a Thousand" - a gun so fine that Winchester won't sell it --- Lin runs across Dutch Henry Brown (Stephen McNally) in a saloon and the two would kill each other right there but for the fact that town marshal Wyatt Earp has everyone's guns --- Lin wins the rifle in an extraordinary marksmanship match-up with Brown, but the latter steals the prize from him and sets out across the desert --- Thus begins a battle of wits and nerves, and a pursuit to the death --- The roots and raw psychological dimensions of that chase are only exposed gradually, across a story arc that includes references to Custer's Last Stand, run-ins with marauding Indians, a heroic stand with a a shady but well-intentioned grifter and a meeting with murderous sociopath named Waco Johnny Dean, plus a romantic encounter with a young, golden-hearted frontier woman --- All of these story lines eventually get drawn together neatly and gracefully by director Anthony Mann, who balances the violence of the events with a lyrical, almost poetic visual language.
Written for the screen by Borden Chase who also scripted two other Stewart/Mann westerns: "Bend of the River" (1952) & "The Far Country" (1954) --- All three are classic James Stewart Westerns!
Under the production staff of:
Anthony Mann [Director[
Robert L. Richards [Screenwriter]
Borden Chase [Screenwriter]
Stuart N. Lake [Story]
Aaron Rosenberg [Producer]
Joseph Gershenson [Original Film Music]
William H. Daniels [Cinematographer]
Edward Curtiss [Film Editor]
BIOS:
1. Anthony Mann [aka: Emil Anton Bundesmann] - [Director]
Date of Birth: 30 June 1906 - San Diego, California
Date of Death: 29 April 1967 - Berlin, Germany
2. James Stewart
Date of Birth: 20 May 1908 - Indiana, Pennsylvania
Date of Death: 2 July 1997 - Los Angeles, California
the cast includes:
James Stewart - Lin McAdam
Shelley Winters - Lola Manners
Dan Duryea - Waco Johnnie Dean
Stephen McNally - Dutch Henry Brown
Millard Mitchell - High Spade Frankie Wilson
Charles Drake - Steve Miller
John McIntire - Joe Lamont
Will Geer - Wyatt Earp
Jay C. Flippen - Sgt. Wilkes
Rock Hudson - Young Bull
John Alexander - Jack Riker
Steve Brodie - Wesley
James Millican - Wheeler
Abner Biberman - Latigo Means
Tony Curtis - Doan
James Best ... Crater
Mr. Jim's Ratings:
Quality of Picture & Sound: 5 Stars
Performance: 5 Stars
Story & Screenplay: 5 Stars
Overall: 5 Stars [Original Music, Cinematography & Film Editing]
Total Time: 92 min on DVD ~ Universal Studios ~ (05/06/2003)
Movie Review: Anthony Mann creates a classic
Summary: 5 Stars
The story goes that in 1950 Jimmy Stewart was looking around for something a little different for himself, something where he could play a character less folksy and warm. He sure did find it in this film, as well as all the other magnificent westerns he did with gritty, noir director, Anthony Mann (T-Men, Raw Deal, Railroaded, etc). This is the first of their collaborations.When the film was first shown to test audiences, there were titters in the crowd when Jimmy Stewart's name appeared in the credits. "Mr. Smith" in a western? Shooting people? Please. By the end of the film, the tittering was all done and Stewart had established himself as a viable western hero (although in truth the magic of these Mann/Stewart westerns is that the characters Stewart plays are hardly "heroic." They are usually driven, neurotic men, nearly shifty-eyed, with a mean streak a mile wide - bitter men, and always very, very angry and eager to kill.
The basic set-up of this film is beautifully simple: Jimmy Stewart has a prize rifle stolen from him, a Winchester Model 1973 (which at the time the film takes place was state-of-the-art in the world of firearms), and he spends the rest of the movie hunting the man that stole it.
The story unfolds, however, as the movie rolls quickly along to something much more complex, culminating in one of the finest shootouts in movie history. The two principal actors of the film, James Stewart and Stewart McNally, spent a great deal of time practicing with their rifles (in Stewart's case Mann often found him walking around the set with bleeding knuckles, the results of his hours of self-training working the classic lever-action Winchester). Their hard work paid of in a tremendous realism.
Anthony Mann brought in cinematographer, William Daniels, for Winchester '73, a veteran who most notably had worked a great deal with Garbo in the 30's. Daniels brought his tremendous sense of lighting to the table to create one of the most beautiful looking Westerns of all time. Daniels' light, combined with Mann's unmatched visual sense, made things look nearly 3-demensional in their reality. When viewing this film, watch for the staggering long shots, or the scenes near dusk or at night. Pure texture and light - at once glamorous yet real.
This film also has my favorite depiction of aging Western legend, Wyatt Earp, the Law in Dodge, played with easy authority by Will Greer. Greer always offers his suggestions to town folks with a warm smile, as when he asks Stewart to give up his gun in an early scene. There is always a bit of steel in the old gunfighter's eyes, though, and folks always do just as he suggests. Quickly.
All in all a great treat and a must-have for any fan of the Western (or for that matter, any lover of movies). A true classic all the way. --Mykal Banta
Movie Review: Anthony Mann and James Stewart team up for WINCHESTER '73.The gun that won the West.
Summary: 5 Stars
James Stewart's first Western was DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (1939) eleven years later he played the former army scout Tom Jeffords in BROKEN ARROW (1950). Directed by Delmer Daves, then came WINCHESTER '73. But it was Anthony Mann's WINCHESTER '73 that was given its public release first, which also revealed to the public a hitherto unknown harder-edged Stewart which was to continue with a series of Mann / Stewart Westerns culminating in THE MAN FROM LARAMIE (1955). Sadly they fell out in the early pre-production stages of NIGHT PASSAGE (1956) and never worked together again!
Produced by Aaron Rosenberg for Universal International. Fritz Lang had been originally earmarked as Director of WINCHESTER `73 but he wasn't available so Mann was chosen to direct his first Western. Robert L. Richards and Borden Chase wrote the screenplay from a story by Stuart N. Lake Beautifully shot in black & white with riders on the skyline images and night time campfire scenes reminiscent of John Ford's best work.
Lin McAdam (James Stewart) and his sidekick High-Spade Frankie Wilson (Millard Mitchell) ride into Dodge City on the trail of Dutch Henry Brown (Stephen McNally). McAdam befriends dance hall girl Lola Manners (Shelley Winters) who is about to run out of town by Wyatt Earp (Will Geer). He then finds himself up against Dutch Henry Brown in a 4th of July Centennial shooting match for a one-in-a-thousand Winchester Rifle Model 1873. Lin McAdam wins the contest and is presented with The Prize Winchester by Wyatt Earp. On returning to his hotel room Stewart is bushwhacked by the runner up (Dutch Henry Brown) who steals the rifle and beats a hasty retreat of town.
With McAdam and High-Spade in hot pursuit the rifle falls into the hands of various Western characters along the way, first it's gun-salesman Joe Lamont (John McIntyre) who losses it to Indian Chief Young Bull (Rock Hudson), then it's found by young Trooper Doan (Tony Curtis) who hands it to Sgt Wilkes (Jay C Flippen) who in turn gives it to Steve Miller (Charles Drake) then it's stolen by Waco Johnnie Dean (Dan Duryea) who surrenders it back to Dutch Henry Brown. Finally after a long drawn out chase McAdam catches up with Dutch Henry Brown for a spectacular final shoot-out on a mountain precipice.
Released by Universal Studios 2003 on DVD with the original theatrical Trailer and a unique one-and-only (audio) interview with James Stewart conducted over and above a latter-day private screening of WINCHESTER '73. They discuss the film, cast and other highlights of Stewart's career. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Movie Review: Have Gun, Will Travel
Summary: 5 Stars
One of my favorite westerns, WINCHESTER '73 is a visual feast, backed by an excellent story and acting talent.
Taken on one level it is simply a "quest" film. Lin McAdam (James Stewart) and his pal High Spade Frankie Wilson (Millard Mitchell) have a newly won Winchester rifle stolen from them. The thief is Dutch Henry Brown (Stephen McNally), a fellow that Lin would have shot earlier in the saloon, had not Wyatt Earp (Will Geer) not confiscated everyone's guns. Obviously, Lin and Dutch Henry have a past, and some unfinished business.
Lin and High Spade go a'questing, in search of Dutch Henry and his gang. Like Ethan Edwards (John Wayne) in THE SEARCHERS (1955), Lin is relentless in his pursuit of Dutch Henry. Lin is a driven man, but at this point we aren't sure what is driving him.
Eventually, after surviving a native attack led by Young Bull (Rock Hudson) on an army division (among whom are Jay C. Flippen and Tony Curtis), Lin and Dutch Henry meet, and shoot it out while Dutch Henry is trying to escape after robbing the Tascona bank. Lin kills a member of Dutch Henry's gang, Waco Johnnie Dean (Dan Duryea), but Dutch Henry escapes with Lin in pursuit. The climax occurs in the neaby foothills.
It would be a pretty common story, if this was all there was to it. But interlaced throughout the film is the Winchester rifle. The film begins and ends with it. Many of the people want to touch and hold it; the most ambitious want to own it. As in GUN CRAZY (1949), the gun is more than simply a firearm; it is a fetish. Director, Anthony Mann, essentially follows the weapon from hand to hand, as the story is told. A wonderfully directed film. And it was shot beautifully by cinematographer William Daniels.
Of the two Region 1 DVD releases, the 2008 JAMES STEWART 'THE WESTERN COLLECTION' copy is the better print. Both it, and the 2003 DVD release have the Stewart audio commentary, which is a lot of fun, even if you wish that better questions had been asked.
Movie Review: A Classic Western where Stewart reveals his darker side...
Summary: 5 Stars
For Anthony Mann the Western was 'legend'- and 'legend' makes the very best cinema! Mann's work was full of intensities and passions, visually dramatic, and the action always excitingly photographed...
Stewart, a docile actor with the ability of displaying anger, neurosis and cruelty, made with Anthony Mann, five remarkable Westerns: "Winchester '73;" " Bend of the River;" "The Naked Spur;" "The Far Country;" and "The Man from Laramie."
In "Winchester '73," Stewart reveals his darker side... He offers all the reserves of anger, inner ambivalence, and emotional complexity in his nature that his audiences had, up till this time, failed to catch...
A carefully chosen cast increases the proceedings in fine style: Shelley Winters is at her saucy best; Dan Duryea perfect as the vicious, sneering psychopathic villain; John McIntire great as the unscrupulous character; Charles Drake so good as the man who attempts to face his tormentor; and a very young Rock Hudson, attempts the role of an Indian Chief...
"Winchester '73" is the story of a perfectly crafted and highly prized, rifle in the Dodge City Kansas of 1876... Stewart and his estranged brother, who bears another name (Stephen McNally), compete fiercely for possession of it, and though Stewart wins, McNally steals it and sets off cross-country with Stewart in pursuit... What gives the pursuit an element of the demonic, is Stewart's determination to revenge his father's death at the hands of that same renegade brother--a revenge fed by long-standing fratricidal hatred...
Photographed in gorgeous Black & White, the film comes on as powerful and arresting, acted with deep feeling and intense concentration, not only by Stewart but by all the supporting characters...
Look fast for a promising newcomer, Tony Curtis, the soldier who finds the rifle after the Indian attack...