Dear John: The Shootist

To ring in New Year's Day I felt like watching something epic and/or classic. My copy of The Searchers is on loan so I ended up with another seminal if less classically remembered John Wayne western, his final film The Shootist from 1976. Based on Glendon Swarthout's novel with a script from Miles Hood Swarthout and Scott Hale, the Don Siegel directed tale of a dying gunfighter intrigued and entertained me so much that I watched it 3 times in the 48 hour Amazon Prime rental period. The Shootist opens up with a montage of John Wayne clips from earlier films, setting up his J.B. Books as a law and gun man who won't be wronged, won't be insulted and won't be laid a hand on. Into his twilight years and diagnosed with cancer, Books just wants to live out his final days with dignity in peace. Ending up in the picturesque Carson City, fabulously brought to life by the real city in Nevada and the Warner Brothers lot, we meet a plethora of Wayne's friends, film favorites and familiar faces. You had semi-retired James Stewart as the local doctor Books trusts, Lauren Bacall as a widowed boarding house owner, young Ron Howard as her son and would be rabble rouser, Scatman Crothers as the world's greatest haggler and livery owner then genre faces Richard Boone, Hugh O'Brian, Bill McKinney and Harry Morgan as local threats and lawmen.

The script crackles with memorable moments (want my wallet? BLAM!), terrific dialog ("The day they lay you away, what I'll do on your grave won't pass for flowers"), a sense of humor and scattered bits of violence that pack an impact. While a bit weathered, gray and stiff at 68, Wayne is solid as Books, drawing on his heroic baggage to give us a character that's still able and willing as well as reflective and philosophical as he doesn't have time to take the long way or make nice. Director Siegel keeps things moving and the film holds up quite well as it's entertaining, reflective, funny and near mythical. The production was difficult from the start as Wayne was not the first choice for Books but Italian financier and producer Dino De Laurentiis is said to have been set on the star. Writer Swarthout recalled the shoot being difficult with Wayne falling ill during filming and the crew unsure if he would return. Wayne had already lost his left lung and several ribs to cancer prevention surgery years before and faced stomach cancer shortly before shooting commenced. Release information online is muddled with a June or July release where the film grossed either $6, $8 or $13 million depending on who you believed.

After a prolific, iconic and profitable career that spanned five decades, John Wayne died in 1979 with an Oscar, nearly 200 acting credits and worldwide fame to his name. Don Siegel had already established himself as a force in film after successful collaborations with Clint Eastwood and mega hit Dirty Harry, which would mark a milestone in his career. Subsequent team ups with Charles Bronson, Burt Reynolds and Better Midler would not be quite as influential and Siegel retired before passing away in 1991. Eastwood would credit Siegel along with Sergio Leone as the two biggest influences in his own prolific directing career. The Shootist ended up on several Top 10 lists for the year and garnered award nominations from The Academy, Golden Globes and BAFTA.

Macho Moments: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

First and only time I ever saw John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance in a theater was during writer/director Edgar Wright's programming at The New Beverly Cinema. Basically, Wright selected two weeks worth of films he'd never seen before and experienced them with an audience. 1962's Liberty Valance is a classic western about big ideal lawyer Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart), who travels to the wild west and gets brutally whipped by the outlaw Liberty Valance (a really mean Lee Marvin) during a stagecoach robbery. Setting up in town, Stoddard is saved and schooled by manly man Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) and told that western law doesn't adhere to what's printed in a book. Stoddard works to turn the territory into a state and civilize the land but a confrontation with Valance just keeps trucking towards him.

During a busy dinner scene, Stoddard is doing women's work of serving food to help out the folks who took him in. Valance and his cronies (young Lee Van Cleef and Strother Martin) waltz in, scare off some cowboys and sit down for a huge steak dinner. Still bearing the scars from Valance's whip, Stoddard steels himself and goes about his work but Valance just won't let him and trips him, spilling a tray of steak, beans, potatoes and deep dish apple pie. That's when Doniphon stands up and delivers "That's my steak, Valance" and a true, defining movie Macho Moment is upon us. I remember laughing and applauding in the theater because it was just too perfect a scene. Valance is set up to be this hardcore outlaw but you're not sure if he actually is because he always has back up. Doniphon isn't the type to back down and is more or less just looking for a reason to put Valance six feet under. Stoddard can't believe how kill crazy these people are and picks up the steak himself.

Liberty Valance was a critical and commercial hit upon release, grossing $8 million bucks off a $3.2 million dollar budget, making it the 16th highest grossing film of 1962. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design and spawned a Top Ten hit for singer Gene Pitney. But the James Warner Bellah and Willis Goldbeck scripted film wasn't a very pleasant shoot according to some of it's stars as Ford, who was a big part of Wayne's rise to stardom, needled the actor endlessly for not making it in the NFL like co-star Woody Strode or enlisting in World War II like Stewart. The two had been working together for over a decade and would reunite just a year later for Donovan's Reef. In 2007 the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant".

John Ford Blogathon: Donovan's Reef

Here's a first for Dammaged Goods, a multi-site blogathon!  The topic?  The films of John Ford.  Co-hosted by Krell Laboratories and Bemused and Non-Plussed, which is run by an old college chum of mine who will forever be in my heart for her love of John Carpenter and buying me Wendy's with her leftover meal stipend.  I've seen a lot of Jack/Coach/Pop Ford's work but I can't say he's one of my favorite directors a la The Great Escape's John Sturges.  But this near week long event seemed like fun and something different than my usual 80's and 90's awesome bullshit.  Perusing through Ford's filmography, obvious titles like My Darling Clementine, Fort Apache, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Quiet Man, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Searchers all jumped out at me but were already taken.  Then I realized that his 1963 "WWII buddies who brawl in Hawaii" effort Donovan's Reef was still up for grabs. I didn't realize the flick was one of Ford's last directorial efforts and that the production faced a multitude of issues from the start.  But we'll get into that...

Within the opening minutes of Donovan's Reef we meet wild eyed trouble maker Thomas Aloysius 'Boats' Gilhooley (Lee Marvin) who is scrubbing the decks of a freighter passing the French Polynesian island of Haleakaloha (actually Kauai, Hawaii).  A Navy veteran, Boats has been shanghai'd by the turtleneck clad, blackjack toting captain who gets a mop handle to the face as Boats makes his escape and swims to shore.  Then we meet Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan (John Wayne) on a fishing trip with three youngsters, Leilani, Sarah and Luki who are the children of local physician Dr. William Dedham (Jack Warden).  From the simple introduction we can infer that Guns is a good man, a tough guy and a bit of a smart ass.  Next we're introduced to island governor  Marquis Andre de Lage (Cesar Romero) who is tired of the pretty local girls, bland food and sunshine and would rather be transferred to Miami Beach, Florida or Hollywood, California.  As Boats makes his way to shore, horns are sounded and a singing, waving crowd gathers to welcome the seemingly island legend with layers of leis and passionate smooches from the women.  Local law enforcement/French Legionnaire Sgt. Monk Menkowicz (Mike Mazurki) and Father Cluzeot (Marcel Dalio) are ready to kick Boats off the island but are disarmed by his roughneck charm.  Boats and Monk head to Donovan's Reef, a local "men only" joint where we learn that Guns and Boats have partaken in an annual, all out brawl for the last 22 years following their service in World War II on their shared birthday summed up as "The Legion, The Legend and The Crowd".  Guns attempts to call a truce but within minutes the beer bottles and punches fly as the two rumble through the bar.  Doc Dedham breaks up the scuffle and reminds them that nobody even remembers what started their ridiculous birthday donnybrook that happens to fall on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

Away from the sun and surf in snowy Boston, we're introduced to Doc's estranged daughter; the upright, high nosed, bespectacled Ameilia Dedham (Elizabeth Allen), heir to a vast shipping company who is worth a very not bad $18 million bucks and wears skirts during snow storms.  Following the death of an elder Dedham who bequeaths lucrative shares to Doc, the family lawyer suggests tracking Doc down to prove he is not of good morals and can then be denied the wills will.  Word hits the island of Ameilia's arrival but with Doc traveling the outer islands for several weeks, Guns and the Marquis don't want to risk an angry daughter being confronted with 3 new siblings and ruin the deal.  Guns then takes Leilani, Luki and Sarah (Jacqueline Malouf, Jeffrey Byron and Cherylene Lee) as his own until Doc can explain the situation which Leilani takes as their father being ashamed of their mixed heritage.  Ameilia arrives and of course starts off on the wrong foot with Guns as they both plummet into the water while transferring vessels and she deems him an imbecile.  But of course Ameilia's cold hearted, business woman facade starts to soften as she interacts with the adorable Luki, Sarah and Leilani, not knowing they're actually related and taking in the slow paced, relaxing lifestyle of the islanders.  And of course Ameilia decides Guns isn't such an imbecile and after some oddly tense, funny, competitive and macho style courting, the two begin to fall for each other.  Upon arrival Ameilia is surprised to find that her father doesn't live in some beach side shack but rather has a grand estate complete with a hospital and church on site.  We learn that Doc, Guns and Boats were all on the same ship during the war which was attacked and sunk.  They managed to reach the island where locals helped them survive and launch a guerrilla war campaign against the residing Japanese troops.  Doc knew of Ameilia's birth but by the time the fighting ended, his wife/her mother had died and no one reached out to him.  Meanwhile, the people of the island needed his help so he stayed on to repay their kindness before marrying the last descendent of island royalty, Princess Manulani, who died during childbirth. 

I've always liked Donovan's Reef but haven't sat down to watch it in quite some time.  The simple and funny premise, the lush ocean, beach and valley landscapes along with fun performances of John Wayne and Lee Marvin were enough to put a smirk on my face anytime I came across the title.  Popping it in today, I realized how short the actual brawl scenes are and how long the movie feels.  Not in a boring way, just a, I thought it was about one thing but it's actually about something else.  You could make ties to racism, capitalism, greed, misogyny and the like but I'm not viewing this film in the context of it's release and can only see it through my eyes some 50 years later where the film stands out due to it's talented cast and crew and amusing run time.  Wayne's Guns Donovan is a nice comedic departure for The Duke between war and western roles in fare like The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Longest Day and McClintok!  He's macho, tough yet paternal and likeable as uncle to the children and gets to rock short shorts which probably didn't happen in many of his other films during the time period.  Lee Marvin plays Boats as a near cartoon character with broad physicality, crazy eyes and oblivious charm in what is a surprisingly small role upon repeat inspection.  Apparently Marvin was deep into his drinking days and would show up hungover, thus making the production shuffle filming.  I loved the bit where he has a string tied to a bottle of beer connected to his wrist though.  Marvin was still playing heavies up to this point and was just around the corner from his leading man turns in Cat Ballou, The Professionals, The Dirty Dozen, Point Blank, Hell In The Pacific and PAINT YOUR WAGON!

In the two quick fight scenes, Wayne and Marvin mix it up in only the ways 60's Hollywood could with brutal looking hits, bodies smashing through tables, pianos and windows, chairs being broken over backs and all the best western style, bar room brawling we just can't seem to replicate today.  In the middle of the mayhem, director Ford manages to keep things light with Guns chastising Boats to throw a bottle of beer, not expensive liquor or a broken slot machine finally paying out when someone is punched into it.  I totally forgot that future Used Cars' co-star Jack Warden plays Doc with his great voice and strong demeanor utilized to good effect as the calm headed, responsible adult to Guns and Boats' manchildren.  TV star Elizabeth Allen is fine as the uppity yet not unlikeable heir and estranged daughter who gets to treat the men like idiots, the children like royalty and show off some long slender legs in a bathing suit late in the film to remind Donovan that she is a woman, not an iceberg.  A few years off from playing The Joker on the camp classic television series, Batman, Cesar Romero is dashing as the local authority who looks to woo the wealthy Ameilia while complaining about living in paradise.

Based on a story by Edmund Beloin with a script by frequent John Wayne collaborator Jimmy Grant (Hondo, The Alamo and James Garner's Support Your Local Gunfighter) that was rejected and revised by John Ford ally Frank Nugent (The Searchers, The Quiet Man), Donovan's story takes on weighty issues like the war, disgruntled family and interracial relations with lighthearted ease, never making a bold statement on any topic and using the subjects as jumping off points for our story and likeable characters.  Aging and after years of drinking and his own war time injuries compounding, "Tough Irish Intellect" John Ford's health was said to be in steep decline during the making of Reef which was described as "8 weeks of summer fun" with all his old buddies.  The film still plays as an enjoyable and breezy time that is amusing and funny with bits of action and heart placed throughout with some very fun characters and solid performances from all involved.  Once in Hawaii, Paramount pulled financing but was still on board to distribute leaving Ford to fund the production that didn't have a finalized script.  Released in June of 1963, Donovan's Reef would go on to become a mild success, placing 24th on the years highest earners behind flicks like The Great Escape, Hud, Dr. No, Charade and Wayne and Ford's own McClintok! and How The West Was Won.  Ford's career was nearly at it's end as his next effort, the star studded apology to Native American depiction in film, Cheyenne Autumn, was not a success.  Wayne still had The Sons of Katie Elder, El Dorado and an Oscar for True Grit in his future while Marvin would also win a statue for Cat Ballou 3 years later.  

While it may not be the most "important" work of anyone involved careers, Donovan's Reef is a sun soaked bit of fun that shows off Ford, Wayne and Marvin having a good time and taking us with them.  If it's not used as a a promotional tool to bring tourists to Hawaii, it ought to be.

Ask Me a Question: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

The Autumnal Equinox (the end of summer) doesn't occur until 9.22 but this past weekend was my last outdoor screening of the season.  You're probably all used to reading about manly, macho men and ways to be kick ass but Saturday was a change of pace for the lady with 1953's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes at the Oscars Outdoors.

Starring the blonde myth herself, Marilyn Monroe and buxom outlaw brunette Jane Russell, GPB is a fun time at the movies filled with humor, musical numbers and a whole lotta double entendres.  Directed by Howard Hawks...wait, Howard Hawks?  You mean the guy who made John Wayne a star with Red River?  The guy who produced The Thing From Another World and directed everyone from Robert Mitchum to Clark Gable to Humphrey Bogart to James Caan?  Yup.  I guess macho, manly and kick ass are never far from the mind of Dammaged Goods.

Before the movie, a renowned figure in the dance world (sorry I'm not there to cover, just enjoy) presented a few slides about GPB choreographer, Jack Cole, an exotic looking gent who was one of Hollywood's top dancers/choreographers/instructors.  Cole worked with Monroe officially on three films and unofficially on several more.  Then, we were treated to the presence of a guy (sorry again) who looked like Ringo Starr but had actually danced in the film.  If GPB was released in 1953, that means he had to be in his 70's and damn did he look good for his age.  As a young dancer, he prepped for the famous "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" number for 4 weeks and the sequence itself took 3 days to shoot.  He shared a quick story about a mistake that was kept in the picture.  During Russell's, "Anybody Here For Love?", she crouches down as members of the men's Olympic team dive over her into a pool.  One came in too low and knocked her in.  He also made a point to mention how hard Monroe worked, her professionalism and her surprisingly quiet nature.

With the sun down and a surprisingly chilly August wind kicking in, it was time to start the show.  Several bizarre trailers and clips played including Wild and Wonderful, starring Tony Curtis opposite a poodle with human tendencies.  Then it was time.  Blondes opens with a musical number and introduces us to Monroe's Lorelei Lee and Russell's Dorothy Shaw.  Lee is looking to marry up and has the perfect target in a nebbish, bespectacled type who gets woozy from a kiss.  The duo hitch a ride on a cruise to Europe where private investigator/buff Olympians/young millionaires/diamond tiaras/straight vodka hijinks ensue.

Monroe is endearingly sweet as the dumb but maybe smart Lorelei which is balanced out by Russell's more aware, primal and simple living Shaw.  Hawks gives the two women all of the power in the film as they're the commotion of every crowd, the main attraction at every show and the desire of every man.  Their beauty might be on display but it's their charm, wit, show-womanship and confidence that keeps us interested.