OK, so it’s 2022’s first-quarter viewings… Q4 of 2021 can be viewed here.
Have Gun Will Travel seasons 5-6 (DVD)
The Rifleman season 1 (DVD)
Batman and Robin 1949 serial (DVD)
Atom Man vs Superman 1950 serial (DVD)
Radar Men from the Moon 1952 serial (DVD)
A bit low on completed season viewings, but a very fond farewell to Have Gun Will Travel—things won’t seem the same without Paladin on the screen several times a week. On the other hand, Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain in Rifleman is a great stand-in… currently two-thirds through season 2, whilst also working through the spin-off series starring the excellent Michael Ansara, as Marshal Sam Buckhart—Law of the Plainsman. (You can view both series in their entirety on YouTube, if you’re so inclined.)
Chuck Connors with co-star Johnny Crawford—publicity still for THE RIFLEMAN (1958).
And movies! We’ve watched some movies.
Keeping up with the Burt Lancaster viewings (as detailed here), we’ve added to the list:
Apache (1954)—Burt as the blue-eyed Massai in Robert Aldrich’s first movie in colour.
The Kentuckian (1955)—Burt’s one-and-only time in the director’s seat on his own.
Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)—Robert Wise’s classy submarine war flick.
Annnd… the three early Burt films noir we hadn’t yet caught up with…
I Walk Alone (1947)—the first of his five films with Kirk Douglas.
All My Sons (1948)—intense drama with Edward G Robinson.
Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948)—UK-set (but not filmed!) euro noir with Joan Fontaine.
Burt & Kirk, together for the first time—with Lizabeth Scott, in I WALK ALONE (1948).
(Obviously, there have been Ray Harryhausen viewings too—covered here.)
To compensate for the lack of Paladin, a viewing of Richard Boone menacing Paul Newman in 1967’s Hombre fit the bill very nicely.
Richard Boone being nasty—HOMBRE (1967).
Continuing the theme of musical biopics from last year (Walk the Line and Love & Mercy), the much less literal and factual Miles Davis flick Miles Ahead (2015) got a screening. This one is quirky and interesting. Director/star Don Cheadle is absolutely great as latter-day Miles, although I’d say he looks more like 1987 Miles than 1980 Miles (when the largely fictional ‘present day’ bits of the film are set)… but he’s damn good regardless.
Miles is seen in 1981 with Carlos Santana, and in 1988 in a publicity shot in full flamboyant, mullet mode.
Although I can be quite critical about biopics that fuck with the facts, it’s generally those which proclaim to tell the ‘true story’ about their subject and then proceed to do anything but (I’m looking at you, Stan & Ollie). Cheadle himself describes this movie as more of a freeform impression of Miles Davis, in the spirit of the man’s legendary jazz work, and it can’t be faulted on that level. I’m not sure it’s what you’d describe as a complete success, but it’s a bold attempt, and mostly very interesting and worthwhile. Recommended. If you like Miles.
More soon!
Chrissie,
I’ve been watching quite a bit of The Rifleman lately and enjoying these little morality plays. Chuck Connors has always been an enjoyable actor and his interactions with Johnny Crawford as father and son make this quite different from the standard shoot ’em up.
Indeed; there’s a genuine rapport between Connors and Crawford which shines out from the screen.
Thanks Chrissie, I’ll have to add some of those to the list. Watching Stalag 17 again this week after seeing Richard Erdman in The Blue Gardenia.